These healthier brownies are rich, fudgy and contain a secret healthy ingredient, but you can’t even tell. They only need 2 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, dairy, butter or oil. The brownies take only a few minutes to prepare and can be made ahead of time.
A stack of four brownies

These brownies contain a hidden healthy ingredient, but you can’t even tell. They are rich and fudgy, just like regular brownies.

Ingredients

  • Zucchini
  • Dark chocolate

Zucchini: The brownies are made with zucchini puree. The zucchini is the hidden healthy ingredient that makes the brownies very moist and fudgy. To save time, I cut my zucchini into small chunks and blended it raw with a Vitamix. If you don’t have a very powerful blender, you can steam the zucchini until tender and then puree it.

Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate is melted until smooth and mixed with the zucchini puree for an easy brownie batter. If you need the brownies to be dairy free, make sure to use dairy free dark chocolate. You want to use a dark chocolate around 60-63% cocoa.

How to Make Healthier Brownies

  • The zucchini is blended into a smooth puree.
  • The chocolate is melted until smooth.
  • Use a spatula to mix the zucchini puree and melted chocolate together until you have a uniform batter.Melted chocolate and pureed zucchini in a glass bowl and then mixed together
  • Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan.
  • Bake for about 35 minutes or until set. Allow the brownies to cool before cutting. You can also add a chocolate ganache frosting on top before serving.

Texture

These brownies have a very fudgy texture. Even though they are made without flour, they do have a crumb like brownies made with flour. The brownies are best enjoyed slightly warm. When they are fully cool, they have a more chewy texture to them.
Brownies with a chocolate frosting

Expert Tips

  • The brownies are only sweetened with the dark chocolate so they are not that sweet. If you prefer sweeter brownies, I recommend adding a sweet frosting on top.
  • You can steam the zucchini first to make it easier to blend. However, if you have a powerful blender, you don’t need to cook the zucchini to blend it.

Brownies cut into squares

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5 from 2 votes

2 Ingredient Healthier Brownies

These healthier brownies are made with a hidden healthy ingredient but you can't even tell. They are rich and fudgy and only need 2 ingredients. No flour, eggs, dairy, butter or oil required.
Servings: 12 brownies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (170g) zucchini puree, brought to room temperature, see note before starting
  • 2 cups (305g) dark chocolate chips, 60-63% cocoa, see note before starting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later.
  • Blend zucchini until you have a smooth puree. There should not be any specks of zucchini skin visible. See notes section for making zucchini puree. Make sure your zucchini puree is room temperature before adding it to the chocolate, otherwise it will cause the chocolate to seize.
  • In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add chocolate chips. Heat in 15-30 second intervals, stirring in between with a silicone spatula, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. You can also melt the chocolate on the stove using the double boiler method.
  • Add in the zucchini puree and mix with a spatula until it is completely and evenly incorporated into the chocolate. The brownie batter should be uniform in color with no visible streaks of zucchini.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until done. When the brownies are done, the surface should look cooked and set. When you insert a toothpick, it should come out mostly clean with just a few crumbs clinging on. The batter should not still be liquidy. Allow the brownies to cool fully in the pan (about 1 hour) to allow them to set. They are very fudgy, so removing them while they are still warm will cause them to fall apart.
  • If desired, you can frost the brownies before serving. I share the frosting I used in the notes section. Once cooled, cut brownies with a large sharp knife, wiping your blade between each cut. If eaten within a few hours after they are baked, the brownies have a very fudgy, soft and slightly cakey texture. The next day, the brownies have a more dense fudgy crumb and are a little chewy. Depending on the chocolate you use, sometimes the fat from the chocolate may puddle around the bottom of the brownies when they are fully cooled. I recommend reheating leftovers in the microwave briefly so that the brownies have a soft texture again (this will also melt any fat). Store any uneaten brownies in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • Zucchini puree: To make zucchini puree, wash and dry your zucchini. Cut off the ends. Then cut the zucchini into approximately 1 by 1/2 inch chunks. You don't need to remove the skin. You do want to keep the zucchini pieces small, making them easier to blend. If blending zucchini raw, you'll need a high powered blender like a Vitamix. Add the zucchini and blend on low first so that the zucchini gets finely chopped. As it gets chopped, it will release water, which will then make it easier to blend. You can then increase the blender speed to medium or high until you have a smooth zucchini puree. There should be no visible flecks of skin. If you have a kitchen scale, you can weigh out the amount of zucchini needed. If you don't have a scale, you can use two medium zucchini and then measure out 3/4 cup puree for the recipe.
    • If you don't have a high powered blender, steam the zucchini (whole with ends removed) until fork tender. Then cut into approximately 1 by 1/2 inch chunks. Then place into blender and blend until smooth. There should be no visible flecks of skin.
  • Dark chocolate note: Make sure to use dark chocolate chips (sometimes labeled bittersweet chocolate chips) that contain around 60% cocoa. Also make sure your dark chocolate chips contain lecithin. Avoid brands like Enjoy Life that don't contain any lecithin because that ingredient is needed to help keep the chocolate smooth. Chocolate without lecithin may seize and harden once you add in the zucchini. I tested these with Guittard 63% dark chocolate chips* (the dairy free version) and Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips* (these contain dairy).
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • Optional chocolate frosting:
    • ½ cup dark chocolate chips
    • ¼ cup (2 fluid ounces) canned coconut milk (can substitute with heavy cream)
    • Add chocolate chips to a medium bowl and set aside. Heat coconut milk in a small pot or pan over medium low heat. Heat until simmering. Pour hot coconut milk over chocolate chips. Let sit for 60 seconds then gently mix until chocolate is completely melted. If chocolate is not fully melting, you can also briefly heat the mixture in the microwave for about 15 seconds and then stir until melted.
  • Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
Serving: 1brownie, Calories: 138kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 1mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 11g, NET CARBS: 12
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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