Protein Brownies

Extra fudgy, rich and chocolatey, these are the best Protein Brownies ever! Clocking at 96 calories each, this easy recipe will satisfy your sweet tooth while hitting your macros. Flourless, oil-free and gluten-free.

Hey, I’m Matteo – MattsfitChef – and I am the master of turning traditional desserts into protein wonders. From protein muffins to protein cheesecake and protein banana bread, my “bakery” offered an option for everyone. Or at least, almost.

I was missing a treat to satisfy the chocolate cravings of girlfriend. Of course we’ve indulged in cottage cheese brownies before, but simple brownies with protein powder were still not there. Until I went to the kitchen and quickly found a remedy. This recipe was born!

Why you will love this recipe

• Healthy and high protein. With no flour, no refined sugar, no oil and no butter, these brownies will satisfy your sweet tooth without guilt. They’re perfect for gluten-free and low carb fitness diets, and can easily be made vegan.
• Quick and easy. This recipe comes together in a bowl in under 30 minutes, with minimal cleaning involved. To make things faster, you can also whip them up in a blender.
• Rich and fudgy. Have a bite and you won’t ever guess these macro-friendly brownies are actually good for you. They come with a decadent chocolate flavor and a fudgy texture that will get you hooked.
• Customizable. From mix-ins to frosting, there are so many ways how you can add your own touch. My recommendation is to serve them with peanut butter chocolate frosting on top, plus extra chocolate chips.

Ingredients and substitutes

This recipe only uses simple ingredients, all of which you can replace very easily. In the following lines you will find the complete list, together with tips and substitutions. Here you will also learn how to make them vegan, sugar-free and banana-free.

• Egg. One large egg helps bind the batter and improves the taste. If vegan, replace with 1 flaxseed egg.
• Banana. To keep protein brownies fudgy, this recipe has a ripe banana. The banana provides moisture and natural sweetness. As a replacement, you can use 1/2 cup applesauce or pumpkin puree.
• Maple syrup. This ranks as my favorite alternative to sugar, it’s healthy and unprocessed. Possible substitutes are honey, agave nectar, date syrup and sugar-free syrup.
• Almond butter. Smooth and creamy almond butter makes these fitness brownies fudgier and more flavorful. Feel free to substitute with peanut butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter.
• Protein powder. This recipe can be prepared with whey, vegan protein powder, casein or protein blends. For the best taste, I recommend chocolate or vanilla flavored protein powder.
• Almond flour. Almond flour improves the texture and adds a delicious nutty flavor. Substitute it with almond meal, oat flour, wholewheat flour or all purpose flour.
• Cocoa powder. For healthy protein brownies, use unsweetened cocoa powder. Cacao powder, baking cacao and dutch-processed cocoa powder will also work.
• Vanilla extract. A teaspoon of vanilla extract enhances the taste of chocolate. If using vanilla protein powder, you may omit this ingredient.
• Salt. The salt brings out the flavors and balances sweetness.

How to make protein brownies

Step 1 – Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and fold a 7×7 in (15 cm x 15 cm) brownie pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have baking paper, grease the pan with butter or oil to prevent sticking.

Step 2 – Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, mash the banana completely. Add the egg, the maple syrup, the almond butter, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Now you should mix until the batter reaches a smooth consistency.

Step 3 – Add dry ingredients. Add to the wet mixture protein powder, almond flour and cocoa powder. Stir until dry and wet components are combined and free of lumps. In this process, it is important that you do not overmix. Overmixing incorporates excessive air into the batter, which makes the dessert dry.

Step 4 – Mix wet ingredients. Transfer your batter into the prepared baking pan and top with some chocolate chips, if you wish. Bake in the mid rack of your hot oven for around 18 to 20 minutes, or until they are no more raw inside. Do not bake for too long, they will firm up as they cool.

Step 5 – Let cool. Before you slice and eat them, allow the high protein brownies to cool completely to room temperature.

Recipe variations

These easy protein brownies offer the perfect base for customizations. From chocolate chips to frostings, the only limits are your macros – if you track macros. Here are some delicious ideas to try at home.

• Peanut butter – Replace almond butter with peanut butter and top with a funny peanut butter swirl. For Reese’s Cup treats, make sure you add lots of chocolate chips.
• Mocha – Stir in the batter 1/3 teaspoon of coffee powder, it enhances the chocolate flavors and adds extra caffeine for your workouts.
• Peanut butter frosting – Before serving, let cool and then top the fitness brownies with a healthy pb frosting. You can quickly make it by mixing Greek yogurt with little cream cheese, powdered sweetener and peanut butter.
• Cream cheese frosting – Bake and let cool, then top with a healthy frosting made from Greek yogurt, cream cheese and (vanilla) protein powder. A tasty way to double down on protein.
• Protein brownie bites – Instead of using a pan, scoop out some of the batter into balls. You’ll bake a batch of chocolate protein balls for snacks and desserts.

How to store and freeze

After baking, let the brownies cool to room temperature first. Once cool, slice them into bars and place in an airtight container. At room temperature they will last for up to 3 days, in the fridge they will keep for a maximum of 5 days.

For a longer storage, pack your brownie protein bars into zipper bags and freeze for a maximum of 3 months. When it is time to serve, take out the desired amount and allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in hot oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes, or microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Enjoy warm.

More high protein desserts

• Greek yogurt flourless brownies
• Protein muffins
• Cottage cheese cookies
• Low calorie protein brownies
• Moist protein banana bread
• Cottage cheese brownies
• Chocolate protein donuts
• Protein cheesecake
• Cottage cheese cheesecake