Description
Delicious and nutritious quinoa brownies that combine wholesome ingredients like ripe bananas, almond butter, and unsweetened cocoa powder to create a rich, moist, and naturally sweet treat. These brownies are dairy-free, gluten-free, and perfect for a healthy dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Uncooked Quinoa
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/3 cup Maple Syrup
- 1/4 cup Almond Butter
- 2 medium Ripe Bananas
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips (or chopped pecans or chopped walnuts)
Instructions
- Soak Quinoa: In a bowl, place the quinoa and cover it with cold tap water. Soak for 30 minutes up to 2 hours to soften and remove bitterness.
- Drain and Rinse: Drain the soaked quinoa using a sieve and rinse thoroughly to remove any remaining impurities.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and lightly oil it with coconut oil to prevent sticking.
- Blend Ingredients: Transfer the drained quinoa to the blender jug along with cocoa powder, maple syrup, almond butter, ripe bananas, unsweetened almond milk, baking powder, and vanilla extract.
- Blend Until Smooth: Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds. Use the tamper attachment or push the batter from the sides towards the center to ensure everything blends evenly until no quinoa pieces remain and the batter is smooth.
- Mix in Add-Ins: Stop the blender and gently fold in chocolate chips or chopped nuts as desired.
- Transfer Batter to Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and optionally sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top for added texture and flavor.
- Bake: Place the pan on the center oven rack and bake for 17 to 19 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
- Cool: Once baked, cool the brownies on a wire rack for 30 minutes before cutting into squares to allow them to set properly.
Notes
- Soaking quinoa helps reduce its natural bitterness and improves texture.
- You can substitute the maple syrup with honey or another liquid sweetener of choice.
- Use ripe bananas for maximum natural sweetness and moisture.
- Almond butter can be replaced with any nut or seed butter you prefer.
- Ensure your chocolate chips are dairy-free if you want to keep this recipe vegan and dairy-free.
- Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes (including soaking time)
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: quinoa brownies, gluten free brownies, dairy free brownies, healthy brownies, vegan brownies, almond butter dessert, banana brownies
