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5-Ingredient Healthy Banana Brownies (GF, No Sugar, Vegan)

These 5-ingredient healthy banana brownies feel oh-so-decadent but are actually gluten-free, naturally vegan, dairy-free, and don't use refined sugar. A perfect fast healthy brownie recipe in only 15 minutes!
The below recipe is halving the original recipe, and makes a pretty big one-person serving or nice smaller treat for two.  The recipe proportions are fairly forgiving, and once I started making it regularly I have tended to eyeball.  So you can do roughly half or two-thirds of this for a smaller portion and it has always turned out well for me.
Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Desserts
Servings: 1 large brownie (1-2 people)

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe medium banana but not overripe, see notes
  • 1/4 cup of peanut butter almond butter works fine too
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons of good cocoa powder see notes
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons of maple syrup optional, if your bananas aren't as ripe)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
  • Heavy pinch of sea salt
  • Sprinkle of cinnamon
  • Splash of vanilla extract
  • Optional: Peanut butter chips or chocolate chips for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F.  
  • Break up the banana in pieces in your food process or blender.  Add all the remaining ingredients except the peanut butter chips or chocolate chips (which are for sprinkling), and blend until smooth and thick.
  • Pour the batter into a small baking dish.  You can line it with parchment paper if you'd like, or just spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Bake for at least 10 minutes, but I usually need more like 15 and sometimes even 20 depending on how thick I make them.  Start checking at 10, you want the top puffy and not wet to the touch, but for them to still have a bit of jiggle.
  • Let the brownies sit and cool for 5-10 minutes before digging, so they set a bit.

Notes

  1. You want your bananas to be ripe...yellow, with brown spots forming. But not super overripe, where it's all squishy and brown. That will make these too sweet and watery.
  2. Peanut butter makes these amazing, but other nut butters should work fine (I can vouch for almond butter).
  3. I always strongly recommend using quality cocoa powder, it makes so much difference in flavor! Hershey's Special Dark and Rodelle Dutch Process are my go-to's.