These vegan zucchini brownies are rich and fudgy and topped with a chocolate fudge topping. You’ll never know there’s zucchini in them!
These vegan zucchini brownies are so chocolatey and fudgy!
All that, and they’re covered with a seriously amazing chocolate fudge topping.
When it comes to brownies you get ‘cakey’ brownies and ‘fudgy’ brownies. Cakey brownies are more like cake. I’m a fan of the fudgy brownies.
I mean check out our fudgy vegan brownies, simple vegan brownies, our double chocolate vegan chocolate brownies, our vegan gluten free brownies and our vegan black bean brownies for proof of that. We’ve even made raw vegan brownies that are fudgy as can be.
The difference between cakey brownies and fudgy brownies comes about from the amount of oil you use.
I tried these brownies with ¾ cup of oil and they were good, but they were definitely falling on the ‘cakey’ side. So I increased the oil to a full cup and then I got that fudgy brownie perfection that I was going for.
The zucchini in these brownies adds a lot of moisture, which is why I initially thought ¾ cup of oil would be plenty, but to get your brownies to the perfect state of fudginess you just can’t be shy with the oil.
How To Make Vegan Zucchini Brownies
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Sift flour and cocoa into a mixing bowl and then add sugar, baking powder, salt and instant coffee powder and mix together.
- Add shredded zucchini, oil and vanilla extract and mix in. The batter will look much too dry at this point and like it won’t come together. Leave the bowl to sit for a couple of minutes while you prepare your baking tray.
- Spray a 9×13 quarter sheet pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Return to your mixing bowl and stir again, the zucchini should have released a little bit more moistness into the bowl and it should come together now into a thick batter.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared baking tray and use the back of a spoon to press it down and smooth it out so that it reaches all the corners and is evenly spread out across the baking pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before you do your topping.
The Chocolate Topping!
The topping is made on the stovetop and isn’t like a regular frosting at all, more like a chocolate fudge sauce that hardens beautifully.
You make it by melting some vegan butter in a saucepan and then adding sugar and soy milk and bringing it to a full rolling boil, then you remove it from the heat and stir in vegan chocolate until melted in, and then pour it all over the top of the (still warm) brownies and leave it to set.
When the topping has set, cut into squares and serve.
Now that is just brownie perfection. Double chocolate deliciousness.
Baker’s Tips
The batter is very dry for this. So don’t panic and think I’ve left off an important ingredient from the recipe card. It’s all there, you just have to be a little patient when mixing the batter. Start mixing it, and then leave the bowl for a couple of minutes, come back to it and mix again.
Leaving it for a couple of minutes will allow the moisture from the zucchinis to seep into the other ingredients and suddenly it will come together perfectly. It’s a super thick batter but that’s how it’s supposed to be.
The zucchinis: There is no need to peel your zucchini before shredding it for this recipe. You want it to have all the moisture, so don’t squeeze out any water from the zucchini either, it should all go into your batter.
The zucchini basically makes your batter look pretty odd, but the end result is indistinguishable from regular brownies since you don’t taste the zucchini, or see any trace of it, once baked. So you get some hidden veg in with your dessert, which is such a great concept.
The fudginess: It’s not just the oil that we’re not shy with in this recipe, it’s the sugar too! Perfect fudginess requires lots of cocoa, lots of sugar and lots of oil along with two full cups of shredded zucchini.
The topping: The topping is optional, of course. We love it, but if you’re the type of person who tends to not like things to be too sweet, then you’ll probably prefer to leave it off.
Just serve your brownies with some vegan whipped cream. Unsweetened. That will be super delicious for those without that much of a sweet tooth.
But for everyone else, you’ll love this chocolate fudge topping. Don’t skip it.
Storing and Freezing
Store the brownies in an airtight container in the fridge where they will stay delicious for up to 5 days. You can enjoy them as is, or heat them up a little in the microwave first before serving.
They are also freezer friendly if you do want to freeze some.
More Vegan Zucchini Recipes
- Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Vegan Zucchini Bread
- Vegan Zucchini Muffins
- Vegan Zucchini Fritters
- Vegan Zucchini Soup
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Zucchini Brownies
Ingredients
For the Zucchini Brownies:
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour (250g)
- 1 cup Cocoa Powder (86g) Unsweetened
- 2 cups White Granulated Sugar (400g)
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee Powder
- 2 cups Shredded Zucchini (280g) Packed
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil (240ml) or Canola Oil
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
For the Chocolate Fudge Topping:
- ⅓ cup Vegan Butter (75g)
- ⅓ cup Soy Milk (80ml) or other non-dairy milk
- 1 ½ cups White Granulated Sugar (300g)
- 1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips (175g) or Chopped Vegan Chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Sift the flour and cocoa into a mixing bowl and then add the white sugar, baking powder, salt and instant coffee powder and mix together.
