Low Calorie Brownies

If you’re on a diet but have the sweet tooth, these Low Calorie Brownies are for you. Rich, fudgy and so chocolatey, you’ll never guess these brownies have just 68 calories each. Oil-free, butter-free, nut-free recipe!

The secret for making low calorie brownies

Do you know what’s the secret for making low calorie brownies from scratch…? Choosing the right ingredients, in the right quantities. Especially the banana, a great ingredient which adds natural sweetness, moisture and replaces the use of fats. Spoiler alert: there is no oil, no butter and no nut butter in this recipe!

With the prevalence of low fat components, this recipe will allow you to whip up a batch of rich and chocolatey brownies while keeping the calories down.

Recipe ingredients

If you are eager to learn more, here are all the ingredients you need to make diet brownies at home. And don’t worry if something is missing; you’ll find plenty of replacement options further down the lines.

• Egg: In brownie recipes, the fresh egg helps bind the batter while providing the dessert with taste and texture.
• Ripe bananas: A key ingredient in this low calorie brownie recipe, ripe bananas substitute the use of fats (such as oil, butter or nut butter) and provide natural sweetness. I recommend using large bananas that are well ripe.
• Oat flour: For brownies that are packed with fibers and nutrients, I used oat flour. You can replace with any other flour, such as whole wheat flour, all purpose flour or spelt flour.
• Coconut flour. A byproduct of coconut milk, this flour is more nutritious, higher in fibers and lower in carbs than normal flour. But be careful, coconut flour is not the same as desiccated coconut or coconut flakes! 
• Granular sweetener (erythritol): For baking I like using powdered erythritol, it substitutes sugar 1:1 and does not have any weird aftertaste. If you desire, replace with any other calorie-free granular sweetener, such as xylitol. Because of its strong aftertaste, I do not recommend stevia.
• Cocoa powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder gives the dessert a rich chocolate flavor without all the fats and sugars of normal chocolate. I like using unsweetened baking cocoa powder, but also dutch cocoa powder or cacao work.
• Milk of choice: These banana brownies can be prepared with any type of milk, either dairy or dairy-free. For the lowest calories, the best options are unsweetened almond milk, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.

Substitutes

• Make vegan diet brownies by replacing the egg with one flaxseed egg. To make one flaxseed egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Double the ingredients and you’re set to bake.
• The two ripe bananas can be replaced with 220 grams (or 1 cup) of unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin purée or mashed sweet potatoes.
• Oat flour can be easily be replaced with any other flour, such as all purpose flour, wholewheat flour or almond flour for fewer carbohydrates. As an alternative you may even use a mix of flour and protein powder.
• If you don’t have calorie-free sweeteners such as erythritol, make this recipe with coconut sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar or regular white sugar. However, keep in mind that the nutritional values will change (more carbs and thus more calories).

How to replace coconut flour

Because of its importance, I have decided to dedicate an entire section to this topic. Coconut flour has unique properties and behaves very differently from other flours: it is highly absorbent. For this reason, if you plan to replace it with grain-based flours, you will need a larger quantity. In this recipe it should be about 40 grams (1/2 scant cup) of oat flour as a substitute for 20 grams (4 tbsp) of coconut flour.

High protein brownies

Looking for ways to sneak in some protein powder? I got you. To make low calorie protein brownies, replace part of the oat flour with protein powder. For the best result, substitute half of the flour with a protein powder of your choice, vanilla, chocolate or unflavored. My recommendation is to choose vegan protein or casein, as they do not dry out like whey.

How to make low calorie brownies

Step 1: Get ready for baking. First of all, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and fold a 15 cm x 15 cm (7 inch x 7 inch) brownie pan with parchment paper.

Step 2: Prepare the batter. In a large bowl, mash the bananas and combine with the egg until you get a smooth mixture. Add the oat flour, the coconut flour, the granular sweetener, the cocoa powder and a pinch of salt, then mix well until you get a smooth brownie batter. Depending on size and ripeness of the bananas, you may need to add up to 60 ml (¼ cup) of milk: start with 1 to 2 tbsp and add as much milk as required to get a smooth batter.

Step 3: Bake.Transfer the low calorie batter to the prepared brownie pan, top with chocolate chips if you want and finally bake in hot oven for about 20 minutes. Let cool completely at room temperature before slicing.

How to store low calorie protein brownies

This recipe makes 9 brownie squares, meaning that you’ll have desserts and snacks for a couple of days. Before storing, it is essential that you let leftovers cool completely over a plate or baking rack. Once they have cooled, place in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. As an alternative you can also store in the refrigerator for a maximum of 5 days. For freezing, I suggest packing leftovers in a zipping bag and placing in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat, remove from the fridge or freezer and reheat in hot oven for a couple of minutes until warm. Enjoy!

Recipe tips

Welcome to the ultimate recipe for low calorie brownies that rival the original in taste and texture! In the next lines, I will uncover a treasure trove of tips and tricks that will take your dessert to the next level.

• Choose ripe bananas. Bananas are the magic behind fudgy brownies that are also low in calories. They replace the use of fats while providing a fudgy texture and natural sweetness. 
• Adjust the sweetness level. We all have different preferences, meaning that the amount of sweetener may change. For instance, I find that bananas already add plenty of taste and don’t feel the need for further sweeteners. Things may change if you have the biggest sweet tooth, as you’ll have to add some extra erythritol.  
• Add some extras: Feel free to experiment with fresh berries, peanut butter, crushed pecans, sugar-free caramel sauce or anything you crave. 
• Don’t overmix: Mix the batter until all ingredients are just combined, as overmixing may lead to a though texture.
• Don’t bake for too long: Whenever making brownies you should always keep in mind that the dessert tends to get firmer as it cools. This means that if you bake brownies for too long, they will get dry. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with a few moist crumbs, the banana brownies are done.
• Let cool before serving: For the best taste and texture, make sure you let the dessert cool completely before slicing and eating. If you cut hot brownies, they will be quite crumbly.

Nutritional values of low calorie brownies

There are 68.3 Kcal, 2.5 grams of protein, 13 grams of carbohydrates and 1.4 grams of fats in a serving of homemade diet brownies. However, the precise macronutrient composition may slightly change based on the ingredients that you use; for instance the size of the bananas.

More low calorie dessert recipes

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• 69 calorie protein brownies
• Low calorie chocolate cake
• Low calorie cookie dough
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• Greek yogurt protein cookies
• Low calorie cheesecake
• 100 calorie chocolate mug cake