Fudgy Chocolate Banana Brownies
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.
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 8ร8 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.
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.
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 littleโฆ but in a good way.
So keep some napkins and a glass of milk (non-dairy or otherwise) nearby!
Leaving a comment and star rating is a great (and free) way to support Stress Baking! ❤️ After you've made this recipe, please consider clicking on the stars below and leaving a comment to share your experience!
Fudgy Chocolate Banana Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- โ cup unsweetened applesauce, can substitute 1 egg
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- โ cup pure maple syrup, can substitute honey
- 2 tablespoons coconut or almond milk, can substitute dairy milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chunks, can substitute regular chocolate chips
- confectionersโ sugar (powdered sugar), optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Spray an 8"ร8" 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 applesauce1 cup (86 g) unsweetened cocoa powder1/3 cup (107 โ g) pure maple syrup2 tablespoons coconut or almond milk2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract1 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 soda1/2 teaspoon (ยฝ teaspoon) baking powder1 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
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.
Would it be possible to make these using a mini cupcake tin for brownie bites? Isnโt idea what the cook time might look like? Thank you!
I’ve never tried that before, so I’m not sure. If you do try it though, please do come back to share how it turned out!
Made this following the recipe completely and it is life changingโcanโt wait to make it again!
Ahhh love to hear this!
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!
I’m so glad that you liked it! Thanks so much for coming back to share your experience and leave a comment, I really appreciate it!
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..
Thank you so much for coming back to share your experience! I’m so glad you enjoyed them.
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!:)
I’m so glad you liked them!
Have you tried using Stevia substitute for the syrup? That is just way too much sugar for me. Iโm extremely sensitive to sugar, and ripe bananas are more sugary anyway so Iโd like to just leave out any other added sugar. Should I add another egg? Oil?
I haven’t tried anything outside of what I listed in the recipe myself, so unfortunately I don’t have advice for you.
Can you substitute the espresso powder and if so what can you use
You can just leave it out altogether.
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?
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/
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!