With only one tablespoon of added sweetener, these fudgy, low sugar brownies are a delicious treat for those on special diets!
These brownies are nothing short of amazing.
The first time I made them, I took a bite and subsequently did a little jig around the kitchen.
I'm so pleased with how they taste, particularly because they have NO oil or butter and only one tablespoon of added sweetener.
The secret lies in the texture!
Why I love these brownies
As I am pretty permanently on a low sugar diet, I needed a low sugar brownie to accompany me!
This recipe exceeded my expectations, as the flavor and texture are spot on for a healthier brownie.
With low-to-no sugar baking, texture is very important.
If the texture is similar to a higher sugar recipe, you're almost tricked into thinking you're eating something more sweet and decadent.
(Seen above with my Peanut Butter 'Frosting')
Recipe steps
Ingredients
Recipe steps
Below, you can see the before and after of the batter. The left photo is the batter following the first stir, and the middle photo is after the second stir, which deflates the batter. This is an important step for texture.
FAQs
Yes, the best one is Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, as it formulated to be an equivalent substitute to wheat flour.
You can use mashed banana, though it will obviously take on a banana taste.
Yes, but the brownies won't be as sweet. You can add a dry sweetener like coconut sugar in its place if you like. Here is a stevia conversion chart for your reference.
Tips and tricks
IMPORTANT! You must stir the batter a second time AFTER it puffs up. This will effectively deflate the action of the baking agents, thus helping the brownies bake, but NOT turn into a cake. See the recipe box below for complete details.
To sweeten this recipe up a bit more, add some sweetened dark chocolate to the top. That way, you get a hint of sweetness in combination with the soft, fudgy texture, and you're in near sugar-free heaven!
Other brownie recipes you might like
No Pudge Fudge Brownie for One
The hubs and kids all give these a big thumbs up, and though they may not be for everyone, I hope some of you give them a shot!
Low Sugar Brownies
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS:
- ¾ cup whole grain spelt flour
- 5 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
WET INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 Tablespoon molasses (or maple syrup)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 5 Tablespoon milk of your choice
- 15-20 drops liquid stevia
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl (applesauce, molasses or maple, milk, vanilla, stevia).
- Add the wet mix into the dry ingredients, and stir until well combined.
- Let the batter puff up for a minute, then stir it again to deflate it.
- Add the batter to a well-oiled 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
- Top it with chopped dark chocolate, chocolate chips, or chopped unsweetened chocolate, if you're trying to stay really low sugar.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Watch them closely so they don't overbake and dry out.
- Cool, cut, and enjoy!
JN
Looks great and I love low sugar treats. Can I use almond flour or any other flour? I generally don't buy spelt flour.
Thanks. BTW, I love molasses and truly look fwd to your other recipes using molasses.
Lauren
Hi there, I haven't tested any other flour other than whole wheat. This Pumpkin Seed Flour Brownie recipe may interest you, and I think you could easily sub almond flour!
https://www.oatmealwithafork.com/small-batch-pumpkin-seed-flour-brownies-grain-free-nut-free-low-sugar/
Tan
Hi Lauren, I see you use applesauce in your recipes a lot. I think that's more of an American thing as you don't really see it in English recipes much so was just wondering if you use a homemade version? And if yes, can you maybe let me know the recipe please? Thanks! I love to try your recipes as have a serious sugar addiction and find your blog the most honest for helpful ways to genuinely reduce sugar consumption. Thanks again for all your recipes you take the time to post!
Lauren
Hi Tan,
Thanks for your comment, I actually just buy my applesauce from the store. I made it once and found that the cost and time weren't worth it for me. Here is the link to a good, sugar-free recipe: http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/quick-homemade-applesauce-no-sugar-added-201473
Jomei
Just made this and it was delicious! I didn't have applesauce so I made date paste, thinned it out to the consistency of applesauce, and it was yummy! Thanl you for this recipe!
Lauren
That's great Jomei, I'm so glad you liked the recipe!
Javonni Gresham
Made this with gluten free flour mix. Worked great! Thanks for this recipe.
Lauren
That's great Javonni, and thanks for letting me know about the GF flour. Someone usually asks, so it's good to know it works!
Victoria Klingonsmith
How do you make them more cake-like?
Blythe
We made it for my son's birthday! Unfortunately it didn't really taste like chocolate. If you load it with chocolate chips on top then it was okay, but on it's own it was kind of bland and bitter (and I like dark chocolate). We even added a couple Tbsp of maple syrup to give it at least some sweetness. I saw someone used date paste instead of applesauce, I imagine that would taste a lot better since dates are sweeter than applesauce! I think it's a good start, but could be improved upon!
Lauren
Hi Blythe,
I'm sorry you didn't like this, but I have to defend myself a bit and tell you that obviously, this wouldn't taste like chocolate brownies with sugar, given there is none. My recipes are for those with candida or blood sugar issues, or those just looking to cut out sugar from their diet. I happen to love this recipe, but it would probably not be suitable for a child's birthday.
Anne
I Added dark chocolate to my home made applesauce which melted in was really yummy
Amber Hill
I've been off sugar (for blood sugar issues) for over a year now and these were delicious! They do have syrup and applesauce so I still have to be careful about when I eat them but they were a lovely treat and so easy to make 🙂 definitely adding these to the recipe book!
My family, who are not off sugar, did not care them 😅 but that was to be expected. I think if I covered them with chocolate chips they would have liked them.
Lauren
Haha, yes, most people who are used to eating a lot of sugar won't appreciate these. I'm glad you liked them though, Amber, thanks for the comment and rating! 🙂
Jimmynat
Good luck 🙂