This past Saturday, I planned to run interval sprints as my morning workout. Although cold weather and I mix together about as well as oil and water, I still prefer to exercise outside during the winter because I quickly grow bored or impatient on treadmills and elliptical trainers. (Why do the minutes seem to take twice as long to tick by when you’re staring at the machine’s “Time Remaining” display??)
Since California is currently experiencing an El Niño year (aka tons of rain—it falls nearly every day!), I always check the weather both the night before and the morning of an outdoor run. Last Saturday, the weather website reported a 0% chance of rain until 2 pm, so I bundled up in my warmest fleece jacket and gloves before heading out the door.
Less than 5 minutes into my warm-up walk, a very fine mist began falling. Remembering the weather report, I decided to wait it out, and I started my stopwatch for the 30-second intervals. As I sprinted around the neighborhood streets, the mist grew heavier, almost to the point of a light drizzle.
So much for the 0% chance of rain…
I became slightly more annoyed with each interval (I hate running in the rain because I lose the circulation in my fingers and toes really quickly!) and by the end of my sprints, I was far from my usual post-workout-endorphins happy state. I looked up at the sky, fully intending to glare at the clouds and pretend like that would make them stop sprinkling…
And saw a huge rainbow stretching across the gray sky. My anger immediately melted—it’s impossible not to smile at the sight of a rainbow! All of those pretty pastel colors shining brightly after a storm… I like to think they’re a sign that good things are coming.
Besides, that workout reminded me of these Fudgy Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownies that I had waiting for me back at home! And not just because I exercise to earn extra dessert… The decadent dark chocolaty part reminded me of the storm clouds, while the bright pop of fruity flavor from the raspberries resembled that stunning rainbow.
Too much of a metaphor?
Then let’s just dig into these delicious treats!
These healthier brownies begin with white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour comes from finely ground white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour is made from red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to that of all-purpose flour, but it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour. How’s that for a win-win??
Note: I included my preferred gluten-free flour blend in the Notes section beneath the recipe, if that better suits your diet!
All of the rich chocolate flavor in these brownies comes from cocoa powder. Just the regular unsweetened kind! You don’t need Dutched or special dark cocoa powder (and I would actually caution you against substituting it!), because you’ll add equal amounts of cocoa powder and flour to the batter. Yes, a full ¾ cup of cocoa powder! It gives these brownies an incredibly decadent flavor without the extra calories of melted chocolate.
Many traditional brownie recipes call for a full stick or two of butter (yikes!), but this healthier one requires just 2 tablespoons. The rest of their fudgy texture comes from my favorite ingredient in healthier baking. If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you already know what it is… Greek yogurt! It provides the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your baked goods a little protein boost, too.
To keep these brownies clean eating friendly, you’ll sweeten them with pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Be sure you use the good stuff! Skip the pancake syrups and sugar-free syrups; both of those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in this healthier recipe. Pure maple syrup is usually sold in skinny glass bottles or squat plastic jugs, and the only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup.”
I opted to use frozen raspberries for these brownies so that you could easily make them all year round. (They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day, which is quickly approaching!) Fresh would also work, if you decide to try this recipe during the summer when raspberries are in season. Regardless of which kind you use, dice them before folding into the batter to ensure the brownies bake more evenly.
To keep these brownies extremely fudgy, you’ll bake them at a fairly low temperature: just 300°F. They’re ready to come out of the oven when the sides look mostly done and the center still looks glossy. That center will continue to cook through as the brownies cool in the warm pan, and for the fudgiest texture, wait at least 3 hours to slice them into squares after the pan reaches room temperature.
Then drizzle, eat, and enjoy! ❤️
And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your brownies and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
Fudgy Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownies | | Print |
- for the brownies
- ¾ cup (90g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
- ½ cup (70g) frozen unsweetened raspberries, mostly thawed and diced
- for the drizzle (optional)
- 10 tsp confectioners’ style stevia
- 1 ¾ tsp nonfat milk
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and lightly coat an 8”-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the maple syrup. Mix in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Gently fold in the frozen raspberries.
- 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 3 hours at room temperature for the fudgiest texture before serving.
- Just before serving, prepare the drizzle. Mix together the stevia, milk, and almond extract in a small bowl. Transfer to a small zip-topped bag, cut off a tiny piece of one corner, and drizzle on top of the cooled brownies.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the white whole wheat flour.
Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the maple syrup. Alternatively, ½ cup of brown sugar plus ¼ cup of milk may be used instead.
The baking time will depend on how much your raspberries have thawed. If they’ve barely thawed when you mix them into the batter, the baking time may increase by as much as 5 minutes. They’re ready to come out of the oven when the sides look mostly done and the center still looks glossy. That center will continue to cook through as the brownies cool in the warm pan.
Fresh raspberries may be substituted for the frozen. The baking time should remain the same as listed in the Instructions above.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
Vanilla extract may be substituted for the almond extract in the glaze.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
annie says...
I’m with you…..treadmills are the worst! I don’t like bundling up on my runs either, but it’s definitely the lesser of two evils. I’m glad your workout ended happily, there’s just no fighting those endorphins. I have been super into chocolate-raspberry things lately, so these extra-fudgy treats are the perfect post-workout treat.
Amy says...
I’m glad I’m not the only one with a thing against treadmills! I think I just need to invest in warmer workout clothes so I don’t dread the outdoor runs so much during the winter… 😉 Hope you stay warm for your runs too, Annie!
Linda-H says...
