applesauce Archives • A Sweet Pea Chef

These Healthy Dark Chocolate Brownies are super moist and chocolatey and have no refined sugar or refined flour! Who doesn’t love a bite of decadent fudgy goodness? Especially when it’s a rich and absolutely delicious bite every single time. No refined sugar, good for you applesauce for yummy moistness, and sweet chocolate. And extra dark chocolate chips, too ← the best! As you can tell, I love brownies. I know - big shocker there: Lacey loves sweet, chocolatey, chewy goodness. But, for some really annoying and unknown reason, Dustin and I could never perfect a good brownie recipe. Our brownies would always fall short -- be it too crunchy, not chocolatey, too cakey, or too dry. This saddened me because, as we have established, I love brownies. So, you can imagine my joy when one day, we finally perfected this healthy dark chocolate brownie recipe. Because you know, for me it's all about enjoying the food but also making it as good for you as can be. I am super-thrilled to announce these brownies are absolutely amazing. They are moist, dark chocolatey, chewy - yet crunchy - goodness. They are everything a brownie should and aspires to be. And, in addition to this brownie recipe being totally deliciously awesome, it's also super easy to make. They are literally in the oven and making your house smell like yummy goodness within less than 15 minutes. And I am now happy. Oh, so happy. TIPS FOR MAKING HEALTHY DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIES While these brownies are pretty easy to make and basically fail-proof, here are a few tips to making them luxuriously delicious: Grease your baking dish with coconut oil before pouring the batter in, so that the brownies won’t stick Don’t overmix when combining the wet and dry ingredients as you risk a dry brownie The same goes for adding the dark chocolate chips; just fold them in When checking for doneness, aim for a moist knife Let cool before cutting so the brownies hold their shape and don’t break up VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN SUBSTITUTES FOR HEALTHY DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIES Use these vegan and vegetarian substitutes in this brownie recipe: Aquafaba: Aquafaba is the liquid in which legumes (such as chickpeas and white beans) are cooked. This liquid is used as an egg substitute and also as a foaming agent. It can even be turned into a butter replacement when combined with apple cider vinegar and coconut oil, along with a few other ingredients. Three tablespoons of aquafaba will replace one egg. Chia seeds: Chia seeds can work as a substitute, too. Take one tablespoon of chia seeds, place them in a bowl, and add 3 tablespoons of water. Wait 5 minutes, and you have a chia egg. Unsweetened Applesauce: Yes, this recipe already calls for applesauce, but it also makes a great replacement for eggs in baked goods! HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIES GLUTEN-FREE To make these brownies gluten-free, just replace the whole wheat pastry flour with a gluten-free flour, such as: Amaranth flour Arrowroot flour Brown rice flour Sorghum flour Chickpea flour Tapioca flour Make sure to check the ingredients of the dark chocolate chips as well to ensure they are free of gluten. FLOUR SUBSTITUTES FOR HEALTHY DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIES This recipe for Healthy Dark Chocolate Brownies uses whole wheat pastry flour. There are other unrefined flours that you can use. In some instances, the recipe will need additional applesauce or eggs. Spelt flour can be used 1:1 as far as ratio goes. Almond flour is also a 1:1 ratio Cassava flour is created from the cassava root Coconut flour also works but will need extra applesauce or eggs as it absorbs more liquid HOW TO TEST BROWNIES FOR DONENESS Everyone has their own taste when it comes to brownie moistness. Some people prefer a brownie that is not gooey. But, every brownie lover I have ever met likes them soft and rich, and definitely not dried out. I usually use a knife to test for doneness. When I insert the knife, I look for moist crumbs when pulled out. If you love your brownies super gooey, a little bit of moist brownie on the knife is all good. Remember that the brownies will continue to bake a little longer after they are removed from the oven. It’s best not to overdo the baking, or they will be dry. This recipe takes 20-25 minutes to reach perfect doneness. Since every oven is different, testing them after 20 minutes is ideal. You can always put them back in for a few minutes if they are not quite done to your liking. And don't worry if your brownies cave a little in the middle as they cool. That just means they are wonderfully fudgy and moist in the middle. HOW TO STORE HEALTHY DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIES If you have cut the brownies into squares, store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. Uncut, they can be wrapped in plastic and stored on the counter for 4-5 days maximum if you want them to stay fresh. To store in the freezer, wrap in plastic and place in an airtight container for up to 3 months. MORE HEALTHY CHOCOLATE RECIPES As I said, I love chocolate in just about everything! And you’ll find lots of yummy, clean-eating recipes with chocolate on my blog. Try these: 9-Ingredient Blender Chocolate Muffins Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Chocolate Zucchini Bread Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bowl Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins Healthy Dark Chocolate Brownies Are you looking for chocolatey goodness in a recipe that’s perfect every time? These super moist Healthy Dark Chocolate Brownies have no refined sugar and contain good-for-you applesauce! 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce1/4 cup dark cocoa powder2 eggs1/3 cup coconut sugar1 tsp vanilla extract1/8 tsp sea salt3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour1/2 tsp baking powder1/2 cup dark chocolate chips Heat oven to 350 degrees.Grease an 8x8-inch (2 quart) baking dish with coconut oil and set aside.In a bowl, combine the applesauce, cocoa powder, eggs, coconut sugar, and vanilla and whisk until well mixed.In a separate bowl, combine the sea salt, flour and baking powder. Slowly add the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Continue to mix until the flour is just incorporated and then stop. Try not to over-beat the mixture.Add the chocolate chips and fold in by hand.Pour the mixture into the greased pan and place in the oven on a middle shelf. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted into the brownies comes out clean. I error on the side of not quite clean to get a more moist brownie.Let cool before cutting into 8 equal squares. This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.