Fudgy Chocolate Chip and Walnut Brownies

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2 min read
Summary

These Fudgy Chocolate Chip and Walnut Brownies may seem too good to be true, but you certainly can have your (plant-based) cake and eat it too. Made with fiber-rich oat flour, dairy-free Fair Trade dark chocolate, applesauce, and mashed banana, these brownies will have you coming back for more with their dense gooey chocolate and crunchy walnuts. Did we hear a chorus of YUMS?

Yields6 ServingsPrep Time10 minsCook Time30 minsTotal Time40 mins

Fudgy Chocolate Chip and Walnut Brownies

Ingredients

 ½ cup organic apple sauce
 ½ cup plant-based milk (unsweetened)
 ½ cup vegan chocolate chips (Fair Trade or Fair for Life)
 2 tsp vanilla extract
 1 cup banana (overly ripe, mashed)
 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or date paste, link in the Chef's Notes)
 1 cup organic oat flour
 ½ cup cacao powder (Fair Trade or Fair for Life)
 2 pinches sea salt (optional)
 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
 ½ cup walnuts (chopped)
 ½ cup vegan chocolate chips (Fair Trade or Fair for Life)

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2

In a medium stovetop pot, heat the applesauce, milk, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and vanilla on medium heat. Stir until the chips are melted, about 1–2 minutes. Set aside in the same pot so the mixture stays warm.

3

Heat a small saucepan to medium heat, add the mashed bananas, consistently stirring for 2–3 minutes to break down the starch and release the natural sugar. Turn off the heat and stir in the maple.

4

Add the melted chocolate chip mixture and the maple bananas to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

5

Sift the oat flour, cacao powder, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the salt, if using. Stir in the banana and chocolate chip wet mixture. Mix well until all dry ingredients are blended.

6

Mix in the other 1/2 cup chocolate chips and the walnuts.

7

With a spatula, scoop mixture into a parchment-lined 8x8, or similar size, baking dish.

8

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Chef's Notes

Substitutions
Instead of walnuts use pecans.

In place of oat flour use almond flour. We’re sorry, BLE friends, there is not a substitute for the flour in this recipe.

Use your favorite Fair Trade or Fair for Life dark chocolate bar instead of the chocolate chips.

Whole Food Sweetener
While the recipe won’t be completely sugar-free because of the chocolate chips, you can minimize it by substituting date paste for the maple syrup.

Lower the glycemic index
Omit step 3 in the directions and simply add raw banana to the food processor in step 4.

Omit the extra vegan chocolate chips in step 6.

Use date paste in place of maple syrup (date paste has a slightly lower glycemic index than maple syrup).

Add more nutrition
Include a teaspoon of your favorite superfood or adaptogen powder.

Add hemp, chia, or flax seeds.

Add organic strawberries or raspberries with the walnuts and chocolate chips, or use berries in place of the chocolate chips.

Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to one month.

Ingredients

 ½ cup organic apple sauce
 ½ cup plant-based milk (unsweetened)
 ½ cup vegan chocolate chips (Fair Trade or Fair for Life)
 2 tsp vanilla extract
 1 cup banana (overly ripe, mashed)
 2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or date paste, link in the Chef's Notes)
 1 cup organic oat flour
 ½ cup cacao powder (Fair Trade or Fair for Life)
 2 pinches sea salt (optional)
 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
 ½ cup walnuts (chopped)
 ½ cup vegan chocolate chips (Fair Trade or Fair for Life)

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2

In a medium stovetop pot, heat the applesauce, milk, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and vanilla on medium heat. Stir until the chips are melted, about 1–2 minutes. Set aside in the same pot so the mixture stays warm.

3

Heat a small saucepan to medium heat, add the mashed bananas, consistently stirring for 2–3 minutes to break down the starch and release the natural sugar. Turn off the heat and stir in the maple.

4

Add the melted chocolate chip mixture and the maple bananas to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

5

Sift the oat flour, cacao powder, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add the salt, if using. Stir in the banana and chocolate chip wet mixture. Mix well until all dry ingredients are blended.

6

Mix in the other 1/2 cup chocolate chips and the walnuts.

7

With a spatula, scoop mixture into a parchment-lined 8x8, or similar size, baking dish.

8

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Fudgy Chocolate Chip and Walnut Brownies