Gluten-Free + Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Chocolate and zucchini go together like bread and butter. And here they appear in brownie form. Rich, super chocolatey brownies, without the gluten, eggs, or dairy. Zucchini still abounds at the farmers’ market, so get it while you can. Anybody out there know what might be used in place of zucchini, when the season ends?

This is another recipe that originally appeared in my Whole Living Daily post, but I want to include them here, too.

I make these in a 9 inch square pan, but I wonder how they’d fare in a 9″x13″ pan. A pan that I don’t currently own (the horror!). They are very thick, so I think they’d transition nicely (along with a shorter baking time) to a larger pan. If you try it, do report.

These are a bit of a ‘make-ahead’ recipe as they are best after they’ve been chilled for a few hours. And they are equal parts cake-y and dense. If that makes sense. Guess you’ll just have to see for yourself!

 

Adapted from food + words:

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
• 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice, raw sugar, or brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sorghum flour
• 1/3 cup brown rice flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened dark blend cocoa powder (or regular unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1 very scant teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups grated zucchini, finely grated on box grater, not tightly packed
• 1/2-1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• Oil for pan
• Powdered sugar, optional

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with parchment paper, or oil pan lightly.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together applesauce, vanilla, oil, and sugar until well-combined. Add the flours, cocoa powder, and baking soda, stirring vigorously.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips and zucchini so they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. (Batter will be a thin consistency.) Add walnuts if using.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and place in center rack in preheated oven. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until middle looks set and a tester comes out mostly clean.
5. Let cool, then refrigerate for a few hours before cutting to allow the flavors to meld and the brownies to become firm. Slice. Lightly dust the tops with powdered sugar, if desired.
6. Store at room temperature for up to a day or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Thank you for all the kind words on my last post–I am glad to be back!