^{These are insanely moist and decadent brownies. With a lovely chocolatey-espresso flavor, you forget the fact that they’re made without eggs and have a secret ingredient…Zucchini!!!}

What does Snoop Dogg’s brownies and these brownies have in common?… Well, they both have some sort of greens in them 😉 Better yet, the DIFFERENCE is that his may mellow you out, and mine…well…mine will energize you like you wouldn’t believe! By the way…buy his cookbook! It’s riveting!! You won’t be able to put it down! It’s an absolute must read especially if you’re looking for a new recipe for Gin & Juice!

^{(For the record, we are using zucchini. I have not and do not condone using “special herbs” in these brownies or in any of my recipes for that matter.)}

I. am. NOT. a. baker! I never really have been and have had no desire to understand all the ways I’ve gone wrong with cakes, cookies and brownies. I just don’t understand why the store bought box is a thing of the past and so mocked. I know I need to get better at this craft but I’m also perfectly fine admitting that baking is just not my thing!

I do, however, enjoy a good brownie. Chocolate has never done me wrong, and that’s a fact! Neither has anything coffee or espresso flavored. I’m also really picky about my brownies because why waste my calories if it’s not satisfying me? They need to be moist, gooey, chewy and slightly undercooked if I had it my way.

This recipe was inspried by an old newspaper clipping that my mom came across when cleaning out the garage. Once she made these (and made some minor tweaks) she wouldn’t stop talking about how great they were. I think it was because, like I said before, my family LOVED recipes that used up our obnoxious supply of homegrown zucchini.

When I heard people gripe, “Omg, you don’t have desserts on your blog! That’s awful! You just started and you haven’t accomplished all our requests…what are you doing with your life?!?!” I thought to myself, ok, you want a dessert, here’s one you will probably complain about but really shouldn’t! (I only say that to the gripers…not everyone…most people are super cool and understanding…).

So here it is! I baked for you! And you better believe it actually turned out! Thanks to my mom who gave me the courage to whip out the flour and stand mixer for something delicious and full of one of my favorite vegetables, ZUCCHINI!

I’m telling you, there will be people who comment but you cannot knock it until you try it. And oh boy, did I try a few bites (aka whole brownies). I can almost bet that no one will ever know that there are vegetables in this dessert. You cannot be judged for sneaking in some greens ESPECIALLY when they’re flavored with ESPRESSO! It’s delicious!

Get your morning coffee and some greens in one bite! Plus, they’re so simple to make, use no eggs and have less sugar than a lot of baked goods! I’ll stop selling it now so you can GO MAKE THESE!

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Zucchini Mocha Brownies

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These are insanely moist and decadent brownies. With a lovely chocolatey-espresso flavor, you forget the fact that they're made without eggs and have a secret ingredient…Zucchini!!!

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:35

Ingredients

2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar granulated
½ cup oil canola
2 cups (2 small-medium) zucchini shredded
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Espresso flavored
½ cup nuts chopped (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, shred zucchini with a cheese grater. Do not drain moisture from zucchini.
In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, mix flour, sugar and oil until mixture resembles a sand-like consistency.
Slowly add in zucchini, cocoa, espresso, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
With a spatula, fold in one cup of chocolate chips. (This would also be the time to add chopped nuts if you are including those).
Grease an 7 X 11” baking dish and add the brownie batter. Gently spread the batter throughout the dish so it’s evenly distributed. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on the top.
Bake for 32-37 minutes. Poke with toothpick in the center and see that it comes out clean to know that the brownies are done.

Notes

How long does it last and where?

These can last for 4-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, these can be placed in the fridge for 6-7 days for the best flavor.

Can you freeze it?

Yes! If freezing, wait until the brownies are completely cooled after baking. Layer in either a freezer-safe container with wax or parchment paper between layers if stacking brownies. Store either in an airtight freezer container or freezer-safe zipper bag for at least 4-6 months.

To defrost, set at room temperature overnight.

Substitutions?

This is why baking is a challenge for me. There are very few substitutions in order to make this work.

I will say that there are additives or cuts you can make. Feel free to cut the espresso powder if you’re not a coffee person. That will not mess up anything. You also can use whatever type of chocolate chips you prefer. I just happened to have this flavor on hand and I wanted to run with the idea. Use peanut butter chips and chopped peanuts if you prefer!

You can double the sugar if you like sweeter brownies but I’m telling you now, it’s really not needed.

Tips and Tricks

I have tried baking so many ways and not many work for me. I did read a few recipes about NOT separating the dry and wet ingredients which is more suitable for me. I don’t have the patience.

Use good quality baking ingredients! Make sure that your flour, sugar and all other ingredients are fresh. It’s ok to splurge on name brand products to get the best outcome with your baking.

This recipe is slightly unique because you are adding everything at odd times but it worked. They are cakey but still super moist. I am more of a fudgy and gooey brownie lover but because there is no butter, ganache and eggs they tend to lean on the fluffier side. The zucchini is the trick that keeps them from becoming dry.

I love my stand mixer but feel free to use a spoon or a hand mixer. Just remember that when you add the chocolate chips, you want to use the old fashioned spoon or spatula and gently fold. If you feel like the mixture is way too dry or not as “batter-like” as you had hoped, add a tablespoon or two of leftover coffee or almond milk if needed. I added about one and a half tablespoons just to blend it better and help the flavor even more.

You could cut more calories and make these super lean if you don’t add chocolate chips…but that’s ridiculous…don’t do that.

What to serve with it?

If you’re a milk person, that should pair well with the sweetness of this recipe. If you recognize that there’s chocolate and espresso in this, I would pop one of these in my mouth for breakfast with my iced coffee and hope for a jolt of energy!