One of the challenges of trying to cook healthier has been making desserts. Yes, you can make desserts from scratch thus avoiding the packaged and processed part, but most desserts are still very unhealthy.
I am slowly trying to adapt some of my recipes to make them healthier. The main way I am doing this is to add whole wheat flour to things. I will be honest here, whole wheat does not always work. Certain things just don’t turn out right with all or part whole wheat. But I am having success with some things.
One of the recipes that I have adapted is one of my favorite brownie recipes. I was not sure how these would turn out, but I thought it was worth a try. These turned out really well. I was actually surprised at how good these are. You can hardly tell that they have whole wheat in them.
In fact my husband did not notice at all. He usually will comment when I put whole wheat in things. This time I told him after he had two brownies and had said how good they were. He was very surprised to find out that they had whole wheat in them.
These were one of the best recipes that I have adapted for whole wheat. Next time I am going to try all whole wheat. I will let you know how that goes, but for now try these.
Now, these are not healthy brownies, but they are healthier brownies. 🙂
Whole Wheat Brownies
Brownies made a little better with some whole wheat brownie.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup melted butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a bowl combine the first six ingredients together.
- Add remaining ingredients.
- Mix until well combined. Grease a 9x13 pan.
- Spread batter evenly.
- Bake at 350 for 22-25 minutes or until done.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
15Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 286mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 1gSugar: 27gProtein: 3g
Nutritional values are approximate and aren't always accurate.
Yum, brownies are always good. I like the idea of using the whole wheat flour. I need to buy some to keep in the pantry. I’ve missed you, over the holidays. Glad you are back, this week. I hope you had a great holiday season. Happy New Year.
Great recipe. I’ve never used whole wheat flour. (we’re not the healthiest eaters in the world.) Maybe I’ll try it though. I’m sure my husband would love them, as long as I refrain from calling them whole wheat brownies.
These look great! My only problem is, I like the brownies fresh out of the oven. That’s when I usually eat half the batch! I’m okay after they’ve cooled. They don’t tempt me at all.
Love that these are “healthier!.”
These look delish!! 😀 I’ve been trying to do healthier sweets. I found whole wheat pastry flour to not be as heavy as regular whole wheat flour, too.
Those look yummy. I would eat the entire pan, which is why I don’t bake often.
I’m going to try these today. We love brownies. I’ve made them with my wheat flour but we didn’t like them. It would be better to have some wheat in them than none.
THose sound great Lynn. I have found that too when trying to substitute all or part wheat flour.
What temperature did you cook these on? I’m guessing 350?
Nice to increase our daily fiber as well.
We just tried them. They are great! We couldn’t even tell wheat was in them. The texture is good too. I baked them in a smaller glass pan at 325 for 40 minutes to make them thicker. This is our new brownie recipe!! Thanks!
I don’t have much luck w/whole wheat flour but I figure if I bake it I know what is going in.
Those look yummy, I really should start baking with whole wheat. Thanks for the idea!
I found a recipe on Passionate Homemaking for a healthier brownie some time ago and they are the only kind I make now. The recipe contains whole wheat and sucanat. My dad, who is very anti-healthy tasting stuff, loves them!
I’m with you. I’ve been incrementally adding whole wheat flour to just about everything using flour. When the recipe can take it (muffins, for example) I also add flax meal for added nutrition. It can replace the oil in a muffin recipe if used in the right proportions.
Can not wait to try these–I am always on the search for a new brownie recipe. Thanks!
Andrea
Another recipe that works great with whole wheat flour is banana bread. Personally, I think it gives it an even better flavor and texture than regular white flour.
These were a big hit in our house, next time I’m topping with Lynn’s Cream Cheese Frosting.
I made these for my dad for Christmas this year – I just happened to find this post through google.
My dad LOVES them. He said that they’re the best brownies he’s ever had and that he doesn’t really care about any of the other treats that have been served over the holidays.
Thank you!
I am so excited to find your blog! I am a fellow homeschooler and I am trying to make healthier dishes for my family! I am going to try these brownies today! I know they aren’t healthy, but better than the box mix! Thanks for the awesome website!
I was craving brownies this morning, but I couldn’t justify eating a super high-calorie food like a brownie without SOME nutritional value. So I googled “whole wheat brownies” and found this. I saw that the recipe includes a ton of sugar and butter so I figurd it would still turn out great, and it did! A lovely taste and texture. Thanks : )
@Morgan, I am so glad that you liked the recipe!
Hi,
I just found this recipe through a Google search online. I just want to say two things:
1. The photo attached to the recipe is probably not the brownies this recipe will make;
2. I made the recipe and they didn’t turn out too bad – not quite as richly fudgey as in the picture, but good. I split the recipe in half and substituted 1/3 of the butter for 2/3 cup of applesauce and maybe a 1/4 or 1/3 cup of melted chocolate chips. Since I cut the recipe in half, I used 1 whole egg and 1 egg white.
@Tabetha, I am sorry that you were disappointed in the recipe. I am guessing that your recipe did not look like the one in the picture, because you altered the recipe. The one pictured is in fact this recipe. I have made it many times. Butter and fat are what help give these the fudgy texture, you won’t get quite the same texture if you use applesauce in place of the fat.
Hey Lynn,
I wasn’t disappointed with the recipe. Just the picture, but as you pointed out that had to do with my leaving out the butter. I figured adding chocolate chips would be enough fat and extra cocoa to see a similar density and coloration, but I’m not a baking-whiz. I also forgot to say that I used whole wheat pastry flour versus the combo of regular whole wheat and all purpose, so maybe that had something to do with it? Your brownies just looked so tasty in the picture! I made the changes out of necessity because we were running low on butter, but I thought I’d share because I think they turned out healthier and good, but not quite as delicious as yours look.
WOW – wonderful brownies! I made these tonight for my husband and brother in law – neither knew or even guessed that they were made with Whole Wheat!
I used all Whole Wheat and they turned out great! (I didn’t have reg flour) Also, I didn’t have enough white sugar so I substituted half of what the recipe called for with Brown Sugar an added white Chocolate Chips.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! They were absolutely everything you described, and they looked just like the picture posted. The only brownie recipe I will ever use! Just as easy as buying the pre-packaged garbage and TONS better!!!!!
Natalie
WOW – wonderful brownies! I made these tonight for my husband and brother in law – neither knew or even guessed that they were made with Whole Wheat!
I used all Whole Wheat and they turned out great! (I didn’t have reg flour) Also, I didn’t have enough white sugar so I substituted half of what the recipe called for with Brown Sugar an added white Chocolate Chips.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! They were absolutely everything you described, and they looked just like the picture posted. The only brownie recipe I will ever use ever again! Just as easy as buying the pre-packaged garbage and TONS better!!!!!
Natalie
I just pulled these out of the oven and already there is a HUGE chunk missing from the pan. I made a couple of minor adjustments from the recipe as you wrote it, but nothing too crazy:
1) I subbed Earth Balance margarine for half of the butter, still totalling 1c melted. (Really, is that 1/2c going to make any difference in the saturated fat? Nope, but it makes me feel better about it.)
2) Added 1/2c dark chocolate chips and 1/2c chopped walnuts.
3) I used all wheat flour and you can’t even taste the difference.
I did have to bake them for about 15 minutes longer. That aside, I’ll definitely be making these again.
My kids think these are the best brownies ever! I agree – the whole wheat is just a bonus. Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe.
I am glad your kids love them. I love it when you can add something a little healthy and kids still enjoy it!