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About This Recipe
Chocolate and mint – what a match mate in heaven! Even better when the chocolate is in the form of a moist, rich chocolate brownie and the mint is in the form of a creamy, chilled cream cheese frosting.
Just like in my Protein Black Bean Brownies, the dense, amazing texture is in part due to the black beans. I swear, you can’t taste them. And they really bring so much to this recipe. They allow the brownies to be moist and voluminous (bigger pieces) without bringing a whole lot of extra calories in.
These brownies are amazing on their own, but they are especially amazing with a small touch of something crunchy on top. Like Oreo’s, or Oreo pie crust crumbled up. Taste, texture, flavor – hits every spot!
If you love chocolate and mint and are looking for a fun holiday variation, check out my Peppermint Brownies! Or for more layered brownie goodness, try my Mississippi Mud Brownies one of my ALL TIME favorite brownie recipes!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Mint Brownies
- So much fudginess – as long as you do not over-bake, these brownies are so fudgy! They become even more fudgy after sitting in the fridge overnight and allowing the flavors to come together.
- Creamy mint + chocolate brownie – something so refreshing about this combo, right? I am not a huge mint person, but there is just a touch in this frosting and it is the perfect amount to make these amazing!
- Lightened-up and lower calories – less calories than your typical box brownies.
- Protein packed – one brownie packs 12g of protein!
- They are delicious! Dense, fudgy, brownie paired with creamy mint frosting and chocolate drizzle. I mean dang!
- You can feel good about eating them – not only are they out of-this-world delicious, but they are made with healthy ingredients so you can feel good about what you’re eating.
- Black beans – these make the brownies dense and you do not taste them at all. If you do not have black beans, cannellini beans would also work.
- Cocoa Powder – I love Hershey’s dark.
- Pumpkin – I think these brownies taste best with pumpkin, but you could also use applesauce.
- Egg whites
- Almond milk – or any milk of choice
- Protein Powder – I used PEScience Mint Chocolate Cookie for the brownies and vanilla for the frosting, but any chocolate or vanilla flavor would work. If you use another brand, just make sure it is also a whey + casein blend. For all PEScience products, you can use code “LaurenFitFoodie” to save 10%.
- All-purpose flour – oat flour, whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour or almond flour would all work as a sub. Just note that subbing a different flour may change the nutrition for each brownie.
- Sweetener – I used Swerve granular sweetener.
- Cream cheese – I get fat-free cream cheese from Harris Teeter. Depending on where you are located, you may not be able to find fat free cream cheese frosting and that is okay. Reduced-fat cream cheese works the same and it would only increase the fat slightly. I have included the nutrition information for both!
- Peppermint extract – just a touch to give it a slight mint flavor! You can omit if you would like.
- Green food coloring – to make the brownies look good and minty!
How To Make
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and/or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a food processor or high-powered blender, add the black beans, pumpkin, egg whites and almond milk. Pulse/blend until a smooth batter is formed. Add in the protein powder, cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and sweetener. Blend again until ingredients are combined. Pour the batter into the baking dish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges are set. A toothpick inserted along the edges should come out clean and inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean. Let cool completely, then cover and store in the fridge for 1-2 hours to chill and set before adding frosting.
- While the brownies are in the oven, prepare the creamy mint layer. Using a hand mixer or food processor, combine the cream cheese, protein powder, almond milk, confectioners sugar, peppermint extract and food coloring. Blend until frosting is completely smooth. Store in the fridge, covered, until brownies are ready to frost.
- After the brownies have had time to chill, add creamy mint layer evenly on top of brownies and spread evenly across.
- Melt the butter and whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until butter is melted. Add in the chocolate chips, and stir until silky and smooth. Add the chocolate ganache over the creamy mint layer. Gently spread with a knife or silicone spatula. Place the brownies in the refrigerator to set for a minimum of one hour, or until ready to eat.
How do I store these brownies?
Keep brownies stored covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. I use a baking pan that has a lid, like this one here. But wrapping with saran wrap or storing in a storage container works just as well.
Do these brownies taste like black beans?
No, you can’t even tell there are black beans in these brownies. They help give these brownies the best fudgy texture! They allow the brownies to be moist and voluminous (bigger pieces) without bringing a whole lot of extra calories in. Plus, they add great fiber!
What is black cocoa powder?
Black cocoa powder is a cocoa powder that has been heavily dutched or alkalised. This is what makes Oreo cookies so dark in color they’re almost black. Black cocoa powder is becoming more and more popular in grocery stores, but I know I always still have a hard time finding it, so I usually just order off Amazon. Wincrest and Cocoa Traders are my favorite go-to brands.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Chocolate Mint Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie Layer:
- 1/2 cup chocolate or vanilla protein powder (62g)
- 1/4 cup dark or black cocoa powder (30g)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup Swerve granular sweetener (48g) 48g
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans rinsed and drained (270g once drained)
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (122g)
- 3 Tbsp egg whites (46g)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (60g)
Creamy Mint Layer:
- 6 oz fat free cream cheese (168g) softened
- 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder (31g)
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk (30g)
- 1/4 cup Swerve confectioners sugar (36g)
- 1/8 tsp peppermint extract
- 3 to 4 drops green food coloring
Chocolate Ganache:
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (112g)
- 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream (30g)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (14g)
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and/or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
For the Brownies:
- In a food processor or high-powered blender, add the black beans, pumpkin, egg whites and almond milk. Pulse/blend until a smooth batter is formed. Add in the protein powder, cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and sweetener. Blend again until ingredients are combined. Pour the batter into the baking dish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges are set. A toothpick inserted along the edges should come out clean and inserted in the middle should come out mostly clean. Let cool completely, then cover and store in the fridge for 1-2 hours to chill and set before adding frosting.
For the Creamy Mint Layer:
- While the brownies are in the oven, prepare the creamy mint layer. Using a hand mixer or food processor, combine the cream cheese, protein powder, almond milk, confectioners sugar, peppermint extract and food coloring. Blend until frosting is completely smooth. Store in the fridge, covered, until brownies are ready to frost.
- After the brownies have had time to chill, add creamy mint layer evenly on top of brownies and spread evenly across.
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- Melt the butter and whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until butter is melted. Add in the chocolate chips, and stir until silky and smooth. Add the chocolate ganache over the creamy mint layer. Gently spread with a knife or silicone spatula. Place the brownies in the refrigerator to set for a minimum of one hour, or until ready to eat.
Notes
- 181 calories 14.9C | 8.6F | 11P
- MFP entry: LFF Creamy Mint Brownies with RF
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
