As an undergraduate at college, I worked in an organic chemistry research group on campus, bundled up in a long white lab coat, safety glasses, and bright purple protective gloves alongside the graduate students almost every day. We set up reactions, analyzed the results, and worked on trying to find and create molecules with anti-cancer potential.
Each summer, our head professor and his wife hosted a party for us, along with the grad students in her research group, at the park behind their house. They supplied most of the drinks and entrées to grill, including burgers, sausages, and vegetarian options, while the students brought sides and desserts to share.
Most people opted for something simple like chips and salsa or fruit salad, but I always baked something from scratch. Even then, I loved spending as much time in the kitchen as I could!
One summer, I searched online for easy dessert recipes to bring to a picnic. After a little poking around, I found that multiple websites recommend blondies, dessert bars with similar flavors as cookies but the fudgy-like texture of brownies. Some people even called blondies “vanilla brownies!”
But when I clicked over to the blondie bar recipes on those websites, I gasped…
They called for SO much butter!
Those recipes also said an 8”-square pan would yield 36 blondies… Which meant each dessert bar would be bite-sized. For a toddler.
No thanks!
I ended up finding and making a recipe for healthier chocolate cupcakes instead that year, but with summer and picnic season currently right around the corner, I’ve had blondies on my mind a lot lately…
So I finally developed a healthier version! These Healthy One-Bowl Flourless Chocolate Chip Blondies are sweet and buttery with a similar fudgy texture as brownies. They’re so easy to make too—just like the recipe title says, you just need one bowl!
Unlike those recipes I found in college, these ones are normal-sized dessert bars, not itty bitty bite-sized treats. These healthy blondies also contain no flour or refined sugar… And they’re just 91 calories!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY ONE-BOWL FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CHIP BLONDIES
Let’s go over how to make these healthy chocolate chip blondies!
As the recipe title suggests, you’ll begin with one bowl. And in that one bowl, you’ll whisk together a small amount of melted butter or coconut oil, egg whites, vanilla, salt, and unsweetened cashew milk.
Unlike traditional blondie recipes that call for a full stick or more of butter, you just need 1 ½ tablespoons of butter or coconut oil. That really helps keep your healthy flourless chocolate chip blondies low calorie and low fat!
Bonus: If you use coconut oil, then your healthy flourless chocolate chip blondies are dairy free!
Then to make these taste just as rich, you’ll use a bit more vanilla extract compared to traditional recipes. Extra vanilla enhances butter’s rich flavor, so these healthy flourless chocolate chip blondies taste deliciously indulgent!
I opted to use unsweetened cashew milk in these healthy flourless chocolate chip blondies because many of my family members are lactose intolerant. Cashew milk is really thick and creamy (similar to the texture of whole milk!), yet it’s just 25 calories per cup. Along with unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened cashew milk is my favorite non-dairy milk! (And they both work perfectly as a substitute for nonfat milk in just about all of my recipes!)
Next, you’ll pour coconut sugar into your bowl. Coconut sugar is exactly what it sounds like: an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts. However, it does not actually taste like coconuts! It has a rich caramel-like flavor, similar to brown sugar, and you can usually find it on the baking aisle right next to the brown and granulated sugar.
With all of that mixed together, you’ll add oat flour and a teensy bit of baking powder to your bowl. Technically, oat flour is just really finely ground oats… But “powdered oats” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as “oat flour.” ????
So I wasn’t sure whether to call these healthy chocolate chip blondies practically flourless or just plain flourless… Either way, they’re really delicious!
Tip: This is my favorite store-bought oat flour (this one for gluten-free!), and I also show you how to make your own oat flour at home here!
Just remember to measure the oat flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Oat flour is a bit more absorbent than wheat-based flour, which means if you add too much, your blondies will turn out dry and crumbly. I promise it’s worth taking the extra 10 seconds to measure your oat flour correctly so your healthy flourless chocolate chip blondies turn out perfectly fudgy and chewy!
When you add the baking powder, I highly recommend sprinkling the baking powder over the oat flour, rather than dumping it in one pile. This helps prevent clumps of baking powder, which would lead to uneven rising and baking!
Finally, it’s time for the best part… The mini chocolate chips! I used mini chocolate chips to ensure every bite of these healthy flourless chocolate chip blondies contained a morsel of chocolate. These are my current favorite because they taste so rich and melt quite well!