- Add the shredded zucchini, oil and vanilla and mix. The batter will look much too dry at this point and like it won’t come together. Leave the bowl to sit for a couple of minutes while you prepare your baking tray.
- Spray a 9×13 quarter sheet pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Return to your mixing bowl and stir again, the zucchini should have released a little bit more moistness into the bowl and it should come together now into a thick batter. Transfer the batter to the baking pan and use the back of a spoon to press it down and smooth it out so that it reaches all the corners and is evenly spread out across the baking pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- While the brownies are cooling, prepare your chocolate fudge topping.
- Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan and then add the sugar and soy milk. Stir constantly until it reaches a full boil. When I say full boil I mean it will start foaming up as it boils (use a big enough pot to allow for this to happen). When it’s reached a full boil remove from the heat and add in the chocolate chips and stir furiously until they have melted completely and it’s a thick chocolate sauce. It will start to want to set once the chocolate is melted in so work quickly.
- Pour it immediately over the top of the still warm brownies and leave to set.
- Once the topping has set cut your brownies into squares and enjoy.
Notes
- The instant coffee powder enhances the chocolate flavor of the brownies, and does not cause them to taste like coffee at all. However you can omit this if you prefer.
- The zucchini does not need to be peeled first before shredding. Also don’t squeeze the zucchini to remove water from it, you want to use all the moisture for your batter.
- This recipe was first published in October 2018.
Hi there
Can I use coconut sugar instead of white granulated ?
Hi Lucy, we haven’t tested this recipe with coconut sugar before. The texture OF the brownie might be different when using a different type of sugar.
While all of your recipes are delicious, these particular brownies are absolutely decadent! I make them often and wanted to take a moment and thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much Karen! 🙂
I just baked this and it turned out great! I’ve failed to make good vegan brownies before but this came very close to perfect, the only issue it’s the actual brownie sponge came out quite crumbly, is it because I over cooked maybe?
Also, I’ve made a few of your recipes already and they are all amazing 🙂
Hi Tamira, so glad it came out well! Cooking a bit too long can cause them to be crumbly. Another reason could be if you accidentally used too much flour. I recommend either the ‘spoon and level’ method (spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife, don’t scoop the flour and don’t pack it into the cup) or weigh it on a food scale. All the best! 🙂
I’m baking these now (smells delicious!) I am wondering if the sugar in the fudge frosting is white cane sugar or white powdered sugar? Thanks for any help!
Hi Jessi, it’s granulated sugar. 🙂
Can you replace all the oil with applesauce? My heart will be happier!
Hi Mary, sure I think that would work just fine. 🙂
I just want to give you a heartfelt thanks for this recipe. EVERYONE loves it and it’s my go-to dessert to bring to gatherings. Thank you for making vegan food a hit with my non-vegan friends and family♡
Lately I’ve been adding 1/4 a cup of peanut butter to the topping… yum!
Hi Kandis, you’re so welcome! So happy it’s been a success for you! And that’s a GREAT idea to add to the topping!
HI, I was wondering, if you have any suggestions on reducing the amount of sugar for both brownie and topping? Have you ever used apple sauce? Do you think it would work? Just wondering before I give it a try. Thanks – Diana
Hi Diana, applesauce usually works better for replacing oil than replacing sugar. You could try reducing the sugar without any other changes and see how you go with that.
All I can say is YUM ????
Thanks Jasmine!
does it freeze?
Sure!
I have made brownies before, all of them non-vegan, but I have to say, this recipe produced the best brownies I have ever made (or tasted for that matter!). My boyfriend usually turns his nose up at vegan food but he could not deny these were delicious! Love love LOVE!
Yay! That is the best compliment, so happy to hear that. Thanks so much for the amazing review. 🙂
Delicious Delicious Delicious 🙂 🙂 🙂
Had a bunch of zucchini and wasn’t sure what to do with it – then I found this recipe! Best use for zucchini’s ever. Totally delish, thanks.
I soooo agree Amanda! Best use for zucchini’s. Haha, thanks so much for posting. 🙂
Hello, can I change the zucchini to beetroot?
Do you think that will work?
I love baking cakes with beetroot and chocolate.
Thanks
Hi! It might work. I’m not sure if they are equivalent vegetables in terms of their water content and if they are not then the quantity would need to be adjusted. I would probably try it with the same quantity of shredded beetroot to replace the zucchini as a starting point and see how it comes out. Let us know how it goes! 🙂
Has anyone tried this with a gluten-free flour substitute?
Hi Ethan, you could try an all purpose gluten-free flour blend, that is the best bet for replacing regular all purpose. 🙂
Yes, I used rice flour and it worked very well. Still deliciously decadent!
I would like to say a big thank you for all this recipe sharing.
I do not write often comment (I’m French and my English is not excellent) but today, I take the time to leave you a comment because I cooked a lot of your recipes and it was one real success (cookies, brownie, raw cheesecake, tiramisu).
this allowed me to appreciate the vegan food to my entourage and they want more.
Hanna