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Aug 27, 2015

Easy Fudge Brownies Without Butter

Dark Chocolate Brownies Recipe

When they say dark chocolate is good for you they mean dark. Like 70% dark. So that’s what I put in my easy fudge brownies. I start by melting a dark chocolate bar and it makes the most intense brownie! With no butter!  And wait ’til you see how easy this recipe is. Dark chocolate bars are available in most grocery stores and they sell them at World Market (they’re cheaper there). To get health benefits, it should have at least 70% cacao.You can find bars from 68 to 72% that will work great but I try to keep it at 70-72%. I’ve used Scharffen Berger and World Market brand and there’s no difference in the end result.

Here is what I learned making these delicious brownies: You do not need butter to make rich-tasting, gooey, fudgy brownies and baking without butter is always my priority. (You can use melted butter in place of the oil if you like) I  did a taste test at home and asked my man to try one that had butter and one without and he could not tell the difference. Besides making desserts without butter I always try to use whole grains when possible but that did not work here. I tried and was hopeful but they turned to mush.

So the best I can do is no butter and lots of heart-healthy dark chocolate. Most brownie recipes use a stick or two of butter so if you need a brownie, this one is a better choice than one loaded with saturated fat. My recipe uses extra light olive oil instead of butter but you can use any vegetable oil you choose. And the nuts are optional but nuts are nutritious and full of protein and healthy fats so include them if you can. And toast them first – what a difference! The extra chocolate chips, well… that’s up to you and the darker the better.

One thing about melting chocolate: Chocolate is delicate and burns easily so I melt it in a saucepan but with oil added and over very low heat so it doesn’t burn. It takes about 2-3 minutes to melt but needs to be stirred because chocolate tends to hold its shape when melted and you might not know it’s ready until you stir it. The other options for melting are the microwave (which I have never done) and a double boiler (too much trouble).

This is the second brownie recipe I’ve posted. The other whole wheat brownie is not as fudgy but still nice & chewy and also made without butter, but it’s 100% whole wheat. Both my brownies are easy to make but this simple recipe is good for beginners because it uses just a few ingredients and no mixer is needed. In fact, this batter should only be mixed by hand and not over-mixed.  Oh, and don’t over bake the brownies! They should feel a little soft in the center when they’re done so don’t bake any longer than 20 minutes! Okay, that’s all. Click here for the recipe. – Jenny Jones

33 Comments on "Easy Fudge Brownies Without Butter"

  1. Nancy

    Made this dark chocolate brownies for the first time, exactly as per recipe. Tastes great! I did take it out of oven about 1 minute early.

  2. Susa

    I set timer for 20 mins but mine came out dry.. went by recipe. Not sure why

    Went by recipe.

    • Jenny Can Cook

      It could be from unknowingly changing the recipe, possibly using a different size pan or a different flour, or possibly your oven temperature is not accurate. Also, if you use a dark pan they might be over-baking. I make them regularly exactly as written and they always turn out.

  3. anniebananie

    Hi, Jenny- would you please let me (everyone) know the nutrition for your brownies. I have to watch it for my husband. Thanks so much. I enjoy watching your videos, your shortcuts, your instructions and your humor.

  4. Sanjana

    I’m trying the brownies for a getogether! I loved it

  5. Catherine Dickey

    I hear that dark chocolate is better for you So glad is in this Brownie recipe Enjoying watching I recognize you did you have a TV show at on time in the past?

  6. Glenda

    Can you provide the nutritional facts for this recipe? Thanks!

  7. Victoria

    Hi, Jenny — I used your brownie recipe yesterday after watching your video. I loved your video and the recipe was just wonderful. Thank you!

  8. Suzanne McCoy

    Great recipe! I made it as written. But instead of taking the brownies out at 20 minutes, I turned off the oven at 20 minutes and let them sit in the warm oven for 5 minutes, then took them out. They turned out perfect! Thank you

  9. Steven rowdy

    Thanks for sharing I baked it today! It was delicious! I took your advice not over mix and don’t go over twenty minutes!,it was heavenly yumm! Plus dark chocolate good for your ticket! Love your sense of humor too!hugs

  10. Nancy

    Wow. Just wow.
    Incredible brownies… this is THE recipe!
    I’m going to try with less sugar, because they were a bit over sweet for me… but EVERYONE loves these as is!
    And soooooo easy! I am a huge fan of easy!
    Thank you so much, I’ll be trying more of your recipies, they all look great!

  11. Elaine

    Hi Jenny ! I watched the video on these brownies and I’m making them today. They look really easy and quite tasty. I love your colorful kitchen and all your utensils lined up. I’ve been a fan since I used to watch your talk show and I wondered where you went. So surprised and happy to have found you again ! Greetings from Santa Fe !

  12. Tahereh

    First of all ,thank you for all your videos they are all nice. Seeing your good spirit , and your colorful kitchen with good recipes is very fun and joyful. And I tried a lot of your recipes and they all turned out perfect. And for this recipes I used 1/2 cup of sugar ,and it still tasted sweet.May be next time I even use a bit less sugar .
    But it was really great and everyone liked it a lot.
    My question is ,if we don’t have the baking chocolate or the cocoa can it be substitute one for another ? In fact I didn’t have cocoa and just add the backing chocolate and it was still soooo good.
    thanks again.

