Delicious healthy pumpkin brownies have a deep chocolate fudge flavor, and a spicy after taste, yet are low in calorie thanks to pumpkin puree instead of oil. Made in about half an hour, these brownies are also free of refined sugar and full of nutrition.
These healthy pumpkin brownies are the perfect fall fudgy treat, with mood-boosting cocoa powder, fiber-rich pumpkin and flour - a gloriously nutritious dessert. The pumpkin makes these brownies fudgy, and that as well as apple sauce replace any need for eggs or oil due to its binding capacity.
Like my baked pumpkin donuts, my healthy pumpkin bread and even my pumpkin smoothie, these brownies are full of spicy pumpkin flavor.
Why You'll Love These
Easy to make. This high energy smoothie is also so easy to make using canned pumpkin with only pumpkin in the ingredients.
Nutrition. Pumpkin desserts are incredibly nutritious, primarily because pumpkin puree is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, and having a low impact on regulating blood pressure. They are also high in iron, vitamin A and vitamin C, all great immunity and skin boosters. A low calorie count matched with its high nutrient density makes pumpkin perfect for weight control.
Ingredients
Pumpkin puree. Use canned, and be sure the ingredients contain only pumpkin. Do not use pumpkin pie filling which has added sugar and other additives.
Cocoa powder. Use unsweetened, and traditional cocoa. Don't use dutch processed.
Flour. All purpose or gluten free baking flour, or almond flour.
Brown sugar. I used coconut sugar to keep it refined sugar free. You can also use cane sugar for a fudgier brownie.
Apple sauce. Use unsweetened. To use apple sauce to replace eggs, use ¼ cup apple sauce per egg to be replaced. Pectin in apples acts as a binder just as eggs do.
Flavorings. Vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt.
Topping. I melted chocolate chips and stirred in some coconut oil.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
For more detail, visit the complete recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Preparations: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper and rub any exposed sides with oil.
Step 1: Add wet ingredients to a food processor or hand mix until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Process or mix again.
Step 3: Pour batter into pan and bake for 35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for ten minutes.
Step 4: Make the glaze by melting chocolate chips and a bit of coconut oil in the microwave. Drizzle on cooled brownies just before serving. Store unglazed.
Recipe Tips
1.Be sure apple sauce and pumpkin puree is at room temperature before blending with wet ingredients in order to best dissolve the sugar.
2. If your pumpkin puree brand is on the dry side, add a tablespoon of milk to it and stir it up. You want it to be as moist as apple sauce, not dry like dry peanut butter.
3. You can use a food processor or a hand mixer. A blender might not be strong enough to mix the batter and might hurt your blender.
4. Bake the brownies until the top is dryish and has cracks and a tester comes out clean. Don't overbake. Your oven might be hotter than mine; for me 30 minutes was perfect.
Storage
Store brownies unglazed in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 1 week or in freezer for 3 months.
More Healthy Brownies
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Pumpkin Brownies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 cup all purpose flour or almond flour* or gluten free baking flour
- ½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup apple sauce to replace 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- pinch of salt
Dark chocolate drizzle
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, and rub any exposed sides with coconut oil.
Make brownies
- In a mixing bowl or even a food processor, combine the wet ingredients and sugar. Process until sugar is dissolved.¾ cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup apple sauce, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Process again.⅓ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, pinch of salt
- Pour batter into pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
- Cut and serve. Store in the refrigerator for 1 week or in freezer for 3 months.
Make frosting
- Melt the chips and coconut oil in a pyrex measuring cup in a microwave for 60 seconds. Stir the hot chips until all are melted. Pour on drizzle just before eating brownies.½ cup chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Ela
I love your pumpkin brownies, Dee! They look so moist and fudgy. Such a great and wholesome recipe! 🙂
Dee Dine
Thank you Ela! So glad you like them!