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Okay, just to be clear upfront - it takes only 5 minutes to stir up the batter for these homemade fudge brownies, but of course a little longer than that to actually bake them! Enjoy a whole wheat brownie that makes for a nice alternative to boxed brownie mix.
5 Minute Homemade Whole-Wheat Flour Brownies
But as I was making this batch I was thinking how it really doesn't take much longer to make brownies from scratch than it does to add some eggs and other stuff to one of these lovely boxes of brownie mix pictured down below.
So while homemade Fudge Brownies (with sugar) don't quite fit our definition of real food, I think we can all agree they're WAAAAY better than this highly processed factory-made stuff that's full of partially hydrogenated oil (i.e. trans fat), refined flour, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and a bunch of other additives I can barely pronounce and therefore would most definitely not cook with at home. And we all know most people like to have a good ol' fudge brownie on occasion. For a healthy idea, make these Avocado Brownies or these Gluten-Free Brownies!
My Go-To Chocolate Chips: Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
Whether it's brownies you're after or just a handful of chocolate chips, I love using the brand Enjoy Life Foods. Their company has managed to make chocolate chips (and morsels, minis, and chunks!) solely using the ingredients that are meant to be in chocolate: Sugar (Cane Juice), Natural Chocolate Liquor, and Non-Dairy Cocoa Butter.
This is unfortunately no small feat in our industrial society - when you look at the back of most other chocolate chip packages you'll find ingredients that do not belong (such as Soy Lecithin and Artificial Flavoring)! Since Enjoy Life's chocolate chips are so pure, they are also incredibly allergy friendly including: Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Fish Free, and Shellfish Free.
I love that and knew you would, too. :)
More Homemade Baked Goodies:
- Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Brownie Bar Recipe
- Paleo Brownies
- Super Easy All Natural Icebox Sugar Cookie Recipe
5 Minute Fudge Brownies (with sugar)!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup whole-wheat flour (I used white whole-wheat flour)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I highly prefer the "super dark" variety)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup butter (melted, plus a little extra for greasing)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup chocolate chips ((I used Enjoy Life mini chips, see note above))
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 8X8 or 9X9 square baking dish with a little melted butter (a pastry brush makes this job super easy).
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Make a well (hole) in the center and drop in the butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix together thoroughly and then fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. (See I told you this would be quick and easy!)
- Add the brownie batter to the baking dish and use the spatula to flatten out the top into one even layer. Bake for about 30 minutes and let cool before slicing into squares (if you can control yourself enough to wait - ha)! Enjoy.
Kim says
Can Amaranth flour be substituted for whole wheat flour?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Kim. Are you trying to convert to gluten free? We've not tried that with this recipe but these links might help: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2013/07/26/the-gluten-free-conversion-conundrum/http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/changing-wheatbased-dough-recipes-to-glutenfree0.html. ~Amy
Lori Lamb says
I like the recipe but won't use any cocoa that has alkali or anything made by Nestle. http://www.life-enhancement.com/magazine/article/2798-effect-of-treating-cocoa-with-alkali-the-dutching-process
Melanie says
I used rapadura (also known as sucanat) and the flavor was awesome! I was afraid it would be a little off because sometimes rapadura has a stronger taste than sugar in recipes. Of course, I used the mini chocolate chips so that probably helped balance it out. I did find that the brownies were overcooked at 30 minutes (my fault for not checking them earlier!). Thanks for the recipe!
Liz says
Oh my gosh, just made these and they are fabulous!!! So easy and so yummy!!
Irene Z says
These brownies are amazingly delicious! I used an 8x8 pan and baked them for 25 minutes. They are so rich and perfect, a small square is exactly enough!!!
Sarah says
OH MAN! I just made these and they are perfect. So easy to make, moist, perfect sweetness just fabulous. Doing everything I can to not eat them all.
Rocio says
Thanks for your consideration of food allergic families! I love when your awesome recipes include alternatives for certain ingredients and/or show consideration of special dietary needs. :-)
Katie @ The Perfect Brownie says
Hi! Is your cocoa powder Dutch-process or natural?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Katie. Lisa uses Hershey Special Dark, typically. ~Amy
Stephanie says
Can these be frozen into individual serving sizes? Looking for a little treat to send in school lunches. Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Stephanie. Yep, they freeze well. ~Amy
Carola says
I made this two days ago. It tasted fine, but too dry for my taste. So, today I made it again, double recipe, a little more butter, 12 eggs, and a little bit milk.. Much better :-)
kellyR says
12 eggs? Like a dozen? That's a big bump up from 2.
