These 3 ingredient brownies are super fudgy and chocolatey. Made with peanut butter and cocoa powder, these healthy banana brownies are also vegan, sugar-free and gluten-free!
Last week I was grocery shopping when I spotted bananas on sale. Needless to say, I bought many. Probably too many…so that I ended up with a bunch of overripe bananas.
Undecided between protein pancakes or protein banana bread, I eventually made made these 3 ingredient brownies with bananas. The perfect easy and healthy brownie recipe for chocolate lovers!
Why are these banana brownies so healthy?
This 3 ingredient brownie recipe is not only delicious, it is also very healthy. First, it is sugar-free, egg-free and dairy-free. Further, these vegan brownies are flourless and gluten-free. Flourless brownies because this recipe uses only bananas, peanut butter and cocoa powder.
What’s more, these 3 ingredient brownies are also rich in minerals and vitamins. Potassium and vitamin B6 from the bananas, magnesium and vitamin E from peanut butter, and polyphenols from the cocoa powder.
Ingredients for flourless brownies
This flourless brownie recipe calls for just 3 simple ingredients.
- Bananas: three medium ripe bananas. Look for bananas with dark spots on the skin or for brown bananas – the riper, the better.
- Peanut butter: creamy peanut butter, best if it is free from added sugars, oils and salt.
- Cocoa powder: for healthy brownies, use natural cocoa powder without added sugars.
Extra ingredients
The basic recipe for flourless brownies has just 3 ingredients. But this doesn’t mean you can’t add more. Chocolate chips, walnuts or a pinch of salt...Feel free to customize this recipe to your liking!
How to make flourless brownies with banana
Making these 3 ingredient brownies is embarrassingly easy. This recipe comes together in a bowl so quickly that you won’t even realize you’re making brownies.
Step 1. In a large bowl, mash 3 ripe bananas. When they are completely mashed, add peanut butter and stir the mixture until smooth. Sift in cocoa powder, give it a mix and transfer to a brownie pan folded with parchment paper.
Step 2. Bake flourless brownies in hot oven for 22 to 30 minutes (mine took exactly 27 minutes). Let cool completely at room temperature before slicing.
How to store banana brownies
After baking, let the flourless brownies cool at room temperature. Then seal in an airtight food container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For a longer storage, freeze these 3 ingredient brownies in an airtight food container or in a freezer zipping bag for up to 3 months. Before serving, reheat in hot oven for a couple of minutes.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions
How can I replace peanut butter?
You can replace peanut butter with almond butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini.
How can I make nut-free brownies?
To make nut free flourless brownies, replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or tahini. But keep in mind that the taste will slightly change.
Can I add protein powder?
Yes, you can add a scoop of protein powder and adjust the brownie batter with one to two tablespoons of milk to consistency.
Can I make 3 ingredient brownies in the air fryer?
Yes, this 3 ingredient brownie recipe can also be prepared in the air fryer. Bake your brownies in hot air fryer at 150°C (340°F) for 15 to 22 minutes.
Can I make flourless brownies in the microwave?
Unfortunately this recipe does not work in the microwave. To make flourless banana brownies you will need either an oven or an air fryer.
Tips for making flourless brownies
Here are some tips and tricks for making the best flourless brownies with banana.
- Use overripe bananas – the riper they are, the better the result.
- Mash the bananas completely until you get a smooth mixture.
- Use creamy peanut butter – this will mix better with the other ingredients.
- Stir mashed banana with peanut butter very well before you sift in the cocoa powder.
- Do not overbake the brownies, they will set further while cooling.
More healthy recipes with bananas
- Banana bread overnight oats
- Protein banana bread
- Oatmeal protein bars
- Simple banana protein pancakes
3 Ingredient Brownies with Banana
Ingredients
- 3 ripe banana
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter
- 50 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and fold a 15 cm x 15 cm (7 inch x 7 inch) brownie pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mash 3 ripe bananas. When completely mashed, add peanut butter and stir the mixture until smooth.
