• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Recipe Index

Feasting not Fasting

Because life's too short to be hungry

  • Home
  • About
    • Collaboration
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
    • 30-Minute Meals
    • Appetizers
    • Baked Goods
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks and Smoothies
    • Lunches
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Sauces and Condiments
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups & Stews
  • By Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Blender
    • Crock Pot/Slow Cooker
    • Freezer
    • Instant Pot
    • Oven
  • By Diet
    • Dairy-Free
    • Gluten-Free
    • Keto
    • Low-Carb
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Appetizers
  • Baked Goods
  • Breakfast
  • Desserts
  • Main Dishes
  • Salads
  • Side Dishes
  • Snacks
Home » Recipes » Desserts » Healthy Banana Brownies

Healthy Banana Brownies

June 14, 2022 by Christy 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Pin Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Pin
Share
Tweet
Yum

Healthy banana brownies that are gluten free, naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and topped with a decadent chocolate drizzle and fleur de sel.

Table of Contents

  • Ingredient Notes
    • Brownie ingredients
    • Topping ingredients
  • How to make healthy banana brownies
  • Serving suggestions
  • Storing healthy banana brownies
  • Freezing flourless brownies
  • FAQ
  • Other healthy gluten free desserts
  • Healthy Banana Brownies
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients US CustomaryMetric
      • Chocolate Drizzle and Salt Sprinkle
    • Instructions
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition
      • did you make this recipe?
Close up picture of a salted healthy banana brownie on a white background with pink flowers in background

If you’re ever craving a rich chocolatey brownie but want it to be gluten free and full of healthier ingredients, this is the one for you my friend. These banana brownies are moist, completely flourless, low in sugar, and easy to make. They’re great on their own or you can top with some coconut banana nice cream for the ultimate healthy dessert experience.

Between these and cocoa roasted almonds, it’s nice having some healthier options for satisfying that all powerful chocolate lust. Using almond flour means they aren’t low calorie, but it’s all about what you’re getting out of those calories. This banana brownie recipe is full of the good stuff!

Overhead picture of healthy salted brownies on a white backdrop

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients are overall pretty simple but there are a few things to point out to help you make the recipe perfectly. Here’s what you’ll need and some comments on substitutions and specifics.

overhead angle of ingredients for healthy banana brownies with pink flowers on a white background

Brownie ingredients

  • over ripe bananas – It took me about 3 bananas to get the needed amount but if you’re using previously frozen bananas you might need an extra one since you loose a little in freezing them
  • eggs – you can sub in an egg replacer like Just Egg or flax eggs if you need to
  • vanilla extract – use a good quality one, but that goes without saying
  • melted coconut oil – you can sub for another oil type like avocado or vegetable oil if you prefer
  • coconut sugar – I used coconut sugar but you can use regular brown sugar if you’d like. Also, if you’d like the brownies to be sweeter, you can increase the amount to 1/2 cup to make sweeter if you’d like. I even tried making it without any sugar and it was a little bit sweet from the banana, just not quite sweet enough.
  • blanched almond flour – sometimes it is labeled almond meal and the kind you want will typically say “super fine” or “extra fine.” Using regular almond flour that isn’t blanched or super fine is okay but will make the texture grittier.
  • coconut flour – coconut flour is essential to the texture in flourless banana brownies. It also keeps the banana brownies from being too crumbly
  • unsweetened cocoa powder – use a good quality cocoa powder. Please don’t confuse this with the cocoa alternative, cacao powder which is the raw unprocessed version. If using cacao, you will need to use much less the end product will be different.
  • baking soda – this helps with the texture
  • baking powder – baking powder helps make the brownies thicker but if you’re strictly paleo, you can certainly leave this out.
  • teaspoon salt – I use himalayan salt (the pink stuff) but its fine to sub for sea or table salt here.
  • semi-sweet chocolate chips – I used regular semi-sweet Ghirardelli chips like the ones I linked to. If you’d like to use a vegan and/or paleo chocolate, Enjoy Life and Hu are great options. Hu are unsweetened so if you choose that brand, understand that the final recipe will be less sweet overall.
close up of melted chocolate being drizzled onto healthy brownies

