When I first went gluten free, it was so hard to find recipes that cater to more than one food allergy or restriction. After that, making sure every single one of my recipes cater to people with multiple dietary restrictions and/or food allergies was so important to me!
This easy dairy free brownies recipe is made with simple ingredients and in less than 45 minutes, just like my gluten free lazy cookie bars! These fudgy brownies are made with bananas, peanut butter and cocoa powder. This recipe is perfect for busy individuals or families. It requires minimal ingredients, comes together in just one pan, and can be prepped in 15 minutes or less. They’re also a great source of healthy fats, protein, and potassium thanks to the bananas and peanut butter.
These dairy free brownies are gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and a great healthy option. This easy recipe for gooey brownies can be topped with chocolate chips, icing, sprinkles or anything you’d mix into normal brownies! These fudgy dairy-free brownies are perfect for chocolate lover looking for a healthy recipe to satisfy their chocolate craving, just like my gluten free vegan pumpkin brownies!
Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert, a healthy snack option, or a recipe that caters to dietary restrictions, these dairy free brownies are sure to become a new favorite.
why you’ll love this recipe
- Few Ingredients: Only 3 main ingredients – mashed bananas, peanut butter, and cocoa powder – are needed, making them simple to gather and keep on hand.
- Minimal Steps: The recipe involves just five basic steps: preheating the oven, mashing bananas, mixing ingredients, adding batter to the pan, and baking.
- One-Pan Wonder: The entire dairy free brownies recipe uses only one pan for mixing and baking, minimizing cleanup.
- Quick Prep: With minimal chopping or measuring, you can easily whip up this recipe in 15 minutes or less, making it perfect for those busy weeknights.
- Snack or Dessert: These brownies are versatile enough to be enjoyed as a quick and satisfying snack or a delicious dessert.
- Gluten-free, Vegan, and Dairy-free: These dairy free chocolate brownies naturally avoids gluten, dairy, and animal products, making it suitable for various dietary restrictions.
- Fruit and Nut Powerhouse: Mashed bananas provide natural sweetness and potassium, while peanut butter adds protein and healthy fats.
- Oil free! This recipe skips using any kind of olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil or neutral oil.
- No Refined Flour: This dairy free brownies recipe uses no refined flour, making it a good alternative for those looking for options with lower glycemic index.
- No need for any leavening agent or baking soda.
ingredients & substitutions
Bananas: These are the star of the dairy free brownies. They provide sweetness and moisture. Make sure they’re very ripe for the best results. Overripe bananas work perfectly. Any bananas from yellow to ones with brown spots are perfect! If you don’t have bananas, you could use applesauce instead, in the same amount. Bananas are used in this recipe as a vegan egg substitute to acheive the fudgy texture.
Peanut Butter: Adds creaminess, fat, and a touch of protein. You can use any kind of nut butter you like—almond butter or cashew butter would be delicious, too. To make these nut-free, try sunflower seed butter in place of the peanut butter. This gives the brownies its taste and sweetness so you don’t need to add any brown sugar, coconut sugar or white sugar.
Cocoa Powder: Gives the brownies their chocolatey flavor and is used in place of the usual dry ingredients you need for brownies. Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder or all natural cocoa powder for a classic brownie taste. Because you use cocoa powder you don’t need any purpose flour, gluten free flour or almond flour.
taste & texture
These chewy brownies have a rich chocolate flavor with a hint of banana sweetness. They are dense and fudgy, with a slightly chewy texture. The peanut butter adds a subtle nutty flavor and makes them extra satisfying. If you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, you’ll enjoy these brownies!
Mashed bananas peek through with subtle sweetness and fruity notes, complementing the chocolate without stealing the spotlight. Creamy peanut butter adds a touch of savory richness and a gentle peanut taste, creating a delightful complexity. The natural sweetness from the bananas, combined with minimal additional sugar, creates a perfect balance, ensuring these dairy free brownies are enjoyable without being overly sweet.
how to make
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until they are smooth and free of lumps.
- Stir in the peanut butter and mix together the wet ingredients. Add cocoa powder and mix until fully combined and the brownie batter is smooth. You can also use an electric mixer.
- Line an 8×8 inch or 9×9 inch square pan baking dish with parchment paper for easy removal. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes, or use the toothpick test! Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Let the gluten-free brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving the warm brownie.
expert tips & tricks
- For a richer dairy free brownies flavor, use dark chocolate cocoa powder.
- Add in 1/2 cup of chopped nuts like walnuts or peanuts on top of the brownies for extra texture.
- If you prefer fudge brownies, bake for 30 minutes. For cakey brownies, bake for 45 minutes.
- Top with a sprinkle of sea salt or a drizzle of melted chocolate for an extra decadent treat.
- What kind of applesauce should I buy? You can use any type of applesauce for this recipe. Feel free to use cinnamon flavored applesauce, plain applesauce, no sugar added applesauce, strawberry applesauce, strawberry banana applesauce or organic applesauce. All applesauces work the same way!
- You can add a little vanilla extract for a deeper flavor.
- Add chocolate chunks for extra chocolate flavor. I like the enjoy life dairy free, vegan chocolate cunks. You can find enjoy life chocolate chunks at any local grocery stores.
- You can cut the dairy free brownies recipe in half for small batch brownies. Bake for approx 25-30 minutes in a 9×5 baking pan.
- Top with a little bit of ice cream or vegan ice cream for a fun loaded dessert.
How ripe should my bananas be?
The riper the better for the best dairy free brownies!! I like to use bananas when theyre turning brown, or once they’ve already turned fully brown. This way they are sweeter! If a banana has already turned partially or fully brown but youre not ready to make this bread yet, you can throw them in the freezer and keep them for up to 2-3 months until you are ready to make this! Once you’re ready, let the bananas thaw by sitting out for 2-3 hours on a papertowel to absorb the moisture from defrosting, or else it will make a mess! Also, once the banana thaws it will be a mushy texture which is actually perfect for this recipe!
how to serve & store
These vegan brownies are perfect for a quick dessert or snack. Store leftovers of the dairy-free brownie recipe in an airtight container or covered with aluminum foil at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, keep them in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze the dairy free brownies for up to 3 months. To reheat, let a slice thaw at room temperature or warm it briefly in the microwave. If you want to meal prep, cut the cooled brownies into individual portions and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Store the wrapped portions in a freezer-safe container.
The Best Easy Dairy Free Brownies (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas until they are smooth and free of lumps.
- Stir in the peanut butter and cocoa powder until fully combined and the batter is smooth.
- Line an 8×8 inch or 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal. Pour the batter evenly into the pan.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.
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