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These 3 ingredient brownies are a healthy and easy chocolate dessert recipe that bakes in just 20 minutes! There is no flour or eggs needed.
Healthy desserts with just a handful of ingredients? Count me in.
If you’ve tired our sugar free cookies, protein mug cake, or flourless mug cake before, you will adore this recipe.
These 3 ingredient flourless brownies were developed by a complete accident. I was in the midst of making a smoothie and had put some banana, cocoa powder, and peanut butter into a blender. It was only then I realized that I had run out of milk.
Instead of throwing out the contents of my blender, I gave them a quick blend and was left with something that resembled batter. I decided to take a chance and transfer them to a baking pan and baked them as though they were brownies.
What resulted from this experiment was a fudgy, rich brownie-like treat, perfect to satisfy any chocolate fix or sweet tooth.
Recipe highlights
I call these brownies my guilt-free chocolate fix and make them at least once a week!
- No flour or grains. Unlike coconut or oat flour brownies, these don’t have any of the basics.
- Healthy. Bananas and peanut butter are two of the healthiest foods ever, and unsweetened cocoa powder is just perfection.
- Ready in 20 minutes. From prep to plate, these brownies bake in less than 20 minutes.
How to make 3 ingredient brownies
When baking these brownies, I recommend choosing a baking dish or pan that is typically smaller than what you’d use for traditional brownies. This way, you’ll be left with thicker and richer brownies that are just that much more satisfying to eat.
- Bananas. Ripe bananas add sweetness to the brownies and keep them super fudgy. Opt for riper bananas as are naturally sweeter.
- Peanut butter. Smooth and creamy peanut butter with no added sugar. If you love the sweet and salty combination, use salted peanut butter.
- Cocoa powder. 100% unsweetened and Dutch processed cocoa.
Substitution idea
For a richer chocolate flavor, use dark or black cocoa powder.
The instructions
Step 1: You’ll start by preheating your oven to 180C/350F. Line a square pan with parchment paper and set aside. Then, add your bananas into a large mixing bowl, and mash them completely. Alternatively, you can blend them using a blender for an even smoother texture (highly recommended).
Step 2: Add your peanut butter/almond butter and cocoa powder.
Step 3: Mix your ingredients until fully incorporated. If desired, add chocolate chips to it and fold them through.
Step 4: Transfer your brownie batter to the lined pan.
Step 5: Bake your 3 ingredient brownies for 17-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out just clean. Allow brownies to cool in the pan completely, before slicing them into 9 pieces.
- Do not over-bake the brownies. These will continue cooking as they cool down.
- As there are no eggs or flour in them, you can undercook the brownies a little and still enjoy them as is.
- While you can make the batter by hand, I recommend using a blender or food processor. This ensures the banana is as smooth as it can be and there are no chunks throughout.
Dietary swaps and substitutions
This brownie recipe is actually pretty easy to adapt to a plethora of diets or food preferences out there. Here is what we’ve personally tried (and can vouch for!).
- Swap out the banana. If you aren’t a fan of bananas, you can use unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree. Be wary though, the brownies won’t be as sweet. To compensate, add 1/4 cup of sugar or a liquid sweetener, like maple syrup.
- Use another nut butter. Almond or cashew butter will work well.
- Make these nut free. Tahini or sunflower seed butter instead of the peanut butter.
- Add frosting. I love to add a thick layer of my 2 ingredient or healthy frosting.
Ways to sweeten brownies
If you taste-test the batter and find it to be not sweet enough to your liking, you can add one of the sweetener options below-
- Liquid Stevia. Add 1 serving to your batter (5 drops) and give it a taste test. If it still isn’t sweet enough, add a few more drops.
- Maple Syrup. For a refined sugar-free brownie, add 1/4 cup pure maple syrup and an extra 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. The brownies using maple syrup will be extra gooey.
- Agave nectar. Like maple syrup, add 1/4 cup and increase cocoa powder by 2 tablespoons.
