WHY I MADE THESE ZUCCHINI BLONDIES

My Zucchini Brownies recipe has come in clutch this summer, especially since my in-laws have gifted us many of the big, beautiful zucchinis that they grow in their home garden. We’ve been looking for new ways to use up all of those fresh summer zucchini, and I will never get tired of a good ol’ zucchini brownie recipe.

But, I’ve been thinking of new desserts to make with those zucchini. That’s when I thought of the idea for these healthy zucchini blondies. They have all of the moist, decadent texture of zucchini brownies but without the chocolate twist.

Because we use brown sugar in this recipe, these blondies have a rich, caramel-y flavor to them, which tastes so, so good! Not everyone is a fan of chocolate, so these all natural zucchini blondies are a great alternative for people who aren’t huge fans of brownies.

Brownies are naturally super dark and chocolatey, so they’re a great way to sneak in those summer zucchini because you can’t see the zucchini in them at all. But, because blondies are naturally light in color, the zucchini would be visible, which may be off putting to some people who don’t like to see green veggie specks in their dessert.

I solved this problem by peeling the zucchini first, that way you don’t see any of the green in these zucchini blondies! After peeling the zucchini, be sure to finely grate them and then squeeze out the water.

Taking that extra step ensures the perfect texture for our healthy blondie recipe.

ZUCCHINI BLONDIES KEY INGREDIENTS

• Zucchini: If you’re not on board yet with using a zucchini for this recipe, then I’m here to change your mind. First of all, you will not taste the zucchini in this recipe at all. The zucchini is just there because it’s zucchini season and we need to use up all of our zucchini (half kidding here). Adding zucchini to these blondies makes them so incredibly moist! Just try it out, trust me!
• Coconut oil: Adds natural moisture and makes our blondies nice and light.
• Brown sugar, or coconut sugar: There’s a lot of science behind the deliciousness of blondies, and one of those facts is that sugar provides the moisture, texture, and the crinkly top layer that makes these really good. I use brown sugar here because one of the best things about blondies is the rich, caramel taste that comes through thanks to the molasses in brown sugar. You can also use coconut sugar, if you prefer, to make these healthy blondies completely refined sugar free.
• Egg: Holds the blondies together so they aren’t too crumbly and fall apart. If you’re vegan, you can try making this recipe with a flax egg or vegan egg replacement instead. I don’t recommend leaving this out because you need something to bind the ingredients together, otherwise it won’t hold.
• Almond flour: Unlike our flourless zucchini brownies recipe, we use almond flour here to give our blondies more of a sugar cookie taste and texture.
• Cinnamon, or pumpkin spice: Adds a really delicious flavor to these. Use cinnamon or pumpkin spice depending on the season.
• Baking soda: Gives our blondies some fluffiness so they’re not too dense and heavy.

These zucchini blondies also taste amazing with my 3 Ingredient Maple Caramel Sauce drizzled on top. Give it a try!

MY ZUCCHINI BLONDIES RECIPE

These zucchini blondies are so easy to make. The hardest part of this recipe is peeling, grating, and squeezing the zucchini, but even as a girl who does NOT like grating things, that step only takes about a minute or two.

So, don’t let that little thing come between you and these flourless gluten free blondies. They are delightful!

The full step by step on how to make this recipe is below, but here’s the overview of it:

• In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, coconut oil, sugar, vanilla, and egg until smooth.
• Add in the almond flour, spice, and baking soda and mix. The batter will be thick.
• Pour the batter into the baking pan, and smooth it down so it’s flat.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool the blondies completely in the pan before slicing into squares.

HOW LONG DO THESE HEALTHY BLONDIES TAKE TO MAKE?

Start to finish, this recipe takes about 50 minutes to make.

That’s pretty fast, if you ask me! The only “labor” involved in this recipe is prepping the zucchini. But, even as a girl who does NOT like grating things, that step only takes about a minute or two. So, don’t let that little step come between you and these flourless gluten free brownies. They’re delightful!

Here’s a breakdown of how much time these take to make:

• Prep time: 20 mins
• Bake time: 30 minutes

HOW TO STORE THESE ZUCCHINI BLONDIES?

Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze well for longer storage!

HEALTHY ZUCCHINI BLONDIES FAQ

1. Do I have to peel the zucchini?
Nope! Peeling is optional. Leaving the peel on will add green flecks to the blondies, while peeling makes the zucchini invisible. It doesn’t affect the taste or texture—just the look. So, it’s up to you!

2. How do I squeeze the water out of zucchini properly?
After peeling and grating the zucchini, place the zucchini on top of a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and fold the towel around it so you can squeeze the water out. I recommend doing this over the sink. Getting out as much moisture as possible prevents soggy blondies.

3. Can I substitute almond flour with another flour?
I haven’t tried it, but oat flour might work as a good substitute. The texture may be different, so feel free to experiment until you find a flour that you like. I wouldn’t recommend using gluten free flour.

4. Can I make this recipe vegan?
Yes! Simply replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water; let it sit for 5–10 minutes until gel-like).

5. How do I store these blondies?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for longer—just thaw before serving.

6. My batter is really thick—is that normal?
Yes, the batter is meant to be thick. This ensures our blondies will be nice and chewy once baked.

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

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