These Flourless Zucchini Brownies are so fudgy and rich, loaded with chocolate chips plus zucchini which makes them extra moist!
Flourless Zucchini Brownies
Occasionally I share lightened up dessert recipes here. Making desserts light is a challenge, so when it works I’m thrilled! These brownies are so incredibly rich and fudgy you won’t believe there’s no oil or butter added. And, since they are made with ground almond meal instead of flour, they also happen to be gluten-free. For some more lightened brownie recipes, try my PB2 Flourless Chocolate Brownies and Flourless Black Bean Brownies.
Zucchini is in season in the summer, so I like to take advantage and cook with it often. It’s not only great in savory recipes but also in sweet ones. The liquid in the zucchini keeps the brownies moist so that you won’t miss the butter or oil. To guarantee soft, fudgy brownies, don’t squeeze out the liquid. You can see all my zucchini recipes here!
These zucchini brownies with no flour use almond meal instead for some extra nutrition. Almond meal is made from unpeeled almonds. It has a courser texture than almond flour, which uses blanched almonds without skins. Almonds are full of protein, fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium.
And to sweeten them, I used raw honey which also has tons of healthy benefits.
How do you make healthy brownies from scratch?
Healthy brownies are easy to make from scratch. Don’t let the zucchini fool you – once you grate it, the recipe’s steps are similar to a traditional brownie recipe. To up the health factor I swapped white flour for almond flour which high in protein, manganese, vitamin E and monounsaturated fats, low in carbohydrates, and contains fiber. It’s also perfect for gluten-free diets. I also subbed refined white sugar with raw honey and added just enough to make them sweet without adding too much.
Questions and Tips for Zucchini Brownies:
- Can I use almond flour instead? Sure!
- Can you make them without the almond meal or flour? For this recipe, I tested this to work with almond meal or flour. Subbing it for coconut flour or all purpose flour will probably not work but if you try and have success, please comment below! For those of you with nut allergies, I recommend these Flourless Black Bean Brownies instead.
- Can I make them dairy free? Yes, use dairy free chocolate chips.
- Can I make them without honey? Yes, use agave or maple syrup in its place.
More Chocolate Desserts You’ll Love:
- Cheesecake Brownies
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Black Bean Brownies
- PB2 Flourless Chocolate Brownies
- Cheesecake Brownies
Flourless Zucchini Brownies
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup finely ground almond meal, such as Bob’s Red Mill superfine
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unprocessed raw honey
- 2/3 cup (2 1/2 oz total) grated zucchini, not squeezed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sugar-free chocolate chips, such as Lily's, or semi-sweet, 4 1/2 oz total
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare a nonstick 9 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Cut a sheet of parchment paper about 9 inches wide, and long enough to form a sling so you can easily remove the brownies once cooked. Place into the baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the zucchini and egg whites and stir with a spatula. Add the honey and vanilla and stir with the spatula until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 30 minutes. Cut into 12 squares and serve.