Topping ingredients

Now let’s talk about that chocolate drizzle and salt sprinkle. These are the finishing touch that brings it all together and really completes the recipe in my opinion. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • semi-sweet chocolate chips – again, I used regular but Enjoy Life and Hu make paleo and vegan chocolate chips too
  • coconut oil – I really like using coconut oil here but it you want to sub with another oil type, use one without a strong flavor like avocado or vegetable oil
  • fleur de sel – a touch of salt brings out the sweetness in everything else. I’d recommend not subbing for another salt type but if you must, make sure to use less than the recipe calls for

The base of this banana brownie recipe consists of almond flour and coconut flour making it gluten free and adding protein and fiber to the recipe. There are other dietary swaps you can easily do as well. This recipe is easy to tweak to be dairy free, paleo and vegan but you’ll need some other ingredients (notes on this in FAQ).

Close up of hand holding gluten free salted banana brownie

How to make healthy banana brownies

The overall process of making the brownies is not hard but does take a few steps. Luckily, if you plan ahead, you can use the same bowl. First you’ll preheat the oven and pre-line your pan with parchment paper but once those basics are out of the way, here are the remaining steps.

Numbered process pictures showing 8 steps needed to make healthy banana brownies
  1. After turning the oven to 350°, measure out your banana! There can be a huge difference between banana sizes and using too much or too little can significantly affect your end results.
  2. Beat banana, eggs and vanilla together and then add melted coconut oil and coconut sugar. Add dry ingredients and then mix it up.
  3. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  4. If you haven’t already, you’re going to need to line your pan with parchment paper. Yes, you can just grease the pan really well if you don’t have parchment paper but this step really helps with easy removal and keeps the brownies from sticking.
  5. Easy stuff now – just put the pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes!
  6. Pull it out and let it cool.
  7. Make the chocolate drizzle in a glass container in the microwave for 30 seconds. Do extra 10 second pulses until chocolate is melted, stirring in between each.
  8. Drizzle the chocolate in a zig zag pattern, sprinkle the fleur de sel and cut ’em up!
spoon drizzling melted chocolate onto brownies

It’s all about that drizzle, ammiright or ammiright?

I’d like to confidently say you can skip the drizzle but in a healthy banana brownie recipe like this, the drizzle really makes it. It adds that extra sweetness and decadence that a healthy dessert needs in my opinion. If you’re ok with it being less sweet, you can of course leave it off but frankly, it just won’t be quite as good.

overhead of healthy brownies laid out in a grid with pink flowers on a marble backdrop

Serving suggestions

There is no denying brownies are best served warm, but when a chocolate drizzle or frosting is involved, you need to be patient. You need to wait to drizzle until they’ve cooled down or most of the chocolate will run right over the edge and not harden on top like you want.

That being said, you could certainly microwave for 10-15 seconds to get that fresh from the oven feel. They are great on their own as a treat or dessert but they’re healthy enough for an afternoon snack too.

My favorite way to eat them though is ala mode, which is just a fancy way of saying “with ice cream on top.” To avoid the excess dairy, we used banana coconut nice cream one night for a fun twist.

Hand reaching for a healthy banana brownie on a white marble background with pink flowers on edge

Storing healthy banana brownies

Once they’ve fully cooled, store the brownies in a tightly sealed container on the counter for up to 3 days. Since they’re made with bananas, the recipe doesn’t keep for most than a few days. To extend their life, you can freeze the brownies for a sweet treat further down the road.

Freezing flourless brownies

To freeze the brownies for later use, first, wrap each brownie tightly in parchment paper to prevent freezer burn. Second, store these in either a plastic freezer bag or a reusable freezer bag.

