These 3-Ingredient Anti-Inflammatory Brownie Recipes Are Packed with Protein (2024)

One way to instantly score brownie points with someone you’re trying to sweeten up (including yourself)? Make a big ol’ batch of brownies, of course.

In an effort to make that as easy as possible—imagine: a chaos-free kitchen without flour and measuring cups strewn across the countertops and a mountain of messy dishes in the sink—we’ve rounded up a series of tasty three-ingredient or less brownie recipes that take the guesswork out of baking. Each of these bars are made with ingredients you likely already have on hand, too, meaning that impromptu baking sessions are more than welcome and highly encouraged.

Best part: Every single one of the easy brownie recipes below is loaded with nutritional benefits, including antioxidants, protein, and fiber. What's not to love?

4 ultimate nutrient-dense easy brownie recipes for every occasion

These 3-Ingredient Anti-Inflammatory Brownie Recipes Are Packed with Protein (1)

1. Chewy Chocolate Brownies

First things first, let’s start with a plain and simple three-ingredient chewy brownie recipe by Kirbie’s Cravings. It’s made with unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and egg whites—(yep, that’s it)— and still tastes rich, decadent, and incredibly chocolatey.

According to researchers, chocolate has been scientifically linked to boosting longevity and serving as a natural mood booster. Say. No. More. But before we bolt to the candy aisle at the store, keep in mind that it’s the cocoa in chocolate that contains the most antioxidants thanks to itsflavonoid content. To that end, dark chocolate (and cocoa powder) will have a higher concentration of cocoa, as opposed to white or milk chocolate. Cocoa also contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help inhibit or delay cellular damage either combating free radicals in the body.

All to say, these brownies that are made with cocoa powder have it all: Taste, benefits, and require minimal effort to make. Talk about a triple whammy.

Get the recipe: 3-Ingredient Chewy Brownies

These 3-Ingredient Anti-Inflammatory Brownie Recipes Are Packed with Protein (3)

2. Black Bean Brownies

We’re all for finding simple ways to turn some of our favorite foods into a slightly better version of themselves. In today’s iteration of this, we’ve discovered that you can easily turn a boxed brownie mix into a glowed-up, high-protein version with just one simple ingredient: beans (another longevity-boosting essential). But, as the saying goes, don’t knock it ‘till you try it. Indeed, this recipe two-ingredient black bean brownie recipe by Simple Nourished Living deserves all of the hype.

To make these high-protein brownies, the recipe developer blends a can of black beans into a puree before adding it to the boxed brownie mix. The moisture from the beans helps to bind the dry ingredients together, which transforms into a delicious, decadent dessert packed with protein and fiber. Geeee-nius.

Get the recipe: 2-Ingredient Black Bean Brownies

@leah.roga An easy single-serve dessert idea! #healthydessertrecipes #highproteindessert #healthybrownies #proteinfudge #proteinbrownie #anabolicrecipe #healthytreats #guiltfree #proteinpowder ♬ Slidin' - Jason Derulo

3. High-Protein Brownie Fudge

Pressed for time? Looking for a quick and easy single-serve recipe? Say no more. In a recent TikTok video by @leah.roga, we discovered by far the easiest way to get a brownie fix minus the fuss. Enter: High-protein brownie fudge. To make it, Leah combines a mashed banana, five tablespoons of cacao powder, and a scoop of protein powder (she uses a chocolate cupcake-flavored one). Then, she stirs all of the ingredients together before baking it in a small ramekin at 350ºF for 15 minutes. Before you know it, you have a delicious DIY brownie fudge recipe for one with nearly 24 grams of protein that takes potentially less time to make than it does to eat.

Get the recipe: High-Protein Brownie Fudge

These 3-Ingredient Anti-Inflammatory Brownie Recipes Are Packed with Protein (4)

4. No-Bake Breakfast Brownies

Don’t have access to an oven (read: it’s currently occupied with an avalanche of pots and pans)? Want to eat brownies for breakfast? We’ve got you covered on both accounts with this no-bake breakfast brownie recipe by Hungry Happens that’s the best of both worlds. It’s made by combiniang softened Medjool dates (hi, potassium!), protein-packed peanut butter, and cacao powder. Best part? They take no longer than 30 minutes flat—from start to finish—to make. And, of course, you can enjoy these for lunch, dinner, or snacktime, too. Who’s judging? Certainly not us.

