These brownies are super fudgy, moist, chocolatey and just two ingredients! They don’t contain any flour, butter, eggs or refined sugar. They are easy to make and are a great snack or dessert to satisfy your chocolate and sweet cravings.
It’s hard to believe these brownies are made with just two ingredients, but they are! And even though they are healthier than regular brownies, they still satisfy my cravings for something sweet and chocolatey.
Ingredients
- Overripe bananas
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
At first glance, it may seem like these two ingredients couldn’t possibly create a brownie. But keep in mind that bananas are often used as an egg substitute in baked goods and it is used as an egg replacement in this recipe as well as the sweetener. Cocoa powder is often used in place of flour for flourless chocolate cakes and brownies. So when these two ingredients are mixed together and baked, they do become a very fudgy brownie.
Banana Brownie Taste and Texture
The brownies have an intense rich chocolate taste and they also taste of bananas.
As for the texture, these brownies have a similar texture to ultra fudgy brownies that are slightly underbaked. They will firm up enough so that you can cut and hold them. But they can be a little messy and squishy when you hold them.
Healthy Chocolate Frosting
If you want to keep these brownies as healthy as possible, skip the frosting. But if you want something a little sweeter and more dessert-like, you can top these brownies with an easy 3 ingredient chocolate frosting made of melted coconut oil, unsweetened cocoa powder and maple syrup.
More Easy Brownie Recipes
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Healthy Brownies
- 4 Ingredient No Bake Pumpkin Brownies
- 3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies
2 Ingredient Healthy Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 large overripe bananas
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate Frosting (optional)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mash bananas until they become a puree consistency and no banana chunks remain. You can mash by hand with a fork or spoon or use a blender or food processor. Whisk in the cocoa powder until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Use spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Tap the bottom of the pan a few times against your counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes. When the brownies are done, the surface should look dry and dark in color and the center should not be jiggly. However, the center should also not be completely set (i.e., a toothpick inserted will come up wet and if you press your finger gently on the surface you should feel that the top is firm but the inside is still soft). Let brownies cool in pan. Then place into the fridge for 1-2 hours or until brownies are firm enough to cut.
- To make the frosting, add oil and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth and completely combined. Your mixture should look like melted chocolate. Add in maple syrup. (Do not add maple syrup until the end. The maple syrup will thicken the mixture. If you add it with the other ingredients, it will make it very difficult to mix.) Whisk until smooth frosting forms. Spread frosting over the surface of brownies after they are set.
Notes
- Do not skip out on refrigerating the brownies. If you do not refrigerate them, they will not set and the inside of the brownies will remain like a thick pudding. Once they are refrigerated, they will stay set and you can leave them out at room temperature for several hours.
- Store uneaten brownies in the fridge.
- This is meant to be a low sugar recipe. The brownies have some sweetness (similar to bittersweet or dark chocolate) but they are not super sweet. You can taste the batter before baking and if you want sweeter brownies you can add some maple syrup to the batter or chocolate chips. You can also frost them after.
- The outside of the brownies will be very dark, almost black when they are done. This is normal.
- You can use either dutch process or natural cocoa powder. I used dutch process. I recommend dutch process if you have it because it is less bitter than natural cocoa powder.
- I don't recommend baking in a pan bigger than 8 x 4 inch because your brownies will be too thin. If you want to use an 8 x 8 pan, you will want to double the recipe.
- Nutrition estimate is for the brownies only, without any frosting.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Can another oil be used instead of coconut oil???
Sorry I don’t know. Coconut oil works well in this recipe because it solidifies when it cools.
Absolutely delicious!!! And a hit with my kids! Will make again!
I’m so happy it was a hit with your kids!
Soooooo delicious!! Really hitting the sweet spot when i crave sweet stuff.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
what about adding chopped nuts to cut the sweetness from the bananas?
You can add chopped nuts but I don’t think you need to cut sweetness. The recipe doesn’t have any added sugar so the brownies are only a little bit sweet.
Really want to try this recipe.
Can I substitute golden syrup or honey for the maple syrup? (I don’t have maple)
Yes that should be fine
Does this brownie have a strong banana flavor or is it chocolatety?
It has a strong banana flavor.
I’m addicted to these! I divided them up and baked in muffin tins for perfect portion control. I didn’t try your frosting, but I squirt a little bit of sugar free whipped cream and some fresh berries and it tastes like a chocolate torte in a fancy restaurant! Thank you for this amazing weight watchers friendly dessert!
I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipe. And sugar free whipped cream on top sounds delicious and easy!
I use unsweetened 100% cocoa and mine turn out chocolatey. People can’t even tell that these have any bananas in them
thank you for sharing!
Second batch n the oven as I type 🙂 perfect for the new year’s resolutuon- delicious, quick and inexpenaive! Thank you!
I’m so glad they are working out well for you!
No baking powder or baking soda to be added?
I did not add baking powder or baking soda
Super good!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
You might expect a “simple” recipe to be bland or not work very well, but these came out great! A great way to use leftover bananas for something besides banana bread, too. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Having tried to eliminate all flours and sugars/sweeteners from my diet for the past couple of years, these rate as FANTASTIC. I don’t think they need the icing at all. At different points as you enjoy you taste the bananas or the chocolate, for me they are perfect! Thank you.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for sharing
Made a double batch as the 1st batch was gone in a heartbeat!!
These r delicious! Can my nephew eat these cuz needs to eat gluten free foods?
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Neither bananas nor cocoa powder (which should just be chocolate powdered, not hot chocolate mix which can contain gluten in the thickeners added) contain gluten and since those are the only two ingredients, it should be safe for your nephew. The frosting also has coconut oil and maple syrup & neither of these should contain gluten either. Just make sure its pure maple syrup, not one of those cheap maple flavoured syrups and you should be fine.
Gluten is a protein found in certain grains, specifically wheat (the major one), barley, rye, and oats (for proteins which can trigger celiac responses, which is actually the proteins prolamin and glutelin). The oats intolerance is rare amongst people with celiac disease, many tolerate them fine if they are pure, but due to factories using multiple grains together there is often cross contamination. So as long as you avoid those grains as ingredients for your nephew he should be fine. Hope that helps!
Will definitely try this! Do you think this is possible using an air fryer?
I wish you can make recipes that are good for air fryers too. Love your stuff!
I haven’t tried it in the air fryer so I don’t know.