These healthy, gluten-free Fudgy Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies are the perfect way to indulge without feeling guilty!
Healthy dessert
Dark chocolate is a very important part of anyone’s diet. Not only is it full of antioxidants, but it’s also a wonderful source of iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure, and decrease the likelihood of oxidative damage from LDL (bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL (good cholesterol) and improving insulin sensitivity!
Plus, of course, it makes you happy.
With such amazing benefits as these, I don’t mind making dark chocolate treats a part of my diet. And by that, I don’t mean eating a bar of Hershey’s every week. That kind of dark chocolate is undoubtedly loaded with sugar, soy, and other unnecessary ingredients.
Now, I’m not against the occasional use of coconut sugar, or organic cane juice, every now and again if your body can handle it. But I try to keep my sugar consumption to just once a month, to give my immune system as much help as possible.
Dark chocolate and peppermint – the best combo
Along with my dark chocolate, I love to add peppermint. The flavor-combo is one of my all-time favorites! Peppermint combines its natural energizing factors with vitamin A and C, iron, potassium, a high flavonoid content, and a substantial amount of antioxidants. So combining it with dark chocolate can make for one powerfully healthy dessert. 😉
Fudgy Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
I haven’t always been the biggest fan of brownies, but ever since going gluten-free about 6 years ago, they’ve fast become a favorite treat. Though black bean brownies were the first love, and I continue to enjoy them, I’ve since branched out into banana-based brownies, peanut butter, and coconut flour brownies.
These Fudgy Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies combine both the flavor and health of dark chocolate and peppermint into an easy to make, hard to resist a treat. Even my husband, who is not a fan of minty things, devour “those delicious brownies” as soon as I was done photographing them!
This recipe can be made with butter and buttermilk, which both lend a delicious flavor, in my opinion, but you can substitute coconut oil and coconut milk to easily make them dairy-free, as well.
Fudgy Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
Ingredients
Fudgy Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup organic coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup honey local is best!
- 6 Tbsp applesauce
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 2 Tbsp buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup rice flour
- 2 Tbsp tapioca
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Peppermint Chocolate Drizzle
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Whip butter, sugar, honey, and applesauce until creamy.
- Add in eggs and beat.
- Add in cocoa powder 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition.
- Stir in flour and starch.
- Add in buttermilk and peppermint extract.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Spread into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set.
- Combine drizzle ingredients in small bowl and drizzle over cooled brownies.
Notes
Kristine
These brownies look so fudgy and delicious! Brownies are one of my favorite treats of all time and I love this healthier version! Thank you!
Raia
Thank you, Kristine! I hope you get a chance to enjoy them. 🙂
Emily
These brownies look amazing and so rich! Perfect for the holidays. It would be great with a scoop of peppermint ice cream too!
Raia
Mmm! Yes, I’m sure peppermint ice cream would go wonderfully with them. 😉
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
Those are some seriously fudgy looking brownies. I’ve never worked with rice flour before – how does it compare to AP?
Raia
Thank you, Lisa. 🙂 Rice flour is quite different than AP flour. Since there’s no gluten, there’s not really a binder. The eggs and few tablespoons of tapioca flour helps with that, though. If you’d like to try them using regular AP flour, you can sub it for the rice flour and leave off the tapioca flour in the recipe.
Lisa
These sound fantastic!!! I love that they’re healthier than traditional brownies! My daughter – a certified brownie-aholic – will be home for Christmas break soon so I may have to make these for her!
Raia
Haha! I hope she enjoys them, Lisa. 😉