Fudgy, moist and rich, these indulgent and intensely chocolatey courgette brownies are just perfect with a cup of tea or a glass of cold milk.
The true test, though? Seeing if the youngsters can detect the secret 'green ingredient'. So far, mine remain blissfully clueless!
I find it's best not to tell my children there are vegetables lurking in their favourite sweet bakes until AFTER they've tried them. Nine times out of ten they never guess anyway, and you certainly won't with these beauties!
Decadent and sweet, these courgette (zucchini) brownies go down a storm in our family and are the perfect vehicle for using up a glut of courgettes from the allotment (you might want to check out my chocolate courgette muffins too!).
The brownies are so easy to make and take only 30 minutes in the oven. The most difficult part of the recipe is waiting for them to cool!
Love brownies? You'll want to try my dense and gooey chocolate orange brownies too!
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Courgettes are a great source of various vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fibre. Incorporating them into brownies is a delicious way to add a nutritional boost to your treat.
- The natural water content in courgettes contributes to making an exceptionally moist brownie. You'll find that your courgette brownies have a wonderfully fudgy texture that brownie lovers will appreciate.
- If you're trying to get more vegetables into your diet or your children's diets, courgette brownies are a perfect solution. The courgette is virtually undetectable, making these brownies a sneaky, yet tasty way to consume more greens.
- Baking with courgettes may be a novel idea for many, and it's always fun to try new recipes and techniques. In addition, you can add various other ingredients to your courgette brownies such as nuts, chocolate chips, or spices to create a brownie that suits your taste perfectly.
🥘 Ingredients
- Courgette (zucchini) - 1 medium courgette, grated. Put the grated courgette in a sieve over the sink for 10 minutes and let the excess water drip out.
- Butter - a good quality unsalted butter.
- Dark Chocolate - use a chocolate with 70% cocoa solids for an intense chocolate flavour.
- Eggs - free-range large eggs. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature.
- Sugar - I use a combination of caster sugar and light brown sugar which gives the brownies the best fudgy texture.
- Vanilla Extract - use a good quality extract and not essence.
- Flour - white plain flour is best for these brownies.
- Baking Powder - I don't often use a raising agent in brownies, but the courgette makes these very dense so I add 1 teaspoon to lighten the batter.
- Cocoa Powder - use a good quality cocoa powder for added depth of flavour.
- Chocolate Chips - for an extra chocolate hit. You could swap these for dried fruit or nuts if you prefer.
🔪 Instructions
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave. I microwave for 20 seconds at a time and then stir the mixture. This makes sure the chocolate doesn't burn or seize. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
Two: In another bowl whisk the eggs and sugars together for 2-3 minutes (using an electric whisk). You want the mixture to be pale and fluffy.
Three: Mix the cooled melted chocolate mixture into the whisked eggs and sugar.
Four: Stir in the grated courgette and vanilla extract.
Five: Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and chocolate chips.
Six: Spoon the mixture into a 20 x 30 cm baking tin and bake for 30 minutes.
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💭 Top tips
- Don't use courgettes that are too large (or have already turned into marrows). One medium courgette should yield roughly the correct amount of grated courgette needed for the recipe (300g).
- Don't squeeze out all of the water from the grated courgette. Instead, place the grated courgette in a sieve or colander over the sink and let any excess water drip out. After 10 minutes or so, pat dry with a paper towel. You want some moisture left in the courgettes to keep the brownies moist and fudgy.
- If like me you're impatient, pop the brownie tin in the freezer for 20 minutes after baking to speed up the cooling process. It also makes cutting the brownies into squares easier too.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the brownies just as they are with a cup of tea or a glass of milk. If you're feeling really decadent, why not spoon a dollop of clotted cream on top?
They also make a delicious and easy pudding with honeycomb ice cream or chocolate custard.
📖 Variations
- Replace the chocolate chips with pecan nuts to add crunch and texture to the brownies.
- Use a mixture of milk and dark chocolate for a mellower, less intense flavoured brownie.
- Replace the vanilla extract with orange zest for a chocolate orange flavoured brownie. You could also try mint.
- A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or even a bit of chilli can add a surprising depth of flavour to your courgette brownies
🥡 Storage
Store - Courgette brownies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They usually stay fresh for about 3-4 days.
Freeze - The brownies can also be frozen, so why not make a double batch and freeze half for another day? Once the brownies have cooled, cut them into squares and layer them between sheets of nonstick baking paper in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost for a couple of hours before serving.
