It’s been a crazy, busy week for me, so I’m gonna get right down to the chase for this recipe post…
For this recipe, I set out to create something that combined some of my favorite flavors together that was also, super chocolatey, and super peanut-buttery.
Of course it was also going to have the Peanut Butter on Everything staples of— being high in protein, high in fiber, low in carbs, use real, natural ingredients, and be ultra tasty.
And ultra tasty these were!!
So without further adieu…
Enter…my Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Fudge Protein Brownies!!
These moist, chewy, fudgy, decadent protein brownies are a perfect “heathy” dessert, cheat meal, or whenever the craving strikes! Indulgence without (too much) guilt!
Dark chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon, amaretto, walnuts, banana—-a heavenly combination of flavors, once you bite into its fudgy, chocolatey goodness, you won’t be able to contain yourself!
YOW-ZA!!
These protein brownies may look like they are loaded with sugars, fats, calories, and carbs…
But with the right substitutions made, and the right ingredients used, this “sinful” dessert is transformed into a healthier treat that is just as, if not, even more delicious than its sugar-loaded counterpart.
No bullsh–!!
Let me break it down for you…
1) Almond flour replaces all purpose flour. Almond flour is loaded with fiber, nutrients, protein—-something all purpose flour does NOT provide. Almond flour is also WAAAY lower in carbs— 1/4 cup of your average almond flour contains 5g carbs, 3g fiber, while 1/4 cup all purpose flour contains about 22g carbs, and less than 1g of fiber.
That’s more than 4x the number of carbs per serving! The WORST source of empty carbs you could ever consume!
2) Monk fruit sweetener replaces white sugar. This sweetener is the juice collected from the monk fruit, and it is similar in appearance to regular table sugar. The main difference—it’s about 200 times sweeter than sugar, but with zero calories, and zero carbs. You can sub it in at a 1:1 ratio for regular sugar.
I personally love this stuff! And I use it in most of my “sweet” recipes ever since I found out about it. More detailed information about monk fruit can be found here.
3) NO butter used! For decades, butter has been known to be detrimental to your overall health because of its high saturated fat and calorie content. It seems to be making a comeback of late, as current research may suggest otherwise (Dr. Axe has a great article on the benefits of grass-fed butter, check it out here), but there’s no denying that its high fat content may not be that good for you.
I opted to use NO butter in these brownies, and instead added some extra tablespoons of peanut butter into the batter. The “healthy” fats and oils from the peanut butter gives the brownies added moisture and chewiness.
4) Cacao powder replaces cocoa powder. Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with cocoa powder, it is still very nutritious, as it is high in fiber and antioxidants. And I love that stuff just as much, but cacao powder is essentially chocolate in its purest form—cacao beans that have been generally cold-pressed and not roasted, which preserves its nutrients, therefore boasting higher nutritional value than cocoa powder.
5) Boosted with whey protein powder. Typical brownies consist mostly of sugar, butter, flour, and no protein powder. But these brownies, believe it or not, contain more protein powder than actual flour, and what’s even more amazing—-they taste just as rich, just as moist, and bursting with flavors.
Okay, here are some quick hit nutritional benefits of the main ingredients in these Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Fudge Protein Brownies….
Dark chocolate is one of the world’s best sources of antioxidants. Along with these antioxidants, they also contain polyphenols and flavonoids—all of which are believed to help fight cancer, fight free radical damage, and fight disease. Certain research also have shown dark chocolate to maybe help improve brain function, boost memory, and enhance focus.
Peanut butter, which is basically grounded up peanuts, contain about 8 grams of protein per ounce, this is more than all other nuts. Peanuts contain bioactives like flavonols and phenolic acids, that provide numerous health benefits. Studies have shown that resveratrol (found on the peanut skins), a bioactive found in only a few foods, may help lower the risks of cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Walnuts have been shown to contain the highest amount of omega-3 fats versus all other nuts. Omega-3 fats are a super nutrient shown to help the body by fighting heart disease, improve circulation, control blood sugar, among others–but its hugest benefit, is supporting brain health.
