A fudge brownie recipe with cauliflower, an unexpected yet powerfully nutritious ingredient. A one bowl brownie recipe full of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and even detox essentials thanks to the hidden veggies.
Cauliflower Fudge Brownie Recipe
This incredible fudge brownie recipe is deeply chocolatey in flavor, and yet so full of nutrition you will be looking over your shoulder to see who is trying to trick you. But it's no trick.
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Desserts with hidden vegetables are a thing, and have been for a while. And vegetables in brownies are also fairly common. I myself on this very blog have recipes for sweet potato brownies and pumpkin brownies and black bean brownies. I know others have made avocado brownies.
But what about cauliflower?
Cauliflower Makes A Fudgy Brownie
When I thought of this recipe, I had just steamed a lot of cauliflower in the microwave and I had over-steamed it so it was quite soft. I don't like eating super soft cauliflower so I stood there wondering what to do with it.
I wasn't about to waste a spec of this golden ticket to nutrition. "Smoothie" popped to mind. But for some reason, "brownie" popped in next and nudged "smoothie" aside.
Cauliflower Brownie. Hmm.. Could it work?
Can Brownies Be Healthy?
Yes, if you use the right ingredients. The healthy ingredients in my hidden veggie brownies are cacao powder (magnesium and fiber), avocado oil (healthy fats and all the essential minerals avocado oil provides), and cauliflower.
Now, before we dive into the recipe, I'd like to invite you to sign up for my free chocolate course. Five lessons hit your inbox with detail on how to create your own simple healthy chocolate desserts.
Okay, so back to brownies...
How Healthy is Cauliflower?
Cauliflower is related to broccoli and kale, and is full of antioxidants that fight disease. It also has sulfur compounds perfect for detoxing, and vitamin K which supports healthy cardiovascular systems, and lots of fiber and compounds that detox the gut.
It's perfect to add to brownies, especially in place of eggs or dairy, because it is a neutral flavor, and allows the chocolate to shine through.
Now my brownies still have a cup of sugar so don't go thinking they are a major food group, but still if you are going to have a dessert it might as well have some good stuff in it too, right?
How Do You Make Fudge Brownies From Scratch?
My fudge brownie recipe is very easy. Just combine the dry, add in the wet, stir and bake.
There are a few prep steps but overall you can get this recipe prepped and baked in about 45 minutes.
Thinking of working with a brownie box recipe? I know some people like to sub veggies or applesauce for the liquid in a box mix.
But it's not faster and you'll be eating ingredients you aren't fully aware of and are likely to be processed.
So what are these prep steps I mentioned? It's starts with the sugar.
What Is The Best Sugar To Use for Brownies?
Sugar in any brownie recipe is vital because it creates that shiny texture on brownie tops that is always sought after. Now that shiny top doesn't always appear with every brownie recipe, so it has a reputation for being elusive.
And you'd think a brownie recipe that is nontraditional in that there are no eggs and with an odd vegetable would not have those shiny crackle tops, but they do! I'll tell you how.
1. First, you must grind your cane sugar in a blender or food processor into a powder. Don't use powdered sugar, it has corn starch and is actually too powdery.
2. Second, after the brownies cool 15 minutes after baking, refrigerate them for 30 minutes.
Tada! Shiny crackle top. And not an egg in sight.
Oh, and you can use coconut palm sugar instead of cane if you want, but do grind it just the same.
What is the Secret to Moist Brownies?
The secret to moist brownies is the perfect balance of liquids and wet ingredients. In my recipe the wet ingredients are cauliflower puree, avocado oil and almond milk. And the fudge factor in these brownies is sky high.
Want to make them without oil? Leave it off! I have made them lately without oil and the texture barely changes. I suspect using oil pushes them into the ultra-fudgy level so if you don't mind adding oil, go for it. Note, however, that I used avocado oil in the brownies pictured, an extraordinarily light oil.
Should we talk in detail how to make them?
How to Make My Fudge Brownie Recipe
1. Measure out all your ingredients.
2. Grind your cane sugar - I used my blender, it took a few seconds to turn it to powder.
3. Set a sifter over the mixture, and add all dry ingredients to the sifter.
4. Use a dry spoon to stir the dry ingredients through the sifter into the wet mixture.
5. Add wet ingredients to the dry, and stir with a spoon until combined.
6. Add the chocolate chips to a glass pyrex measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute to melt them. Scrap the melted chips into the batter and stir again until completely combined.
7. Pour batter into a parchment lined pan. I used an odd shape, but it roughly close to an 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle on top a few chocolate chips. Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes.
8. Cool for 15 minutes in pan. Then lift using the parchment and set brownies onto a cooling rack and set that in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
9. Cut with a hot knife and store refrigerated. Yum!
Try More Brownie Recipes on My Blog
You can see I like brownies. Tell me which is your favorite in a comment on my IG!
Dark Chocolate Vegan Brownies
Sweet Potato Brownies
Triple Chocolate Gluten Free Brownies (buckwheat)
No Bake Fudge Brownies
Cake Like Brownies
Pumpkin Brownies
Brownie Bites
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Cauliflower Fudge Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour or BRM baking 1 to 1 gluten free
- ¼ cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup cane sugar ground
- ¾ cup almond milk
- 1 cup cauliflower puree 2 cups florets, steamed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup chocolate chips melted (plus a few more to sprinkle)
- pinch of salt
Optional
- ⅓ cup avocado oil only add for extra fudgy texture but it's not necessary for a traditional fudgy texture
Instructions
Prep
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Steam 2 cups of cauliflower, and blend into a puree; you'll get about 1 cup puree.
Make Brownies
- Set a fine sieve over a large mixing bowl. Into the sieve add flour, sugar, cacao, baking powder and salt. Stir until mixture has gone through the sieve into the bowl.
- Into the bowl add the remaining ingredients, including milk, cauliflower puree, vanilla, and oil if using.
- Melt chocolate chips in microwave in a glass pyrex measuring cup. Fold in the melted chips. Stir until smooth.
- Pour batter into pan.
- Bake 25-35 minutes. They will have cracks on top when they are done.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let brownies cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Lift the brownies out using the parchment paper wings and let cool in refrigerator 30 minutes before slicing.
- To slice the chilled brownies, run a sharp knife under hot water
Storage
- These brownies refrigerate well for a week, and freeze for several months.
Pp
Can I use almond flour or oat flour sub APFlout
Dee Dine
Hi there, I have never tried this using almond or oat flour, only all purpose or gluten-free. They might work though, let me know if you try.
chloeau
They look incredible. Do I really need to grind the sugar? Why not use powdered sugar?
Dee Dine
Thanks so much! Don't use powdered sugar because it has cornstarch and will change the texture. Grinding granulated sugar takes a few seconds and makes a big difference in achieving that shiny crackly top.