3 Ingredient No Bake Healthier Brownies (No Flour, Eggs, Dairy or Butter)
These no bake brownies are soft and fudgy. They need just 3 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, dairy or butter. The brownies are made with healthier ingredients than traditional brownies and store well.
These no bake brownies are an easy snack or dessert. They store well, so I like to keep them in my fridge or freezer for whenever I need a healthier sweet treat.
Ingredients
- Dark chocolate
- Chickpeas
- Peanut butter or cashew butter
Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate give these brownies their sweetness and rich chocolate flavor. I recommend a 60% dark chocolate. If the cocoa percentage is too high, it will make the brownies a little too firm.
Chickpeas: Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a secret hidden healthy ingredient in these brownies. Chickpeas have a very mild flavor so you don’t taste them in the brownies but they do add a mild nuttiness to the brownies. I’ve made baked blondies and brownies with chickpeas and they turned out great.
Peanut butter or cashew butter: Please note you need to use a peanut butter or cashew butter with added oils. Many of my recipes usually require natural peanut butter or cashew butter with no added oils, but for this recipe the added oils help keep the brownies from getting too firm. You can use regular sweetened peanut butter or cashew butter, but I prefer to use unsweetened to make the brownies healthier. You can also use peanut butter or cashew butter without hydrogenated oils. I tested peanut butter and cashew butter that contain palm oil or safflower seed oil instead of hydrogenated oils. If you use peanut butter in these brownies you will taste the peanut butter. Cashew butter has a milder flavor, so you don’t really taste it in these brownies.
How to Make No Bake Healthier Brownies
- The chickpeas are first mixed in a food processor until smooth.
- The melted chocolate and peanut or cashew butter are then added in and mixed until you have a smooth thick paste that is uniform in color.
- Spread the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan.
- Place into the fridge to set and then it’s ready to eat. You can also add a frosting on top before serving.
Texture
The brownies have a soft and slightly fudgy texture. They are lightly sweet with a chocolate and nutty flavor to them.
Expert Tips:
- Make sure your peanut butter or cashew butter has oils added to it. The added oils will help keep the brownies from getting too firm.
- I recommend eating the brownies at room temperature as they are a little more firm straight out of the fridge. You can also heat them up briefly in the microwave or oven.
- You can make the brownies in a smaller pan for thicker brownies.
More No Bake Brownie Recipes
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Date Brownies
- 2 Ingredient No Bake Banana Brownies
- 4 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Brownies
3 Ingredient No Bake Healthier Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/4 cups (191 g) dark chocolate chips 60% cocoa, see note before starting
- 1/2 cup (126 g) unsweetened peanut butter with added oils, see note before starting
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later. I recommend using one that measures around 7 x 7 inches along the bottom of the pan so that the brownies won't be too thin. (If your 8 inch pan measures closer to 8 x 8 inch across the bottom, you don't have to spread the brownie mixture all the way to the edges of the pan and instead keep the mixture close to a 7 inch square.)
- Add chickpeas to the bowl of a large food processor. Process until the chickpeas are a mostly smooth thick paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to help the machine blend. See photo in post for reference.
- Add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between with a spatula, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Add melted chocolate and peanut butter to the chickpea paste in the food processor. Turn on the machine and process until completely smooth and evenly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture should be like a very thick cookie dough. See photo in post for reference.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it evenly across the bottom of the pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth the surface. Refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm enough to slice. Once set, lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Place on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice into 12 bars. For the cleanest cuts, wipe the knife with a warm, damp cloth between slices.. You can also add a chocolate frosting or melted chocolate on top before serving. The longer the brownies sit in the fridge, the firmer they get. I recommend bringing them back to room temperature before serving if they have been in the fridge for a while. You can also briefly heat them to soften them if you prefer softer brownies. Store any uneaten brownies in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Dark chocolate note: Make sure to use dark chocolate chips (sometimes labeled bittersweet chocolate chips) that contains around 60% cocoa. Also make sure your dark chocolate chips contain lecithin. Avoid brands like Enjoy Life that don't contain any lecithin because that ingredient is needed to help keep the chocolate smooth and soft. Without it, the brownie mixture becomes more stiff and crumbly.
- I used Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips (Amazon | Target)*
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Peanut butter/cashew butter note: This recipe can be made with regular peanut butter (the kind that is sweetened and contains oils) or it can be made with unsweetened peanut butter or unsweetened cashew butter that contains added oils. You do not want to use natural peanut butter or cashew butter with no added oils. The added oils helps the brownies stay soft. If you are trying to avoid hydrogenated oils, you can use a peanut butter or cashew butter that contains other added oils. I tested these with peanut butter with palm oil and cashew butter with safflower seed oil.
- You want to blend the chickpeas as smooth as possible before adding in the melted chocolate and peanut butter. It's harder to blend the chickpea bits once the chocolate and peanut butter have been added.
- Optional ganache frosting:
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup canned coconut milk
- Add chocolate chips to a medium bowl and set aside. Heat coconut milk in a small pot or pan over medium low heat. Heat until simmering. Pour hot coconut milk over chocolate chips. Let sit for 60 seconds then gently mix until chocolate is completely melted.
- Frost surface of the brownies with the ganache and then let it set before cutting.
- You can also just add some melted chocolate on top of the brownies as well. Or melted chocolate mixed with some coconut oil.
- Estimated nutrition does not include optional frosting.
So I wound up making these as a four-ingredient no-bake brownie because I needed a little oat milk to help smooth things out a bit because I don’t have a high-power blender. But hot damn is this a great recipe… and a great springboard for some experimentation. I’ve tried using cannellini beans and black beans instead of chickpeas with great success. Thanks Kirbie!
I’m glad you got it to work for you!
I’m an ethical vegan and want to avoid grains and gluten. I’m gonna try your recipe. Thank you, Kirbie! 🙂
We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Brilliant love your recipes so quick and easy .and free
Thank you! We’re so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
Hi my name is summergenola I like all of your recipes already
Hello! We’re so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
For the frequency I eat a brownie I want the real deal. What is this obsession with healthier this and that?
We have many regular brownie recipes if that is what you are looking for. Every person has different needs and dietary restrictions.
Wow, so rude. Some people don’t want to ingest grains, gluten or processed sugars due to health issues, or they simply don’t want to eat these things. There are plenty of websites with “regular” brownies that cater to what you want. Go there!