An easy recipe for decadent raspberry-studded brownies topped with a sweet almond drizzle. They’re incredibly rich—so nobody ever believes that they’re secretly healthy!
This past Saturday, I planned to run interval sprints as my morning workout. Although cold weather and I mix together about as well as oil and water, I still prefer to exercise outside during the winter because I quickly grow bored or impatient on treadmills and elliptical trainers. (Why do the minutes seem to take twice as long to tick by when you’re staring at the machine’s “Time Remaining” display??)
Since California is currently experiencing an El Niño year (aka tons of rain—it falls nearly every day!), I always check the weather both the night before and the morning of an outdoor run. Last Saturday, the weather website reported a 0% chance of rain until 2 pm, so I bundled up in my warmest fleece jacket and gloves before heading out the door.
Less than 5 minutes into my warm-up walk, a very fine mist began falling. Remembering the weather report, I decided to wait it out, and I started my stopwatch for the 30-second intervals. As I sprinted around the neighborhood streets, the mist grew heavier, almost to the point of a light drizzle.
So much for the 0% chance of rain…
I became slightly more annoyed with each interval (I hate running in the rain because I lose the circulation in my fingers and toes really quickly!) and by the end of my sprints, I was far from my usual post-workout-endorphins happy state. I looked up at the sky, fully intending to glare at the clouds and pretend like that would make them stop sprinkling…
And saw a huge rainbow stretching across the gray sky. My anger immediately melted—it’s impossible not to smile at the sight of a rainbow! All of those pretty pastel colors shining brightly after a storm… I like to think they’re a sign that good things are coming.
Besides, that workout reminded me of these Fudgy Dark Chocolate Raspberry Browniesthat I had waiting for me back at home! And not just because I exercise to earn extra dessert… The decadent dark chocolaty part reminded me of the storm clouds, while the bright pop of fruity flavor from the raspberries resembled that stunning rainbow.
Too much of a metaphor?
Then let’s just dig into these delicious treats!
These healthier brownies begin with white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour comes from finely ground white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour is made from red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to that of all-purpose flour, but it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour. How’s that for a win-win??
Note: I included my preferred gluten-free flour blend in the Notes section beneath the recipe, if that better suits your diet!
All of the rich chocolate flavor in these brownies comes from cocoa powder. Just the regular unsweetened kind! You don’t need Dutched or special dark cocoa powder (and I would actually caution you against substituting it!), because you’ll add equal amounts of cocoa powder and flour to the batter. Yes, a full ¾ cup of cocoa powder! It gives these brownies an incredibly decadent flavor without the extra calories of melted chocolate.
Many traditional brownie recipes call for a full stick or two of butter (yikes!), but this healthier one requires just 2 tablespoons. The rest of their fudgy texture comes from my favorite ingredient in healthier baking. If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you already know what it is… Greek yogurt! It provides the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories, and it gives your baked goods a little protein boost, too.
To keep these brownies clean eating friendly, you’ll sweeten them with pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Be sure you use the good stuff! Skip the pancake syrups and sugar-free syrups; both of those contain corn syrup or artificial ingredients, which we’re avoiding in this healthier recipe. Pure maple syrup is usually sold in skinny glass bottles or squat plastic jugs, and the only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup.”
I opted to use frozen raspberries for these brownies so that you could easily make them all year round. (They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day, which is quickly approaching!) Fresh would also work, if you decide to try this recipe during the summer when raspberries are in season. Regardless of which kind you use, dice them before folding into the batter to ensure the brownies bake more evenly.
To keep these brownies extremely fudgy, you’ll bake them at a fairly low temperature: just 300°F. They’re ready to come out of the oven when the sides look mostly done and the center still looks glossy. That center will continue to cook through as the brownies cool in the warm pan, and for the fudgiest texture, wait at least 3 hours to slice them into squares after the pan reaches room temperature.
Then drizzle, eat, and enjoy! ❤️
And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your brownies and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Fudgy Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownies | 4.7 from 7 reviews |
Yields: 16 brownies
These fudgy brownies are so decadent and rich! They taste similar to 72% dark chocolate, and they’re perfect for Valentine’s Day. Leftovers will stay fresh for at least 5 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Wait to drizzle the brownies until just before serving, even the leftover ones, because the drizzle will “melt” on top of any leftover brownies that are sealed inside of that airtight container.
- for the brownies
- ¾ cup (90g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ¾ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
- ½ cup (70g) frozen unsweetened raspberries, mostly thawed and diced
- for the drizzle (optional)
- 10 tsp confectioners’ style stevia
- 1 ¾ tsp nonfat milk
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and lightly coat an 8”-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mixing until no large lumps remain. Stir in the maple syrup. Mix in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Gently fold in the frozen raspberries.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 300°F for 15-19 minutes (15 minutes yields the fudgiest brownies; 19 minutes yields slightly cakier brownies). Cool completely to room temperature in the pan, and let the brownies sit for at least 3 hours at room temperature for the fudgiest texture before serving.
- Just before serving, prepare the drizzle. Mix together the stevia, milk, and almond extract in a small bowl. Transfer to a small zip-topped bag, cut off a tiny piece of one corner, and drizzle on top of the cooled brownies.
Notes: For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if measured like this.
Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the white whole wheat flour.
Honey or agave may be substituted in place of the maple syrup. Alternatively, ½ cup of brown sugar plus ¼ cup of milk may be used instead.
The baking time will depend on how much your raspberries have thawed. If they’ve barely thawed when you mix them into the batter, the baking time may increase by as much as 5 minutes. They’re ready to come out of the oven when the sides look mostly done and the center still looks glossy. That center will continue to cook through as the brownies cool in the warm pan.
Fresh raspberries may be substituted for the frozen. The baking time should remain the same as listed in the Instructions above.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
Vanilla extract may be substituted for the almond extract in the glaze.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
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