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!
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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 ½ 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.
Which protein powder for brownies?
There are many types of protein powder in the market - whey, whey isolate, casein, collagen, soy protein, pea, brown rice, up to hemp seed protein. If this weren't enough, the assortment of flavors is intimidating. Amazon, Whole Foods, Target and diet stores have it all.
But not all of them are equally good for baking. Over the years, I've made all sorts of protein desserts, from brownies to protein muffins. Plant based protein powder and casein position first, these are the best option to make rich and fudgy brownies like the original. Because of the high concentration of protein, brownies with whey tend to have a drier texture.
In terms of flavor, I like chocolate protein powder. But also vanilla, chocolate brownie, peanut butter and unflavored protein taste delicious. Just keep in mind that if you opt for no flavor, this recipe may require more maple syrup to fix the taste.
How to make protein brownies
Step 1 - Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and fold a 7x7 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.
Success tips
- Choose protein wisely. For the best fudgy texture, prefer vegan protein powder or casein to whey. Chocolate and vanilla flavors are superb, but also unflavored is great. Additionally, stick to high quality brands with minimal ingredients and no sugar.
- Do not overmix. Just stir until dry ingredients are well incorporated into the wet mixture. When you mix for too long air is incorporated into the batter, which can result in dry brownies.
- Do not overbake. When making high protein chocolate brownies, you should remember that they take shorter baking times than the regular. The less you bake protein powder, the better.
- Add your touch. Customize your brownie protein bars with mix-ins and toppings. Stirring in chocolate chips, chopped pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts and cranberries adds texture and flavor. For a more indulgent treat, you can serve them with peanut butter frosting on top.
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 ⅓ 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.
Yes, they're much healthier than the original. This recipe uses wholesome ingredients, no refined sugar, no flour and no oil. It has protein powder to help your muscles, and almond flour for fiber. The cocoa powder adds flavor and antioxidants, while the egg gives you extra protein. It’s a balanced snack with good macros - healthy fats, protein, and natural sweetness!
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
Protein Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 banana ripe, mashed
- ¼ cup (70 g) maple syrup or honey
- ¼ cup (65 g) almond butter or peanut butter
- ½ cup (50 g) protein powder see notes*
- ⅓ cup (30 g) almond flour or oat flour
- ¼ cup (30 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅙ tsp salt
- chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and fold a 7x7 in (15 cm x 15 cm) brownie pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the banana. Add egg, maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Using a whisk or fork, mix until the batter reaches a smooth consistency.
- Add to the wet mixture protein powder, almond flour and cocoa powder. Stir until dry and wet ingredients are combined and free of lumps - do not overmix.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared baking pan and top with chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake in hot oven for around 18 to 20 minutes, or until they are no more raw inside. Make sure you do not bake them for too long, or the brownies will get dry.
- Let cool completely at room temperature before slicing.
Notes
Measurements note
- I recommend measuring all ingredients in grams for more accuracy. When developing this recipe, I weighted all components with a scale - especially protein powder. Depending on whether you use whey, casein or vegan protein powder, the amount in ½ cup may vary. You will need 50 grams, approximately ½ cup.
Ingredient notes
- Egg: For vegan protein brownies, replace with 1 flaxseed egg.
- Banana: Use a medium-sized ripe banana, it should weight approximately 4 oz (110 g).
- Banana replacement: Replace with ½ cup (110 g) of unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree.
- Nut butter: Almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, pistachio butter and sunflower seed butter are all great. Choose your favorite.
- Protein powder choice: Use whey protein powder, vegan protein powder, casein or protein blends - preferably chocolate or vanilla flavored. This recipe uses chocolate casein.
- Protein powder choice: Depending on the protein powder used, the brownie batter might require either more almond flour (in the case of whey) or a drop of milk (in the case of vegan protein powder or casein).
Baking tips
- Do not overmix, or the brownies may become dry and tough.
- Do not overbake, they are ready when the center is no more raw. Little gooeyness is okay, they will firm up further as they cool.
Texture notes
- Whey protein brownies tend to have a slightly drier and denser texture. For the best result I recommend vegan protein powder and casein.
Storage directions
- To store. Let the brownies cool to room temperature first, then slice and place into 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.
- To freeze. Pack your brownies into zipper bags and freeze for a maximum of 3 months.
- To reheat. Defrost 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are based on third-party calculations and should be considered approximations. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. We do not overtake any responsibility.
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Lisa
I like these better than the sugary boxes of brownie mix we always bought (goodbye, Ghirardelli). It is really dense and chocolatey, but not super fudgy. It messes with my head that only one or two pieces satisfies my sweet tooth. It is hard to believe that just additional protein can do that for you. Thank you!
Matteo
Hey dear Lisa,
thank you so so much for your kind feedback. It makes me truly happy to hear that you enjoyed my protein brownies. The perfect healthy treat to satisfy all the chocolate cravings, I agree 😉
Have a fantastic day,
Matteo
Maria
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING MEASUREMENTS IN GRAMS
Matteo
Hey Maria,
my absolute pleasure. Thank you for your comment☺️!