In high school since my birthday fell the day after one of my best friend’s, we always celebrated together at TGI Fridays, a favorite restaurant of ours. We tried to arrive before the dinner crowd, and after the hostess seated us at a cozy booth, we each handed the other person a gift bag with tissue paper poking out of the top before opening the menu.
As creatures of habit, we both ordered the same thing on every visit: a light salad with chicken for protein, water for me, and iced tea for her. While waiting for our entrées to appear, we opened our birthday presents. Since she put together scrapbooks in her spare time (and still does!), I often gave her fun stickers or pretty patterned paper for her to use.
Although we both enjoyed our entrées, we always asked for a to-go box to take home at least half because… We mainly went for dessert! Specifically the Brownie Obsession: a warm, thick, extra fudgy brownie topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauces, and chopped pecans. (But we requested extra chocolate sauce and no pecans on ours!)
We slowly savored every bite of that decadent dessert, scraping up the last lingering brownie crumbs and chocolate drips with our spoons before the waiter took the plate back to the kitchen. As a chocoholic with a huge sweet tooth, I never wanted to leave a single morsel behind… But that meant I often walked out with the waistband of my jeans feeling a little too tight!
Which is why I ♡ this recipe for Healthy Small Batch Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies! With so few servings, it’s nearly impossible to over-indulge, even for a brownie-obsessed girl like me. Plus they contain no butter, refined flour or sugar and only 67 calories!
Even better? If you devoured the entire pan in one sitting, and topped it with ice cream and caramel and chocolate sauce… You’d still eat fewer calories than if you had one of those Brownie Obsessions from the restaurant! ??
To make this easy recipe, you’ll start with white whole wheat flour (like this!) and cocoa powder (like this!). Yes, white whole wheat flour actually exists! It’s made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat, which has the same health benefits as regular wheat but a lighter taste and texture. That makes it perfect for these fudgy brownies!
It’s extremely important to measure the flour and cocoa powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. Too much of either will dry out the batter and make your brownies cakey, and too much cocoa powder will make them taste bitter, rather than perfectly rich and decadent. This is the kitchen scale I own, and I highly recommend it! I use it to make every recipe I share with you because it ensures my treats turn out with the perfect taste and texture every time.
Instead of refined sugar, you’ll sweeten these brownies with pure maple syrup, like this! Make sure you buy the real kind! Skip the pancake syrup and sugar-free syrup because those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in this healthy recipe. The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it generally comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs.
Because you’re making so little batter, you’ll need a small 6”-square pan to bake it in. I found these at Walmart on the wedding aisle, and they last for ages and work perfectly! Isn’t that size adorable?? In a pinch, you can use a 8×4” loaf pan or two mini loaf pans.
So, my fellow brownie lover, how perfect does that look?? ? 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!
| Small Batch Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies | | Print |
- 6 tbsp (45g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 6 tbsp (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ⅛ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp (30g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and lightly coat a 6”-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, egg, 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 pan. Bake at 300°F for 10-14 minutes (10 minutes yields the fudgiest brownies; 14 minutes yields slightly firmer 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 serving.
For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: ¼ cup (30g) millet flour, 1 tablespoon (7g) brown rice flour, 1 tablespoon (8g) tapioca flour, and ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if measured like this.
Regular whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten-free, if necessary!) may be substituted as well, but be extremely careful when measuring it!
I don’t recommend using Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. The brownies already taste very rich and dark chocolaty without it! Be very careful when measuring the cocoa powder, using this method or a kitchen scale. (That's the one I own and love!) Too much cocoa powder will make your brownies dry and taste bitter.
Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
Want to make a regular-sized pan of brownies instead? Then follow this recipe of mine!
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Small Batch Lemon Blueberry Muffins
♡ Small Batch Maple Peach Muffins
♡ Fudgy Dark Chocolate Orange Brownies
♡ Fudgy Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
♡ Fudgy Dark Chocolate Frosted Brownies
♡ Fudgy Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Swirled Brownies
♡ Practically Flourless Extra Fudgy Brownies
Hi Amy,
I was wondering if I could substitute the maple syrup for stevia? What would I have to substitute to make this happen? Thank you!
It really depends on the exact stevia brand/product that you use Sylvie! All stevia products have a different sweetness level. Which one did you want to use? 🙂
Its the sweetleaf vanilla drops, the one you usually use in your recipes.
Perfect! I’d recommend using between ½ to ¾ teaspoon of that vanilla creme stevia, and then add ¼ cup of milk (any kind will work!) to compensate for the missing liquid. I can’t wait to hear what you think of these brownies Sylvie! 🙂
Hello,
Could I use Cacao powder instead of cocoa for this recipe and if so how much would you recommend
Thank you
Kind regards
Karen
You can substitute cacao powder for the cocoa powder, but the brownies will taste even darker and less sweet. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try these Karen!
Well these are certainly tempting! I’ve definitely never heard of a 67 calorie brownie before! Love those little pans!
Thanks Mimi! I’d love to hear what you think if you try them! 🙂
Do you think I could bake these in silicon cup cake liners?
Yes! You may end up with fewer than 9 brownies if using standard-sized silicone muffin cups. Add enough batter to each to be about ½” to ¾” deep. I can’t wait to hear what you think of these Annyssa!
My best friend’s birthday is a week before mine, so we celebrate our birthdays together each year too! That brownie dessert sounds luxurious, and you know I DEFINITELY would have opted for extra chocolate sauce!! But alas, after having a main course AND dessert at a restaurant, that bloated feeling makes you feel like you can’t move for a while! So these healthier brownies look just as delicious, but without the heaviness of full-on buttery, sugary brownies!
Thanks Katie!! It’s so fun to celebrate birthdays with friends, isn’t it? Especially when it means lots of dessert and extra candles to blow out! 😉
I loveee the small batch idea. I’m a sucker for over indulging. HA! These look perfect in every possible way. AND JUST ONE MORE OMGAAH YOUR BLOG. So adorable.
You and me BOTH on the over-indulging thing… Especially when it comes to chocolate or coffee-flavored treats! 😉 Thank you SO much, sweet friend! You’re the best!!
I’ve never seen a 6-inch square pan,but how cute and perfect for small batches!! A 9 inch pan of brownies is always a wee bit too much.
Can we please share an entire pan of brownies smothered in ice cream and chocolate sauce?? YUM! <3 😉
YES!!! We most definitely can!! 🙂 Are you allowed to have gluten yet? Or are you still avoiding it? I actually got this 6″-square pan at the Walmart near my storage locker up near you — so I’m sure you can find one!!
What would be a good dairy free substitute for the greek yogurt?
Any non-dairy yogurt (ie Silk’s soy-based yogurt or an almond-based yogurt) will work just fine! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these brownies Tiffany!
Would adding mix ins (like chocolate chips and chopped walnuts) still work with this recipe, or could it potentially affect the way the batter cooks and/or cooking time?
You can definitely add in chocolate chips or chopped walnuts — or both! I’d recommend about 2-3 tablespoons in total to ensure the brownies still bake in the same amount of time. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these Claudia!
Hi Amy,
I would like to know that 67 calories it’s per one piece or per whole tray.
Thanks
The full nutrition info is available underneath the recipe! It can be easy to miss. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these Linda!