These Healthy Pumpkin Brownies are the perfect fall treat! The recipe uses cocoa powder, pumpkin puree, and peanut butter instead of flour and oil. They’re unbelievably fudgy and delicious – a must for your holiday table.
I love finding ways to make healthy (or healthier) versions of my favorite dessert recipes, especially during the holidays. My Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread and Sugar-Free Fudgy Walnut Brownies are always *highly* requested by friends and family.
So, I know these Healthy Pumpkin Brownies are going to be a hit! The pumpkin makes them super moist and adds the perfect amount of fall flavor. They’re already super fudgy, then we add chocolate chips and peanut butter to make them even more rich. These are the best healthy brownies you’ll ever make!
Why You’ll Love Healthy Pumpkin Brownies
- Simple Ingredients: Similar to my flourless brownies, this recipe does not use flour, refined sugar, or oil. Plus, the pumpkin adds essential nutrients like beta-carotene and fiber.
- Easy To Make: Whip up the batter in 10 minutes with no special equipment. Even the chocolate sauce requires just 2 ingredients and no time at all.
- Anytime Treat: Enjoy healthy pumpkin brownies for breakfast or a sweet pick-me-up. They’re also the perfect dessert to bring to your holiday get-together.
Key Ingredients
We’re using pumpkin puree to replace the oil and keep these healthy brownies ultra-moist. I like to use homemade pumpkin puree, but canned pumpkin works great too. Just be sure you’re using 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which contains sugar and spices.
Same with the peanut butter – it’s best to go with a good-quality natural peanut butter that doesn’t have added sugars. If you don’t have it, you can use almond butter or sunflower seed butter too. The maple syrup and chocolate chips make the brownies plenty sweet! So, there’s no need to use coconut sugar or brown sugar.
Give Your Brownies A Boost
Replace half of the cocoa powder with your favorite chocolate protein powder. Just be mindful of how sweet your protein powder is. You may need to adjust the amount of maple syrup or honey that you use.
How To Make Healthy Pumpkin Brownies
First: In a large mixing bowl, mix the peanut butter and pumpkin puree until smooth before whisking in the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
Second: Combine the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and add it to the wet ingredients. Then fold in the chocolate chips.
Third: Pour the batter into a greased 8×8-inch square pan (baking pan) and sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top, if desired.
Four: Bake the brownies in a 350°F oven for 22-25 minutes or until they pass the toothpick test (see my baking tips).
Then: Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting them into squares.
Finally: Melt butter and chocolate chips to make a drizzle for the top and enjoy!
Olivia’s Baking Tips
- The toothpick test: You’ll know the brownies are done when you can insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean. If there’s wet batter on the toothpick, the brownies need more time to bake.
- Be careful not to overwork the batter, or it can make the brownies tough. It’s best to mix the dry ingredients together separately so you’re not mixing the batter with every new ingredient.
Try These Add-Ins & Toppings
Nuts: Toasted walnuts, pecans, or pepitas would all be great additions that complement the pumpkin flavor and add a crunchy texture.
Fruit: You can also toss in dried fruit like cranberries or cherries for a festive pop of color and a tangy contrast to the sweet brownies.
Chips: Instead of chocolate chips, try adding peanut butter or caramel chips. You could even do a combination of a couple of flavors.
Drizzle: My easy homemade sugar-free Nutella spread or melted peanut butter are also very good drizzled on top of these healthy pumpkin brownies.
How To Store & Freeze Homemade Pumpkin Brownies
You can keep the brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. These healthy pumpkin brownies get even more flavorful and fudgy over time, so they’re a great make-ahead dessert.
For longer storage, place the cooled brownies in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Then, thaw them in the fridge overnight and add the chocolate drizzle just before serving.
Love this Healthy Pumpkin Brownie recipe don’t forget to leave a star rating and comment to let me know how you like this dessert!
Healthy Pumpkin Brownies
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Primavera Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1.5 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
Topping
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp butter
Equipment
Instructions
- Set the oven to 350°F and grease or line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter and pumpkin until smooth.
- Whisk in the eggs, then stir in the maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until well combined.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top, if desired. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Adjust baking time if using a different-sized pan.
- Let the dessert cool before serving. For an optional topping, melt chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of butter in the microwave and drizzle over the top.
Tips
- Room-temperature ingredients incorporate better than cold ingredients.
- The brownies will be quite soft right out of the oven but they’ll firm up as they cool.
- If you like more spice, you can add ginger, allspice, cinnamon, or nutmeg to the batter.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Leave a Comment