These easy healthy brownies are fudgy and chocolatey. They are just 4 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, butter, dairy or oil. The brownies take less than five minutes to prepare.
These brownies really satisfy my cravings for a rich chocolate dessert. I love that they are made with healthier ingredients but still taste so rich and fudgy.
Ingredients
- Cocoa powder
- Peanut butter
- Pumpkin
- Maple syrup
Cocoa powder: I made these brownies with Dutch process cocoa powder. I recommend using Dutch process because it is less bitter than natural cocoa powder. Since the brownies are only lightly sweetened, you will taste the bitterness in natural cocoa powder more.
Peanut butter: Make sure to use natural peanut butter that doesn’t contain any added oils. Peanut butter gives the brownies a very fudgy rich texture. Natural peanut butter can be substituted with natural almond butter.
Pumpkin: Pumpkin puree keeps the brownies moist while also making them healthier.
Maple syrup: The brownies are lightly sweetened with maple syrup. You can also use honey but I found that honey didn’t sweeten the brownies enough without needing to add more of it.
How to Make Healthy Brownies
- The cocoa powder, peanut butter, pumpkin and maple syrup are all combined in a food processor and mixed until you have a thick smooth batter.
- The batter is then transferred to a parchment paper lined baking pan. The brownies are baked for about 30 minutes or until done.
Texture and Sweetness
These brownies have a very fudgy moist texture. They do not have any sort of cake-like crumb to them. The brownies have a rich chocolate flavor but are only lightly sweetened to keep them healthier. You can add more maple syrup or add chocolate chips to the brownies if you prefer a sweeter brownie.
Expert Tips
- I recommend using dutch process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is more acidic and has a bitter taste. Because these brownies are only lightly sweetened, you do taste some of the bitterness if you use natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch process.
- I used natural peanut butter but you can also use natural almond butter instead. For a nut-free substitute, you can also try natural sunflower seed butter.
- You can taste the brownie batter before baking and adjust the amount of maple syrup as needed to suit your personal preference.
More Healthy Brownie Recipes
- 3 Ingredient Healthy Banana Brownies
- 3 Ingredient Healthy No Bake Brownies
- 3 Ingredient Healthy Peanut Butter Brownies
4 Ingredient Healthy Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup (256 g) natural peanut butter
- 2/3 cup (64 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/118 ml) maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- Add pumpkin, peanut butter, cocoa powder and maple syrup to a food processor. Blend until you have a smooth batter, scraping down the sides of the food processor with a spatula as needed. Your mixture will be very thick, almost like a paste.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for about 25-35 minutes (mine were done at 30 minutes) or until the surface looks cooked and slightly cracked. The brownies should have puffed up slightly as well but they won't rise that much. Let the brownies fully cool in the pan before cutting and serving.
- Cut brownies with a sharp knife. I recommend wiping the blade between each cut because the brownies are very fudgy. Store uneaten brownies in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- These are meant to be healthy brownies so they are are only lightly sweet. If you are not someone who eats low sugar desserts or don't like the taste of dark chocolate, then these brownies may not be for you.
- You can taste the batter and add more maple syrup before baking to suit your personal preference. If you do add more maple syrup you will need to increase the baking time. If you add more than a few tablespoons, your batter may be too wet. You can also stir in some chocolate chips to sweeten the batter a little more.
- I recommend using Dutch process cocoa powder because it will taste less bitter than natural cocoa powder.
- I used Rodelle Dutch process cocoa powder (Amazon | Walmart)*
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Make sure to use natural peanut butter with no added oils. Some brands label their peanut butter as natural but still contain added oils so check the ingredients label on the packaging to be sure.
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.