Get the recipe: 3-Ingredient No-Bake Breakfast Brownies

One decadent black bean brownie recipe coming right up:

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Tags: Food and Nutrition, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Snack Ideas

These 3-Ingredient Anti-Inflammatory Brownie Recipes Are Packed with Protein (2024)

FAQs

What are the benefits of protein brownies? ›

Getting more protein — whether it's from a protein brownie, a chicken breast, a serving of beans or even protein powder — can help kill hunger, balance blood sugar and build metabolism-boosting muscle.

How to make brownies without oil or butter? ›

Yogurt. Yogurt is a fantastic source of moisture, fats, and protein all in one. It's a healthy (but not low-calorie) replacement for vegetable oil that tends to give you a balanced brownie that's both fudgy and cakey. You can replace yogurt for vegetable oil 1:1, so just use the same amount.

What are the two types of brownies and what causes them to be different? ›

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat—in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.

Why is boxed brownie mix better? ›

The truth is BOX BROWNIES ARE BETTER THAN BROWNIES MADE FROM SCRATCH. I know… criminal, really but facts are facts. I think it's the oil – the straight up OIL that we add to a boxed brownie mix that makes for the most irresistibly fudgy meets chewy brownies.

What are 3 benefits to eating plant based proteins? ›

Research indicates that replacing some animal-based protein with plant-based protein sources may help decrease the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Plant-based foods contain important antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that benefit overall health.

What are protein brownies made of? ›

Chocolate protein brownie ingredients

Gather the following ingredients: protein powder, cocoa powder, almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, salt, eggs or flax eggs, oil or butter, and pure vanilla extract. For vegan protein brownies, use the flax eggs instead of chicken eggs.

What happens if I use butter instead of vegetable oil in brownies? ›

Butter Brownies: These were much fudgier, softer, and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The crust was much shinier and crinklier and the flavor was significantly better than the oil brownies.

Is it better to bake brownies with olive oil or butter? ›

Yes, you can use olive oil in brownies!

Olive oil has been gaining popularity in recent years as a substitute for butter and other vegetable oils in baked goods. Not only is it delicious but a healthy alternative cooking fat that can be used in most traditional baking recipes.

What can I substitute for butter in brownies? ›

WHAT ARE BUTTER ALTERNATIVES FOR BAKING?
  1. MARGARINE. Margarine is a fat that is made mostly from vegetable oil that's flavored to taste like butter. ...
  2. SHORTENING. Shortening is 100% fat, made from hydrogenated vegetable oils. ...
  3. OLIVE OIL & VEGETABLE OIL. ...
  4. COCONUT OIL. ...
  5. PUMPKIN PURÉE. ...
  6. APPLESAUCE. ...
  7. GREEK YOGURT. ...
  8. BANANAS.

What is the number 1 brownie mix? ›

Given my personal baking criteria, Pillsbury's mix is my top pick because it yielded thick, fluffy brownies that were moist and had a nice chocolate flavor. They baked off evenly, weren't overly sweet, and had a shiny crackled crust and tender edges that didn't dry out.

What is the old version of brownies? ›

Did you know that Brownies were originally called 'Rosebuds'? Rosebuds was established in 1914 for girls to join before they became Guides. Just one year later, the name was changed to Brownies. Brownies are the second-youngest members of the Girlguiding family, for girls aged between 7 and 10.

What's the difference between a fudge brownie and a brownie? ›

Cake brownies are as the names suggests more cake like in texture. They have an open cake style aerated structure. Fudgy brownies on the other hand are richer, deeper and more dense in structure. A fudgy brownie may have a cake like open or cracked texture at the top but remains gooey and viscous in the centre.

What does adding an extra egg to brownie mix do? ›

If you opt to add more eggs, say double the amount, something interesting happens. Even though you are adding more moisture, the air bubbles that you catch in the extra eggs add volume, which decreases the density of your final product. This makes your brownies rise and gives them a much more cake-like texture.

What happens if you use milk instead of water in brownie mix? ›

One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.

Are there any benefits to eating brownies? ›

Brownies are a great source of protein and fiber, which helps you feel full longer. Protein also works as an appetite suppressant, so you won't be as tempted to snack on unhealthy foods later on in the day. There are so many reasons why adding brownies to your diet is a great idea. First of all, they're delicious!

Are protein desserts good for you? ›

Since protein desserts are often lower in calories and contain less sugar than traditional desserts, they can be used as healthier alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding too many calories to your diet.

Do brownies have benefits? ›

Since brownies are not nutritionally dense, they are not usually regarded as a healthy food. However, brownies do have some health benefits that might be surprising due to their chocolate content. Chocolate is a source of antioxidants and has been found to help lower blood pressure and increase good cholesterol levels.

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