- Coconut palm sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of coconut palm sugar to the batter. You won’t need to amend any of the other ingredients if you use this.
Storage instructions
To store: Place cooled brownies in a sealable container and keep them in the fridge at all times. They will keep for at least 5 days.
To freeze: Wrap the cooled brownies in parchment paper and place them in individual ziplock bags. Frozen brownies will keep for 6 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight or at room temperature.
More brownie recipes to try
Brownie Recipes
2 Ingredient Brownies
Brownie Recipes
Almond Flour Brownies
Brownie Recipes
Vegan Brownies
High Protein Desserts
Protein Brownies
3 Ingredient Brownies
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas
- 1/2 cup almond butter can substitute for peanut butter or another nut/seed butter
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 180C/350F. Line a square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your bananas and mash well. Alternatively, you can blend them. Add the rest of your ingredients and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the lined pan and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until set on top.
- Allow brownies to cool in the pan completely, before slicing up.
Hi! I’m a healthy baker as well, trying unique ideas always. I am always open to suggestions, what would be best to replace the bananas in this recipe? I have an allergy to them. Thank you!
Hi Vandana! Try it using sweet potato or pumpkin 🙂
Thank you! will do 🙂
Can I use ripe bananas that I froze? As in, de-thaw them then use them?
Hi Katie- Of course! 🙂
This is such a well written article! 🙂 You have a great sense of humor. I’ve been going over this recipe for a month now… And finally, the opportunity came to make these brownies; talk about genius use of ingredients! I’ve had such a sweet tooth for brownies lately, yet they go completely against a healthy lifestyle (until this recipe, that is.) I like them so much that I’m eating them for breakfast! These make box brownies seem dull since they have the additional sweet flavor of bananas. The best part is that I’m the only one who likes to eat stuff like this- so more for me! I’ll make this my go to recipe before any other brownie recipe. Truth be told. xD
Thanks Kiara! 🙂
This means so much
Made these tonight, I was so excited by the simplicity of this recipe and that it can use the bananas I didn’t get around to eating earlier this week! The flavor was great I thought but the texture was way off, they stayed mostly gooey, unlike the photos. Any tips for next time? I used creamy peanut butter instead of the almond butter is that the source of the problem?
Hi Ivy- Sorry to hear it didn’t work out- The nut butter you used shouldn’t have been an issue- You need to let them cool completely, preferably in the fridge and then cut into pieces.
So so good. I was so pleased and would defiantly recommend!!
😀 So glad you enjoyed them, Kkat! 🙂
This recipe calls for coconut fat. What is that, how do I find it or make it?
Hi Annika….I’m sorry I’m not sure where you read coconut fat, this doesn’t use it at all.
I made these! They are sooo good. I cut them in to small cubes to have when I need a quick sweet fix and they are unbelievably good. I ended up using peanut butter because that’s all I had at home but they still tasted amazing! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Oh yay! Thanks so much for letting me know, Melina! It works great with peanut butter 🙂
I made these using a mini muffin pan, and added a few chocolate chips to the tops. They came out great!
Fantastic- Thanks so much for the feedback, Jill!
Loaf pan or small cake pan.. Totally missed that part… Put it in a 9×9 brownie pan, which is alright I suppose
Love that it’s three ingredients, baked for 31 mins now and hoping it will be baked thru when I pull it out >.<
I smell the bananas and the whole 1 cip of cocoa powder I put in.. Wooooo
Hi Addie! No worries- The brownie pan should still come out okay! 🙂 When it’s done, let it cool completely and refrigerate it- The texture is amazing! 🙂
I am making these as soon as my bananas ripen! 🙂
YAY! Please do, Kiran!
I can honestly say I do not need my brownies to be pretty. They won’t be hanging around long enough for me to consider their aesthetics! I pinned this recipe yesterday, thinking I had some bananas that were about to go off, and made the brownies today. I used peanut butter, and added some chocolate baking chunks. Pretty awesome, and just the right amount of not-too-sweet!
🙂 Thanks so much for the feedback, Lisa! 🙂