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Even during Healthy January, everyone needs some Extra Fudgy Ricotta Brownies.
It’s true.
Don’t worry though, I made these healthy…ish. They are totally Healthy January approved, at least in my book anyway!
Plus, it’s FRIDAY, and we all need a brownie to celebrate making it through these first few days back after the holidays. Plus, it’s the very first Friday of the new year!
You guys? I cannot tell you how happy I am that it’s Friday. It’s been a long (short) week back after the holidays. It was a week filled with mostly good things…hello to walking through the studio barn with Christina, one of our amazing designers from Park and Oak, plus spending a good amount of time working on a new project for 2018. Along with maybe just a little stress (but then that’s nothing new).
One of my goals for the new year is to try to be as positive as possible, which for me is pretty hard. I tend to focus more on the negative, but 2018 is going to be the year I work at changing that! What goals/resolutions are you guys making this year? I’ll be sharing a few of mine in Sunday’s Nine Favorite Things post, which will finally be returning, after a month of all things holiday here on HBH.
Very excited!
But wait, I’m getting way ahead of myself here. First, I need to tell you about these brownies…their story…and their deliciousness!
As mentioned above, this week was filled with plenty of fun and exiting things, but it was also filled with just a smidge of stress, which is always to be expected when it comes to me and my brain (meaning I am a crazy person and I know it). When stress comes about, I always turn to baking (or call my mom). Something about doing exact measurements and baking something sweet for my family, friends, and I to enjoy always brings a sense of joy and happiness to me.
This week, I really wanted to do something rich and chocolatey, but since we’re in the beginning of healthy January, I wanted to make a chocolate treat that we could all feel good about eating.
Enter these gluten free, butter free, processed sugar-free, extra fudgy brownies…with double the dark chocolate on top, because I mean, dark chocolate contains all the antioxidants, and it’s pretty much health food. Duh.
PS. don’t question my thinking because I can argue longer.
Ever since I made this Ricotta Banana Bread about a year ago, I have been obsessed with baking ricotta into my desserts. I love the moist texture, creaminess, and killer flavor it gives sweets. I also love that it’s protein rich and a good sub for things like butter and sour cream.
Normally, I don’t think I would have ever thought to stir fresh ricotta cheese into my brownie batter, but again, after that banana bread I realized what a major addition it can make to baked goods. When I had a container sitting in the fridge this past week, it was practically screaming at me every time I opened the fridge to make something with it.
Then the baking/chocolate craving came, and well, you can probably guess what happened from there.
Extra Fudgy BROWNIES.
Just like any other brownie recipe, these are pretty simple, but unlike any other brownie recipe, these are filled with better for you ingredients, like dark chocolate, real maple syrup (in place of processed sugar), and almond flour.
Now, I’m not saying these are actual health food, but I am saying they are a healthier option when it comes to sweets. These brownies are perfect if you’re looking for ways to cut back, but still enjoy the sweeter pleasures in life.
The batter is mixed up all in one bowl, then just bake, cool, make the chocolate fudge frosting, spread the frosting over the brownies, cut, and eat. Quick, simple, easy, and delicious.
Fair warning, these brownies are probably not for those of you who like extra, extra sweet chocolatey things. The brownies, while super fudgy and yummy, are not extra sweet. I wanted to be sure to keep the sugar content as low as possible, so I used extra dark chocolate and a touch of maple to sweeten things up a bit. I found them to be perfect for my taste, but if you prefer a sweeter brownie, these might not be your thing.
If you love dark chocolate however, these are very much your thing. Also, if you love cheesecake, these are also probably for you. The ricotta gives the brownies that cheesecake like texture. So good!
After work today I’m taking Asher to redeem her Christmas present and get her nails done at the “spa” (what she calls the nail solon). I think these will be the perfect brownie for the two of us to bake together once we return…she’s SO excited, I love it!
You guys should do the same…the brownies, not the spa visit (although if you love the spa, you should do that too!).
Extra Fudgy Ricotta Brownies
Servings: 16 brownies
Calories Per Serving: 312 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup real maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup almond meal/flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Frosting
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper.2. Heat 2 ounces dark chocolate in the microwave until melted and smooth. Stir in the ricotta, eggs, maple syrup, instant coffee, and vanilla until completely smooth and no clumps remain. Add the cocoa powder, almond meal, and salt. Stir until just combined. Stir in the remaining 2 ounces of chopped dark chocolate.3. Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the brownies are just set. DO NOT over bake or these will become cakey. Allow to cool before frosting.4. To make the frosting, melt together the maple syrup, coconut oil, and dark chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa power. Pour the frosting over the brownies and spread in an even layer. Place the brownies in the fridge and allow the frosting to set 30 minutes to 1 hour. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or in the fridge. Enjoy!
Because everyone needs a little chocolate here and there.
Obsessed with these and no refined sugar in them . Love more recipes like this that are also GF! I used HU dark chocolate and they were to die for.
