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*this post is sponsored by Equip Foods but all opinions expressed are my own*

These healthier fudgy protein brownies are rich, chocolaty, and packed with protein. They’re lower sugar than traditional brownies so feel free to add more sweetener if you want something sweeter. They freeze and thaw really well so it’s great to portion them up and stick them in the freezer for a treat later.

I don’t know about you, but brownies are one of my all-time favorite desserts. I have a number of delicious brownie recipes on the site, like the once viral Death by Chocolate Blender Brownies. Over the years, I also created these:

So, did I really need another brownie recipe?

Well, depending on your opinion of brownies, the answer might be no. But for me, it’s a resounding YES! Because you can never have too many brownies. These are also extra special because they are made with a clean beef protein powder that gives you clean, super bioavailable source of protein in a delicious form. But don’t worry! They don’t taste like beef! 🙂

And, if you’re not a brownie fan, you might enjoy these Chocolate Chip Blondies, which were created as a tribute to my late brother, William, when he passed unexpectedly in 2017.

Where Did Brownies Come From?

I always love learning about where foods originated. I realized I didn’t know anything about the history of the famous brownie, so I did a little research. According to Wikipedia:

One legend about the creation of brownies is that of Bertha Palmer, a prominent Chicago socialite whose husband owned the Palmer House Hotel. In 1893, Palmer asked a pastry chef for a dessert suitable for ladies attending the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. She requested a dessert that would be smaller than a piece of cake, and easily eaten from boxed lunches. The result was the Palmer House Brownie, made of chocolate with walnuts and an apricot glaze. The Palmer House in Chicago still serves this dessert to patrons made from the same recipe. The name was given to the dessert some time after 1893, but was not used by cookbooks or journals at the time. (source)

The first known use of the word “brownie” in print form was in the 1896 version of the Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Farmer. But this recipe didn’t use chocolate, so it was not technically a brownie, but a blondie. In 1899, the Machias Cookbook had the first-known recipe for a “brownie” published in it. In this cookbook, they were called “Brownie’s Food” and it was located in the cake section of the book. The recipe was created by Marie Kelley of Whitewater, Wisconsin. In the very early 1900s, there were several versions of a chocolate brownie published and by 1907, the brownie as we know it was pretty well established. (source)

In 2021, the food science journalist and home cookery YouTuber Adam Ragusea conducted a series of experiments to discover why modern brownies tend to form a desirably glossy “skin” on their upper crust. In a video reporting his findings, Ragusea asserted that the “skin” was the result of making a batter of high viscosity, with low levels of moisture and sugar well-dissolved into the mixture. (source)

How I Created This Brownie Recipe

One of my favorite things to do is to see how I can “healthify” our favorite foods. This has been one of my goals since I first started this website in 2009. Whether it be upping the protein, lowering the sugar, or eliminating the gluten or dairy, I try to recreate comfort food favorites that we all love in a healthy way.

The tricky thing with brownies is that they do require a good amount of sugar in order to give them the right texture. It’s one recipe that is sometimes hard to “healthify”. While many of my dessert recipes use keto/low-glycemic sweeteners, brownies need actual sugar in order to taste right (see the quote above about the 2021 food science experiment). This healthier fudgy protein brownies recipe does call for coconut sugar, which is a better option to refined cane sugar, and still gives you the taste and texture desired. And the amount used is less than traditional brownie recipes, so that helps too. You are welcome to sub your favorite sugar alternative, but keep in mind it will affect the texture of the finished product.

As I have gotten into my 40s, I’ve put more of a focus on protein and I am always trying to find ways to squeeze a little extra clean protein powder into my diet (read this post here for more info on why women in their 40s and beyond need to be eating more more protein). I will often add some collagen powder to my tea or coffee. I will occasionally make a protein shake if I’m a little low on protein for the day. Another favorite way to add protein into my diet is with ice cream. Yes, ice cream! You can read all about how I created a ton of low-sugar, high-protein, DELICIOUS ice creams in my newest eBook, Deliciously Decadent Protein Ice Creams.

Why I Prefer Beef Protein Powder Over Whey Protein

If you don’t have any issues with dairy, the this might be a moo-t (haha! see what I did there?!) 😉 point for you. You may be able to tolerate whey protein with no issues and there are some great, very clean whey brands out there to choose from (I talk more about that in my protein ice cream eBook). But if you are among those of us with dairy sensitivities or allergies, then read on!

In my opinion, beef protein powder (like the Equip Foods brand Prime Protein) is far superior to any of the dairy-free protein powder options on the market. This clean protein powder is made from actual beef and is the equivalent to eating 4oz of grass-fed beef per serving.

