Brownie Energy Bites

 
Last weekend, it felt as if an entire ocean’s worth of water fell from the sky. Rain steadily poured down for hours on end with no sign of stopping, and partway through the afternoon, my mom and I decided to brave the weather to drive to a town half an hour away so I could buy new workout shoes.  

I momentarily froze when I walked through the store’s door — and not from the weather! The main display wall offered so many brands and colors and options… Which made life really difficult for an indecisive person like me!

After an hour of trying on different shoes and finally realizing I’d have to order my favorite pair online (that’s typically what happens when you have such small feet!), we hopped back on the freeway, windshield wipers swishing back and forth so fast they nearly threatened to fly off, slowly inching our way towards home along with all of the other cars.
 

 
As we eased off the exit ramp, the raindrops slowed to a drizzle, and I commented to my mom that those grays skies and light sprinkle brought back memories from our family vacation to England… And that reminded me of Harry Potter!

Yes, I’m a huge fan… Yes, I’ve read all of the books and seen all of the movies too many times to count… Yes, I think there’s such a thing as “Harry Potter weather…” But surely I can’t be the only one??
 

 
We decided to watch the 6^th Harry Potter movie later that evening, but Target, Walmart, and Best Buy nearly foiled our plan — none of those stores had the DVD in stock! Netflix lacked it too, so we settled on paying to stream it from Amazon. Although we hit a snag with internet issues during the first few minutes — our Wi-Fi always seems to flicker a lot during storms! — it quickly resolved, and we enjoyed the next two and a half hours of magic spells and British accents.

We sort of forgot how long the movie lasted… So much for going to bed early the night before Daylight Savings time started!
 

 
The next morning, we all woke up a little groggy and somewhat sleepy, but these Brownie Energy Bites made it much easier to get through the day! They taste just like my favorite fudgy dark chocolate brownies (have you tried my slow cooker version yet??), but they take much less time to make… And they’re packed with more than 12g of protein!

That’s my kind of snack! 😉
 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY BROWNIE ENERGY BITES

Let’s talk about how to make these brownie energy bites! You only need 6 ingredients, a mixing bowl, and about 20 minutes to whip up a batch. This recipe is really easy!

The rich chocolaty flavor comes from unsweetened cocoa powder. Yes, that’s it! Just regular ol’ cocoa powder. No need to buy Dutched or special dark! Because you’ll add a full 6 tablespoons, the bites already have a really rich dark chocolate flavor without using those two special types.

Tip: Dutched and special dark cocoa powder actually have a different acidity level, which often affects the taste and texture of recipes. For the best results, use the exact type the recipe calls for!

These healthy brownie energy bites get their big protein boost from one of my favorite protein powders, Bob’s Red Mill soy protein isolate. (I make this smoothie with it every morning!) I love it because it only contains one ingredient (soy protein), unlike many other protein powders out there that also have added flavors or sweeteners. My favorite soy protein powder is virtually flavorless, so it’s the perfect backdrop and really lets the dark chocolate flavor shine!
 

 
You’ll also use a little coconut flour to help hold the bites together. Coconut flour is about three times as absorbent as any other flour, so you won’t use very much… But it’s incredibly important to measure it correctly, using either this method or a kitchen scale. I highly recommend the latter, and this is the inexpensive one that I own. Too much coconut flour will make the mixture very dry and crumbly instead decadently fudgy — and we’re definitely aiming for the latter!

To sweeten these healthy brownie energy bites, you’ll use my new favorite ingredient: liquid stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and it’s very concentrated. A little goes a long way! I buy this brand because I love its sweet flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertaste like with some other brands. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I’ve generally found the best price for it online. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!)

Once you’ve stirred everything together, you’ll form the mixture into spheres. It’s sometimes a little difficult to roll (thanks to its fudgy brownie-like texture!), so I often mold and squish bits of it into round shapes instead. But that’s really it — they’re super easy and quick to make!
 

 
Who’s ready to eat? And when you do, 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 brownie energy bites!

Healthy Brownie Energy Bites

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 20 energy bites

These healthy protein bites tastes just like fudgy brownies! They're a delicious mid-morning or afternoon snack for any chocolate lover. (Or even breakfast!) These energy bites should last for at least 5 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients 

• ½ cup (40g) soy protein isolate (powder) (measured like this)
• 6 tbsp (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• 3 tbsp (21g) coconut flour (measured like this)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup + 1 tbsp (195mL) unsweetened cashew milk
• 1 tsp liquid stevia (or adjusted to taste)

Instructions

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the soy protein isolate, cocoa powder, coconut flour, and salt. Make a well in the center. Pour in the cashew milk and liquid stevia, and stir until just incorporated.
• Carefully shape the mixture into spheres, and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Notes

IMPORTANT PROTEIN POWDER NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: This recipe was specifically designed for this soy protein isolate (powder). Most protein powders behave differently, especially when it comes to absorbing moisture. If you substitute a different plant-based protein powder, you may need to add more protein powder if the dough is too wet OR more milk if the dough is too dry.

 

Do not substitute whey-based protein powder; the bars will not set.

 

For more tips and answers to all other questions, including ingredient substitutions, see my Protein Powder Recipes: Tips & FAQ page.

 

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's very important to measure the protein powder, cocoa powder, and coconut flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of any of these in the dough will make your energy bites dry and crumbly, instead of soft, moist, and fudgy. Too much cocoa powder will also make your energy bites taste bitter, instead of rich and dark chocolaty.

 

IMPORTANT SHAPING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: The mixture is sometimes a little difficult to roll (thanks to its fudgy brownie-like texture!), so I often mold and squish it into round shapes using my fingers and palms instead.

 

COCOA POWDER NOTES: I do not recommend substituting Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. Both of these have a different acidity level, which can affect the taste and texture of your energy bites. (I've also found these have a blander and noticeably muted chocolate flavor when used to make these.) For the best results, use regular unsweetened cocoa powder.

 

COCONUT FLOUR NOTE: If you'd like to try using a different flour, see my Protein Powder Recipes: Tips & FAQ page for tips.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened cashew milk.

 

STEVIA NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not always 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best results, use the same liquid stevia that I do. I buy it online here (← that’s the best price I’ve found!), and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!

 

If you're strongly against using it, you can try substituting other sweeteners in place of the liquid stevia. You’ll need the equivalent of 6-8 tablespoons of granulated sugar. However, you may need to adjust the amount of coconut flour or soy protein if the dough is too wet –OR– more milk if the dough is too dry.

 

TO MAKE BARS: If you prefer to make bars instead of bites, line a 9x5” loaf pan with parchment paper (see my photos in this blog post). After Step 2, press the mixture into the lined pan, and chill for at least 3 hours before slicing into 6 bars.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store energy bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should last for at least 5 days (if not longer!).

 

{gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, high protein, sugar free}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Energy Bites
♡  Lemon Poppy Seed Energy Bites
♡  Snickerdoodle Energy Bites
♡  Apple Pie Energy Bites
♡  Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Energy Bites
♡  Dark Chocolate Strawberry Energy Bites
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy energy bite recipes and healthy snack recipes!