When it comes time to slide these into the oven, you’ll bake your healthy flourless chocolate chip blondies at a low temperature, just 300°F. This allows the center to bake without the edges overcooking or drying out.
Your blondies are ready to come out of the oven when the edges look firm but the center still looks glossy and slightly underdone. That’s a good thing! The heat from the pan will continue to cook the center as you let your blondies cool completely to room temperature.
And yes… As impossible as it feels, you must wait at least 6 hours after your pan of healthy flourless chocolate chip blondies reaches room temperature before slicing and serving. They turn chewier and fudgier the longer you let them rest! If you cut into them sooner, they’ll have a cakier texture. But if you wait, they’ll be irresistibly fudgy.
And then you just have to decide whether you want to share any… Or keep them all for yourself! ???? 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 one bowl flourless chocolate chip blondies!
| Healthy One-Bowl Flourless Chocolate Chip Blondies | | Print |
- 1 ½ tbsp coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp (30mL) unsweetened cashew milk, room temperature
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp (120g) coconut sugar
- 1 ½ cups (180g) oat flour (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 3 ½ tbsp (49g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, egg whites, vanilla, cashew milk, and salt. Stir in the coconut sugar. Pour in the oat flour, and sprinkle the baking powder over the oat flour (to prevent it from clumping!). Stir in the oat flour and baking powder until just incorporated. Stir in 3 tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Gently press the remaining miniature chocolate chips on top. Bake at 300°F for 11-14 minutes. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan, and let the bars rest for at least 6 hours once at room temperature for the best taste and texture before slicing and serving.
Brown or granulated sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar, but the blondies will no longer be clean eating friendly. Honey, pure maple syrup, and agave cannot be substituted for the coconut sugar because they add too much liquid to the blondie dough.
This is my favorite store-bought oat flour (and this for a gluten-free version!) because they’re so fine and powdery. If you prefer to make your own oat flour at home, then I show you how here!
White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour may all be substituted for the oat flour. For a non-oat-flour gluten-free option, use a good quality store-bought gluten-free flour blend, like this.
Remember to measure the oat flour using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much oat flour will make your blondies dry and crumbly.
The blondies are done when the edges look firm but the center still looks glossy and underdone! The heat from the pan continues to cook the center while they cool. If the edges of the blondies pull away from the edges of your baking pan within 10 minutes of pulling them out of the oven, then you’ve baked them for long enough!
If you’re too impatient to wait for 6 hours once your blondies are at room temperature, then you can stick the pan in the oven for 1-2 hours once they’ve reached room temperature to speed up the process!
VEGAN OPTION: Substitute 1 tablespoon (8g) of Ener-G and ¼ cup (60mL) of water for the two egg whites.
{gluten free, dairy free, vegan option, clean eating, low fat}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy One-Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies
♡ Healthy One-Bowl Chocolate Chunk Brownies
♡ Healthy Flourless Peanut Butter Cookie Bars with Chocolate Frosting
♡ Healthy Flourless Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cookie recipes and healthy dessert bar recipes!
I was looking for a chocolate chip recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this!
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed these blondies Kate! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
Can I use one or two whole eggs instead of the egg whites?
Yes, you can substitute 2 whole eggs! I’d recommend reducing the cashew milk by 2-3 teaspoons to compensate for the additional volume from the yolks. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these blondies if you try making them!
Would it work if I replaced the coconut sugar with powdered stevia?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Emily! What’s the exact brand and stevia product that you’d like to substitute for the coconut sugar? Since many brands + products have slightly different sweetness levels, the amount you’ll need (and any other potential recipe modifications!) do vary. 🙂
Hi Amy! Thanks so much for the response–I am so sorry I’m just now replying! I use a powdered baking Stevia from HEB which claims to measure cup for cup like normal sugar. Though when I did make these in August I used coconut sugar as the recipe called for and they came out delicious! Thank you!
It’s my pleasure, Emily! I’m always happy to help! 🙂 Thanks for that info! From my experience, stevia products that claim to measure cup-for-cup like granulated sugar may sweeten cup-for-cup like sugar… But they don’t behave or take up the same amount of volume in baking recipes cup-for-cup like sugar. So if you’d like to use that stevia product in this recipe, then you’ll also need additional milk to compensate for the missing volume. I’d recommend starting with an extra ¼ cup of milk, although you may need more than that. (Since you originally made these blondies with coconut sugar, you should have an idea of what the cookie dough’s consistency should be like — so aim for that same consistency! 😉 ) I’d love to hear how your stevia-sweetened batch turns out!