    • Jenny

      I have only made this recipe the way it’s posted but it sounds like the substitution worked for you.

  13. snownj1156

    u should post the recipe on how to make them ………!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

    • Olive Seeley

      Jenny HAS posted ALL her recipies AND Methods. If I found them, anyone, should be able to.

  14. Cinu Skaria

    Hi Jenny,
    Just made them… They are sooo chocolatyyy… 😉 I used 55% dark chocolate.. It was good though… I had sugar granules coating the top of the brownie.. Did I do something wrong? When I added sugar to the melted chocolate, it dint dissolve.. I tried melting the sugar along with the chocolate.. But Nothing much happened ..

  15. Georgia

    These look and sound amazing! I’ve found myself with limited ingredients and i don’t have cocoa powder. Is it still possible to cook these without cocoa and make a slightly sweeter one or any way to substitute it? Thanks.

    • Jenny

      Baking is an exact science sand I have only made these brownies as posted so I’m not able to help plus I don’t want to guess and have it fail.

  16. Aniya

    I made it jenny..it is amazing. I used extra dark baking chocolate so i reduce some sugar because it is already sweet..your recipe is always great..thank you

  17. Cat

    These were terrible, extremely dry and not chocolatey enough even though I added more than was stated!

    • Jenny Can Cook

      There is no reason for these brownies to be dry unless the recipe is changed in some way. Either using a different flour, adding more cocoa, or over-baking might cause that. An oven that’s too hot or baking for longer than 20 minutes also might have caused it. I make these brownies often and they are never dry so I hope you will try again with these notes in mind, following the recipe exactly, and let me know how they turn out.

    • Silly Sally

      If you changed Jenny’s recipie at all, it’s YOUR fault they did not turn out.
      Try again and go by the recipie as Jenny stated and do not substitute or change amounts! Jenny CAN Cook and her recipies are tried, tested and true and 99% of us follow her instructions and amounts and methods and they all turn out perfect!

  18. Seleena

    Jenny , this is for the first time I am trying one of ur recipes. .. your presentation is excellent. . I tried dark brownies. .. I have a doubt .. should v use sugar as it is or powdered? I used brown sugar… but after baking I could c sugary texture on top rather than flaky texture. ..is it because I used brown sugar or is it because I did not powder the sugar? But one thing I can say… what ever is the texture it was indeed very delicious. …

    • Jenny

      Whenever a recipe calls for sugar, it is granulated white sugar. That is different from powdered sugar and it’s definitely not brown sugar. A recipe will always specify “brown” sugar if that’s required or it will say “powdered” sugar if needed. Powdered sugar is rarely used in baking batters but most often used to make frosting and glaze. You will get a better result with this recipe if you use white granulated sugar, the kind you might put into coffee.

  19. Deb

    Hi Jenny,

    I have to tell you, you make cooking/baking so much fun. I LOVE to cook and bake, but to see you in the kitchen, to watch you cook/bake, to see all your gadgets…it’s just so much fun watching your videos.

    I read all of the comments that show under your video; I did not click the show more button to load more comments…SO, what surprised me is that no one mentioned your potholders. If you were serious when you said you made them, you know you now have to make just one special video showing how you made them. I had a pair of BEAUTIFUL blue potholders, but they caught fire. I can’t remember how, because I’m not a careless cook. However, I love the potholders so much I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away, even though they have holes in them due to being on fire. When I was a kid, I made potholders, the ones that came in a kit with the loom, bands, and crochet hook, but my blue ones that caught on fire were made similar to the ones you showed in your video. Mine even had a pocket on the front of them.

    Also, I’m VERY jealous of all the kitchen gadgets you have. Between electronic gadgets and kitchen gadgets, I don’t know which I love most. But, I love it that all of your gadgets, your utensils, your timers, are all so colorful, so funny, so cheery. I wish we still had a World Market here in my city, so that I could get the foods, cookware, etc. that you get at that Market.

    Anyway, keep doing the videos. You’re so funny. Because I’ve watched so many of your videos, I knew when you talked in this fudge brownie video about going to the dr. the day prior, and getting undressed in front of him, there was going to be a punch line about the dr not being one you would get undressed in front of, and I was right. I love it that you have that wonderful sense of humor.

    Take care, and please think about doing just one non-cooking video; a video showing how you made the potholders.

    Deb

  20. Joyful

    Jenny, made it today and truly it is SO GOOD. Thank you for sharing all the “no butter” recipes. My life has more meaning now that I get to enjoy these!

  21. France

    Hi Jenny,
    Your easy fudge brownies looks sooo delicious, i’d like to take a big bite, right now through the screen !!! So tempting, i think i’il make some this week end !
    Thanks for sharing !

  22. Lisa

    These look amazing. Can’t wait to try! BTW… your salmon cakes are now a weekly fave at our house. The fresh breadcrumbs make them PERFECT. Thanks for this site and your Youtube channel. Been watching you for years… this work is my favorite.

  23. Karie

    Hi Jenny!.. I LOVE your recipes especially the video’s…You are toooo funny!..
    Why don’t you make more of them ?????

    • Jenny

      Funny you should ask because I am making a video next week on these fudge brownies because they are so good and super easy.

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