- Sift in cocoa powder, give it a mix and transfer to the prepared brownie pan.
- Bake in hot oven for 22 to 30 minutes – mine took 27 minutes. Let cool completely at room temperature before slicing.
Nutrition
Per serving, estimated automatically, not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Matteo
Can I freeze this brownies? How long does it keep if refrigerated and if frozen. I am thinking of preparing it for a dinner party I am having on the weekend. … I like to prep ahead.
Hey dear Michelle!
Thank you very much for your comment. Of course you can freeze these banana brownies, I often do so. You can find the complete instructions on how to freeze them in the blog post up here, under the heading “How To Store Banana Brownies”.
Have a great day,
Matteo
Can almond butter be used in place of peanut butter?
Hey dear Laurie,
of course! I often make them with almond butter or cashew butter and they taste superb.
Have a great day,
Matteo
Amazing brownies recipe! Thanks! Blessings
Hey dear Emily,
thanks a lot for your feedback. I’m incredibly glad that you liked these 3 ingredient banana brownies 😉
Have a great rest of the day and week to come,
Matteo
Can I add eggs somehow and reduce the peanut butter?
Hey Ben!
You might replace 60 grams (1/4 cup) of nut butter with one whole egg, but you may need to adjust the consistency of the batter with some extra (oat) flour in case it gets too liquid. I personally have never tried it, however.
Let me know about the result, in case you try!
Have a great day,
Matteo
I made this today, I added sugar free chocolate chips and it was amazing. Thank you for the recipe, this will definitely be a regular in our house.
Hey dear Gina,
thank you very much for your kind feedback!! I am incredibly glad that you liked this recipe.
Have a great weekend,
Matteo
Could I add an egg for extra protein or is would that mess with the texture/taste?
Hey dear Megan,
thank you for your comment. You can think about replacing one banana with one egg!
Have a great day,
Matteo
Did you melt your peanutbutter before adding it or is it just naturally a little more liquid?
Hey dear Melody,
thank you very much for your comment. As I used natural peanut butter, it was already smooth and quite runny. So I did not need to melt it before. In case your nut butter is too hard (which I do not recommend), it is a good idea melting it beforehand!
Kind regards,
Matteo
Hi Matteo,
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe, is so delicious and simple!
Best regards,
Megan
Hey dear Megan,
thank you very much for your comment. I am glad you appreciate!
Kind regards,
Matteo
You didn’t add any sweetner !! so , does the sweetness come from the bananas or now a days we do get sweetned peanut butters, can they be used ?
Hey dear Nitin,
first of all, thank you for your comment.
As far as your question is concerned, I did not use any additional sweetener. I personally find that the natural sweetness from ripe bananas is already enough. Also, I did not use any sweetened peanut butter.
If you want sweeter brownies, however, of course you can adapt this recipe with some extra maple syrup or honey.
Sweetened peanut butters can also be used!
I hope I could help you.
Have a great day,
Matteo
Absolutely amazing! So tasty and really simple. My peanut butter was thick and crunchy so I used extra and some maple syrup to thin it abit more. I also added some cut up curly Wurly for an extra treat.
Hey Danielle!
Thank you very much for your feedback, I am incredibly happy to hear that you enjoyed 😉
Have a great day,
Matteo
Delicious! I used powdered peanut butter and added water + chocolate chips and it was great!
Hey Lily,
Thank you very much for your kind feedback. I am extremely happy that you liked.
Have a great week to come,
Matteo
Will be using powdered peanut butter too ?
Such a great recipe. I love to add a lil bit of black walnuts and a bar of dark chocolate (made into lil chunks). It’s so good. We prefer it over regular brownies any day. ?
Hey my dear,
thanks a lot for your feedback!! I am so glad that you liked this recipe 😉
Have a fantastic day,
Matteo