Hi Amy,
Love your recipes and can’t wait to try these! I will likely use all purpose flour as it’s what I have at home; I know there’s a small amount of baking soda in your recipe – would you recommend using plain flour or self-raising flour?
Thanks!
It means a lot to me that you’d like to try making these, Jenna! For the best results with my recipes, I recommend using plain (not self-rising) flour and using the leaveners (baking soda and/or baking powder) that’s included in the recipe’s Ingredients list. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these chocolate chip blondies!
Hi,
Can I use almond flour in your recipes that call for oat flour?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes Sarah! In my brownie and cookie bar recipes that call for oat flour (like this one!), then yes — almond flour should work! However, the results of substituting almond flour in other recipes do vary, so I’m hesitant to give a blanket statement about all of my recipes. Still, I’m always happy to help, so feel free to ask on a recipe-by-recipe basis if you see any others of mine that you’d like to try using almond flour in! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these blondies if you try making them!
Hi, I’m a beginner and looking for simple and healthy recipes to bake when I have an oven. Yes, I still don’t have one :-p.
I’d like to ask what I can substitute with cashew milk?
Thanks!
I’m so honored that you’d want to make my recipe Jenny! I’ve actually answered this question already in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I hope you get an oven soon! I can’t wait to hear what you think of these blondies once you get a chance to try them!! 🙂
What could I use instead of the egg white for a vegan? (Don’t have a classic egg replacer but I have aquafaba, potato starch, and flax seeds)
I’m honored that you’d like to try making these blondies, Cass! I don’t have experience with aquafaba or potato starch as egg replacers, so I don’t know if those will work. I actually don’t like the taste of flax seeds, so I typically try to avoid that egg replacer too… But I think other readers have used it as a substitute with great success!
My brother is actually allergic to eggs, and Ener-G is my favorite substitute. Ener-G is a shelf-stable powder that keeps for ages. It works perfectly as an egg replacer in nearly all of my recipes, including this one! For my recipes, use 1 ½ teaspoons Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water for each egg white (and you’ll need an additional ½ tablespoon of butter or coconut oil {or Earth Balance, if you’re vegan!} for each egg yolk, although that doesn’t apply to this particular recipe!). I know you said you didn’t have a classic egg replacer right now, but since I know this one works in almost all of my recipes, I thought I’d mention it just in case you wanted to convert other recipes of mine to be vegan in the future! 😉
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these blondies if you try this recipe! 🙂
Just baked these! A few things that troubled me though…
First, when I measured the coconut sugar and the oat flour using my kitchen scale, the gram measurements were extremely off. For instance, I measured out 1/2 cup plus two tablespoons of coconut sugar and my kitchen scale told me that amount was only about 78 grams! Not 120 grams like the recipe says…I was super confused which measurement to trust! Same issue with the oat flour measurement. Next, there was no mention of how the batter should look…it would have been helpful to know if I was on the right track or not with my thin batter. Besides these concerns, the recipe was easy to whip up and I’m excited to try my blondies once they are cooled!
P.S.
Who on earth can wait 6 hours before cutting into their blondies?? Definitely not me, haha!
I’m honored that you tried making my recipe, Jane! That’s really odd about your scale displaying such different gram measurements for the coconut sugar and oat flour. Are you based outside of the US, by any chance? As long as your scale is properly calibrated, the gram measurements are generally much more accurate than cup measurements! Also, the batter is supposed to be thick and spreadable, not thin like box mix cake batter. It’s similar to the consistency of the batter in my brownie recipes, if you’ve made any of those! Otherwise, picture something that’s thicker than muffin batter but wetter than cookie dough. Does that make sense?
I know it’s virtually impossible to wait that long… But it makes a HUGE difference in their texture! They’re much fudgier (and much less cakey!) when you wait that long. 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
I have two questions:
1) What is the texture feel if i want to ignore the baking soda?
2) If i sub the oat flour with all purpose flour, do i need to sprinkle the baking powder?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe! There isn’t any baking soda in this recipe, so I’m not quite sure what you’re asking in your first question. For the second, if you’d like to use all-purpose flour, you still need to sprinkle the baking powder over the flour. I’ve covered why it’s important to do this in the text of my blog post above the recipe. I know it can be easy to miss that detail! 😉
I’m excited to hear what you think of these blondies!