Soaked Brownies
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These soaked brownies are a healthy chocolate dessert. This recipe is easier to digest than most because of a couple tricks with the ingredients.
There are so many wonderful recipes out there for brownies. I used to make them with white flour and sugar, but they didn’t exactly qualify as real food.
I’ve put together several healthier versions of brownies so we can still enjoy them. This version of soaked brownies uses soaked white whole wheat flour for the grain and maple syrup and banana for the sweetener.
This recipe isn’t gluten-free or dairy-free, but I use a couple tricks to make the gluten and dairy easier to digest. By soaking the flour overnight in vinegar water, the gluten partially breaks down so it doesn’t present such a complicated project for the digestive system.
Instead of traditional butter, I use ghee. This is clarified butter, where the milk solids are separated out from the rest of the butter. The milk solids contain casein, which is a protein in dairy products that’s difficult for many people to digest. Those of us with dairy sensitivities don’t usually have a problem with ghee, so we can enjoy that buttery taste and texture that’s crucial in some recipes.
If you’re gluten-free, you’ll want to try my gluten-free brownies. And don’t miss my pumpkin brownies for a delicious flavor and unique texture.
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup water plus 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 a banana mashed
- 1/2 cup melted ghee cooled slightly
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, soak the flour in the vinegar water for 12 to 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, banana, ghee, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Add the soaked flour to the large bowl and stir to fully combine all the ingredients.
- Pour the batter into the 9 x 9 inch pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and cut into 9 squares.
Approximate Nutrition Info
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Soaked Brownies Price Breakdown
This recipe costs $2.82 to make, or $.31 per brownie. That’s a great price for a treat you can feel good about giving to your children.
Granted, I made the dairy version (kefir instead of water + acid, and butter instead of ghee), but this recipe is 👌 and I’m sure just as good without the dairy. I grind my own wheat and had a very liquid dough so added 1/4 to 1/2 cup more, plus about 1/8 cup more cocoa powder for a heavier chocolate taste. Delicious! The banana really shows for only being a half. My husband doctored the brownies with ice cream, fudge sauce and powdered cocoa + espresso for our anniversary. Will make again!
I second the motion to make your own Ghee. Super easy. Those brownies look delicious. I love the banana as sweetener, good idea!
Thank you! I will definitely try making the ghee soon. My little overpriced bottle from Whole Foods is almost empty.
Cool idea to tweak the gluten in the flour, I will have to try that, thanks for sharing! I like using ghee in almost everything, especially when making patties because it smells so good when they’re cooking!
I definitely need to find a more affordable source of ghee because it’s very expensive at Whole Foods. I’m going to try an Indian market. What kind of patties do you make with ghee?
I use it in venison burgers (since they’re not heavily seasoned, so more ghee flavor comes through) and sometimes turkey burgers. I make my own ghee, it’s easy, but you just need to be in the kitchen and watch the stove: melt 1 pound unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to a simmer, reduce heat, stirring w/slotted spoon. After about 5 minutes butter will form a white froth on the surface and you’ll hear snap-crackle-pops as the moisture evaporates. Keep stirring at regular intervals. After about 10 minutes, the froth will start to sink to the bottom where it will turn brown (watch it more closely at this point, I ruined a whole pound of butter when it overcooked!) Skim residual foam and discard. When butter is clear (and should start smelling good) turn off heat and let sit for 15 minutes. When it’s cool, pour ghee through a coffee filter-lined strainer over a large heat-proof measuring cup. Transfer to clean glass jars.
I’m not sure if the quality will be the same, as I’ve never tried store-bought ghee (the price scared me off!) But try this, it’s way cheaper and makes your kitchen smell like a movie theater concession stand! 😀
I will definitely try that. I’m sure I’ll burn it the first time through, so I’ll have to find a good sale on butter!
I can pretty much guarantee you won’t burn it the first time. I burned it the 3rd or 4th time, because I got too confident and left the kitchen to do something else. BIG mistake! 😀
What an interesting method and recipe – delicious!
Thanks!