Healthy Brownies with all the richness and fudginess you love. No flour, refined sugar, butter, or eggs needed.
Or check out my popular Applesauce Brownies or Gluten-Free Brownies!
Author’s Notes
Hide the Pan, I’m Weak.
Brownies are one of my favorite desserts. The richer and fudgier, the better! BUT. If I don’t have a plan to share the batch with friends, family, or neighbors, I’ll end up eating every. single. piece. I wish I were exaggerating, but I’m not.
So, I came up with these healthy brownies. They still give me that same rich, chocolate fix, but if I eat a few too many, I don’t get the sugar crash afterward.
What to Expect
This is one of my all-time favorite recipes. These brownies are rich, fudgy, and made with simple, feel-good ingredients.
- Texture: Best cold. After a few hours in the fridge, they turn into dense, chocolatey fudge-like dessert. Warmed, they’re softer and more cake-like.
- Flavor: Strong dark chocolate flavor.
Ingredients In Healthy Brownies
- Dark chocolate: I use Nestle’s® Dark Chocolate Chips (53% cacao). Anything darker may taste too bitter.
- Greek yogurt: This is a key ingredient. I love Honey Vanilla Greek Gods® best.
- Coconut oil: I use LouAna® and find it doesn’t leave a noticeable coconut flavor.
- Vanilla, salt, baking soda: For flavor and structure.
- Coconut sugar: Or swap with lightly brown sugar (1:1).
Quick Tip
These brownies use old-fashioned oats instead of flour. Blend the oats into a fine powder before adding them to the batter.
The Frosting (Optional)
The frosting is optional. It’s made with just four ingredients and is much lighter than most, but it does include powdered sugar. If you’re avoiding refined sugar, skip it.
It uses more dark chocolate and Greek yogurt, plus milk and powdered sugar.
The frosting is thick and ganache-like. It firms up when chilled but softens in warm temps, so keep these healthy brownies cold.
Tips For Making Healthy Brownies
- Stick to the recipe: Swapping ingredients can change the texture and flavor.
- Line the pan: Use parchment and leave an overhang to lift them out easily.
- Chill before slicing: A few hours in the fridge makes them easier to cut.
- Use a sharp knife: Run it under warm water and wipe between cuts for clean slices.
Featured Comment
These brownies were delicious! I’ve been looking for a recipe that actually tastes good AND is healthy! SO SO SO GOOD!
-Rachel
More Desserts Made Lighter:
Desserts
Healthy No Bake Cookies
Desserts
Healthy Caramel Sauce
Desserts
Healthy Zucchini Bread
Desserts
Healthy Banana Muffins
Healthy Brownies
Video
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate chips 53% cacao, divided, see note 1
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil see note 2
- 1 cup honey vanilla Greek yogurt see note 3
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup oat flour just blend regular oats in a blender
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk or whatever milk you have on hand
- 2 tablespoons vanilla Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to a large bowl. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the coconut oil. Pour the hot oil over the chocolate chips and stir until melted. If needed, microwave in 10–15 second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk the Greek yogurt into the melted chocolate. Add vanilla, salt, baking soda, and sugar; whisk until completely smooth.
- Blend oats into a fine powder. Measure out 3/4 cup after blending. Stir into the batter along with the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan (it will be thick). Bake for 28–32 minutes or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake; slightly underbaking gives a fudgier result. Let brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Optional Frosting: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and milk. Microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Stir in Greek yogurt, then whisk in powdered sugar. Briskly whisk until completely smooth. Let sit at room temp for 10 minutes to thicken before spreading over cooled brownies.
- Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. These brownies are best cold. Once chilled, lift out using the parchment and cut into squares.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Storage
Keep brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–5 days. For longer storage, freeze individually wrapped pieces for up to 2 months.
Healthy Brownies FAQS
Not for the melted base, but they’re fine to use as the add-in chips.
Yes! Chopped nuts or toffee bits can be folded in before baking.
Other oils haven’t worked well in testing. Coconut oil is recommended for best results.
Some readers have tried dairy-free yogurts, but results may vary since the texture is different from Greek yogurt.
Make sure to blend the oats into a fine powder and measure after blending. Also, don’t skip the chill time.
Reader’s Notes & Tips
Tips & Variations from Chelsea’s Messy Apron’s Community
- No Frosting: Kelsey added extra chocolate chips on top instead.
- Yogurt Swaps: Tricia used plain, Tina used salted caramel, Anna used applesauce and sour cream.
- Sugar Swaps: Several used brown or white sugar instead of coconut sugar.
- Vegan Ideas: Asma suggested almond or coconut yogurt.
- Pan Options: Heather baked in a muffin tin, Tessa’s came out thin in a larger pan.
- Chill Time: Kelsey and others said they’re best cold after chilling.
- Sharing Wins: Many, like Stephanie and Faith, shared with friends and family—everyone loved them!
do you have the nutritional information?
I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for this recipe, it’s so delicious! I made it 5 times already. So, so good!!! Thank you so much! 🙂
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment Lika 🙂
I apologise if you have answered my questions already. Have you tried maple syrup sugar? How well do they freeze (minus frosting of course)? Thank you, so looking forward to making your recipe!
I haven’t tried that! And I also haven’t frozen these, but other readers have reported freezing them with great results! 🙂
Could I use coconut flour instead of oates? I am on a keto diet at the moment and sub with Stevia?
Unfortunately not with this recipe
These are Ah-MAZING!!!! I have been trying to eat healthier, but it’s a challenge to kick my sweet tooth. I LOVE this recipe- these brownies almost take like a chocolate cheesecake! Yum! Thank you so so much for allowing me to kick nasty black bean brownies to the curb.
Hahaha Jade i’m so glad you enjoy these. They are my go to treat too! And yeah, definitely avoiding those black bean brownies haha!
Absolutely delicious. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, brown sugar, quick oats that I powdered in the blender, and no frosting – yummy. And I agree they taste even better cold.
Any suggestions on how to make this vegan? I find almond or coconut yogurts to be very tasty but the consistency is liquidy compared to Greek yogurt. I want to make this for a vegan friend. TIA.
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much for the comment 🙂 Unfortunately I can’t give a great recommendation for making these vegan without experimenting myself. I’m not super experienced with vegan baking; wish I could be of more help!
Hey.. I love this recipe.. and have made it several times.. just wanted to check If I can add 2 eggs to the batter as well to up the protein in them..
So happy to hear that! 🙂 I would not recommend adding eggs to this batter; it will completely change the texture (very cake like) and likely need other changes to compensate.
I’d recommend My Fitness Pal!
These are delicious!!! My vanilla yogurt had expired?but, I had some triple zero oikos in salted caramel flavor and let me tell you I couldn’t stop eating them lol. Thank you Chelsea for this awsome healthy recipe.
Yay! Love hearing that 🙂 Thanks for the comment Tina!
Fabulous!!! I didn’t have half the right ingredients ..found these as a healthier choice for my husband on Valentines Day at the last minute so I made lots of substitutes and I’m sure I compromised the “healthiness” of them some – I only had chocolate Greek yogurt and not quite a whole cup so added sour cream to make a cup, also used avacado oil instead of coconut oil. I had little bits of different chocolate left over from the holidays so used what I had. I also used brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. These are awesome!! I just cut them into hearts and refrigerated them, though I don’t know how the taste can get any better! I can’t wait to buy the proper ingredients and try them again the proper way. I still feel that because they are made with healthier oils, no butter, and oatmeal instead of all purpose flour and dark chocolate they’ve got to be at least a little less bad for us! 😉