I’m perpetually on a quest to create desserts that use real ingredients, taste great, and still fit into my healthy lifestyle. These light brownies are just that. A few key ingredient swaps, way less sugar and oil, and a delicious result. At just 3 WW SP and 99 calories a pop, go ahead – indulge.
Making light brownies
These brownies are made with pretty simple ingredients, many of which are likely sitting in your pantry/fridge. They’re also a perfect small-batch recipe, made in a 9×5 loaf pan.
- Flour
- Cocoa powder
- Espresso powder (not essential, but gives the cocoa a depth of flavor that I love)
- Sugar (I used white sugar, but you can use a sugar substitute if you prefer)
- Unsweetened applesauce, in lieu of lots of butter
- Smart Balance, a butter substitute, for moisture
- Milk, for texture
- Egg
- Baking soda, salt, vanilla
This recipe is also crazy easy. Just combine your wet ingredients in one bowl, dry ingredients in another, and then mix the two together. Stir until you have a uniform mixture, bake, cool, cut, and enjoy!
Variations
There are a few ways to mix there up and make them your own.
- As mentioned above, if you want to keep them sugar free, use a sugar substitute.
- You can add whatever mix ins or toppings you like. I like to add some Lily’s chocolate chips, which taste great and are 2 SP for 60 chips, so you get more bang for your buck (er, points). Peanut butter chips work great as well as pretzels, m&ms, Oreos, etc. I used Nestle Toll House’s new Easter Morsels (and just left out the eggs) – it’s a mix of peanut butter chips, pretzels, and little Easter eggs.
- If you’re looking to feed a crowd, double the recipe and bake in an 8×8 pan to keep the fluff factor.
Light Brownies
Jacklin AltmanHave your cake and eat it too with these lightened up brownies. Made with minimal sugar and oil and a few sneaky swaps, these brownies are rich, cakey, and just 3 WW SP each when cut into 8.
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 17 minutes mins
Total Time 32 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 99 kcal
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- 9×5 Loaf Pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Flour all purpose
- 1/4 cup Cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1/2 tsp Espresso powder
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 Egg
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 1 tbsp Smart Balance melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line desired baking pan with parchment paper or cooking spray. For fluffy brownies, use 9×5 loaf pan. Double recipe for 8×8.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together. until ingredients are well-combined.
- In another mixing bowl, combine applesauce, vanilla, egg, milk, and melted Smart Balance. Pour wet ingredients into dry, and stir together until your mixture is uniform.
- Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool before cutting (about 20 minutes). Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 99kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 133mgPotassium: 73mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 98IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg
Keyword dessert, brownie, chocolate, vegetarian, weight watchers, WW
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2 thoughts on “Light Brownies”
Awesome brownie recipe! Easy to make and delicious!
So glad you liked them!