Theresa @ Two Much Fun says
Hi Lisa! I'm new to your site, I found you on Pinterest. We tried to eat on the healthier side. This fit into our perfect weekly treat. They are so delicious- so fudgy! Plus, it's a great kids in the kitchen recipe. My four year olds loved helping me whip up the batch. Thank you so much. I'm looking forward to delving into your site after they go to bed!
Theresa @ Two Much Fun says
Oops. I meant to type- We try to eat healthier. Not "tried".
Holley says
I add a little espresso powder to make the chocolate in these brownies really pop.
Marisa says
I made these last night with coconut oil since I didn't have any butter. They were delicious!
Becka says
These sound great, but does anyone know if it would be possible to sub the butter for organic coconut oil? I want to make these for my mother-in-law who can't have dairy..
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Becka. I think that exchange should work just fine. ~Amy
Stephanie says
Made these tonight with sucanat instead of sugar and coconut flour. So rich and delicious! I baked then for 20 minutes and that was perfect.
Aileen says
I have these cooling on my counter as I type. I had all ingredients but chocolate chips. Hopefully, it will still satisfy my chocolate craving!
Lindsay says
I've made these too many times to count. They are delicious!
Susan says
Any gluten free sub. For the whole
Wheat flour. ??
Almond or sweet rice ?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Susan. We've not experimented with making this recipe gluten free. Let us know if you try. ~Amy
Catherine Sevdalian says
I have made these twice with almond flour. The first time I used an additional egg substitute in the form of a tablespoon of vinegar/teaspoon of baking soda (because I read that substituting almond flour often requires more binding ingredients, but instead of adding a full egg, I opted for a substitute that I have found really lightens up desserts and makes them airy). The result was brownies that didn't rise and stuck to the pan (though they did taste absolutely yummy --wonderfully fudgy and airy). The second time, I did not add the extra egg and I put parchment paper in the pan. They rose beautifully and tasted amazing.
I substitute almond flour and whole wheat flour for white flour all the time in baking recipes. Most of the time it turns out fine. You just have to leave time to redo them if it doesn't. :)
ElizaW says
Made these last night. The flavor was there, very good! However, these are too thin and baking results were not good. Drier brownies near the edges, and far undercooked in the center. Nothing wrong with my oven. I have alwys had great results with baked goods.
Next time, I am going to double the recipe and increase baking time to get thicker brownies. Next time, I will also leave the choco chips out. Just a personal preference.
I used Bobs Red Mill organic pastry flour and organic, fair trade cocoa. Also used bourbon vanilla.
Funrun says
Yum! Almost identical to a recipe I've been using for several years now. It's my go-to recipe now anytime I want brownies. I bake them only for about 16-18 minutes though and they come out fully cooked but stay chewy and soft. I accidentally left them in for close to 30 minutes once and they were still fine but texture was more cake-like and dry. Probably depends on your oven and altitude.
Michele Mitchell says
Wondering if you have a whole wheat flour zucchini brownies recipe?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. Nope, we don't. We have a zucchini bread: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/06/25/recipe-zucchini-bread/. ~Amy
Missy says
I made these and while I liked them they turned out a bit more like a cake brownie than the gooey brownie in the picture. Any ideas on how to get them more gooey (I didn't overcook them)?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hmmm, Missy. I am not sure what might have happened. Did you change the recipe at all?
Tara says
Coconut sugar works great in this recipe!
Tricia Wolf says
My boys loved these, but my husband said they were too "cakey". I didn't have chocolate chips at the time--is that what makes them gooey? They were good but they weren't soft like we were expecting.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Yes, Tricia. The chips are an important ingredient. :)
Mandy Tirado says
You can easily make these without any sugar by using 1/3 cup maple syrup. In my humble opinion, maple syrup gives it a much better taste. Also, we melt 72% dark chocolate down to use instead of cocoa powder.
tayra says
Just made theses and they are the best brownies I've ever had!! My hubby loved them too. The best part, they are SO easy to put together! Will definitely make this again and will become a staple at my home. Thanks!!!
