These healthy vegan chocolate coconut brownies are insanely good. The chewy texture from the coconut, the richness from ripe banana and cocoa powder and the added chocolate chips, these brownies have got it all. They’re also gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free and have no added sugar.

Healthy Chocolate Coconut Brownies - Running on Real Food

A Healthier Brownie

They were a bit of a happy accident too. I was planning on banana coconut cookies but when the batter wasn’t turning out how I wanted, I added cocoa, then chocolate chips and it was looking more like brownie batter and then……oh my god..drool..so good.

These bars are a bit higher in fat due to the unsweetened shredded coconut but in addition to being one of my favourite ingredients, coconut is a good source of iron and zinc, both important minerals for plant-based athletes. These fudge-like bars actually make a good pre or post-workout snack thanks to the balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein they contain. If I can get away with chocolate post-workout, obviously, I’m going to!

Vegan Coconut Chocolate Brownies - Running on Real Food

Ingredients Needed

  • Banana. Spotty, over ripe bananas are perfect, however, if your bananas aren’t that ripe yet, that’s fine, the brownies just won’t be as sweet.
  • Unsweetened shredded coconut. Use fine to medium, unsweetened shredded coconut. You could technically use sweetened coconut but that would add a lot of sugar and I wouldn’t recommend it.
  • Chocolate or vanilla vegan protein powder. You can use any vegan protein powder. I used Vega in this recipe. I have not tested this recipe with whey protein.
  • Cocoa powder. Cocoa powder adds the dark chocolate, fudgy goodness. You can also use cacao powder for extra health benefits.
  • Sweetener. The brownies aren’t super sweet with just the banana and protein powder so if you’d like them a bit sweeter, I’d recommend added a little stevia powder or stevia drops, to taste. You can also use maple syrup or coconut sugar, however, those will increase the carbohydrate count.
  • Chocolate chips. I added Enjoy Life Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips for extra chocolate yumminess. They’re optional but recommended! You could also use chopped dark chocolate. You can sprinkle some on top like I did or mix them all right into the batter. Feel free to use more than I did!
  • Flavour enhancers. I added a bit of sea salt and vanilla for extra flavour but they’re both totally optional.
Vegan Chocolate Coconut Brownies - Running on Real Food
Grain-Free Chocolate Coconut Brownies with Protein Powder - Running on Real Food
Gluten-Free Chocolate Coconut Brownies - Running on Real Food

Alright, so first of all, you only need 6 ingredients to make these. Actually only 5 if you skip the added stevia. They take just minutes to prep in a blender or food processor and are made from healthy ingredients like coconut and banana.

The recipe is egg-free, dairy-free, oil-free and gluten-free and has no added sugar. I know, it’s hard to imagine what could be left after all that but what’s left is slightly firm, slightly soft and chewy, rich, chocolate coconut brownies that can be enjoyed any time of day. These taste like dessert to me but they’re definitely a little more healthy tasting than a traditional chocolate brownie.

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Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Coconut Brownies - Running on Real Food

6-Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Coconut Brownies

  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 brownies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

You only need 6 simple ingredients to make these delicious, vegan chocolate coconut brownies. They’re oil-free, gluten-free, grain-free and have an amazing rich flavour and texture. Enjoy as a snack, dessert or even breakfast!

★★★★★

4.5 from 4 reviews
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place all the ingredients except the chocolate chips in a food processor or blender and mix until it forms a thick batter.
  3. Stir in the 2 tbsp of chocolate chips.
  4. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray then fill with the batter, using a spoon or spatula to spread flat.
  5. Evenly sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of chocolate chips on top.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes.
  7. Let cool for a couple of minutes in the plan then cut into 8 squares and gently lift out of the pan.

Notes

  • I recommend using a digital food scale to measure your ingredients. Volume measurements can vary greatly, so for best results, use a scale for accuracy. Buy one here.
  • To reduce the amount of carbs and fat per serving, you can omit the chocolate chips, though I wouldn’t recommend this! If you make them without chocolate chips, 1/8th of the recipe will be 14C/11F/5P.
  • I used 1 tsp raw stevia, which is optional but I wanted the recipe to be a little sweeter than with just the banana and protein powder. Sweeten to your own preference using the stevia drops, powdered stevia, coconut sugar or pure maple syrup. If you’re skipping the added sweetener, make sure you have nice, ripe, spotty bananas for the best taste. They’re still really good without the added sweetener.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 brownie
  • Calories: 202
  • Fat: 13
  • Saturated Fat: 10
  • Carbohydrates: 19
  • Fiber: 5
  • Protein: 5

Keywords: gluten-free, oil-free, high-protein

This recipe was Originally Posted on April 10, 2016. It was Updated in May 2019 with new photos and text.