Sometimes mornings should start with chocolate. Don’t you agree? I assume that you do, otherwise you wouldn’t be looking at this recipe for dairy-free breakfast brownies! These moist, rich brownies use that magical combination of cocoa, peanut butter, and banana, with a few other add-ins for the perfect flavor.
Dairy-Free Breakfast Brownies that are Fit for a Queen
This dairy-free breakfast brownies recipe was shared with us by the chefs at Dole. It’s a “royal” treat inspired by Queen Amaya, a character in Disney’s animated film Wish. Their version is naturally made without dairy, but I’ve added some FAQs below and some options within the recipe.
What Other Pan Sizes Can I Use for this Brownie Recipe?
A 7×11-inch baking pan will work in place of the 9×9-inch baking dish for this brownie recipe. You could also substitute two 9×5-inch bread pans. The brownies will cook a little quicker in these smaller pans, so start checking in a bit earlier. If you only have an 8×8-inch baking dish, you might need to cook these brownies a little longer to get them to bake through in the middle. If using a larger baking dish, they will likely cook a little quicker, so keep a close eye.
Are these Really Dairy-Free Brownies?
It’s not uncommon to think that all chocolate contains dairy or to think eggs are dairy. But don’t worry, these really are dairy-free brownies! See the following posts for more information: Are Eggs Dairy? and Is Chocolate Dairy Free?
What Can I Substitute for the Almond Flour?
You could use another nut “flour” like hazelnut flour or meal. Do not substitute coconut flour for the almond flour. It absorbs too much moisture and would lead to a dry result. I can’t recommend a grain-based flour without experimentation. But oat flour, all-purpose flour (if you don’t need gluten-free brownies), or other flour might work just fine.
What Type of Cocoa Powder Should I Use?
Fortunately, these dairy-free breakfast brownies should work fine with either type of cocoa powder. The chefs at Dole use unsweetened cocoa powder, which is also called natural cocoa powder. This will create less sweet brownies with a hint of contrasting chocolate bitterness. If you want a sweeter finish, you can use Dutch processed cocoa powder.
What Other Sweeteners Can I Use?
You can substitute another granulated sugar, like date sugar or maple sugar. I can’t recommend using a liquid sweetener, like maple syrup, or a sugar-free sweetener without testing. Either of these could affect the taste and more likely, the texture.
Can I Substitute Almond Butter for the Peanut Butter?
You certainly can! Most types of nut or seed butters will work just fine as a substitute for the peanut butter. But I do recommend using one that is salted. A little bit of salt adds more depth to the flavor and can even make these dairy-free breakfast brownies taste a little sweeter and richer.
Can I Omit or Substitute the Cocoa Nibs?
If you can’t find cocoa nibs (also called cacao nibs), you can omit them, or substitute your favorite dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in these dairy-free breakfast brownies.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Breakfast Brownies
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, grain-free, optionally peanut-free, soy-free, optionally paleo, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose the “butter” and sweetener that suit your dietary needs.
For dairy-free and egg-free healthy brownies, see this Healthy Vegan Blender Brownies Recipe.
Dairy-Free Breakfast Brownies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
These brownies are a morning treat, indeed! But each serving contains just eight grams of added sugar and has a nice balance of vitamins, minerals, and energizing nutrients.
Author: Dole
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Serves: 12 brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup cane sugar (can sub coconut sugar)
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 very ripe bananas
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup + ¼ cup salted peanut butter, divided (sub sunflower seed butter for peanut-free)
- ¼ cup cocoa nibs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda until combined.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add the eggs and ¾ cup peanut butter and whisk or mix to combine. Add the almond flour mixture and whisk to combine. Fold in the cocoa nibs.
- Spread the brownie batter in your prepared dish. Drop dollops of the remaining ¼ cup peanut butter over the brownie batter. With a butter knife or toothpick, swirl the peanut butter into the batter.
- Bake the breakfast brownies for 30 minutes or until firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively clean.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Cut the brownie into fourths one way and into thirds the other way.
Nutrition Information
Serving size:1 brownie Calories:258 Fat:16.5g Saturated fat:4.2g Carbohydrates:25.6g Sugar:15.5g Sodium:125 Fiber:4.4g Protein:8.9g
