These healthy Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies are gooey, decadent, and perfectly sweet–made with only one bowl and seven ingredients. They’re gluten-free, too!
The best recipes come to me when I’m out of all the ingredients.
Raise your hand if you remember my Almond Butter Zucchini Bars from three million years ago. CRICKETS. Thank God I redid the photos.
Over three years ago, I was out of flour and thus made said bars out of almond butter. It was quite the life-changing day. So what’s a food blogger to do when she’s out not only of flour, but also of almond butter?
She uses peanut butter. Mainly because it was 10 for $10 at Kroger, but that’s besides the point.
We’re talking the drippy kind, my friends. The kind where you open in at there’s a pool of occurring oil at the top that either nauseates you or excited you.
If you’re thinking more the former, than know this. Commence the tirade!
Why Does Natural Peanut Butter Have Oil at the Top?
If it’s not natural peanut butter and the company wants to get rid of this separation, they’ll blast oil with hydrogen (hence the word “hydrogenated”) to make the oil solid. This forms trans fats, AKA partially hydrogenated oil. Not the most fabulous thing now is it?
I like to buy drippy peanut butter. I store it upside down and then I mix in the oil with a knife once I open it and store it in the refrigerator. I store nuts and seeds in the refrigerator long term but let’s be real, a jar of nut butter isn’t lasting too long in this girl’s pantry.
The good news is that peanut butter with just peanuts and salt as the ingredients is often very similar in price to regular peanut butter, like Kroger’s natural peanut butter which is $1.86. I buy Costco’s Kirkland peanut butter because it’s my favorite.
How to Make Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies
Guess what? You’re only seven ingredients away from these flourless peanut butter zucchini brownies! They may be vegan and free but the best part is how EASY they are. One bowl. ONE BOWL. At this point it’s like who even cares how they taste? I kid.
Jeff made them yesterday all by himself. This post was originally published three years ago and I wanted to give it a little refresh. You can make them in a loaf pan or an 8×8 inch pan but note that they have different cooking times.
Now lettuce chat about are what you need to whip up these wholesome brownies:
- natural peanut butter (the drippy kind)
- pure maple syrup (I imagine honey or agave would also work)
- ground flax (you could replace with an egg or two)
- shredded zucchini
- cocoa powder (I use cacao, a more nutrient-dense version of cocoa powder, but any 100% cocoa is fine)
- baking soda
- chocolate chips (Costco and Trader Joe’s have my favorite affordable chocolate chips)
Watch How to Make Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies (VIDEO!):
How to Store These Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies:
Let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack. I like to place the pan in the fridge once it’s cool as this makes slicing foolproof. From there, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Microwave for a few seconds before eating for those melty chocolate chips!
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.
CRAVING MORE CHOCOLATEY GOODNESS? DON’T MISS MY OTHER GO-TO BAKING RECIPES:
- One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread
- The Best Vegan Brownies Recipe
- Fudgy Vegan Raspberry Almond Butter Brownies
- Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Dark Chocolate Raspberry Black Bean Brownies
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These healthy Flourless Peanut Butter Zucchini Brownies are gooey, decadent, and perfectly sweet–made with 1 bowl and 7 ingredients! They’re free of refined sugar, flour, butter, and oil.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup natural peanut butter (I used salted)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (don’t squeeze out water)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I like mini), plus more for sprinkling
- Optional: splash vanilla extract, pinch of salt if using unsalted peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8inch baking dish or loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a large bowl. Stir until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Dump mixture into loaf pan and use a spatula to spread evenly in pan (you can also wet your hands and pat it down). Sprinkle top with a handful of chocolate chips, if desired. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow brownies to completely cool (I like to refrigerate mine overnight in the pan once cool) before slicing.
Notes
- I find that natural drippy peanut butter works best, not the hard kind. Look for the kind where the only ingredients are peanuts and salt. Can sub almond butter and omit sweetener for a paleo version.
- Feel free to replace flax with an egg instead if you’re not vegan.
- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Microwave for a few seconds before eating for those melty chocolate chips!
Nailed it Alexis ! These are delish. Not too sweet, but totally satisfying!!
For an 8×8, would you suggest doubling recipe? Thanks !!
Yay!! I agree about not being too sweet 🙂 I wish I could give you advice on an 8×8 but I haven’t tried it, I’m sorry!! Maybe double and cut into 16 squares? Not sure about baking time though…
If you make them in an 8×8, I’d recommend reducing the cooking time. 30 minutes over cooked them and they came out dryer than they were supposed to be. I know they aren’t because a friend got me hooked on these after she made them. Her’s were fantastic. Don’t get me wrong, my first batch didn’t didn’t go to waste. I’m making them again tonight and adjusting the cooking time. 🙂
Made these in 8×8. First time around with 30 min cook time and turned out over cooked and dry.
Second time followed recipe again as is (with maybe a few more than a few more choc chips 😉 and baked for 17 mins. Perfectly cakey and moist and yummy!
So glad you liked them!
These were awesome.
cannot believe they have no flour but have a cakey taste!
Right?! It’s so crazy!!!
These are so delicious. I made them for a BBQ and all the kids couldn’t get enough. I’ll definitely be making these again!!! Thank you!!
Yay! I love to hear that they’re kid-approved!!
These look delish! Any ideas on what I could sub out instead of maple syrup? I think I’m the only person who can’t handle the taste.. I miss out on so many awesome recipes! Thanks 🙂
These brownies look amazing!
THESE!!!!!!!!!!! I want<3<3<3
You are on a zucchini roll, sister! I am shocked these are flourless. That shiny crust is like, life. I NEED!!
THE SHINY CRUST IS LITERALLY MY DREAMS!!!
I literally starting drooling on my computer as soon as I saw these in my feed. Can’t wait to make these for me and the boyf to use up all da fresh farmer’s market zucchini!! He’s got quite the sweet tooth. 🙂
Okay, this is one thing about being a grown-up that I don’t mind at all. This looks AMAZING!
★★★★★
OH MY. Making these ASAP. All about that drippy PB gal!
Ok my peanut butter purchasing habits need a makeover after reading this. I usually go with JIF Natural just because I grew up on JIF, but ya girl is moving on (because there’s no oil at the top like you said!). These look so ooey gooeyyyy yass need to try!!
These look incredible! Love that they have no flour, pinned 🙂
I made these using almond butter and, as I didn’t have chocolate chips, I chopped a couple of squares of Belgian chocolate, and opted for the splash of natural vanilla extract. This recipe is quotes simply one of the best desserts I’ve made. It also has the added benefit of being relatively healthy!
Brilliant result, so many thanks Alexis!
★★★★★
These are outrageous! xo Lauren
Made these today. Mine didn’t turn out as pretty (more crumbly)…. but SO SO tasty!!!!
I have made about a dozen items from your website and NEVER been disappointed.
Lately I spend my free time lurking around your blog for the next thing I can make.
Thanks for being so fabulous and for all the creative, yummy food ideas. You are the best!
★★★★★
Hey Teresa! Sorry to hear they were crumbly! Maybe add another tablespoon of flax or an egg if you’re not vegan? Thanks for the support and super sweet comment! XO
I doubled my batch and put in a 9×13 pan. They were very delicious, but dry and crumbly. I will try adding an egg next time. I’m not sure how flax would make it less crumbly. Would water help? The taste was amazing! I’m so surprised at how tasty they were!
★★★★