Oh Amy, I misunderstood the quantity of cocoa powder — “¾ cup (60g)” — and decided to go with the “60g” = 1/4 cup because I thought “3/4 cup” may seem a bit much! 🙁 The brownie was a little bland, so I reread your intro blurb about “[adding] equal amounts of cocoa powder and flour to the batter. Yes, a full ¾ cup of cocoa powder!” :O! I’m kicking myself because I remember reading this part, but I had forgotten all about it by the time I was baking! Anyway, the brownie wasn’t “terrible” — just tasted low-fat — but I will be trying this recipe again with the FULL “3/4 cup of cocoa powder” :). In the meantime, you may want to update the “60g” to “90g” :D.
Amy says...
I’m glad you’re willing to give the brownies another shot Linda! 🙂 For the cocoa powder that I used (and linked to in my blog post!), 1 tablespoon = 5g, so ¾ cup is 60g. It could be that your cocoa powder weighs a different amount per tablespoon, so double-check the label before making your next batch. I hope they turn out as decadent as you hoped for!
Linda-H says...
Haha I’m so sorry, Amy, I didn’t even check and just went with the “¾ cup (90g) white whole wheat flour” measurement to compare it with :O! Thanks for your response! Can’t wait to try these again :).
Amy says...
My pleasure Linda! All ingredients have different densities, and therefore they have different weights per measurement. For example, 1 cup of whole wheat flour weighs 120g, while 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder weighs 80g. (I was a chemist before a baking blogger, hence the science talk! 🙂 ) I’m excited to hear how your next batch turns out!
Elaine @ FoodParsed says...
I made this recipe for my friend’s birthday. I substituted strawberries for raspberries and added a splash of milk because the batter seemed too dry. I was surprised to find that the brownies tasted like dark chocolate fudge. Considering the ingredients list, the texture was incredibly rich. I also liked that the brownies weren’t very sweet. Most dark chocolate brownies have way too much sugar added. Thanks again for the wonderful recipe.
Amy says...
I’m so glad you enjoyed the brownies Elaine, and happy birthday to your friend! 🙂
sisi says...
Hi Amy,
thank you for your recipe as i want to use my whole wheat flour. i want to know can i replace maple syrup to corn syrup?
many thanks,
Amy says...
My pleasure Sisi! No, do not substitute corn syrup for the maple syrup. I recommend using one of the options that I listed in the Notes section beneath the Instructions instead. I hope you enjoy the brownies!
Sophie says...
Hi Amy, these look wonderful!! I’m in the UK and struggle finding White Whole Wheat Flour…I know you’ve listed some substitutions, but thought I’d ask you straight! I have DovesFarm Wholemeal SELF-RAISING flour, would this change the texture/composition too much? Or I have Almond flour, Coconut flour, or gluten free all-purpose…which would you suggest would be the best? Thank you so much, and I love how up-to-date you keep the blog! All of your recipes always look so delicious…! xx
Amy says...
Thanks for your kind words Sophie! That means a lot to me. 🙂 I wouldn’t recommend self-rising flour in this recipe because it will contain too much leavener. It’s fine for cookies, cakes, muffins, and the like — just not dense, fudgy brownies! I’d say that gluten-free all-purpose flour or almond flour would be my top two choices out of the ones you listed in your pantry. I hope you enjoy the brownies!
Sophie says...
Thank you so much for replying so quickly Amy! I have one last question, if you have a moment! I love that you use yoghurt in your recipes (this has been a baking trick passed down in the family too!) but I was wondering whether you’d advise against using flavoured yoghurts? i.e. if I used a vanilla yoghurt, would it have an unpleasant taste after baking? Thank you again for your help, I’m so excited to try all your beautiful recipes! xx
Amy says...
My pleasure Sophie! Flavored yogurts should almost always work in all of my recipes, especially vanilla. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these brownies!
Carmen says...
Can I use almond milk instead of the nonfat milk for the drizzle?
Carmen says...
Never mind, I just read the notes.
Amy says...
I’m glad you found the answer Carmen! 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you think of the brownies!
Jess says...
Is it possible to substitute the cocoa powder with melted 70% chocolate? Thank you
Amy says...
I don’t recommend that substitution because it’ll affect both the taste and texture of the brownies. I’d love to hear what you think if you try these Jess!
Sabrina says...
Omg, Amy! These Fudgy Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownies look so delicious! ?That drizzle looks too perfect to be real, and I’m sure it helps with the already amazing taste of these brownies. I NEED to try these. I feel like anything with raspberry and strawberry are total Valentine’s Day winners. ❤️️ By the way, loved your video! ?
Amy says...
You’re so sweet Sabrina — that means SO much to me! Thank you! ♡ I can’t wait to hear what you think of the brownies!
Sabrina says...
Aw, you’re so welcome! ❤ Can’t wait to try them out! ?
Amy says...
You’re the best Sabrina! I’m on the edge of my seat waiting! ??
Sabrina says...
Lol yes! ?I love it! ❤ You’re the best! I’m posting a pic of your chocolate teddy grahams on my social media tonight! I will also be sure to leave a review on here! (obviously 5 stars) ??
Amy says...
Awwww Sabrina!!! You’re seriously SUCH a sweetheart! Thank you!! ♡♡ I can’t wait to log onto social media and see your picture!
Katja says...
Those brownies are the best? I made them for our girls night yesterday and they were a huge success, everybody loved them and the whole batch was quickly gone? Had to make some more today because my fiancé wanted some as well?
Great recipe again! I love your page and am always trying new recipes I find on it. Never have been disappointed, the instructions are always so clear and easy to follow and the results are awesome ?
K x
Amy says...
Awwww your comments always make my heart so happy Katja! I’m so glad everyone loved them, and I’m truly honored that you’d make them for such a special occasion! And that you had to make more so your fiancé (what a lucky guy he is, to be marrying you!!) could have some. WOW! You completely made my day! 🙂 Thank you so much, sweet friend!!