Protein Brownies (Healthy Fudgy Brownie Recipe)

Skip the store bought protein bars and make these Protein Brownies instead. A healthier, fudgy brownie recipe that’s customizable to your preference! These have 15 grams of protein per large brownie.

Protein Bars – Disguised as Brownies!

Healthy brownies with a rich chocolate flavor? Yes please!

Skip the expensive store bought protein bars that taste chalky, too sweet, or have a weird texture. I am honestly over all of them.

Making protein-rich treats at home is a game changer. You can make a whole batch for about the price of a single bar at Whole Foods, and customize them with your favorite additions.

Last month, we were making lots of Protein Cookies. I also used to make these crispy Toasted Coconut Protein Bars for traveling. My son is a brownie fanatic, so we decided to make fudgy protein brownies this month.

We tried a few variations, and settled in on these delicious almond flour and SunButter brownies, with a fudgy texture and dense chocolate flavor. The simple, clean ingredients are a plus in my book, and the generous sprinkling of chocolate chips on top make them a winner with my kiddo.

Cut these into 9 large protein brownies if you’d like to use them as a meal replacement or snack after a workout. They can also be cut into 16 smaller brownies and enjoyed as a sweet treat after a meal, a healthy snack, or put in lunch boxes!

Adding protein powder not only is a great way to add a little more protein to your diet, but it also helps slow the absorption of sugar (glucose) into the blood stream, meaning these provide stable energy rather than a spike and a crash.

These make a better treat for kids than a traditional brownie recipe, and they are also suitable for diabetics or those watching their blood sugar levels for other reasons.

Keep these in the freezer for when a sweet tooth hits!

If you want a more traditional brownie, try these Almond Flour Brownies.

I love using SunButter in baked goods! It’s perfect for adding a chewy texture to baked goods and is why these brownies turn out so fudgy.

I used the chocolate variety in these brownies to bump up the chocolate factor! Subbing the No Sugar Added or Organic varieties works too!

Hop on over to SunButter’s website to see where it can be purchased near you.

What You’ll Need

• Chocolate SunButter (or No Sugar Added or Organic varieties)
• Coconut Oil
• Eggs
• Coconut Sugar (a more natural form of sugar that has a brown sugar flavor. Subbing maple syrup gives them a more cake-like texture.)
• Vanilla Extract
• Whey Protein Powder (I use a natural, unsweetened protein powder. See notes below if you want to use a sweetened or flavored protein powder.)
• Almond Flour (sub oat flour for a nut free protein brownie)
• Cacao Powder (or natural unsweetened cocoa powder)
• Sea Salt
• Dark Chocolate Chips (optional), but walnuts or pecans are great additions too.

How to Make Protein Brownies

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a 9×9 brownie pan with parchment paper. I like to use some coconut oil to lightly grease the pan so the parchment paper sticks well to the pan.

Step 2: Into a large mixing bowl, combine the Chocolate SunButter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

Step 3: Into another bowl, combine the whey protein powder, cacao powder, almond flour and sea salt. Stir to combine.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients into the large bowl with the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined.

Step 5: Add the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Use wet hands or a wet spatula to press the thick brownie batter into the pan in an even layer. Top with chocolate chips or nuts, if desired.

Step 6: Bake the brownies for 15 minutes. Do not over bake – the whey protein will make the brownies taste more dry than a traditional brownie when overcooked.

How to Store Healthy Protein Brownies

Once the brownies have fully cooled, cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour. This allows them to fully firm up so they can be cut into nice squares.

Place the cut brownies into an airtight container (or freezer safe container) and freeze for up to 6 months. Take them out of the freezer and allow them to defrost at room temperature for about 10 minutes before enjoying.

Variations

Sugar Free Protein Brownies: Instead of the coconut sugar, use allulose to keep these sugar free. If you’re using a sweetened vanilla protein powder or chocolate protein powder, omit the sweetener and add 1 scoop (10 grams) of collagen protein to make up for the lost texture of the coconut sugar. I do not recommend using a vegan or plant based protein powder – they have higher starch levels so will make the brownies dry.

Additions for High Protein Brownies: Instead of topping these with chocolate chips, try stirring in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for an extra crunch.

Nut-Free Protein Brownies: SunButter is a nut-free “nut butter” made from sunflower seeds. Make these nut free by swapping the almond flour for oat flour.

Swap the Nut Butter: If you don’t have Chocolate SunButter, swap it with regular SunButter, or use almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter in it’s place.

Vegan Protein Brownies: I do not recommend using a plant-based protein powder in this recipe. Try this Vegan Gluten-Free Brownie recipe instead!

Other Healthy Dessert Recipes

Sub Eggs: Omit the eggs and use flax eggs in place. Use 2 tablespoons of flax meal and combine with 6 tablespoons of warm water. Allow the mixture to “gel” for about 5 minutes, and then use in place of the eggs.

• Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Healthy No Bake Cookies
• Greek Yogurt Tiramisu

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