❓ FAQS
You should always let your brownies cool completely before attempting to cut them into squares (I speed up the process by placing the tin in the freezer for 20 minutes). Once cold, use a long sharp knife and wipe the knife with kitchen roll between each cut.
Keeping brownies in the refrigerator will dry them out. Store brownies in an air-tight container at room temperature. Don't forget brownies freeze really well too!
Yes, they are the same vegetable! Courgette is the more common term among the French and British, whilst the word zucchini is used in the United States and Australia.
Generally, the taste of courgette is not noticeable in the brownies. It helps to make the brownies moist and fudgy but does not contribute a strong flavour.
No, you don't need to peel the courgettes before using them in the brownies. The skin is thin and will soften as the brownies bake.
Yes, yellow courgettes can be used in place of green courgettes in a brownie recipe. They have a similar flavour and texture.
😋Related recipes
More brownie and blondie recipes to try!
- Mini Egg Brownies
- Rolo Brownies
- Nutella Blondies
- Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
- Biscoff Blondies
- Raspberry Brownies
- Easy Nutella Brownies
🍽️ More family-friendly recipes
More courgette recipes from the Effortless Foodie kitchen!
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Recipe
Fudgy Courgette Brownies
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Equipment
- 30 x 20 cm Baking Tin
- Baking Paper
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 300 g Grated Courgette roughly 1 medium courgette.
- 200 g Dark Chocolate 70% cocoa solids
- 150 g Unsalted Butter
- 3 Eggs large
- 100 g Caster Sugar
- 100 g Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 140 g Plain Flour
- 2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 100 g Milk Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c (160 fan/ Gas 4/ 350F) and line a 30 x 20 cm brownie tin with baking paper.
- Place the grated courgettes in a sieve above the sink to let any excess water drip out.300 g Grated Courgette
- Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave. I microwave for 20 seconds at a time and then stir the mixture. This ensures the chocolate doesn't burn or seize. Leave to cool.150 g Unsalted Butter, 200 g Dark Chocolate
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars together for 2-3 minutes (using an electric whisk). You want the mixture to be pale and fluffy.3 Eggs, 100 g Caster Sugar, 100 g Light Brown Sugar
- Mix the cooled melted chocolate mixture into the whisked eggs and sugar.
- Stir in the grated courgette and vanilla extract.300 g Grated Courgette, 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and chocolate chips. make sure everything is well mixed.140 g Plain Flour, 2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, 100 g Milk Chocolate Chips
- Spoon the mixture into the baking tin and bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Don't use courgettes that are too large (or have already turned into marrows). One medium courgette should yield roughly the correct amount of grated courgette needed for the recipe (300g).
- Don't squeeze out all of the water from the grated courgette. Instead, place the grated courgette in a sieve or colander over the sink and let any excess water drip out. After 10 minutes or so, pat dry with a paper towel. You want some moisture left in the courgettes to keep the brownies moist and fudgy.
- If like me you're impatient, pop the brownie tin in the freezer for 20 minutes after baking, to speed up the cooling process. It also makes cutting the brownies into squares easier too.
- Replace the chocolate chips with pecan nuts to add crunch and texture to the brownies.
- Use a mixture of milk and dark chocolate for a mellower, less intense flavoured brownie.
- Replace the vanilla extract with orange zest for a chocolate orange flavoured brownie.
Bintu | Budget Delicious says
These sound so delicious and fudgy and I love that the kids will never guess there's greens in them!
Kim at Three Olives Branch says
Yum! These brownies were SO good and you could not even tell they had zucchini in them!
Toni says
It is so fudgy!! Totally irresistible! My kids couldn't get enough of it!
Wanda says
Never met a brownie we didn't like and excited to find this recipe, a new one to try out as soon as possible!
Michelle says
So rich and delicious! My boys couldn't tell there was zucchini in it! 😀
Chiara Martin says
These brownies are amazing. The best we've ever had!! I had to alter the recipe slightly to make it gluten and dairy free. I changed up the plain flour for half rice flour/half tapioca starch, and used dark choc chips (half in the recipe half sprinkled on top!) Gorgeous decadent treat! Thanks Beth x
Beth Sachs says
Glad you enjoyed them Chiara!
Ruth O'Hare says
Just gave it a try with marrow instead of courgette and it worked beautifully 😁👍