During college, one of my roommates and I often biked to the far edge of downtown where the last cluster of shops stood before the main road dipped under the train tracks and to the freeway. We locked our bikes in the parking lot out back, then walked around to the main marketplace to head into one of our favorite restaurants.
After opening the glass doors, we joined the long queue of customers waiting at the counter. We usually grabbed one of the paper order slips, even though we visited so frequently, to figure out our requests before we reached the front of the line.
When my turn came, I quickly stepped up to the counter and stood on my tippy-toes to peer at the 29 different toppings, and even though I had so carefully planned my order in line, my indecision almost always kicked in.
As a design-your-own-salad place with the server staring exasperatedly at me, holding a huge metal mixing bowl with his tongs poised over the toppings, ready to deftly snap up whatever I pointed to, and the long line of other patrons impatiently waiting behind me… Well, it was enough to make even the regular customers feel a little flustered!
I sometimes ended up with fairly random salad combinations—cucumbers, beets, green apples, and bleu cheese? chickpeas, carrots, tomatoes, and raisins?—that probably caused the cashiers behind the registers to raise their eyebrows… But then again, if everyone felt as discombobulated as I did while designing their salads, maybe not!
Regardless, I always looked forward to eating my creations because they tasted so healthy, and I enjoyed checking out the cute cake stands they converted into display cases that held a plethora of desserts next to the register just as much! They always set out the thickest, tallest, most massive rice krispie treats that I’ve ever seen (imagine something twice as big as a Rubik’s cube!), lemon bars, oversized cookies, and brownies.
My roommate always wanted the cheesecake-swirled brownies, but as someone who hated my desserts mixing back then (my mom bought me one of those dinner plates for toddlers with the different divided sections as a Christmas present), I politely declined. The plain version was much more popular and almost never in the display case, so I rarely bought one of those thick, fudgy, decadent brownies, but…
When I did, it was worth every calorie!
When my mom and I recently reminisced about that restaurant—it was one of her favorite places to dine at when she visited me at college!—I started to crave both those salads and the brownies, so I decided to make a healthier version of the latter… Which resulted in these Skinny Slow Cooker Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies! They’re just as chocolaty and decadent as the ones from the restaurant, but they’re a fraction of the calories (and the cost, too)!
It’s chocoholic bliss. ♥
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY SLOW COOKER BROWNIES
These healthy slow cooker fudgy dark chocolate brownies begin with white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour comes from finely grinding a special type of white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour is made from red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a taste and texture similar to that of all-purpose, but it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour. I call that a win-win!
Note: Whole wheat pastry flour is a perfect substitute! I’ve also included my preferred gluten-free flour blend in the Notes section beneath the Instructions.
Next comes the cocoa powder. Just the regular unsweetened kind! You don’t need to use Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. The brownies already taste very dark without it, similar to 72% dark chocolate, because you’ll add equal amounts of flour and cocoa powder to the batter. This trick of mine gives the brownies the same rich taste as those made with melted chocolate for a fraction of the calories!
Plus using pure cocoa powder makes the recipe about as easy as a boxed mix to make… And creates lots less dishes in the process. Hooray!
To keep these brownies clean eating friendly, you’ll sweeten them with pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Make sure you use the good stuff! Skip the pancake syrup or sugar-free syrups; both of those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re trying to avoid in this healthier recipe.
Unlike honey and molasses, pure maple syrup is usually found on the breakfast cereal aisle (often near the oatmeal, for reasons I can’t explain!). It’s generally sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs, and the only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup.” I’ve also bought it online!
Now it’s time to “bake!” First, line your slow cooker with foil to make the brownies easier to remove later, and lightly coat that with nonstick cooking spray. Then gently spread the batter across the bottom with a spatula until it’s in a fairly even layer. I used this 5-quart slow cooker, so my brownies turned out pretty thick, but a 6-quart one would be absolutely perfect.
The size of your slow cooker will determine when the brownies are done. You’ll turn off the slow cooker when the batter closest to the sides looks fully cooked but the center still looks glossy and slightly wet. This is because you’ll let the brownies cool completely to room temperature inside of the slow cooker. Since the heat from the ceramic bowl will continue to cook the batter in the center as they cool, this trick prevents the brownies from becoming overdone.
