This recipe for rich and fudgy healthy brownies is so completely delicious that you will never believe the healthy ingredients!
The best healthy brownies
Imagine a homemade secretly healthy brownie recipe that can easily its own in taste and texture against any regular chocolate brownie.
There is no flour, no refined sugar, and more than five grams of protein packed into each and every super chocolatey fudge brownie.
The wholesome brownie recipe can be vegan, oil free, low fat, egg free, dairy free, and cholesterol free, with fiber, potassium, and iron.
Also try this healthy Frozen Yogurt Recipe
Flourless brownie ingredients
These super chocolatey low calorie brownies call for the following ingredients: unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, quick oats, pure maple syrup (or honey or raw agave), banana, nut butter, pure vanilla extract, chocolate chips, and black beans.
For flourless and grain free brownies, the half cup of quick oats can be replaced with an equal amount of almond flour if desired.
There is also keto and paleo brownie recipe option included in the recipe.
Feel free to use your favorite nut butter, such as almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter. Or for an allergy friendly option, sunflower butter also works well.
Use chocolate protein powder instead of the antioxidant rich cocoa if you want high protein brownies. Just be sure to choose a protein powder with a flavor you already know that you like for baking.
The gluten free brownie recipe calls for a standard fifteen ounce can of black beans. If you want to use cooked beans, measure out one and a half cups after cooking.
I have not tried any other beans or legumes in place of the black beans here. However, I do have a different recipe for Chickpea Brownies if you want to use garbanzo beans.
For the chocolate chips: I like to use Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips in the recipe, or you can use whatever chips you have on hand. My preference is for dark chocolate, but semi sweet, milk chocolate, and white chocolate all work too.
For a no sugar variation, Lily’s dark chocolate chips are a great option.
Or you can even make your own Sugar Free Chocolate Chips.
Liquid sweeteners that do well here include pure maple syrup, raw agave, honey (not for vegans), date syrup, or even keto syrup for sugar free brownies.
Healthy brownie recipe video
Above, watch the step-by-step video
Healthy brownies without banana
The recipe below uses banana to add natural sweetness without added sugar.
If you are allergic to the fruit, do not have any on hand, or just dislike the taste of banana brownies, make these popular Black Bean Brownies instead. It’s a similar recipe, but with no banana.
Or you might also really like these healthy Sweet Potato Brownies.
To answer a common reader question: You might be able to sub applesauce, avocado, or Greek yogurt for the banana if you also add some sweetener to replace the sugar from the banana. I have not tried this substitution so cannot say how it will taste.
Be sure to report back if you experiment.
How to make vegan healthy brownies from scratch
To make the plant based brownies, start by reading through the recipe instructions and gathering your ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line an 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease the pan well. Set it aside.
In a high quality food processor, blend everything until completely smooth. You can mix in the chocolate chips either before or after blending, but be sure not to leave them out!
Smooth the healthy brownie batter into the prepared pan. If desired, you can sprinkle some extra dark chocolate chips on top. Place the pan on the oven’s center rack.
Bake the healthy chocolate fudge brownies for fifteen minutes. Let them cool before cutting into bars or squares.
If you want them extra gooey and fudgy (definitely my preferred way to eat brownies!), you can eat them right away.
Otherwise, refrigerate the pan overnight, very loosely covered, and the delicious chocolate dessert will firm up considerably as excess moisture escapes.
They also have a deeper, sweeter, and richer taste a day after they are made.
Chocolate brownie storage tips
Store leftover brownies in the refrigerator for up to four or five days.
Or slice and freeze the brownie bars in a single layer or with parchment in between layers. Thaw the frozen brownies before serving, and enjoy for dessert or snack whenever a brownie craving hits in the future.
Try topping the recipe with cream cheese or chocolate frosting, melted chocolate chips or chocolate ganache, or Banana Ice Cream if desired.
With all the protein, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, who is to say you couldn’t even eat these wholesome chocolate brownies for breakfast???
Health benefits
When cut into nine servings, each brownie is just 150 calories.
And the recipe contains 5.6 grams of protein and 5.7 grams of heart healthy fiber.
They are low in saturated fat, low sodium, and high in iron, with calcium, quercetin, and potassium.
Plus, the superfood black beans and unsweetened cocoa powder provide nutritious vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Easy healthy brownie recipes
Healthy Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup quick oats (for low carb, try these Keto Brownies)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey or agave
- 1 banana (see banana free options listed above)
- 1/4 cup nut butter of choice or coconut oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (not optional)
Instructions
- To make healthy brownies, first preheat the oven to 350 F. Blend all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a food processor until completely smooth. (A blender can work if you must, but the texture and taste will be better in a food processor. I use this food processor.) Stir in the chips. Smooth into a greased or parchment lined 8×8 inch baking pan. If desired, add extra chocolate chips on top. Bake on the oven's center rack for 15 minutes. Let cool before cutting. If they are too fudgy and gooey for your liking, you can place them in the fridge overnight, during which time they firm up even more. View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
Healthy Dessert Ideas
Hi Katie!
I didn’t have time to read ALL the comments, but I know that some commenters have used banana instead of tofu… I’m not really a fan of that, do you know if banana or anything else would work in place of the tofu? THANK YOU!!
Btw, I am just LOVING your blog… I’ve just discovered it and am now raring to try some of the recipes! (But first, to get a good food processor!!!)
I tell everyone I know about your website. My vegan friends love the recipes I’ve made from here (I am not a vegan and I love them too). These were great. Of course, my second batch I added some whey protein and ruined everything (happens every time I add whey to brownies but I guess I am stubborn). Anyway thanks for all the wonderful ideas and the amazing site. Will continue to direct people your way. Also am looking forward to your cookbook.
I like your new website design!
Katie, just made these brownies for my hubby on V. Day and WWWWOOOWWWW! They have got to be the best brownies ever. I didn’t have any tofu so I just left it out and they still turned out so delicious. I also didn’t have any vanilla extract so I subbed in vodka.
Hi Chocolate Covered Katie, I made these and blogged about them today. Thanks for sharing all your yummy and healthy recipes with us!
Can you make these in mini cupcake form?
Hi Katie, this look delicious! I was wondering whether to use silken or firm tofu, because I have firm tofu (I’m new to the tofu world) and wasn’t sure if the brownies would turn out well? Thanks!
Either silken or MoriNu shelf-stable silken-firm. 🙂
I just made these and I cannot stop eating them! Oh god, I need help
I made these for the lovely ladies at my work, after one of them requested that I make a something chocolatey (I regularly bring in baked treats to work). I had a look for a brownie recipe and thought this sounded amazing. The only change I made is that I used date puree instead of applesauce, and i doubled the recipe for an 8×8 pan. They were amazing! Gooey, fudgy and chocolatey. Everyone loved them, and I’ve been asked to make them again.
On a side note, I love your blog, and your ethos. As a chocolate lover this is my new favourite site, and I love looking through your recipes, there are so many I need to try.
Thank you so much for trying them!
I made these. Amazing! They look exactly like the pictures. Thank you so much. 🙂
I’m trying to avoid sugar and didn’t want to get these too sweet. I doubled the recipe, but only used 1/2 c of Stevia. (come to think of it, I might have only used 1/4 c) Anyhow, they were very bitter. Oh, the applesauce was unsweetened also. I’ll try real sugar next time. Any other tips?