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
My favorite dessert is fro yo…topped with cereal 🙂
Hello Katie!
I just started reading your blog recently and wanted to tell you how lovely it is.
I am not vegan myself but I do enjoy vegan cooking and especially baking!
I love that all your recipes are healthy (well, relatively) and most of all, SIMPLE!
I added you to my blogroll, at http://monpetitchoublog.wordpress.com, and hope to try many of our recipes in the near future! (blondies look AMAZING)!
Sophie
Aww hi Sophie!!! Your comment made me smile so much! I’m so glad you found me! 🙂 🙂
I just made the genius blondies last night, and they are delish! A lot better than many “bean brownies” i’ve made.
Aww yay!! 🙂
You and your dad look so freaking cute!!!!!!!!!!
Awww thank you! 🙂
So I am sitting here eating some of those brownies right now and I feel happy:) I made up a double batch Friday night for a group of teenagers that were coming over. One of them can’t eat sugar, but can have sweetners such as honey and agave. So I subbed all the sugar with half agave and half honey and omitted the milk. They were sooo yummy! The teens ate them right up- completely clueless that they were whole wheat and had tofu in them! Even my husband chowed down on them that night and the 4 we had left over the next day. He didn’t even make the comment “they taste healthy”:)
Now that I read your comment, I feel happy too!! I wish you could see the huge smile you put on my face! 🙂
They look incredibly delicious…and extremely fudgy! I think you did an excellent job photographing it! The warm chocolate fudge syrup on the top takes it over the top, and your pictures are making me crave these and I haven’t even had breakfast yet! 🙂
Aww thank you!! 🙂
Nice recipe! Made here with regular yogurt, olive oil, and mint extract. A good all-purpose go-to base, thanks!
I’m so excited you made them! 🙂 🙂
Hey Katie,
I dont remember if I have ever commented but I read ur blog everyday! Anyways just made these but subbed in garbanzo bean flour and peanut flour…OMG amazing!!! and only like 3 tbsp of agave but they taste sweet! U are genius keep creating in the kitchen, my tummy is happy! 🙂
Oooh that sounds delicious… peanut butter brownies! I need to find me some peanut flour! 🙂
Omg, are you kidding me? I just baked up a batch of these (double recipe, threw in some cinnamon and chocolate chips since I’m not vegan) and they’re AMAZING. So fudgey and delicious. I couldn’t help myself from digging in with a fork the minute they came out of the oven! Thanks so much for the recipe
I’m so so glad you liked them too! LOL I baked a new batch today and pretty much did the same thing as you–ate with a fork, right out of the oven. 🙂
Can I ask a question? When you use coconut oil, do you melt it first? My coconut oil is in a jar and it is solid, and quite hard to mix in. I was thinking of melting it first to help mix it in with the batter? As otherwise it seems to stay lumpy.
Thanks 🙂
I used coconut oil and melted it before I measured it. It’s a lot easier to incorporate into the mix and it measures accurately 🙂
LOL I would melt it first… but it’s so incredibly hot here in Tx at the moment that there’s no need! 😕
(But yes, use melted coconut oil.)
yeah its febuary in socal and theres no need to melt it!
I literally drool when I see your recipes! 18 days is all i keep telling myself until i make a bunch of these and gobble them all up 🙂
:)!