Skinny Slow Cooker Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies

Yields: 20 brownies

These brownies are a chocoholic’s dream come true! Rich, fudgy, decadent, extremely chocolaty… It’ll take all of your willpower not to eat the whole batch! If you happen to have leftovers, they’ll stay fresh for at least 5 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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.

Notes: 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 will work as well, if measured like this.

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, ¾ cup of 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.

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, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2016/02/04/skinny-slow-cooker-fudgy-dark-chocolate-brownies/