Cashew Nut Butter Brownies: A Healthier Bake
Well I know it’s very hard to make brownies healthy, but bear with me. I’ve done my best to make these cashew nut butter brownies as healthy as possible whilst still retaining their essential sweet fudgy brownieness. I think I’ve done it.
Basically, I’ve used a whole heap of healthy ingredients to make these cashew nut butter brownies. They’re all delicious in their own right. So, I used coconut oil and cashew nut butter in lieu of butter and rapadura instead of sugar. And to top it off, my flour of choice is freekeh. Freekeh? Rapadura? If you’ve no idea what I’m going on about, read on.
What is Rapadura?
Rapadura is a form of dried cane juice and is said to be the least harmful form of sugar. It retains all the vitamins and minerals removed by the refining process. I’ve used this form of sugar for many years now.
Excuse me while I indulge in a trip down memory lane. It always reminds me of cycling through the sugar cane fields in Egypt, gnawing on a piece of cane as we pedalled.
What Is Freekeh?
Talking of Egypt, freekeh is a commonly eaten form of wheat there. It’s made by harvesting the grains when young and green, roasting then drying them in the sun. Those in the know reckon it’s particularly nutritious with a low glycemic index. It has a pleasant nutty scent and flavour and I’m quite taken by it.
For a whole grainy take on freekeh, take a peek at my recipe for freekeh with chilli chickpeas and herbed vegetables.
Healthy Fats
When a leading purveyor of sports nutrition, My Protein asked me to choose some products from their range, I was excited to see organic freekeh in stock. I’ve never actually used it before and was keen to do so. I also chose some coconut oil and a kilo tub of cashew nut butter – yes, a whole kilo.
Of all the nut butters cashew nut butter is my favourite, but this is the first time I’ve ever cooked with it. Coconut oil seems to have come into its own recently. It provides a healthy alternative to dairy fat and its benefits are well known.
Healthy Cashew Nut Butter Brownies
Seeing as brownies feature in this month’s We Should Cocoa, why not, I thought, use these three ingredients for a healthier take on an old classic. I debated whether to mix in the nut butter thoroughly or ripple it through the mixture. The latter won out. I’m so glad it did, because I love the finished ripple effect.
Well you wouldn’t know these cashew nut butter brownies were a healthier version. This is because they’re lush, fudgy and have a true brownie taste and texture. The nut butter, interspersed like cookie dough through ice cream, gives additional variation in flavour, texture and appearance. If you like cashews, these are the brownies for you.
Stop Press – Jan 2016
My recipe for cashew nut butter brownies has only gone and been published in the latest edition of the Cranks Bible.
Other Recipes for Healthy (ish) Bakes You Might Like
- Almond squash cake (gluten-free)
- Chia seed muffins (vegan)
- Coconut chocolate cake made with chickpea flour (vegan)
- Coconut chocolate chip cookies
- Peanut butter banana muffins (vegan)
- Pumpkin scones (vegan)
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these healthy cashew nut butter brownies, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more brownie recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Healthy Cashew Nut Butter Brownies. PIN IT.
Cashew Nut Butter Brownies – The Recipe
Cashew Nut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
- 150 g dark chocolate
- 80 g coconut oil
- 200 g rapadura dried cane juice – you can use coconut sugar or unrefined light brown sugar instead
- 3 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 60 g freekeh flour you can use kamut, spelt or wholemeal flour if you can't get freekeh
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) or use ½ tsp baking powder instead of the bicarb and cream of tartar
- ½ tsp cream of tartar or use ½ tsp baking powder instead of the bicarb and cream of tartar
- 4 tbsp cashew nut butter
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a large pan over a low heat.150 g dark chocolate, 80 g coconut oil
- Turn of the heat and stir in the rapadura.200 g rapadura
- Beat in the eggs one by one.3 large eggs
- Sift in the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.60 g freekeh flour, 2 tsp cocoa powder, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), ½ tsp cream of tartar
- Scrape into a 20cm (8 inch) square silicone mould or lined tin.
- Spoon in the cashew nut butter and swirl amongst the batter to distribute.4 tbsp cashew nut butter
- Bake at 180℃ (350℉, Gas 4) for 25 minutes or until almost firm, but with a slight wobble. Allow to cool, then cut into 12 pieces.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
#WeShouldCocoa
As stated, this month’s We Should Cocoa is all about brownies. Katie over at Recipe for Perfection is hosting and you still have five days left to join in the fun. And Tin and Thyme also has a brownie collection post – all the brownie recipes you will ever need.
Hello Choclette,
I finally made your healthier brownies last weekend, and it turned out really well. I used 70g of 50% whole spelt flour (not sure if this is the right way to naming it in english) and it seems to be the exact amount needed for the recipe. Also, as it is impossible to find cream of tartar here, I just used 1/2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda instead, and it didn’t seem to impact too much the rising.