Bananas are fully-loaded with potassium, a very important nutrient which has been shown to help support the body’s circulatory system, help move oxygen throughout our cells, and helps to lower high blood pressure. Bananas are high in fiber, which helps to keep our digestive system running smoothly and helps to remove toxins.
Here’s what you’ll need…
Some quick notes before you get started…
-You can sub in applesauce in place of the large banana.
–Don’t overmix the batter! This will give you dry, tough brownies! Just mix the dry into the wet ingredients until everything becomes incorporated, then fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
-The amount of peanut butter as listed is mixed into the batter—and then more peanut butter is added on top before baking, to create the marbled appearance. This amount is totally up to you.
-All ovens are different, but generally, check the brownies at about the 11 minute mark. Shake the pan around and see if the batter jiggles. If there is still a bit of a jiggle, and slightly wet in the center, give it just a bit more time—let it bake for about 1 more minute, and check it again. The sweet spot is to remove it from the oven when there is almost no jiggle when you shake the pan, and the center surface appears set. Use a toothpick down the center, if you’re still not sure.
-The toothpick test: Insert a toothpick down the center of the batter—For a fudgy brownie, the toothpick should come out with no wet batter, but some crumbs would be OK. If the toothpick comes out very clean, you’ve overbaked your brownies and they’ll be too dry! After a couple of tries, you’ll get the feel for it, and you’ll know exactly when.
–Better to slightly under-bake, than to over-bake! Remember, the brownies will still continue to bake even when taken out of the oven.
-After taking them out of the oven, let the brownies rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into them! It’ll be very tempting to gobble them up at this point, but this time will let them bake a bit more, help them solidify, and give you cleaner slices.
-Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if consumed within 3 days. Eat them straight out of the fridge, or warm them up in the microwave!
If you like these, then you gotta try my Dark Chocolate Blackberry S’mores Protein Bars!! Or my Dark Chocolate Blueberry Protein Pancakes!!
Alright then, let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Passive Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
brownies
|
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 2 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
- 2 1/3 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp monk fruit
- 1 large banana
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Ingredients
|
|
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Add dry ingredients (powders) to bowl. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to separate bowl. Mix well. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients bowl, mixing thoroughly. Fold in chopped walnuts, dark chocolate chips.
- Grease an 8x8 square baking pan with olive oil, or line with parchment paper. Pour batter onto pan.
- Add drops of peanut butter on top of batter. Use as much as you wish. Swirl around with a butter knife, until marble formations combine with the chocolate batter. Add more chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake in oven for about 11-14 min, until center surface is set, or toothpick inserted into the center comes with no wet batter, some crumbs ok.
- Remove from oven. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Slice into 16 equal-sized, square bars. Enjoy immediately! Store in an airtight container in the fridge, best if consumed within 3 days.
-You can sub in 1/2 cup applesauce for the large banana.
-Don't overmix the batter! This will give you dry, tough brownies! Just mix the dry into the wet ingredients until everything becomes incorporated, then fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
-Check the brownies at about the 11 minute mark. Shake the pan around and see if the batter jiggles. If there is still a bit of a jiggle, and slightly wet in the center, give it just a bit more time---let it bake for about 1 more minute, and check it again. The sweet spot is to remove it from the oven when there is almost no jiggle when you shake the pan, and the center surface appears set. Use a toothpick down the center, if you're still not sure.
-The toothpick test: Insert a toothpick down the center of the batter---For a fudgy brownie, the toothpick should come out with no wet batter, but some crumbs would be OK. If the toothpick comes out very clean, you've overbaked your brownies and they'll be too dry! After a couple of tries, you'll get the feel for it, and you'll know exactly when.
-Better to slightly under-bake, than to over-bake! Remember, the brownies will still continue to bake even when taken out of the oven.
-After taking them out of the oven, let the brownies rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into them! This will help them solidify a bit, and give you cleaner slices.
-Store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Best if consumed within 3 days. Eat them straight out of the fridge, or warm them up in the microwave!
Did you try this recipe? How did it turn out for you? Any questions about my method? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comments section below or use the social media links above or throughout the blog. Thanks guys!!
