Fudgey Zucchini Brownies

If you love chocolate and fudgey with a little less guilt, these are definitely worth trying. Can you believe from the picture that they're more nutrient rich than an average brownie but also taste like the fudgiest brownies you’ve ever had? I’m also obsessed with how thick they turned out! I saw this recipe on Olivia Culpo's page a year ago and have been meaning to try them. They did not disappoint. Recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups (2-3 medium sized zucchinis) peeled and puréed REALLY well zucchini, no chunks
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil 
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1 cup whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour 
• 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used regular cocoa powder and it worked great! But Olivia's recipe recommended dutch-process to avoid any cakeyness) 
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1/2 semi sweet chocolate chips to sprinkle on top (Lily's is a healthier option but I used classic Nestle) 

Ingredients for Glaze (Frosting):

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup raw coca powder
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1-4 tbsp. coconut sugar, depending on how sweet you want it - I used 3

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8X8 baking pan with coconut oil
2. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, coconut sugar, applesauce, super finely puréed zucchinis and coconut oil
3. Next combine your dry ingredients which includes the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Whisk together or use a standing mixer to combine all of your wet ingredients with your dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips
5. Fill the baking pan with the brownie batter and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until the toothpick comes out with a few fudgey crumbs *important note below*
6. Mix together all the ingredients for the frosting and once the brownies are out of the oven, pour your glaze over the brownies

Recipe Note:

Brownies are tricky when it comes to knowing exactly when you have the right fudgey consistency. I typically make sure the top is set, meaning it's not still wiggling when I shake the pan slightly. The next thing I look for is the brownie to bounce back when I press my finger on the top. Lastly I insert a toothpick and I prefer it not to come out clean because then it's be overcooked in my opinion, since I prefer fudgey. I look for some moist crumbs/fudgey texture on the toothpick to determine that it's ready.