Hey Liane,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear it was enjoyed. Thanks for sharing your comment! xTieghan
So the first time I made these they were gone the next day!! Curious if you have any suggestions if you’re out of cocoa powder! Anything you could supplement with?
Hey K,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Sorry, the cocoa is key. Have a great weekend! xTieghan
Made these for my husband’s birthday and topped with raspberries and vanilla ice cream. They were a huge hit! ThankYOU. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Definitely will make again
I have loved every one of your recipes I’ve tried.
Yum!! I am really glad you all enjoyed this one, Kathy! Happy Birthday to your husband! xTieghan
I’m sorry, but I feel compelled to tell you that there are several problems with these brownies.
1) I don’t have enough room in my stomach to eat the whole pan at once. I find this to be a very sizeable problem.
2) The interminable amount of waiting it takes for the brownies to cool, after they come out of the oven. You mean we have to wait THAT long to eat them? And then there’s an ADDITIONAL amount of cooling before we can add the frosting, and then chilling time in the fridge after that? Unconscionable! It’s simply w-a-y too long to wait for the yumminess to hit my tongue. 😉
But seriously, thank you for an awesome recipe! I know that people’s opinions differ on what makes a perfect brownie, and some people like chewy brownies, while others like them cakey. I myself prefer fudgy brownies, like in this recipe…and oh, how delightfully fudgy they are! I made them according to recipe, but with 2 changes. Since I didn’t have any dark chocolate, I used chocolate chips. And in place of maple syrup in the brownies, I used date paste, which I made myself. They turned out awesomely!
Thanks again! Keep up the good work–I’ve tried several of your recipes and love them all! 5/5 stars!
Hahaha aw I am so glad you loved this and gave me a laugh as well!! Thank you so much for trying them Heather! I hope you are staying well! xTieghan
What an amazing recipe! You included so many of my favourite ingredients here, so I knew they would turn out just lovely! Thank you so much, dear Tieghan <3
Thank you for trying this Marija! I am so glad it turned out so well! xTieghan
This looks fabulous! Do you think oat flour could be subbed for the almond flour? Thank you
I think oat flour will be great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
These are amazing! Super dark chocolate, sumple to make and full of good for you ingredients.. and lots of chocolate.
Definitely worth it to let them cool first.
So glad you enjoyed these! Thank you so much!
These are DELICIOUS!!! I was anxious the night I made them so I had them before they were completely chilled. While they were good, holy cow are they better chilled and even straight from the freezer. The frosting is like a coconut ganache and I want to put it on everything! Thanks for sharing!!!!! I had some leftover ricotta that I needed a use for and I found a GREAT way to use it 🙂
Thank you so much Carly! I am so glad you liked these!
I made these last night for dessert after your Thai Lemongrass Chicken (which was also amazing!) and they were delicious! We actually ate them hot and it was kind of like a molten chocolate cake. I told my boyfriend it was healthier than regular cake and he was really surprised!
That is so great! Thank you Caitlin!
Made these for a friend who came round for tea! They’re beautiful – very soft and fudgy – just right. Thanks again for a super recipe 🙂
I am so happy to hear that these turned out perfectly for you and you enjoyed them! Thank you Jo!
Hmmm…no almond flour in the house…can I sub regular AP flour instead? Or will this change the texture/deliciousness too much? Looks wonderful & can’t wait to try!
Regular flour will be great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Exactly what I was looking for… always good to know which recipes allow regular flour! Thank you!
I hope you love the recipe Mary!
Hi,
This recipe looks awesome! Unfortunately, my husband is allergic to almonds. What could I use instead of almond flour?
Thanks!
Jenn
HI! You can just use all-purpose flour. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Your recipe is just what i was looking for! But i have few questions: can i use regular flour instead of almond flour? My daughter is allergic to nuts and that includes almonds and even coconut, do you have any suggestions? If i use regular flour, should i add some sugar?
Thank you
Mara from Italy
Redgular flour will be great, and I would use butter in place of the coconut oil. No need to add additional sugar. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
You had me at extra fudgy – love these brownies!
Thank you!!
Had a tub of ricotta searching for its purpose the other night, and it found its perfect place in these brownies… These were so delicious and will definitely be a healthy(-ish) staple in my house! You’re right in that these aren’t as sweet as a typical brownie recipe, but I really enjoyed that – it allows for the chocolate to shine through (in true brownie fashion) and circumvents a granulated sugar overload (and headache). I was afraid at first of how the maple syrup would work as a conduit, but it was perfect.
A few comments for those of you making the recipe – If you’re like me and believe the only way to eat brownies, cookies, and desserts is underbaked and fresh out the oven – trust me when I say WAIT and eat these *after* they’ve cooled in the fridge and the “frosting” has formed a hard layer on top. While delicious warm and gooey, I and everyone else in my family much preferred these when they were solid, holdable bars (where you really get to appreciate the contrast between fudgy, brownie base and hard, chocolate top). Also, I didn’t have any more coconut oil on hand, so I made the frosting without, and the result was perfectly respectable (and delicious). Make these!!
I am SO happy these turned out amazing for you Katherine!! Thank you so much! ?