Healthy Brownies - The BEST Secretly Healthy Chocolate Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Are chocolate brownies healthy? ›

Since brownies are not nutritionally dense, they are not usually regarded as a healthy food. However, brownies do have some health benefits that might be surprising due to their chocolate content. Chocolate is a source of antioxidants and has been found to help lower blood pressure and increase good cholesterol levels.

And where melted chocolate introduces more moisture to the brownie and, consequently, requires additional flour to balance it out, cocoa powder can stand in for a portion of the flour. With less flour, the brownies taste barely bound, with no risk of cakiness or toughness.

Dark chocolate, including pure cacao powder contain flavonoids, which are the same antioxidant compounds found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These compounds reduce inflammation and improve blood flow to your brain and heart. They also help lower blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.

Cooking chocolate has a higher proportion of cocoa solids for a robust chocolate flavour and is designed to melt smoothly and integrate easily into recipes. It's a staple in many desserts, from cakes and brownies to mousses and ganache.

To kill harmful bacteria, the brownies need to reach at least 165 °F (74 °C). If you like your brownies super fudgy to the point where they ooze onto your plate, you can take them out once they hit 165 °F (74 °C).

Is cooking chocolate healthier or better for you? Considering its much lower sugar content, cooking chocolate can be considered 'better' for you as it usually contains more cocoa solids, less fat and fewer additives.

Substitute for unsweetened chocolate (1 oz.): 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 Tbsp. cooking oil or shortening, melted. Substitute for chocolate, sweet baking (4 oz.): ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus ⅓ cup sugar and 3 Tbsp.

Carob is a popular choice, known for its natural sweetness and chocolate-like flavour, perfect for baking or snacking. Another option is to combine healthy ingredients with a hint of cocoa, such as adding unsweetened cocoa powder to Greek yoghurt or dusting nuts with cocoa for a chocolatey taste without guilt.

Ghirardelli's brownies weren't too sweet and had a denser, more fudgelike texture. They had the most intense flavor of the bunch, which I think came from the chocolate chips and the darker chocolate used in the batter. These were also fudgy, which is my personal preference for a brownie.

What happens to your body when you eat dark chocolate everyday? ›

Good news for all you chocoholics out there: it is generally safe to eat dark chocolate every day! In fact, studies have shown that consuming moderate amounts of dark chocolate can actually have some health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease.

Eating one brownie every day could fit into your discretionary calorie category. As long as you stick to only one, or maybe one-half of a brownie each day (though that can take a lot of willpower), the damage done by the brownies should be negligible.

To get the most “health benefit,” select dark chocolate (70-80% cocoa) with the least amount of added sugar. “I think a key to long-term success with a healthy diet is to indulge on occasion – whether it's a small dessert or a great piece of dark chocolate,” says registered dietitian Haley Dockrey.

For an easy boost to your boxed brownie mix, sprinkle in about a half cup of add-ins to give brownie batter a personal touch. Although nuts, chocolate and peanut butter chips, and mini marshmallows are easy wins here, this method invites creativity, and the options are truly limitless.

Brownie textures fall into three general camps… Cakey, fudgy and chewy. Cakey brownies, like the name implies, are light, moist and airy, with a slightly fluffy, cake-like interior. Fudgy brownies are moist, dense and gooey, with almost the texture of fudge, but not quite as compact.

Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract adds rich flavor to brownies. Eggs – Most brownie mixes call for one whole egg. Adding one large egg plus an extra egg yolk gives brownies an ultra fudgy texture. Chocolate Chips – Even if your brownie mix contains chocolate, plan to add chocolate chips.