Becky says
Quick and easy recipe. My son gave these a thumbs up. Will be making this recipe again.
Bonnie says
I've made these twice now and they are so good! I accidentally bought chocolate wafers instead of mini chips so I just threw them in my mini food processor to chop them up. It worked perfectly. Thanks so much for sharing these recipes that even kids will eat!
Robyn says
I've been looking for a brownie recipe that isn't so sweet and I have found it! Not only that, but they are still wonderful! They came out nice and gooey in the middle, and crunchy (in a good way) on the top and they taste great! They are also definitely very easy and fast to make.
Renee says
Has anyone tried there with a GF flour? (if so what kind/brand worked best?) I have a kiddo with a gluten allergy and I'm just learning how to cook/bake with that in mind. Thanks!
Sara says
Made these over the weekend and they are by far the best brownies I have ever eaten! They are rich so one small brownie will do. Will be making these again soon. Thanks for the easy, delicious & real food recipe!
Elena says
I made these with organic spelt flour and organic coconut palm sugar and they turned out fantastic!
Pattie says
OH MY! These are wonderful. The only thing different is I doubled the recipe (except for the salt). We wanted thicker brownies. still baked for 30 minutes (I have a gas stove and I use a pampered chef 9X9 stone pan). I am taking them to the Shakespeare play tonight. I'm sure they will be the first dish gone. These will be our favorite. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!!!
vicki says
O M G!!! THESE ARE AMAZING. First of all, I forgot the vanilla and I nearly cried as they baked thinking all was ruined. Then while letting them cool, I found my husband, a full (fool) on addict to the processed food industry easting out of the stone w/a spoon... a spoon! He didn't even bother w/ cutting, just dug in and kept digging!! What?? My processed food addicted husband was loving HOMEMADE brownies???... of which I had fatally forgotten to add the vanilla to??!! CRAZY!! After I got to taste them I decided next time I will cut the sugar back another 1/4 cup. I used cacao and they were so rich and so CHOCOLATE... and this was 100 proof chocolate, so I wasted no time in enjoying them myself.
my tip: After making the mix I tried first to place them in a 9x9 baking dish and realized they would be epically thin, so I scraped the dough out (good time to remember the vanilla, but didn't) and placed the dough instead into a small bar pan from pampered chef. IT WAS THE PEFECT SIZE. It fit the small bar pan perfectly in width/length/depth. I love the crunchy ends of the brownie and thanks to this pan, I have plenty of those. I have just one question... HOW THE HECK DO YOU MANAGE TO MAKE THIS 16 DIFFERENT SERVINGS??? I had what I believe to be 4 servings. I hope that isn't bad ;) Thank you for such an amazing recipe. I will never buy boxed again. In fact when I mentioned they were made w/my stone ground whole wheat from scratch my husband mumbled an astonished "whaaat?" without losing a single nibble of brownie in his full mouth at that moment. LOVE THESE.. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! (but, can we be honest about the serving size?? 16 is literally one bite a piece. Is it fair to make the portions so small to meet a caloric qualifier when NO ONE ELSE will eat only a single bite of brownie?? A more realistic serving size would be appreciated. Which would mean, I ate only two of them. See, that sounds so much better than four. :)
Samantha says
I tried making these a second time with choc chips, and they came out beautifully! Thank you for the recipe :)
Chrissy says
Omg!!! These are as easy as stated and taste amazing! My family loved loved loved them! Box brownies...no more! I will always make these homemade...forever! Thank you!
Lyndsey says
YUMMY!!!! Thank you, thank you! These went perfect witch vanilla iced coffee this afternoon for a summer treat!
Vanessa says
Is the serving of 16 squares correct? I only got 9 squares using the 8x8 pan.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Yep. Lisa likely just cut smaller squares. ~Amy
Kristen says
I just made the brownies,, they are sinfully good. I will never go back to boxed. They are so easy to make and I already had all the ingredients in the house.
Daniela says
Have a batch in the oven! The first "Real" recipe I've tried.
Joan Dahlen says
Yay for you,Lisa. I always made from scratch brownies and hated every single school bake sale that palmed off box brownies as "homemade." Box brownies have the worst fake vanilla taste and once people eat a real brownie, they can never return to boxed ones. Yummy looking pictures too!