Chocolate Protein Brownies with fudgy texture and an infusion of protein for a mindful threat! Each brownie contains 15 grams of protein and 298 calories.
For those times you’re looking for something sweet, but want to keep the macronutrients mindful, these fudgy protein brownies are a true delight.
Made with wholesome ingredients like mashed sweet potato, almond butter, and pure maple syrup, they come with health benefits in addition to quenching the sweet tooth.
Do they taste like regular brownies? Absolutely not. They do, however, have a dense, fudge-like consistency, which I find to be quite lovely.
So for those of you who like a sweet treat that won’t make you question your decisions, this healthy protein brownies recipe is gold!
I’m a big fan of taking my classic favorite desserts and swapping or adding ingredients to make them a little more mindful.
This way, I can enjoy a sweet bite daily without having to feel all downtrodden about it!
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for protein brownies.
Protein Brownie Ingredients:
Cooked Mashed Sweet Potato: Encompassing much of the volume and moisture in the recipe, we need mashed sweet potato.
Sweet potato also adds a little natural sweetness, enabling us to use slightly less sweetener. This secret ingredient goes undetected, as you taste chocolate above anything else.
Pure Maple Syrup: We need some form of sweetener in the brownies, and I like using pure maple syrup. Honey works too if you enjoy the flavor!
The recipe as written isn’t very sweet, so you can add 1-4 tablespoons of any granulated sweetener you like for added sweetness.
Coconut sugar, brown sugar or regular sugar work great. For less sugar, use a sugar-free sweetener like monk fruit sweetener.
Unsweetened Almond Butter: Adding richness and healthy fats to this healthy brownie recipe, we need some unsweetened creamy almond butter.
The combination of sweet potato and almond butter replaces the all-purpose flour and butter in regular brownies in terms of the structure.
Peanut butter or sunflower seed butter work too if you don’t mind the flavor, as you’ll be able to taste it.
Egg: We toss one egg in the brownie batter to help the Brie he’s rise a little and for some fudgy texture.
Bring the egg to room temperature prior to starting the recipe if possible. You can replace it with a flax egg if you’d prefer.
Cocoa Powder: The rich chocolate flavor comes from unsweetened cocoa powder. I like using raw cacao powder because it has a creamier, less bitter flavor.
Protein Powder: Pick your favorite kind of protein powder to infuse your brownies with protein!
I use unsweetened unflavored protein powder such as goat whey protein powder or egg white protein powder because I prefer to not taste it.
If you enjoy the flavor of a sweetened protein powder like vanilla protein powder or chocolate protein powder, feel free to use it! Just know that you’ll be able to taste any flavored protein powder.
Chocolate Chips: Toss in some chocolate chips for added sweetness and fudginess! They turn theses into decadent fudgy brownies.
I don’t recommend skipping the chocolate chips because they do wonders for the best flavor. Without them, the brownies taste bland.
Nevertheless, if you’re okay with less sweet treats, feel free to skip them for less sugar and fat.
Recipe Customizations:
- Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for some nutty crunch. Add 1/2 cup of oat flour for cakier brownies.
- Use a plant-based protein powder such as hemp protein or pea protein and a flax egg for vegan protein brownies.
- Have vanilla extract on hand? Add 1 teaspoon.
- For even more decadent brownies, drizzle them with melted chocolate or chocolate ganache.
Now that we’ve covered the wholesome ingredients for this easy brownie recipe, let’s bake it!
How to Make Protein Brownies:
Cook one medium-sized to large-sized sweet potato or yam using your preferred method. I wrap my potato in a wet paper towel, place it on a plate, and microwave it for 5 minutes per side, or until it is very soft to the touch.
You can also bake, steam, or boil your sweet potato. Once cooked, refrigerate the potato until it has completely chilled. Mash one cup worth of cooked sweet potato for the recipe and use any remaining in other recipes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper you can spray the pan with cooking spray.
Add the mashed sweet potato, pure maple syrup, almond butter, and egg to a large mixing bowl and mix well until the wet ingredients are combined.
Transfer the cocoa powder, protein powder, and sea salt to the mixing bowl and mix well until a smooth baster forms. Stir the chocolate chips into the brownie batter.
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. If you’d like, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.
Bake brownies on the center rack of the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the brownies have set up. I do 17 minutes.
Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Store brownies in an airtight container or a zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze brownies for up to 3 months.
The next time you find yourself craving brownies, whip up a batch of these protein boosted treats!
Nutrition Info:
When cut into 9 brownies, each brownie contains 15 g protein, 298 calories, 33 g carbs, and 14 g fat. These are pretty solid for active individuals who prioritize protein and replenishing carbs! The complete nutrient information is in the recipe card below.
The way I see it, this is the perfect dessert recipe to make on repeat to always have something sweet on hand that isn’t overly sugary.
Enjoy a brownie with some Greek yogurt and berries for breakfast!
If you enjoy healthier dessert recipes like these healthy brownies, also try these gems.
More Healthy Dessert Recipes:
- Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
- Almond Flour Brownies
- Double Chocolate Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Bars
Quench that brownie craving!
Protein Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup unsweetened creamy almond butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup protein powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt to taste
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Cook one medium-sized to large-sized sweet potato or yam using your preferred method. I wrap my potato in a wet paper towel, place it on a plate, and microwave it for 5 minutes per side, or until it is very soft to the touch. You can also bake, steam, or boil your sweet potato. Once cooked, refrigerate the potato until it has completely chilled. Mash one cup worth of cooked sweet potato for the recipe and use any remaining in other recipes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper you can spray the pan with cooking spray.
- Add the mashed sweet potato, pure maple syrup, almond butter, and egg to a large mixing bowl and mix well until the wet ingredients are combined.
- Transfer the cocoa powder, protein powder, and sea salt to the mixing bowl and mix well until a smooth baster forms. Stir the chocolate chips into the brownie batter.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. If you’d like, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.
- Bake brownies on the center rack of the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the brownies have set up. I do 17 minutes.
- Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Store brownies in an airtight container or a zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze brownies for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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