Healthier Zucchini Brownies

My garden is starting to produce more zucchini than I can handle so I need all of the zucchini recipes I can get my hands on! While I love any chocolatey zucchini treats, I wanted to try a healthier version without all of the added sugar. Enter these Healthier Zucchini Brownies that are sweetened with real maple syrup and are extremely rich and moist. You've got to try these because you'd never know they were a healthier version!

Healthier Zucchini Brownies

Adapted from Beaming Baker

Dry Ingredients

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. flour of choice

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

Wet Ingredients

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil

1/4 cup coconut or granulated sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey

2 eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Fold-in Ingredients

1 3/4 cups grated zucchini

3/4 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, egg and vanilla until combined.

4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until just incorporated, making sure no flour patches remain. Thoroughly press and fold in zucchini and chocolate chips, until zucchini is very well incorporated (about 30 seconds). The batter will be very thick.

5. Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula, smooth batter into an even layer.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Insert a toothpick to check for doneness. Once it comes out clean with a few tiny crumbs, it’s done.

7. Allow to cool in the pan, placed on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes. Lift out of pan, transferring brownies along with parchment paper directly onto the cooling rack. Allow to finish cooling before slicing.