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Home » Recipes » Snacks

3 Ingredient Banana Brownies

Last Modified: Dec 16, 2023. Originally Published: Dec 21, 2022 by Janessa.

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Calling all chocolate lovers! If you're looking for a healthy alternative to regular brownies, give this 3-ingredient banana brownies recipe a try! Made without any added oil or refined sugar, it is the perfect recipe to curb your chocolate cravings. You'll love the fudgy centers.

Jump to:
  • The Ingredients
  • The Method
  • Leftovers and Storage
  • Make it Your Own
  • Serving Ideas
  • And if you liked this recipe...
  • Recipe Card
  • Comments
Healthy brownies on a green plate with bananas in the background.

If you're a firm believer that chocolate can be a part of a healthy diet, then these healthy flourless brownies are for you.

And if you sometimes bakes brownies just to enjoy some of the thick batter, then these are definitely for you. (Or try eating some Chocolate Hummus straight off the spoon).

Made with wholesome, simple ingredients, you can even rationalize eating these for breakfast. (Chocolate Granola is another great way to start your day).

Bananas provide all of the natural sweetness, nut butter makes them fudgy and contributes healthy fats (as it does in this edible brownie batter) and cocoa brings the chocolate. And that's it.

Combine, bake and enjoy!

Eat them warm, at room temperature or even frozen- they taste like a chocolate ice cream treat.

The Ingredients

Ingredients for healthy banana brownies.
  • Overripe Bananas- You need about 2 cups of mashed bananas for this recipe which is about 4 medium-large bananas or 3 very large bananas. This recipe is fairly forgiving though so if your bananas end up being a bit over 2 cups, just through them all in!
  • Nut Butter- Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter- whatever your prefer and have on hand. Ensure that you are using smooth nut butter that has been well stirred. This recipe should work with all natural or regular nut butters. To make it allergy friendly, check out this post on almond butter substitutes.
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder- (Or use cacao powder). If you love chocolate flavour, you can add up to ⅔ cup cocoa for extra rich chocolate flavour- the brownies may taste a bit less sweet though.

The Method

1. Mix. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or fork to mash the bananas until smooth. Mix in the almond butter and cocoa.

Or add all three ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth.

Bananas being mashed with a hand mixer and then the addition of almond butter and cocoa.

2. Bake. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Pour batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth out the brownie mixture into an even layer. Bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes until the top of the brownies appear set.

3. Cool. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Then, using the liner, lift the brownies from the pan and cut into bars.

Brownies before and after baking.

4. Serve.

Leftovers and Storage

To Store: Cool completely on a wire rack and store leftover banana brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw or eat frozen (they make an amazing frozen treat!).

Top view of 15 brownie squares assembled on a green plate.

Make it Your Own

Chunky Brownies- add up to 1 cup of:

  • Dark Chocolate Chips (Semi-sweet or white would also be delicious)
  • Chopped Nuts such as walnuts, almonds or peanuts
  • Peanut Butter Chips

Add Frosting- For a healthier icing alternative, try spreading a layer of chocolate hummus on top

Make the Sweeter- You can taste the batter before baking and if it is not sweet enough for your liking, you can add 2-4 tablespoon of sweetener such as coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup.

Add Sea Salt- Alternatively, adding a bit of salt to desserts can help bring out their sweetness and give them more flavour. Try adding ¼ teaspoon fine salt the batter or sprinkling the brownies with coarse sea salt after baking.

3 ingredient banana brownies stacked into a tower.

Serving Ideas

These brownies are the perfect healthy treat to satisfy a sweet craving. And since they are made with such wholesome ingredients, they don't have to be limited to dessert.

Pack them along for a quick snack or even enjoy them as an easy breakfast.

In the summer, I like to keep a batch of these frozen in the freezer for a satisfying cool treat- they remind me of a fudgesicle!

Hand holding a brownie.
Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes! Allow frozen bananas to thaw completely and then use them in this recipe. Ensure that you are freezing bananas that are very ripe and using those so that they provide enough sweetness.

Can I make these nut free?

You bet! To make 3 ingredient banana brownies friendly for those with nut allergies, use sunflower seed butter in place of the nut butter. Ensure that it is well stirred.

Do these taste like traditional brownies?

While these are super fudgy and delicious, you can definitely notice the taste of bananas. I love them and think that they make the perfect snack when I am craving a sweet treat. But if you're looking for something to taste exactly like a decadent dessert, these might not be it. Instead, try these Oat Flour Brownies which are made entirely with oat flour and taste like a classic brownie.

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

  • Banana Oat Pancakes
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
  • Lava Cakes
  • Apple Nachos
  • Banana Muffins

Recipe Card

Stack of brownies on a plate.

3 Ingredient Banana Brownies

With fudgy centers, these 3 ingredient banana brownies are quick to make and are a healthier way to satisfy your sweet tooth!
5 from 42 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 16
Calories: 98kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 medium ripe bananas (2 cups mashed)
  • ⅔ cup nut butter
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
US Customary - Metric
(Prevent your screen from going dark)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Prepare a 9 inch square baking pan by lining it with parchment or a silicone mat..
  • Mix the batter by adding all of the ingredients to a food processor and processing until smooth. Alternatively, if you don't have a food processor, you can mash the bananas until smooth in a large bowl. Add the nut butter and cocoa and mix until well combined.
  • Pour brownie batter into the baking pan and use a spatula to smooth into an even layer. Bake for 17-22 minutes until they appear set on top.
  • Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Cut and move to a wire rack to cool completely (or enjoy warm!).

Notes

Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

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Comments

    5 from 42 votes (37 ratings without comment)

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  1. Tayler says

    December 21, 2022 at 9:13 am

    5 stars
    I made these brownies today and oh my goodness were they delicious! Love that they’re only 3 ingredients!

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      December 21, 2022 at 1:11 pm

      I'm glad you liked this recipe, Tayler!

      Reply
  2. Toni says

    December 21, 2022 at 9:16 am

    5 stars
    This dessert is totally irresistible!! I will definitely make it again!

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      December 21, 2022 at 1:11 pm

      I'm glad you enjoyed these brownies, Toni!

      Reply
      • Janice says

        May 04, 2024 at 7:35 pm

        5 stars
        Hi Janessa, could I use the powdered peanut butter PB2 instead ? If so, how is the measurement of both the PB2 and water in grams please? Thank you.

        Reply
        • Janessa says

          May 05, 2024 at 9:32 am

          Hi Janice, thank you for your question. I have not personally tested this recipe with PB2 so I am not totally sure. I was doing a bit of research for recipes with PB2 and my best guess would be to use 1 cup of PB2 + 1/2 cup of water in place of the nut butter. However, I can't guarantee that will work... Please let me know if you decide to try it and how it goes!

          Reply
  3. Ned says

    December 21, 2022 at 10:29 am

    5 stars
    Oh these are great for camping! I love that I can cook them in my Dutch Oven. Thank you for sharing this!

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      December 21, 2022 at 1:10 pm

      Thank you for your kind review, Ned!

      Reply
  4. Tara says

    December 21, 2022 at 10:39 am

    5 stars
    Oh yum! You had me at just three ingredients. That texture looks absolutely amazing and I love the addition of the banana.

    Reply
    • Janessa says

      December 21, 2022 at 1:10 pm

      Thank you for your kind review, Tara!

      Reply
Janessa

Hi, I'm Janessa and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that are made with wholesome ingredients, are quick and easy and most importantly, delicious!

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