Generally, when I'm staring at a few ripe bananas on my countertop, I turn to the old standby's - my favorite ever gluten-free vegan chocolate chip banana bread, these moist paleo banana nut muffins or my vegan banana blueberry pancakes. All are such delicious uses for your ripe bananas, but recently, I was majorly craving all things chocolate and I wanted to turn those bananas into a chocolate-loaded recipe that would satisfy all my deepest chocolate cravings.
Enter: dark, rich, and fudgy vegan flourless banana brownies. We use three ripe bananas. When bananas are overripe, they naturally become sweetener and softer, which makes them the perfect baking ingredient because they add natural sweetness to the recipe. That also means we can use less sugar!
These flourless brownies are ready in 30 minutes and because they don't need any flour, they're naturally gluten-free. Of course, they're vegan as well, so they're egg-free and dairy-free. They're also super easy to make nut-free by preparing them with a seed butter, like sunflower seed butter, instead of the almond butter. Overall, these vegan brownies are as allergen-friendly as they are delicious!
Ingredients for banana brownies
Bananas - ripe bananas are key for they're sweetness and softness!
Almond Butter - I love a raw creamy almond butter for this recipe, but you can swap in any nut or seed butter you like. Use a seed butter like sunflower seed butter to make this recipe nut-free!
Coconut Sugar - my sweetener of choice! I recommend sticking with a granulated sweetener, and your favorite will work (white sugar, brown sugar, date sugar). Just avoid substituting a liquid sweetener like maple syrup or honey because they'll add too much moisture to the brownies and make them mushy.
Cacao Powder - I love using raw cacao powder (different than cocoa, which has been roasted). Cocoa can also be used if preferred.
Vanilla Extract - a must in every baked good. Make sure to use a pure vanilla extract for best results.
Baking Powder & Salt - for lift and flavor.
Chocolate Chips - I prefer deep, dark chocolate chips. I recommend about 1/3 cup, but you can always measure chocolate chips with your heart :)
How to make vegan banana brownies
Mash the bananas in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mash until there are no big chunks of banana left.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, besides the chocolate chips. Whisk to combine everything, until totally smooth.
Fold in the chocolate chips! Then, pour the brownie batter into a baking dish.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until baked all the way through.
Brownie Variations
- Crunchy Banana Brownies - add chopped nuts such as walnuts or almonds to the batter for a crunchy, nutty texture.
- Peanut Butter Banana Brownies - swap the almond butter for peanut butter or another favorite nut or seed butter for a different flavor profile.
- Banana Berry Brownies - add 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen berries to the batter for a fruity twist. Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries work well.
- Banana Bread Brownies - for more banana bread vibes, add 1 tsp of ground cinnamon to the batter. You can also top with sliced banana!
- Coconut Banana Brownies - add 1/2 cup of shredded coconut to the batter for a tropical flavor. You can also sprinkle some on top of the brownies before baking.
How to store and freeze
Store the banana brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, stop in an airtight container, with any layers separated with parchment paper so they don't stick together, for up to 3 months.
To reheat, simply microwave for 10-15 seconds or until warm and gooey. SO good topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
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