Easy Healthy Zucchini Brownies made with peanut butter, freshly grated zucchini, and sweetened with maple syrup are gooey, decadent, and low in sugar! You only need 10 minutes to whip up these Hummusapien community favorite brownies (check out the 5-star reviews in the comments!). Flourless, vegan, grain free and gluten free. One of the only ways my kiddos will eat veggies!
The best recipes come to me when I'm out of all the ingredients, ya know? And no paper towels were harmed in the process!
I decided my healthy olive oil brownies with almond flour and healthy pumpkin brownies most definitely need another chocolate cousin, and here we are. Life is so much better for it!
You're not going to believe these are made with peanut butter and legit no flour. The fluff! The fudge! I mean it's on the verge of insane how fudgy and decadent these are.
5-star reader praise ★★★★★
"Despite all the good reviews, I honestly wasn't expecting much. I thought I had a pretty solid understanding of the physical universe, but I really don't understand how this combination of ingredients lead to this most insanely delicious result. They are kinda fluffy, kinda fudge-y. Just so dang awesome." -Sheena
"The best brownies ever! I've been making them for several years and everybody loves them. I use Guittard extra dark cacao and chips and like them best chilled overnight in the refrigerator. Thanks for the delicious and healthier recipe." -Shannon
"They are a HUGE hit each and every time I make them. I make DOUBLE batch each time. Ann LOVES them and I am about to make a batch for her birthday." -Wilma
"These are so delicious! And we made them for a bunch of very picky kids- they approved too! You can’t taste the zucchini at all." -Erin
The low down on key ingredients (and why!)
- Natural peanut butter: We want the drippy kind with peanuts and salt as the ingredients. I've tested this with almond butter and they're great, too! I do not recommend sunflower seed butter here as they turned out more cakey and not as yummy.
- Pure maple syrup: My favorite unrefined liquid sweetener. Honey or agave would also work. These are just lightly sweetened, so you'll want to use ½ cup for more classic brownie sweetness.
- Ground flax: I developed this recipe specifically with flax to helps bind the brownies and keep them vegan. That said, I also loved the version with the egg! They're a bit puffier that way.
- Shredded zucchini: Like my vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread, we're using plenty of [not squeezed] shredded zucchini for moisture and nutrition. It took a bit of trial and error but I found on my second test that not squeezing the zucchini not only saves the hassle (and 25 paper towels), but it adds crucial moisture to the batter!
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips for extra chocolate flavor and amazing texture contrast. Don't skip them--I tested these without chocolate chips and really missed the crunch!
Storage tips
Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Microwave for a few seconds before eating for those melty chocolate chips!
I actually love these out of the freezer. They freeze well for up to 3 months. You can thaw them overnight in the fridge or defrost in the microwave.
Please let me know how this flourless peanut butter zucchini brownies recipe turns out for you by leaving a star rating and/or comment! Your house is about to smell soooooo good.
Print
Flourless Healthy Zucchini Brownies (with peanut butter!)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 9-12 brownies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Easy Healthy Zucchini Brownies made with peanut butter, freshly grated zucchini, and sweetened with maple syrup are gooey, decadent, and low in sugar! You only need 10 minutes to whip up these Hummusapien community favorite brownies (check out the 5-star reviews in the comments!). Flourless, vegan, grain free and gluten free. One of the only ways my kiddos will eat veggies!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup natural salted peanut butter
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup (use ½ cup for sweeter brownies)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (don't squeeze out water)
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed or 1 large egg
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt (optional, I prefer the extra salt)
- ⅓-½ cup chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a loaf pan or 8x8inch baking dish with cooking spray. Brownies will be thicker with a loaf pan.
- Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a large bowl. If your nut butter is unsalted, add an additional ¼ tsp salt. Whisk until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips. The batter is very thick.
- Spoon mixture into loaf pan and use a rubber spatula to spread evenly in pan. Sprinkle with a handful of chocolate chips and a pinch of flaky salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until brownies are set and a knife comes out almost clean. If your peanut butter wasn't liquidy/drippy, they will take less time.
- Sprinkle brownies with flaky salt. Allow to completely cool before slicing. Slice into 9 bars for a square pan or 10 bars for a loaf pan. I like these best after they've chilled overnight in the fridge!
Notes
STORE: I like storing these in the fridge; they get even fudgier overnight.
Gulnara says
My friend made your zucchini brownies and gave us to try some, I couldn’t stop eating it! We try to eat healthy, be active and love to treat ourselves to guiltless desert. I’m saving the recipe and can’t wait to make soon to spoil my family.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
This made me so happy, thank you!!
Aubrie Davidson says
I make these all the time!!! Fabulous
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Yayyy thank you so much!
z says
Absolutely wickedly delicious fudgy brownies. I doubled the recipe and substituted 1/4 c Fage Greek yogurt for the 2tbsp flaxseed! Baked this recipe twice in 3 days they are so scrumptious!
Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Oh wow so cool that worked with the yogurt, thanks for sharing!!
Ashley says
So good!! I did sub in one egg as im not vegan but kept everything else the same, will be on repeat when i sant a healthier chocolate dessert 🙂
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Love it, thank you Ashley!
Holly says
Hi Alexis,
What would you recommend to substitute for peanut butter? Not for consistency just for flavour, I can’t stand peanut butter.
I look forward to making these!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Almond butter!
Tani says
Delicious and so easy to make! Thank you for another yummy, healthy recipe!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Yayyy thanks so much, Tani!
JO says
I just made these today & agree with each of the WOW! comments below. So hard to believe this combination of ingredients creates such a moist, delicious, rich taste. I dropped some off to my sister's place & my nephews polished them off in a few minutes! Gone! These helped me achieve some serious aunty star power!! Thankyou. These are going to be a regular part of the baking rotation. Just wondering if I could add frozen raspberries?? I'll give it a go. 🙂
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Yayyy thank you, Jo! You must try my healthy chocolate zucchini cake next 🙂 a small handful of frozen raspberries should work, I just wouldn’t add too many because they could make the batter too moist. Cheers!
Cindy says
What a delicious treat that doesn’t sabotage my goals! I will make this again! I think I might add some walnuts next time.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Love it, thanks Cindy!!
Cheryl says
Question. Can I use cacao instead of cocoa powder in this recipe? Looking forward to giving these brownies a try. Thank you.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Yep I use the two pretty interchangeably in all my baking 🙂
Ellen Karg says
What in the world!!?? These are amazing. I thought they might taste too much like peanut butter but they are chocolatey deliciousness! Your recipe never fail me! They always turn out amazing.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
You made my day Ellen, thank you so much!
kay says
I bake them, then I take a bite and stare in wonder at how they are so delicious and there is no flour! It's crazy to me, that there is a fluffy texture but no flour. I love them so much. I've baked 3 double batches so far (found the recipe one week ago lol).
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Hahah that's amazing! You must try the chocolate zucchini cake I just posted, too 🙂
Erin says
These are so delicious! And we made them for a bunch of very picky kids- they approved too!
You can’t taste the zucchini at all, and fyi- I made them with sunflower seed butter one time when I was out of pb and they were ok. A little more cakey. Not quite as dense and chocolaty.
Thanks for all your yummy recipes!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
It's crazy how different butters can make a difference! Thanks, Erin 🙂 You must try the pumpkin brownies, next!
D says
What if I do not want to do any sugar (maple syrup or honey) but maybe a little protein powder that is sweetened with monkfruit. Would I need to replace the liquid sugar (honey/maple syrup) amount with almond milk or water to ensure they are still moist?
Alexis Joseph says
Hey D, I've never made them without liquid sweetener so I can't say without testing the recipe. I'm not sure milk will have the same effect; although I know they'll be too dry with zucchini as the only moisture + protein powder addition. Let me know if you experiment!
Anonymous says
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so glad you liked them, thanks Pamela!
Pamela Arroyo says
These brownies were awesome ! Even my family liked them. I did have to bake them for 40 minutes.
Wilma says
Thank you Alexis for your
gluten free Brownies.
They are a HUGE hit each and every time I make them.
I make DOUBLE batch each time.
Ann LOVES them and I am about to make a batch for her birthday.
Thank you sooo much.
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, thank you tons Wilma! I love a double batch 🙂 You made my day. If you could leave a star rating with your comment I would be SO grateful! Also, you must try my pumpkin brownies...they're seriously insane!
Sofia says
First time trying this recipe and the brownies were delicious! Unfortunately I did not have any ground flaxseed so I used an egg. I also did not have chocolate chips, so I just cut a chocolate bar into small pieces. You can’t taste the zucchini and it is very soft and chocolately. Will definitely do again.
Alexis Joseph says
Awesome, I’m thrilled you enjoyed them with the egg! Thank you!
Rachel says
These are so yummy!!
Alexis Joseph says
I'm thrilled to hear it, thanks Rachel!!
Dina says
Obsessed!! Perfect texture and taste. You are the brownie queen!
Darnell says
For a healthy dessert this is great. Do you think you could sub almond butter for the peanut butter for a different flavor?
Alexis Joseph says
Almond butter is a lot less dry than pb so I've actually found it can produce very different brownie results! They likely will be a lot more fudgey.
Darnell says
So I tried it- I actually like them better for when I don’t want a peanut butter flavor! Same texture but I used TJ almond butter.
Alexis Joseph says
So glad that worked! Thanks for letting me know! Be sure to try my Pumpkin Brownies and Banana Brownies, too 🙂
Desiree says
Oh my! These taste & look amazing! I subbed date syrup for the maple syrup & almond butter for the peanut butter. It so nice to find a healthy cakey brownie that is gluten free. Thanks!
AM says
So fudgy and delicious!!
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, thank you!
