Banana Carob Brownies
I’ve been a little scared to get back to baking. My brain is trained to grab the sugar immediately!
But I am retraining.. and grabbing the honey instead.
These brownies came about after a long internet search for a brownie recipe without refined sugar. I found black bean brownies, gluten-free brownies, vegan brownies.. but nothing seemed to be appropriate for me. So I started my own little brownie experiment.
These brownies are made with whole wheat flour, carob powder, mashed banana, honey and olive oil- a little different than your typical ingredients. The texture is not like your traditional brownie (I don’t know if you can ever really get that signature brownie bite without refined sugar), but it is pleasing, and doesn’t leave that sugary coating on your mouth.
I hesitate in calling these “healthy” – I am finding that word means many different things to different people and doesn’t really define food anymore. I do believe they are nourishing, won’t give you a crazy sugar rush and are appropriate as a daily treat or snack. If you want to cut back on the sugar a bit, these are a good way to ease into it.
I’m getting back in my baking groove..
surely some sweet, strange concoctions are on the way.
Banana Carob Brownies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Oven Love
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup carob powder (cocoa powder can be substituted, carob is what I had on hand)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup mashed banana (about 3 small bananas)
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup mini carob or chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
- ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, carob powder, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk mashed banana, honey, olive oil, vanilla and eggs. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the carob/chocolate chips and/or nuts. Spread into the prepared pan
- Bake brownies for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Pull the full pan of brownies out to cool completely on a rack. Cut brownies when cool and serve. Keep in an airtight container.
I love to try new recipes, especially new brownie recipes. They look and sound amazing. đŸ™‚
Would love to taste test these on my next visit
Found you through MPMK! I have not wanted to face the reality that I need to cut back on sugar, but I KNOW it needs to be done–like NEEDS to be done. So far I’ve just known it and have avoided doing it aaahhhhh. I need to try this recipe and follow along as you continue to come up with more sweets with less refined sugar!
Audrey
http://www.puttingmetogether.com
Oven love has lots of good recipes and as mom with young children I appreciate using less sugar. However, your site is very difficult to read. The pink/red background with a light grey font is hard to see. And anytime you have a hyperlink it is red, which makes it impossible to see on the background you have chosen.
Just made these yesterday and they’re fantastic ! The whole family liked them. I’ll definitely be making them again.
Anonymous, the site has a white background behind the text that may not be loading for you- that’s probably why you’re having trouble reading. A new site design is coming soon, so hopefully that will help you! Sorry for the inconvenience.
Yum! I used dutch processed cocoa and reduced the baking powder to 1/2 tsp and the results were rich and dense. I have such a sweet tooth that I’m contemplating frosting, but they are a delicious healthier alternative (and a great use for the 3 black bananas on my counter…) Thanks for the recipe!
Only had some very flavourful olive oils around here, so I went with Hazelnut. Had no chips, so I threw in more carob and some peanut butter.
Turned out reasonably nutty.
i have tried these there so good i never use sugar and if i do i use beat sugar .