Even with these changes, the brownies were really, really good, even if I overcooked them a little. And I can’t agree with you more: the addition of cashew nut butter is a terrific idea!
Thank you so much for this recipe, I think I’ll make it again very soon.
Hi Marie. Thanks for letting me know and I’m glad you liked them. Next time, just use 1/2 tsp baking powder instead of the cream of tarter and bicarb of soda. I’d better update the recipe again to reflect that. You’re making me work hard!
I’d love to see a photo next time you make them if you can.
Hello Choclette,
Thanks for your answer. I’ll give it a try with spelt flour then (I think I will do it next week-end) and I will come back to you to tell you how it went (but as for all the recipes I have tried from your blog, I have great hopes of something really, really delicious).
Have a nice evening.
Aw thanks Marie. That’s really kind of you 🙂
Hello Choclette,
I want to try your recipe for a very long time now, but there is no chance that I could find freekah flour around here. What would you suggest to use instead, do you think spelt could be a good replacement? Should the batter be runny or thickier?
Hi Marie – spelt flour should be absolutely fine as a direct replacement. Let me know how you get on.
Healthy or not, sign me up for a plate (or two). I absolutely love cashews and would love to try this out!
Thanks Katie – they are very moreish indeed.
These sound lovely, I must try using freekah and cashew nut butter, recently started using hazelnut butter for a few things. Thanks.
Ooh hazelnut butter sounds delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever tried it.
Well, you’ve got me here! I’m definitely being educated today reading about the ingredients you have used in these indulgent brownies.
Haha, I do my best Maggie 😉
So good to hear alternative versions of the brownie! And ‘healthier’ too…!
Thanks Annie 🙂
Mmm what a great sounding recipe! It looks fantastic too! xx
Thank you Brogan.
Love the texture from the cashew butter rippled into the frekkeh and have never used rapadura before.
Thanks Manjiri. I’m glad I opted for rippling the cashew butter rather than mixing it in, it looks nice and was more interesting to eat too.
What an unusual set of ingredients. The brownie looks amazing though and cashew nut butter is always incredible! Egypt is one of my favourite places!
Thanks Kate. Poor Egypt, it’s going through a tough time.
Healthy Brownies that remain super fudgy and delicious while being that little better for us? Ohh Choclette, these sound really rather perfect!
Haha, that’s what I though Kate 🙂
Wow. The cane juice sounds fascinating. I’ve used a plant syrup recently too and it’s great in tea and coffee. Love this brownies. They were fudgy so they clearly worked well!!
It’s dried cane juice and looks pretty much like fine brown sugar Dom, so it works in a similar way. Intrigued by your plant syrup – what plant?
Those are some well traveled brownie ingredients. They look amazing, especially with the big swirls of cashew butter. Delicious and a lovely twist
True Katie, only the duck eggs were local!
healthy brownies…definitely a winner! xx
Haha, healthyish Fiona.
They look so fudgey and indulgent I can’t believe that it’s a healthier version. I’ve never heard of rapadura before and am intrigued.
They taste fudgy and indulgent Ros 🙂
Your brownies look delicious & I love the sound of cashew nut butter with the coconut oil. I’ve not come across rapadura before, definitely on my list for trying.
Thanks Sarah. The brownies were fab and they lasted well too. I think they got even better as they aged. We used to have a brilliant organic shop here in Liskeard and I stocked up on rapadura then. Sadly it closed a couple of years ago, so I will have to find another source as my stocks are pretty much out now.
Choclette, these look wonderful with that cashew butter! I’ve tried so many different flours, but haven’t gotten around to freekah yet. Must try it soon.
Thanks Jean. I’m really enjoying the freekah flour.
My dad loves rapadura, I was brought up eating rapadura. He is convinced it is good for you! The brownie recipe looks delicious! x
Good to find someone who is so familiar with rapadura – I think it’s great.
omg how amazing! I hope these translate to vegan using flax eggs…LOVE the cashew butter idea. Never bought rapadura, but often use the Indian equivalents, kolhapuri gour or sukkar. Almost a molasses taste. Look out for a choc brownie recipe for Fair Trade fortnight live on our blog on Tuesday 🙂
I’ve not heard of any of those, so that’s interesting to hear, thank you. Will also be interesting to try this with flax eggs – will be interested to see how you get on.
These sound amazing, healthy brownies?! Too goo to be true!
Steady on – healthier was the operative word 😉
Oh yum! I love brownies and these definitely look delicious especially with that cashew nut butter!
Thank you, they’ve passed a few taste testers now with flying colours 😉