Although my guy and I are the proud new owners of a pretty awesome TV, we don’t actually have cable. As a big baseball fan (it’s practically the only thing I watch!), I figured that wouldn’t bother me until April… Until I remembered the Super Bowl.
Instead of missing out on all of the commercials and game plays, I drove down to visit my parents and watch the game with them. Every year, they host a potluck party and invited a few couples to gather around the TV, and when I found out that 12 other people would be attending, I immediately devised a sneaky, ulterior-motive plan.
I’ve been working on a new project for you (stay tuned—the big reveal will come soon!), which means that my countertops are always overflowing with baked goodies and my freezer constantly threatens to burst open for the same reason. Hence my brilliant idea: take all of those treats home so other people would eat them for me!
I set out at least 10 different baked goodies on my parents’ kitchen counter and prayed that nobody else would bring dessert. Thankfully, everyone stuck with savory stuff! At halftime, they began loading their plates with all of the potluck dishes, and as the seconds ticked by in the third quarter, they slowly started trickling back into the kitchen for the sweets.
I watched excitedly as the plates of cookies and cheesecake disappeared, but by the end of the night, everyone agreed: these Clean & Fudgy Dark Chocolate Frosted Brownies were by far their favorite. The treats were rich, fudgy, and extremely decadent, so not a single person guessed just how healthy they actually were!
The recipe starts with one of my favorite brownie bases. It’s clean-eating friendly, meaning it contains nothing processed or overly refined, so we’ll use maple syrup and white whole wheat flour instead of granulated sugar and all-purpose flour. White whole wheat flour contains the extra nutrients of regular whole wheat flour but has a more tender texture, which is ideal for these fudgy brownies. (And no, you can’t taste it or the maple syrup’s flavor—just chocolate!)
All of the chocolate flavor comes from cocoa powder, so these brownies are about as easy to make as a box mix! The key to really dark, rich brownies is to use about as much cocoa powder as flour. This little trick also helps keep them moist and fudgy instead of cakey.
For ultra fudgy brownies, we’ll bake these low and slow at 300°F. This temperature allows the center to set without drying out the edges, but make sure to pull the brownies out of the oven when the center still looks glossy. They’ll continue to cook through in the pan as it cools.
The true star of the brownie show is this dark chocolate frosting. It’s like a cross between ganache and frosting, making it highly tempting to eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon! Three types of chocolate provide its decadent taste, while Greek yogurt makes it creamy and fudgy. I dare you not to lick the bowl!
By the time everyone left after the game, not a single crumb was left… And I’m not surprised at all!
| Clean & Fudgy Dark Chocolate Frosted Brownies | | Print |
- for the brownies
- ¾ c (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured correctly)
- ¾ c (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured correctly)
- ¼ tsp (1g) baking powder
- ¼ tsp (1g) salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract
- ½ c (120mL) maple syrup
- ¼ c (68g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- for the frosting
- ¼ c (56g) dark chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp (30mL) warm nonfat milk
- ¼ c (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp (10g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 tbsp (10g) dark cocoa powder (also called “Dutched”), sifted
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and lightly coat an 8”-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the brownies, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add in the maple syrup and Greek yogurt, and stir until no large lumps remain. Mix in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 300°F for 15-19 minutes (15 minutes yields the fudgiest brownies; 19 minutes yields slightly cakier brownies). Cool completely to room temperature in the pan, and let the brownies sit for at least 8 hours at room temperature for the fudgiest texture before frosting.
- To prepare the frosting, add the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds. Stir and microwave for another 20 seconds. Stir for at least 1 minute, or until the chocolate chips are completely melted. (If necessary, return the bowl to the microwave for an additional 5-10 seconds). Add in the milk, Greek yogurt, and two cocoa powders, and stir until smooth. Spread on top of the cooled brownies, and slice into squares.
Regular dark chocolate may be substituted for the dark chocolate chips.
It’s important to sift the cocoa powders in the frosted because they tend to clump. Sifting will make it much easier to stir the frosting until it’s smooth.
If you don’t have dark (“Dutched”) cocoa powder, then substitute regular in the frosting instead. The frosting won’t taste quite as dark.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
More dark chocolate brownie recipes from other food bloggers…
♥ Dark Chocolate Espresso Trail Mix Brownies from Bake at 350
♥ Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chip Brownies from Will Cook for Smiles
♥ Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Brownies from Girl Versus Dough
♥ Fudgy Raspberry Dark Chocolate Brownies from Host The Toast
Girl, you’ve got these brownies NAILED! They turned out so, so good, no one could believe they were only sweetened with 1/2 cup maple syrup. Major high fives comin’ at ya! Never mind the frosting? Absolutely genius. I’ve always hated how frostings are so, so sweet.. but using yogurt? YASSSSS!! Thanks for the delicious treat 😀
I’m so glad you loved these brownies Aleta! That means the world to me that nobody could believe how they were sweetened — that’s the best kind of compliment! 😉 I’m the same way with frosting. I typically scrape frosting off of most desserts! 😉 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a sweet comment! You made my day!
What can you use instead of maple syrup please?
Honey or agave are the two best alternatives! Another great option is to use ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar and ¼ cup (60mL) of milk (any kind will work!) to compensate for the missing liquid volume. 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you think of these brownies, Cathy!
Amy I am interested to make these brownies but I find maple syrup an expensive sweetener. What would you suggest (and how much) as an alternative that would keep the texture/flavor/sweetness well?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Julie! Honey or agave are the two best alternatives! Another great option is to use ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar {or brown sugar, if you aren’t concerned about keeping them “clean eating friendly”} and ¼ cup (60mL) of milk (any kind will work!) to compensate for the missing liquid volume. ???? I’m excited to hear what you think of these brownies!
Hi Amy,
I was hoping to use hazelnut flour for this recipe. Any thoughts on measurements / adjusting other ingredients when using a nut flour?
Thanks!
Johanna
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Johanna! I don’t have experience with hazelnut flour, but I do know that almond flour will work in these brownies! If hazelnut flour behaves the same as almond flour, then it should be fine to use in this particular recipe, and you shouldn’t need to make any modifications. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these brownies if you try making them!
Do you think it would work to substitute almond milk for nonfat milk in the frosting recipe?
Yes, that’s fine to substitute! I can’t wait to hear what you think of these frosted brownies Sally!
Thank you, Amy. Going to make them for my daughter’s 18th birthday. She wanted a healthy indulgence. I’m sure we will love them.
Oh my goodness, I’m SO honored that you’d make one of my recipes to celebrate such a special occasion! That truly means a lot to me Sally! 🙂 Happy 18th birthday to your daughter too! I hope her day is filled with as much love, laughter, and sweetness as possible!
Thank you, so much, Amy. Will be back in touch after April 7th.
You’re welcome Sally! I can’t wait! 🙂
Amy, the brownies turned out beautifully. They were easy to prepare. The hardest part was waiting eight hours for them to cool for the fudgiest texture! My daughter loved them, and licked the frosting bowl. The only substitution I made was using unsweetened vanilla almond milk instead of cow’s milk. Thank you so much for this easy and delicious indulgence that made my nutrition-conscious daughter very happy on her 18th birthday. The rest of the family enjoyed them too. Thank you, so much!
Happy 18th birthday to your daughter, Sally!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful time celebrating, especially her! I’m truly honored that you made one of my recipes for such a special occasion. That means so much to me! 🙂 I’m glad everyone loved these brownies too! Thank YOU for taking the time to let me know!! ♡
Can you use all purpose flour if whole wheat flour is not available? If so, is it in the same amount?
Yes and yes! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these brownies Amanda!