Best Brownie Bites… Ever!
I usually reserve space here on the blog for seasonally aligned posts, but I have to be honest, there’s no real rhyme or reason for sharing this recipe this month. I was just eating some of these and I have never, ever, in all my life had a brownie bite I like more than these and I really want you to have this recipe at the ready for your next chocolate craving. Which sometimes come out of the blue, amiright?!
Might I recommend saving this to your “favorite snacks” board on Pinterest?
Because they’re about to become among your favorite snacks!
Are these particularly March-y or springy? No. But they are the perfect snack on any day, any season because they’re just absolutely delicious. As a bonus, they’re also super healthy!
I know. You’ve tried “health food” brownies before and they’ve only ever been just okay, right?
Welp. That ends here!
Healthy alternatives like black bean brownies are pretty good, but I always know I’m eating a substitute for one of my absolute favorite treats, and not the real thing. With these, I don’t ever miss a thing and that’s saying a lot because brownies are my weak in the knees, most beloved quick-bake treat. I even insisted that my husband bake some while I was in labor (I had a home birth) so the house smelled of happy childhood birthday party goodness (and so our birthing team had a yummy, celebratory snack). With every bite of these “healthy” brownies I’m transported to my childhood kitchen licking the spoon with my big sister.
What makes these the Best Brownie Bites…ever:
ooey, gooey, fudgy, umami-delicious chocolaty goodness
decadent, rich and versatile (add nuts, don’t add nuts…top with salt or caramel, don’t top…)
flourless, gluten free, vegan and paleo, but you’d never know it
it’ll only take you about 40 minutes to go from craving to bite (that includes baking time!) — it takes longer to pull the ingredients out than it does to mix up the batter
made with just 6 simple, natural ingredients you’ll feel good about
truly, no one ever knows they’re not eating a traditional brownie and everyone always wants another….and another
loaded with protein (from almond butter), antioxidants (from cacao), and a good balance of macro/micronutrients (sweetened with maple syrup) so not only do they satiate your chocolate desire, they actually fuel your body
Seriously, these are sooooo easy to whip up, they’re on a fairly regular rotation in my house. I like to make healthier yummy grab-and-go snacks from scratch pretty much every week and some weeks I don’t have a lot of time. When that happens, I throw these together and my husband and daughter get very excited as soon as the crazy-good scent starts wafting through our house. Literally every single time I make these, they’re happy. “Ooooooh! Are you making almond butter brownies??!!!” We’ve not tired of them in years!
You can make a double batch for a larger crew or so they last a little longer — these tend to go pretty quickly, but they’re so easy to make that I usually stick to the 8 inch pan as stated in the recipe below and then just make them again in a month or two.
Best Brownie Bites
by Maggie Verderame
1 heaping cup Almond Butter (store bought is best*)
1 TBS Vanilla Extract (with or without alcohol)
3/4 cup + 2 TBS Maple Syrup
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Sea Salt (+ some for sprinkling on top*)
3/4 cup Cacao Powder
Preheat oven to 325˚F.
Line the bottom and sides of an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment. If the piece of parchment doesn’t stay put, no worries — just set it atop the pan and when you put the thick batter on it, it’ll hold the paper in place.
In a medium mixing bowl add all ingredients in the order they are listed and use a thick baking spatula or heavy spoon to mix. Fold together thoroughly until all the cacao powder is fully incorporated. (I prefer to use a silicone spatula for this because the sticky batter comes off easily).
Once fully mixed into a rich batter without any powdery clumps, scoop out onto the center of the parchment. Use a heavy spoon or baking spatula to press the batter to the edges of the baking pan, touching parchment all around to fill the bottom of the pan with the brownie mixture. The corners and edges of the batter will be a bit rounded/irregular, that’s okay.
Sprinkle sea salt (or Himalayan salt, or large flake salt) scantly over the top of the brownie batter. Using fingers, lightly press salt into the top.
Place baking dish in the center of a hot oven and bake for 30 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick/skewer; if it doesn’t come out mostly clean, continue baking for 5 more minutes and test again. If not done at 35 minutes, bake for 5 more minutes for a total of 40 minutes*.
Remove from oven when the top of the brownies is beginning to crackle but they still feel somewhat soft and springy to the touch.
Allow to cool completely in the pan on the counter (no need to use a cooling rack). The brownies will firm up and cook a tad more on the counter, so baking for more than 40 minutes is not recommended, but ovens do vary, so use your judgment.
Once cooled completely, remove the parchment from the pan. Use a large chef’s knife to cut the brownies into approximately 2 inch bite-sized pieces.
Store in an airtight container on the counter.
*NOTES—
Store bought almond butter is typically wetter/oilier than homemade and moist almond butter works best in this recipe.
I prefer to top these with pyramid shaped salt flakes, but any salt will do. Alternatively, you could omit the salt and/or press raw pine nuts, walnuts or pecans into the top of the batter instead.
These brownies can be baked in a smaller convection-style toaster oven, but because they’re so much smaller than a typical oven, baking time will be shorter. If using a toaster oven, begin checking doneness at 15 minutes. I’ve baked these both ways and always prefer them done in a conventional oven. They come out softer and more moist when baked in a typical oven as compared to a toaster oven in which case they are usually a bit harder/chewier.
From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY every bite!
Maggie