Whey protein can be very hard to digest for some people and can leave the user feeling gassy and bloated. The same goes for plant proteins, which are much harder to digest. Plus, even with all the clever marketing, the fact is, plant proteins are simply harder to digest than animal proteins. Prime Protein is a rigorously tested, doctor-formulated protein powder that is made from 100% grass fed and finished beef. This is what you can expect from every scoop of Prime Protein:

  • Grass-fed beef isolate protein providing complete protein.
  • Nutrition equivalent to 4oz of grass-fed beef.
  • Less likely to cause gastrointestinal problems like whey.
  • Collagen and gelatin, which repairs your joints and soft tissues like plant protein won’t.
  • No added chemicals, fillers, binding agents or artificial coloring or sweeteners.
  • Beef protein that’s made the same way that bone broth is made, low and slow heating to preserve the nutrition. No chemical processing.
  • Paleo, carnivore, and keto approved.
  • Unflavored Prime has only ONE ingredient, grass-fed beef isolate. It can’t get any cleaner.
  • Surprisingly versatile, 1-5 ingredients in each flavor. Endless possibilities.
  • Tastes like dessert, not beef.
  • 30 servings per bag.

Beef protein is packed with the collagen, gelatin, and micro-nutrients your body needs. They work to repair your joints and soft tissues like plant protein won’t. Studies have shown that beef protein provides additional benefits to strength, hypertrophy, and fat loss over whey. And, while Equip Foods trusts their partners completely, they still do independent, routine quality and contaminant testing to make sure their beef protein powder is free of harmful amounts of heavy metals and toxins like glyphosate.

I love adding both the Prime Protein powder and Equip Foods collagen powder into my recipes whenever appropriate. When I am sick, I will often add a scoop of unflavored collagen into my soup or broth for an added protein boost. I spoke in detail about collagen and its health benefits in this post: Why I Stopped Using Collagen (and Why I Started Using it Again). When I wanted brownies one day, I knew I needed to add some clean beef protein powder to it. It took me several batches to get the taste and texture just right, but these healthier fudgy protein brownies are truly a treat!

I’ve been using Equip Foods brand products for years now and they are one of my most trusted brand partners. I am very picky on the brands I recommend on this site and only recommend ones I personally use and love. Equip Foods is one of those brands. If you would like to check them out, you can save 15% on your first order with my coupon code: DELICIOUS. Shop the Equip Foods site here!

Notes About Healthier Fudgy Protein Brownies

Yes, this recipe for healthier fudgy protein brownies recipe has coconut sugar in it. As mentioned above, sugar is required to get the correct texture in your baked brownies. The fudgy texture and the crackly top layer are both tied to the sugar levels in the recipe. I use a lot less sugar in this recipe than in traditional recipes, but if it’s too much, you are welcome to cut it back and/or, sub in your favorite sweetener. Please just note, that the taste and texture won’t be quite the same.

These brownies freeze really well, so if you want to portion them up for quick treats, you can. Let them cool completely and then wrap individually in plastic wrap (or whatever you use) and store in the freezer. 

If you are completely dairy-free, you can omit the butter and use a vegan butter substitute instead. This will give you the best flavor. You can use plain avocado oil, olive oil, or coconut oil, but it will alter the taste and texture some.

These healthier fudgy protein brownies taste amazing as-is, but if you want to take your brownies up a notch, consider the following ideas:

Now, let’s get to baking some healthier fudgy protein brownies shall we?! 🙂

Healthier Fudgy Protein Brownies

Healthier Fudgy Protein Brownies

Yield: 9 brownies
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes

These brownies are rich, fudgy, and packed with protein. They're lower sugar than traditional brownies so feel free to add more sweetener if you want something sweeter. They freeze and thaw really well so feel free to portion them up and stick them in the freezer.

Ingredients

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350.
    2. Grease or spray an 8x8 or 9x9 pan. I personally prefer to line the pan with parchment paper and then spray it with avocado oil spray. It makes it so much easier to get the brownies it's out and cleanup is a cinch.
    3. Mix the sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and milk together until smooth and creamy. Blend for a couple of minutes until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
    4. In a separate bowl, stir together the protein powder, collagen powder, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, gelatin, and sea salt (if using) until well blended.
    5. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and blend until smooth.
    6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    7. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. The middle of the brownies should still have a little jiggle in the middle and they will set up as they cool.
    8. Cool completely and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

The first batch of these I made were super salty. I put the normal amount of sea salt that I typically use for brownies (1/4 tsp) but it was terribly salty. The only thing I could figure out is that my salted butter (which I always use) was extra salty this time around. If you use unsalted butter, you could add 1/4 tsp of salt to the recipe.

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© Jessica Espinoza
Cuisine: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free / Category: Desserts, Sweet Treats, & Baked Goods

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