Healthy and Fudgy Low Calorie Brownie

a stack of 4 pumpkin brownies on a plate with chocolate chips

Healthy and Fudgy Low Calorie Brownie

These Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies are sugar free, low fat and low calorie. Made using unsweetened cocoa powder and pumpkin puree, for the ultimate easy, moist and delicious pumpkin brownies recipe.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings brownies

Calories 99kcal

Author Kim

Ingredients

1 cup Pumpkin cooked and mashed
¼ cup Natural peanut butter
1 medium Egg
1 cup Almond Flour (or oat flour)
¾ cup Granulated sweetener that measures like sugar
¼ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
¼ cup Sugar free chocolate chips
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat fan oven to 180 degrees c/350 degrees F
Line an 8 inch by 8 inch baking tin with baking/parchment paper, using a little spray oil to help it stick to the sides if necessary
Add almond meal, granulated sweetener, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and mix together in a bowl, until it resembles chocolate dirt.
In a separate bowl, add cooked and mashed pumpkin, peanut butter and egg, mixing to combine, until it’s a creamy orange yellow batter. (See note 1)
Pour dry ingredients into bowl with wet ingredients and mix together until a thick batter is formed
Pour batter into lined baking tin and bake for 25 minutes. To check if its cooked, inset a toothpick into the centre to check for “doneness”.

Notes

Don’t mix the pumpkin, egg and peanut butter directly into the dry ingredients as it will be hard to combine together and will end up lumpy.
Pumpkin: I prefer to make my own pumpkin puree when making baked goods as I can be certain that it doesn’t come with any added sugars. However feel free to use the canned pumpkin puree if you have it. Making your own pumpkin puree is as simple as peeling and boiling pumpkin in a pot of water until it soft, then mashing a fork until smooth.
Almond Flour: This helps to provide structure and body to the brownies and also makes them flourless which is ideal for those who can’t tolerate or don’t like regular flours. Can be substituted with oat flour.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is where the chocolate flavoring and color comes from. It also provides a richness to the brownies
Granulated Sweetener: Whilst any granulated sweetener that measures like sugar will work, my favorite is “Brown” granulated Monkfruit sweetener which is very similar in texture to regular brown sugar. However granulated white monkfruit or stevia would work as well.
Sugar Free Chocolate Chips: I use the brand “Noshu” or “Naturally Well”, both of which are available in the baking aisle or healthy food aisle of most supermarkets in Australia. Other chopped up sugar free chocolate bar will work fine.
Peanut Butter: I love using a natural peanut butter to add to the flavor of pumpkin brownies. Feel free to sub with your favourite nut butter.
Egg: Using an egg in this recipe helps to bind all the ingredients together and also adds additional protein.
Baking Powder: This helps to give lift and structure to the brownies
Vanilla Essence: Adds flavoring. Can leave out or sub with expresso or other flavoring
Salt: just a pinch helps to bring out all the other flavors and to balance everything. I definitely notice the difference when I don’t add a little salt to my brownies.
Storage: refrigerate brownies in tray, covered overnight before slicing into 9 squares. Then store in an air tight container for 1 week.
Freezing: Separate brownies with a sheet of baking paper in between each and place into a freezer container with secure lid. Freeze for upto 8 weeks. Take brownie out of freezer and let defrost naturally for a couple of hours, or microwave on high for 30 to 0 seconds.

Nutrition