Defrost on the counter for about an hour or in the refrigerator. You can also use the defrost setting on your microwave but be careful and do so in short intervals. Over heating will dry them out and affect the texture.

hand holding healthy banana brownie with a bite taken out of it

FAQ

Can they be paleo?

To easily convert this recipe to be paleo replace the chocolate with either unsweetened chocolate like Hu (paleo, sugar free and dairy free) or another brand of chocolate sweetened with paleo compliant sweetener.

If using unsweetened chocolate like Hu, you will most likely want to increase the coconut sugar to 1/2 or even 2/3 cup to help make up for the sweetness the chocolate chips add.

Also, if following a strict paleo diet, leave out the baking powder or replace with paleo compliant baking powder.

Can they be vegan?

To make the recipe vegan, replace the chocolate with a dairy free option like Enjoy Life (vegan). You also need to replace the eggs with either flax eggs or an egg replacement like Just Egg or one of the powdered baking egg replacements.

How do I line a pan with parchment paper?

To line a baking pan with parchment paper, cut a piece of parchment paper that is 3-4 inches larger than the pan. Press the sheet down firmly into the pan and run your finger along the base along each edge to crease the parchment so it stays. Fold the edges back over the top rim of the pan as best as you can.

It won’t be perfect but will keep the brownies from sticking! You can use metal clips along the top rim to secure the parchment paper to the pan if you have them but don’t use plastic or they will melt in the oven.

How ripe do my bananas need to be?

As long as they aren’t moldy, the browner they are the more sweet the brownies will be. This pictures shows the minimum ripeness you need but browner the better!over ripe bananas with brown spots on a marble white backdrop

How do I quickly ripen bananas?

To ripen bananas quickly, pre-heat your oven to 300°F (150° C) and bake in a pan for 30 to 40 minutes until the bananas reach a dark brown almost black color and indent when you push into them with your finger.

Overhead picture of healthy banana brownies laid out in a grid with one pulled out

Other healthy gluten free desserts

If almond flour banana brownies aren’t your jam or if you loved the recipe and want more healthy gluten free desserts, I’ve got a few chocolate favorites to share.

We love these avocado chocolate truffles! They’re so deliciously chocolatey and creamy from that avocado but simple to make and taste like the real deal! These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes are another fun one. They’re made with oat flour and a fun peanut butter coconut cream frosting.

Recipe
Close up picture of a salted healthy banana brownie on a white background
Recipe
5 from 1 vote
click the stars to rate!

Healthy Banana Brownies

Created by: Christy Gurin
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
9
Healthy banana brownies that are gluten free, naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and topped with a decadent chocolate drizzle.

Equipment

  • 1 8×8" square baking pan
  • 1 parchment paper

Ingredients
 

  • 1 1/4 cup mashed over ripe banana about 3 large average sized over ripe bananas or 4 frozen and thawed
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar can add up to 1/2 cup to make sweeter or reduce to make less sweet
  • 3/4 cup blanched almond flour look for "super fine" or "extra fine" for best texture
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder*
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Drizzle and Salt Sprinkle

  • 3 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1-2 teaspoons fleur de sel

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).
  • Line an 8×8" pan with parchment paper and set aside.*
  • In a large mixing bowl add banana, eggs and vanilla. Blend using an electric mixer or wire whisk. Add melted coconut oil and coconut sugar and beat again to combine.
  • Add almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and either beat until just blended in with a hand mixer or stir in by hand.
  • Stir in chocolate chips* and spread batter into parchment lined baking pan until evenly distributed (batter will be very thick).
  • Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out without wet batter on it (toothpick may be tinged brown and might have crumbs or melted chocolate on it but shouldn't have batter stuck to it).
  • Allow to cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes until brownies are cool. While brownies are cooling, place 3 tablespoons chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon coconut oil into a microwave safe container for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave for additional 10 second intervals if needed until chocolate is melted. Alternatively, chocolate can be melted in a small pan on the stovetop on low heat.
  • Use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate over brownies in a zig zag pattern. Once chocolate has dried, cut into 9 brownies and serve. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

