Guiltless Brownies

Bananas replace most of the fat in these brownies, and the trick actually works. Very ripe bananas get pureed with cocoa powder and a quarter cup of oil in a blender until smooth, creating a fudgy base that tastes like chocolate, not banana bread.

The key is using bananas that are genuinely very ripe, almost black-spotted. Ripe bananas are sweeter and moister, which means the recipe can get away with only half a cup of sugar and no butter. Underripe bananas taste starchy and won’t blend smooth, leaving you with a drier, less chocolatey brownie.

Whole-wheat flour adds a slightly nutty flavor and more fiber than white flour. You won’t notice the difference in a brownie loaded with cocoa and nuts. The chopped nuts add crunch that these fudgier, denser brownies really benefit from.

Pro Tips

• Line the pan with waxed paper or parchment sprayed with non-stick spray. These brownies stick more than butter-based versions because they have less fat.
• Don’t overbake. Pull them at the toothpick test. These go from fudgy to dry fast, and the banana moisture is what keeps them tender.
• Let them cool completely in the pan before cutting. Warm, they’re too soft to hold a clean edge.

Variations

• Double chocolate: Fold in a handful of mini chocolate chips for pockets of melted chocolate throughout.
• Peanut butter swirl: Drop spoonfuls of peanut butter on top of the batter before baking and swirl with a knife.