Wilma says
Your recipe is 5 stars at first bite for my. gluten sensitive daughter.
THANK YOU.
Ann was totally impressed.
xo Wilma
Alexis Joseph says
I'm so glad Ann is a fan!!
Tracy says
These brownies are amazing!! I asked Alexis if she thought it would be okay to substitute honey for Maple syrup. She thought it would be fine so I tried it. They really were amazing, so rich and chocolatey!! This recipe is a keeper!
Alexis Joseph says
So good to hear they worked with honey! Thanks, Tracy 🙂
Wilma says
Hello Alexis
I just made a double batch to freeze - tis the season for zucchini and I am trying to cook more seasonally.
The first batch disappeared ???
- oops - busted as a person who doesn't eat desserts lol lol -. unless they are healthy recioes from you Alexis.
I used Dairy free chocolate chips for our daughter in law - who is allergic to ALL things COW.
I still call them'
" Gluten free Ann Brownies" but have added " with love to Hummusapien ALEXIS".
Thank you.
I will let you know their response.
xo Wilma
Wilma says
These were made with my gluten
sensitive daughter in mind.
They will blow her mind.
THEY amazed me and I am NOT a dessert eater BUT healthy won the day.
THANK YOU for adding to my family recipe book of signature recipes for each member.
I renamed them after our daughter.
and call them
"Gluten free Ann Brownies "
Cheers
Wilma
Alexis Joseph says
Awww I'm so thrilled you loved them, Wilma! Can't wait to hear what Ann thinks of her brownies 🙂 XO
Alexandra says
My vegan friends were super impressed! As one of them said—“I thought it was impossible to make good vegan brownies…but these are amazing!” Very easy to make, no special mixers needed. Cakey and only a hint of peanut butter flavor. Yum!
Alexis Joseph says
So glad, yay!! Thanks for letting me know they were a hit!
Caitlin says
Super yummy dipped in almond milk!
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy!!
Sarah says
These brownies were so delicious and so easy!! Can’t wait to make them again.
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, thank you Sarah!
Marina says
OBSESSED
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy!
Shannon says
I've been making these for a few years, they are a favorite in our family! I use extra dark chocolate chips and Guittard Rouge cocoa powder, so rich! I like them cold out of the refrigerator. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Alexis Joseph says
Extra dark chocolate chips sound soooo good. Thanks for reviewing, Shannon!
Val says
Yikes! Forgot to give this 5 stars but probably obv based on my review LOL
Val says
Your baking magic never ceases to amaze me!!! This recipe is genius... so amazingly fudgy and chocolatey! I made these with a mix of mini choc chips and chunks. The chips melted for the best choc gooeyness and then the chunks were like a little choc crunch when they cooled... absolutely LOVED and for sure making again!
Alexis Joseph says
You're the best!! And omg chunks + mini chips sounds absolutely PERFECT!
Dylan says
Just made these in an 8x8 pan - so good! I added 1/4 tsp salt + 1 tsp vanilla 🙂
Shannon says
The best brownies ever! I've been making them for several years and everybody loves them. I use guittard extra dark cacao and chips and like them best chilled overnight in the refrigerator. Thanks for the delicious and healthier recipe.
Alexis Joseph says
OMG those extra dark chips sound amazing. Thank you so much for sharing!
Melinda says
These were yummy! But unfortunately, I read the RAVE reviews beforehand and were expecting them to be mind-blowing. Instead, they were just yummy haha. But thank you for the easy and relatively healthy recipe!
Kit says
The best brownies hands down! xoxo
Alexis says
You rock, thanks Kit!
Sheena E says
My goodness. Despite all the good reviews, I honestly wasn't expecting much from this (I'm sorry!) I thought I had a pretty solid understanding of the physical universe, but I really don't understand how this combination of ingredients lead to this most insanely delicious result. They are kinda fluffy, kinda fudge-y. Not too heavy or wet or sweet.
I followed your recipe exactly and realized too late my peanut butter was unsalted. I rectified it by sprinkling some flake salt on top with the additional chips. Just so dang awesome.
THANK YOU
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, thanks a ton for your kind review! You’ll have to try the Flourless Pumpkin Muffins recipe I recently posted...they’re made with almond butter and so fluffy!
AVNEET says
The moistest, sweetest, decadent brownies evaaaa!
Alexis Joseph says
I love it, thank you!!
Kori says
These bars are so amazing! The perfect fudge texture with bright zucchini folded in, & the addition of walnuts on top added a lovely crunch.
Kori says
Matt and I *love* Kroger Natural pb! We go through it so fast. We, too, store it upside down the stir and refrigerate. These sound amazing!! We already only have three of our Chocolate PB Protein bars left (giving one to my sis!), so I'll be making these next week. Give me all the homemade Hummusapien snacks!
Cece says
Made these yesterday. For something healthy, they were delicious. Highly Addictive. Cake like and since I used crunchy peanut butter, they had a great textureI love how simple the recipe is. I will definitely be making these again.