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Fudgy Chocolate Banana Brownies

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Super fudgy chocolate banana brownies that you could easily eat for breakfast! This dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan treat will satisfy any chocolate craving without destroying your diet. If you like the idea of dessert for breakfast, try my paleo banana berry breakfast cookies, too.

Stack of super fudgy brownies

Lexus said: “This brownie recipe is such a treasure… These were so fudgy and I loved the banana/chocolate flavor. 10/10 recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

They're brownies, sure – but you know what they're not? Unhealthy. They're, dare I say, healthy. Good for you.

Brownies that are suitable as breakfast! Okay, maybe that's a difficult thing to sell… or is it?

Ingredients for fudgy chocolate banana brownies

Let's take a look at the ingredients:

  • Banana – source of vitamin C and potassium
  • Applesauce – source of fiber, makes the brownies moist as a substitute for eggs
  • Cocoa powder – also a source of fiber and antioxidants
  • Maple syrup or honey – source of antioxidants, adds sweetness
  • Almond milk – free of cholesterol and saturated fat
  • Espresso powder – enhances the chocolate flavor
  • Dairy-free chocolate chips – perfect for the allergy-prone because they're gluten, dairy, nut, egg and sulfite free

How to make chocolate banana brownies

  • Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Spray an 8ร—8 pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
  • In a food processor, blend bananas for 5-10 seconds until mostly smooth.
  • Add applesauce, cocoa powder, maple syrup, milk, vanilla and espresso powder and blend until smooth.
  • Add baking soda, baking powder and chocolate chips and pulse for a couple seconds to blend.
  • Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is no longer shiny and slightly cracked. The inside should be slightly under-baked โ€“ it will set as it cools, and will be the perfect fudgy consistency!
  • Very important: Let sit at least a couple hours to cool before cutting and serving (they'll be even more firm if you can leave them overnight). Store in fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Can I substitute some of the ingredients?

You can swap ingredients to your liking and I've noted those substitutions in the recipe card below.

This doesn't have to be dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan – but why not let it be?

With that said, don't swap all the things. If you swap all of the ingredients for different things, you may not end up with the same result, and I unfortunately can't predict that outcome for you.

Square baking pan of dark chocolate brownies with a crackly top

Tips for the perfect fudgy brownies

  • The omission of flour isn't a typo! This recipe was developed with the intention of being flourless. No flour, no baking powder. That's why they're super fudgy and rich.
  • You have to let them set – I'm serious. When they come out of the oven they're not yet going to be completely set. This step is critical to your success.
  • These have strong banana and chocolate flavors, so if you don't like bananas or chocolate – this probably isn't the recipe for you. If that's the case, maybe you should try my Paleo Double Chocolate Brownies or No-Bake Date Brownies!
  • You don't have to include the espresso powder, but I highly recommend it. It enhances the chocolate flavor, but won't affect the texture of the final recipe if it's not present.
Super fudgy brownie leaning on a pile of brownies

I mean, c'mon. How could you say no to these things? I'll tell you right now that people in my office were to the point of harassing me for this recipe they loved them so much.

And then my coworker's spouses were harassing me.

And I'm fairly confident that a random crow flew by while I was on a walk and asked me about it.

These are so moist that they almost fall apart a littleโ€ฆ but in a good way.

So keep some napkins and a glass of milk (non-dairy or otherwise) nearby!

Pile of fudgy brownies on a cutting board

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Fudgy Chocolate Banana Brownies

4.65 from 37 votes
Super fudgy chocolate brownies that you could easily eat for breakfast! This dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan treat will satisfy any chocolate craving without destroying your diet.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 9 to 16 bars (depending on size)

Ingredients
 

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Spray an 8"ร—8" pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
  • In a food processor, blend bananas for 5-10 seconds until mostly smooth.
    2 ripe bananas
  • Add applesauce, cocoa powder, maple syrup, milk, vanilla and espresso powder and blend until smooth.
    1/3 cup (81 โ…“ g) unsweetened applesauce
    1 cup (86 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
    1/3 cup (107 โ…“ g) pure maple syrup
    2 tablespoons coconut or almond milk
    2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • Add baking soda, baking powder and chocolate chips and pulse for a couple seconds to blend.
    1/2 teaspoon (ยฝ teaspoon) baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon (ยฝ teaspoon) baking powder
    1 cup (180 g) dairy-free chocolate chips or chunks
  • Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is no longer shiny and slightly cracked. The inside should be slightly under-baked โ€“ it will set as it cools, and will be the perfect fudgy consistency!
  • Very important: Let sit at least a couple hours to cool before cutting and serving (they'll be even more firm if you can leave them overnight). Store in fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • You could swap ingredients to your liking and I've noted those in the recipe above – but keep in mind if you swap all of the things, you may not end up with the same result, and I unfortunately can't predict that outcome for you.
  • These are very fudgy and moist, and don't hold together the way a more cake-like brownie would. Embrace it! Top it with some fruit or ice cream and eat it with a spoon :)

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.

Recipe created by Leslie Kiszka
4.65 from 37 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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71 Comments

  1. Would it be possible to make these using a mini cupcake tin for brownie bites? Isnโ€™t idea what the cook time might look like? Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    Made this following the recipe completely and it is life changingโ€”canโ€™t wait to make it again!

  3. 5 stars
    This brownie recipe is such a treasure.
    Mind you I did switch up the recipe a smidge, instead of a full cup cocoa powder I did 1/2 and 1/2 almond flour.
    These were so fudgy and I loved the banana/chocolate flavor.
    10/10 recommend!

  4. 5 stars
    THESE ARE DELICIOUS! I tried them for the first time today (replacing apple sauce with an egg because I didn’t have any apple sauce..) and felt skeptical because of the low calorie and fat content but it is so delicious I feel like my dreams are coming true *wipes away tear*
    It’s perfect, so I gave 5 stars, but I might experiment with adding some melted chocolate and half a cup of cocoa powder instead as it is very rich..

  5. Great brownies, added walnuts and let me say these are one of the best brownies I have ever had :) thank you for sharing your recipe with us Leslie!:)

  6. Have you tried using Stevia substitute for the syrup? That is just way too much sugar for me. Iโ€™m extremely sensitive to sugar, and ripe bananas are more sugary anyway so Iโ€™d like to just leave out any other added sugar. Should I add another egg? Oil?

  7. I made these brownies. Yes, they are fudgy, not sweet, and healthy. I honestly think they could of used another babana. For some reason, my brownies did not rise. Any reason why?

    1. I wouldn’t add another banana as there would be far more moisture than dry the dry ingredients listed would support. I’m not sure why they did not rise, but I would suggest checking on the expiration date of your baking soda and baking powder, and check on your oven’s calibration as it might have cold spots that prevented it from baking the way you needed it to – check out this post, hope it helps! https://stressbaking.com/how-to-calibrate-your-oven/

  8. Lovely brownies! I was a bit unsure at first with them being banana based but they only have a slight banana after taste and are still very tasty! I think next time I might add some frozen raspberries to the mix to make them even better!