  • To line a baking pan with parchment paper, cut a piece of parchment paper that is 3-4 inches larger than the pan. Press the sheet down firmly into the pan and run your finger along the base along each edge to crease the parchment so it stays. Fold the edges back over the top rim of the pan as best as you can. It won’t be perfect but will keep the brownies from sticking! You can use metal clips along the top rim to secure the parchment paper to the pan if you have them but don’t use plastic or they will melt in the oven.
  • To make vegan, use flax eggs or an egg replacement like Just Egg or flax eggs and replace standard chocolate chips with dairy free such as Enjoy Life.
  • To make paleo replace chocolate chips with naturally sweetened or unsweetened chocolate pieces like Hu brand. If using unsweetened chocolate, you may want to increase the coconut sugar to 1/2 cup or even 2/3 cups. Also leave out the baking powder or replace with paleo compliant baking powder. 
  • Store fully cooled brownies in a tightly sealed container on the counter for up to 3 days.
  • To freeze for later use, wrap each brownie tightly in parchment paper and store in either a plastic freezer bag or a reusable freezer bag. Defrost on the counter for about an hour or in the refrigerator. You can also defrost using the defrost setting on your microwave but be careful and do so in short intervals since over heating will dry them out.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 487mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg

did you make this recipe?

Make sure to follow on Pinterest @feastingnotfasting and on Instagram @feastingnotfasting

posted in: Baked Goods, Dairy-Free, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Oven, Paleo, Recipes, Vegetarian

Previous
Orange Kale Salad
Next
Vegan Chickpea Salad

Reader Interactions

    Comments & Reviews

  1. Cathy says

    July 26, 2022

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe! Was looking for a paleo baking use for brown bananas and this was a good one. Not too sweet and not your standard brownie but healthy and still yummy. Especially love the salt sprinkle.

    Reply

Leave A Reply! Cancel reply

Share your thoughts!
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Christy - Author of Feasting Not Fasting.

Hi, Im Christy

The foodie, photographer and recipe developer behind Feasting Not Fasting, a site centered on making it easier to eat healthy.

More About Me

Simple healthy recipes straight to your inbox!

Subscribe for the newsletter for all the latest recipes delivered straight to you.

Featured Recipes

  • overhead picture of Mediterranean eggplant salad in a white bowl
    Mediterranean Eggplant Salad
  • Close up picture of chicken taco seasoning blend in a white bowl
    Chicken Taco Seasoning
  • close up picture of kale salad on a white plate
    Lemon Kale Salad
  • Prosciutto Melon Skewers
  • These baked pears with honey and almonds are the perfect healthy dessert for the holidays with cranberries and a nutty crunch all for 200 calories!
    Baked Pears with Honey and Almonds
  • I'm in love with this beet smoothie! Its delicious, high in protein and has the perfect amount of sweetness to balance out the earthiness of the beets.
    Beet Smoothie with Strawberries and Kale
Allure Logo.
Boston Mag Logo.
Buzzfeed Logo.
Glamour Logo.
Healthline Logo.
The Huffington Post Logo.
MSN Logo.
sheknows Logo.

Simple healthy recipes straight to your inbox!

Feasting Not Fasting

About

  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Collaboration

By Method

  • Air Fryer
  • Blender
  • Slow Cooker
  • Freezer
  • Instant Pot
  • Oven
  • Stovetop

By Diet

  • Dairy-Free
  • Gluten-Free
  • Keto
  • Low-Carb
  • Meal Prep
  • Paleo
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

By Course

  • Appetizers
  • Baked Goods
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Lunches
  • Main Dishes
  • Salads
  • Side Dishes
©2023, Feasting not Fasting. About Contact Privacy Policy Back To Top
Design by Pixel Me Designs
×

Simple healthy recipes straight to your inbox!

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Save & Accept