Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Chocolate-Chip Zucchini Cookies

Cookie/Brownie Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
• 1 cup shredded/grated zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsps. vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsps. baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup cocoa

*You can easily cut this recipe in half, if
you want to make less cookies or brownies.

Optional Ingredients:

• 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Optional Toppings:  

• Chocolate or Vanilla Frosting
• Powdered Sugar

This Recipe Makes Moist Cake-Like Brownies AND Delicious Cookies, Too!

For Cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

For Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 17 x 11 inch baking pan for the brownies, or 2 smaller pans.

Prepare Mix For Both:
Sift together the flours, cocoa, and baking soda. Stir dry mixture well to evenly distribute ingredients. Set aside.

Soften butter in microwave. (About 30 seconds) Grate or shred zucchini (by hand or with a food processor) to create one full cup. Combine butter, zucchini, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well. Add eggs and vanilla extract; blend well.

Add dry flour mixture to the liquid mixture, and stir until all the flour has been absorbed. Mixture will become thick. Add chocolate chips and walnuts if desired.

To Make Cookies:
Shape dough into small balls, and place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with your hand or the bottom of a glass. You can make these cookies any size you desire. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Makes about 8 dozen cookies,

To Make Brownies:
Spread evenly into lightly greased 17 x 11 inch pan, OR divide batter into two smaller pans: ONE 9 x 13 inch pan AND ONE 9 x 9 inch pan. Bake 20-30 minutes, or until brownies have set and start to pull away from sides of pan.

Makes about 32 brownies.

After cookies or brownies have cooled completely, frost if desired or top with a dusting of powdered sugar. ENJOY!

Taste:
You will NOT be able to detect the taste of zucchini in the finished product! Only moist, rich, chocolatey cookies and brownies! No zucchini in the house? Substitute applesauce instead!

Freezing:
You can freeze unused dough and defrost and bake later...for a special treat. This dough also keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week.

This recipe makes about 8 dozen cookies.
If that's too much, here are some suggestions:

Cooling & Storage:
Allow cookies and brownies to cool COMPLETELY BEFORE covering with plastic or placing in plastic containers with lids. Covering too soon will cause water vapor to condense inside your bags or containers...making your baked goods soggy!