Deutsch
Healthy Flourless Brownies
Brownies will remain my favorite dessert. Period. I just love them, especially when they are fudgy, super chocolatey, and rich. Like these healthy flourless brownies with the most epic sweet potato frosting. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, protein-rich, and easy to make. It takes only 10 minutes to prepare the batter, so there is no excuse to not make this delicious dessert.
I love trying out new brownie recipes. I already shared some of my favorite recipes with you on my blog, like these Sweet Potato Brownies or these Pea Brownies and even Healthy No-Bake Brownies. These Cheesecake Brownies were a big hit as well! Maybe you have already tried out one or more of these recipes. The healthy no-bake brownies have been remade many times on Instagram and people love them.
Chickpea Brownies
The flourless brownies, which I am sharing with you today, contain chickpeas as the main ingredient. Chickpeas (sometimes known as garbanzo beans) are amazing, they are high in protein and contain lots of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. I love using chickpeas in desserts, for example in these No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars.
Grain-Free and Gluten-free recipe
Not only are these flourless brownies gluten-free, but they are also grain-free. Ground almonds, flax seeds, chickpeas, and cocoa powder are some of the ingredients which you need to make these delicious healthy brownies. I also made them once with coconut flour. Both versions are good! Instead of ground almonds, you can use any ground nuts of choice, for example, hazelnuts.
Sweet Potato Frosting
You can make the brownies without frosting and I am sure you will like them. However, to take this dessert to the next level I urge you to make this lush sweet potato frosting! It’s made with sweet potatoes, so it’s basically like eating salad, haha. Seriously, in my opinion, the frosting is a must and my boyfriend actually LOVED it!
These flourless brownies are:
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Grain-free
- Protein-rich
- Oil-free
- Chocolatey
- Fudgy
- Rich
- Healthier than most other brownies
- Can be made refined sugar-free
- Easy to make
- Delicious
- Great for dessert or breakfast
Mini Chocolate Chips
I’ve topped these chickpea brownies with dairy-free mini chocolate chips. This step is optional, of course, but in my opinion, you can never have enough chocolate in your life. So if you have the possibility to get them, then definitely do it!
Should you recreate my recipe, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see your recreations. If you are looking for more brownie recipes, then check out the following link.
Flourless brownies
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar (150 g)
- 3/4 cup ground almonds (90 g) (*see recipe notes)
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder (60 g)
- 2 tbsp ground flax seeds or ground chia seeds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (optional)
Wet ingredients:
- Two 15 oz cans chickpeas drained and rinsed (about 500 g)
- 1/2 cup plant-based milk (120 ml)
- 1/3 cup nut butter or seed butter of choice (80 g) (*see recipe notes)
- 1/2 banana or 1/4 cup applesauce (60 g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- sweet potato frosting (optional)
Instructions
- Blend the chickpeas with all wet ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
- Add all dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips) to the food processor and blend again until the mixture is combined.
- Line a pan with parchment paper or grease it with vegan butter or coconut oil and spoon the batter into it. My baking dish measures 9"x6" (23 x 15 cm).
- Bake in the oven at 355 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 40 minutes (it can take longer or shorter, depending on your oven and the size of your baking dish) or until a toothpick comes out almost clean (can still be sticky but not wet). Test after 35 minutes with a toothpick. Don't overcook the brownies! Let them cool completely. They'll still be soft at first but firm up once cooled down. They taste best on the 2nd or 3rd day!
- Check out this recipe to make the sweet potato frosting! Top with chocolate chips an enjoy!
Notes
- You can use any ground nuts instead of ground almonds. For a nut-free version try ground hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. If you want to make the brownies with coconut flour, then use only 45 grams and not 90 grams since coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid.
- Any nut butter like peanut butter, cashew butter works fine. For a nut-free version use coconut butter or sunflower seed butter.
If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
These are the fudgeiest brownies ever!!
Thank you, Jess! I wish I could share them with you. ❤️
Could you sub the chickpeas for white beans? Or any other beans you would suggest?
Yes, white beans should work too. I believe black beans would be another great option. 🙂
These brownies are everything you describe and more. I really enjoyed the brownie on its own but the frosting definitely made it next level ! Thanks for a great recipe can’t wsit for my family to try it, if it lasts that long 😊🙏🏼
Thank you, Megan! I am so happy that you love my recipe! 🙂
These brownies look so good! 😍
Love the chocolate chips on top.
Lots of love
Bianca ❤️
Thank you very much, Bianca! I hope you will give them a try. ❤️
Love these! I definitely had them for breakfast like you said 😋
Wonderful! I am glad you like them, Ruth. 🙂
What I love is no crazy ingredients and substitutions are listed for nuts and such… My dream recipe as I’m vegan (WFPB), celiac, and have a tree nut allergy. Not to mention overseas in an area where “exotic” ingredients are just not happening!!! This is a win all around for me, I’m sooo trying this!! 😁😁
Amazing, Nichole! I hope you will like this recipe! 🙂
Hi. In which of your books can I find this? I am trying to decide which one to buy 😁
Hahaha, thank you so much for your sweet comment! 🙂 I hope to be able to sell a cookbook in the future.
Much love, Ela
Would almond pulp from making milk workin this recipe? I’m trying to find a good way to use it!
You can give it a try. But since almond pulp contains almost no fat and this recipe contains no oil, the brownies probably won’t be as rich. Let me know if you try it out though! 🙂
Could you Sub the chickpeas for pumpkin purée ?
Hey Patty, I think it could work, however, you will most likely need less plant-based milk since pumpkin purée contains more water content than chickpeas. Let me know how it turns out if you give it a try! 🙂
disappointed. I just made the brownies and really looking forward to trying them. i hadn’t realized I didn’t have any of the frosting ingredients UNTIL THE LAST STEP IN THE DIRECTIONS??? PLEASE PLEASE ADD A NOTE OF THE 2ND RECIPE IN THE INGREDIENTS.
Hi Susan, the frosting is optional and I am sorry I forgot to mention it! I will add a link to the ingredients. I hope you enjoyed the brownies! 🙂
Hey, these look delicious 🤤😍 any tips on how to make them refined sugar free? Could for example honey be a suitable alternative? Thanks!
Hey Johanna, you can use date sugar, coconut sugar or date paste. Honey is also refined. 🙂
Hi Ela,
I lade these brownies for my birthday and they were a huge success! Everyone loved it and it was so much fun to just not feel super guilty while eating dense and rich chocolate brownies 🙂 Espcially the frosting amazes me. Since it was a little too chocolately I added pomegranate and raspberries on top. An absolute winner 🙂 Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Yay, that’s amazing! Thanks a lot for your great feedback, Nina. 😍
Just wondering if the measurements are wrong because you 3/4 of a cup for both coconut sugar and almonds, and the cacoa amount does not add to 60g 🤔
It’s for American measuring cups! Maybe you are using different cups in the UK? I would recommend using grams, not cups. It’s more accurate.