Then let them rest for at least 3 hours for the fudgiest texture before…
Brownie heaven. Yum! 😉 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 healthy slow cooker fudgy dark chocolate brownies!
| Skinny Slow Cooker Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies | | Print |
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (135g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (90g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 6 tbsp (90g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup (180mL) pure maple syrup
- Line a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker with foil, and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. If any cooking spray lands on the lip where the lid rests, wipe it off with a paper towel.
- 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.
- Spread the batter into the prepared slow cooker, and cover with the lid. Turn on the slow cooker to LOW, and bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours**. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid when the sides look done and the center looks glossy and slightly wet. Cool completely to room temperature in the slow cooker, and let the brownies sit for at least 4 hours at room temperature for the fudgiest texture before serving.
Be extremely careful when measuring the flour and cocoa powder. Use this method or a kitchen scale. Too much of either one will make your brownies dry or cakey, and too much cocoa powder will make your brownies taste bitter instead of rich and chocolaty.
Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the maple syrup. Alternatively, ¾ cup (144g) of coconut sugar or brown sugar plus 6 tablespoons of milk may be used instead.
The baking time will depend on the size of your slow cooker. I used this 5-quart slow cooker, and the brownies were done in 1 hour 50 minutes. If using a 6-quart slow cooker, start checking for doneness after 1 hour 15 minutes.
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (75g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, and ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will work as well, if measured like this.
DAIRY-FREE VERSION: Use the coconut oil option. Substitute your favorite non-dairy yogurt (ie soy-based, almond-based, coconut-based, etc) for the Greek yogurt and your favorite non-dairy milk for the nonfat milk.
REGULAR OVEN METHOD: If you prefer to bake these in a regular oven, follow this recipe of mine instead. (It’s exactly the same, just scaled down to a typical 8”-square baking pan!)
{gluten-free, dairy-free option, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
Do you know how many carbs are in a single brownie
The full nutrition information is included beneath the recipe. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the brownies Jamee!
I plan to make these tonight using a few substitutes in an attempt to make them more Paleo:
. replacing white whole wheat flour with coconut flour
. replacing maple syrup with coconut sugar
. replacing butter with ghee
Will post tomorrow to let you all know how they turned out.
So happy to find a dessert recipe for the slow cooker!!
Thank you.
My pleasure Missaray! I don’t recommend the first substitution of coconut flour for the whole wheat flour because the coconut flour will dry out the brownies and make them crumbly rather than fudgy. Instead, I’d recommend almond flour (almond meal) as a Paleo-friendly substitute. If using coconut sugar, you’ll need to add 6-7 tablespoons of milk to compensate for the missing liquid from the maple syrup. (Any milk will work!) Ghee in place of the butter is fine. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the brownies!
Hi Amy! I don’t have a slow cooker – can I bake this in a rice cooker instead? If yes, can you tell me what I have to do to be able to make a successful batch of brownies? Also, can I bake this using isomalt or stevia, or just reduce the sugar to 2/3 cup?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Sally! Most rice cookers are too small for this recipe. I’d recommend using the recipe at the link that I included in the Notes section underneath the Instructions for baking the brownies in a regular oven instead. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try them!
Aw, but I don’t have an oven in my dorm room! Thanks anyways!
How about a microwave? I have a single-serving fudgy microwave brownie recipe here! 🙂
I don’t have a microwave – could I try halving your recipe for a rice cooker? I really want to try it in my dorm room. Hahahaha
I honestly don’t know whether that would turn out. My best recommendation would actually be to get a convection-style toaster oven. (I share which one I have here!) They’re generally big enough for an 8″-square or 9″-square pan, and I’ve listed a bunch of recipes that you can make with one in that blog post I just linked to. They take up about the same amount of space as a microwave, so they aren’t very big at all! 🙂 Good luck Sally!
These look incredibly moorish! Will have to try them 🙂 I’m a sucker for a good brownie!
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these brownies Hannah! 🙂
Hi Amy!
I really want to make this brownies. I just wanted to ask you whether it is okay to use plain low fat yoghurt instead of greek. Do I have to reduce the liquid if I use plain yoghurt?
Yes, it’s fine to substitute regular yogurt instead of the Greek yogurt! You shouldn’t need to make any modifications if using that swap. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these brownies Aroosha!