Healthy Cookie Dough Brownies

Eat dessert first, yep these Healthy Sprinkle Cookie Dough Brownies are even mom (well this mom anyways) approved for breakfast! Since the girls were little I would usually make them a little treat on the first day of school to eat for snack when they got home. Usually cookies, sometimes cupcakes, oh and on year I can’t remember what came up so we went out for ice cream at the local ice cream shop. We would enjoy a little treat and talk all about their exciting first day of school. Well this year again both girls are busy right after school and we will be going right from school to A’s gymnastics. Testing out some recipes before hand these Healthy Sprinkle Cookie Dough Brownies were an instant winner and we may just have to make an exception and have them for breakfast instead.

The brownie base is made with oats, cocoa powder, almond butter, liquid sweetener of choice (honey, maple syrup, or agave), and a couple other standard baking ingredients like baking soda. So basically oatmeal with almond butter and a drizzle of honey if I break it down? The topping is mostly chickpeas! Yes protein packed chickpeas! A little cashew (or peanut) butter, liquid sweetener, standard baking ingredients, and sprinkles or chocolate chips. You can go all in and go with a 1:1 ratio to topping and brownie as we did, or go with half the amount of topping which is probably what I’ll end up doing on the first day of school. I know there are many cookie dough and frosting fans out there, I am not one of them but there are a couple in my house, so it’s up to you. So protein packed oatmeal with nut butter and a few sprinkles? Hey I’m not over here justifying it but in my head I’m ok with the girls having a treat like this for breakfast on occasion and it would keep them full a lot longer than a bowl of sugary cereal or one of those toaster things. Not that I’m judging at all, I’m not, just if someone wants to question “dessert for breakfast”….

You don’t need to be heading back to school or a reason to make these Healthy Sprinkle Cookie Dough Brownies at all, sometimes you just need a brownie, or cookie dough, or sprinkles, or hey all of the above we’ve all been there. No? Ok maybe it’s just me. Either way I’m enjoying these delicious bites and all the summer moments before their gone, trust me neither seem to stick around for long. I still can’t believe the girls are going back to school next week and “summer” is over! I won’t be posting Friday. We’ve had so much going on this weekend, not all good but not all bad, and I’m going to try to enjoy these last days with the girls. I will still have a post scheduled for Monday since can’t skip Meatless Monday and hosting the link-up and have some exciting things coming for you next week!

Print Recipe

Healthy Cookie Dough Brownies

Delicious Healthy Cookie Dough Brownies are gluten free and vegan friendly that nobody will know are packed with protein!

Servings

9x9 pan

Ingredients

Brownies

• 1/2 c cocoa/cacao powder
• 1 cup almond butter
• 2/3 c pure maple syrup, sub honey or agave
• 2/3 cup rolled oats, gluten free if needed
• 2 TBSP non dairy milk, for fudgy brownies as shown
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Cookie Dough (see notes if you want half as much cookie dough topping)

• 2 15oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2/3-1 c cashew butter, or sub peanut butter
• 1/2 c agave, sub maple syrup or honey
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 TBSP sprinkles, or 3-4 TBSP mini chocolate chips
• 2 TBSP mini chocolate chips for drizzling, optional

Servings 9x9 pan Ingredients Brownies 1/2 c cocoa/cacao powder 1 cup almond butter 2/3 c pure maple syrup, sub honey or agave 2/3 cup rolled oats, gluten free if needed 2 TBSP non dairy milk, for fudgy brownies as shown 1/8 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp baking soda Cookie Dough (see notes if you want half as much cookie dough topping) 2 15oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2/3-1 c cashew butter, or sub peanut butter 1/2 c agave, sub maple syrup or honey 1 TBSP vanilla 1/2 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt 1/4 tsp baking soda 2 TBSP sprinkles, or 3-4 TBSP mini chocolate chips 2 TBSP mini chocolate chips for drizzling, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line an 9-inch pan with parchment paper or grease well, and set aside.
2. Process the oats in a food processor or blender until very fine almost flour texture.
3. Add cacao powder, baking soda, and salt and pulse just to combine.
4. In a large bowl stir together almond butter, liquid sweetener, and optional non dairy milk until smooth. If you use a very dry almond butter, you will probably want to add the milk.
5. Add dry ingredient to wet and stir with a spatula until combine, it will be thick.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth out with a spatula.
7. Bake 20 minutes on the center rack, they may look underdone when you take them out, set on the edges, but this is okay.
8. Let cool for 30 minutes.
9. While the brownies are cooling making make cookie dough. If you want to remove the skins off the chickpeas it is optional. I usually shake them in a strainer as I'm rinsing them and remove the skins that are in there but don't take the time to take them off each one.
10. In a food processor, or Vitamix, blend together chickpeas, nut butter (starting with 2/3rds cup), and liquid sweetener until smooth.
11. Add in cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and blend until combine. Test and add more nut butter to taste if desired.
12. Scrap mixture into a bowl, stir in chocolate chips if adding those instead of sprinkles. Place a sheet of plastics wrap directly on top of the mixture and place in the refrigerator. Or if your brownies are already cooled you can stir in sprinkles and add it right on top.
13. Once brownies have cooled add sprinkles to the cookie dough if adding and carefully spread on top of the brownies.
14. If adding drizzled chocolate on top melt 2 TBSP mini chocolate chips and drizzle over top of brownies, adding more sprinkles if desired.
15. Place brownies in the refrigerator to chill, about 1-2 hours before cutting, they are best enjoyed chilled (our preference).
16. Enjoy! (Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight, or covered container.)

Recipe Notes

If you want as much cookie dough topping as shown in the photos use half the listed amounts, still just as delicious!
If you like chickpeas you can make these with less nut butter in the cookie dough, I've made them with as little as 1/3 cup for a fluffier healthier frosting.

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