Go back to your childhood with these Healthy Little Debbie Copycat Cosmic Brownie Bites! These are extremely fudgy, and made with natural ingredients like avocado and almond butter!
It may be hard to believe looking at them, but these are made with not 1, but 2 avocados.
The Avocados are what give this that nice fudgy texture that really reminds you of Little Debbie.
I impulsively made these one day when I was craving a brownie, but not just a typical brownie, a frosted thick brownie, but in bite-sized pieces.
After cruising down the isle at the grocery store to buy cacoa powder I passed Little Debbies Cosmic Brownies and BAM, I knew I had to make them!
As you know, Little Debbie is not a Healthy Childhood memory. It’s a sweet, sugary one that involves a lot of sugar, butter, and nothing gluten free or dairy free.
How Does One Health-ify These In A Tasty Way?
To make a gluten free and dairy free (look at recipe for sub.) homestyle version I start with the roots, the ingredients. I look at what a typical Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie Contains and I look at what I can swap.
I swapped almond flour for wheat flour
I Used Truvia and reduced the amount of sugar
Incorporated a plant-based butter
Made the frosting with almond butter as the base
Added Avocados to reduce the amount of butter needed and create a creamy texture
By making simple swaps like these I was able to make these a treat I could really enjoy more often and ya know eat them since they’re gluten free.
i recommend using a cocoa powder that is high quality and is unsweetened as well. Most cocoa powders are naturally unsweetened, but some cheap versions in grocery stores use sugar as a filler so I recommend looking at the label and if you see sugar…
Just Run…
To another store that will have better selection.
How To Make That Thick Frosting
Could a cosmic brownie ever be a real cosmic brownie without a thick and creamy frosting? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
To make the frosting all you’ll need is Almond butter, cocoa powder, non-dairy milk, and Truvia. Once you make it, pop it into a ziplock bag and cut a 1/4 inch slit in the corner. Then, simply pipe it onto the brownie bites and use a butter knife or spatula to spread it even.
The key to getting the right consistency for this to not add too much non-dairy milk. The icing should be able to be placed on a brownie bite without dripping.
Another important part of this recipe is to let these cool. You need to be able to apply the frosting without it melting off so I would let these cool for a good 15 minutes.
If you’ve tuned in this far I would like to sincerely thank you as I sit atop the antique knife I used to frost these.
As you can tell I like to get a bit crafty with my recipes and edits, which is why I consider myself a Food Photographer and a Food Blogger. I can’t pick just one.
Move over Little Debbie because these Healthy Cosmic Brownie Bites will take you back to your childhood. These are rich in cocoa and have a decadent fudgy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Bites
2 ripe small avocados, pitted and skins removed (about 3/4 cup once pureed)
1/2 cup Truvia baking blend (or sweetener of choice)
1 Tbsp Truvia brown sugar (or sweetener of choice)
2.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup Lilly’s no sugar added chocolate chips (use dairy-free chocolate to make this recipe completely DF)
2.5 tsp plant-based butter
2 large eggs
1/3 cup +1 tbsp cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup almond meal/flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
(Optional) Sprinkles
Frosting
3 tbsp almond butter
5 tsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp non-milk
1.5 tbsp Truvia
5 Tbsp for topping (this is mandatory!)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.and line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor, pulse together the avocado, Truvia, and vanilla until the texture is smooth.
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave in increments of 30 minutes and add the melted chocolate to the food processor and blend until smooth.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs until they form bubbles
Combine the chocolate and avocado mixture from the food processor.
Add in the cocoa powder, almond flour, and sea salt and stir until the texture has zero chunks in it.
Fill the mini muffin tins until they are 3/4 full and bake for 35-40 minutes. It may take longer depending on your oven and if you fill them more.
Once you can stick a toothpick in the brownie bites and no batter sticks to the toothpick they are done. Let them cool for 15 minutes before frosting them.
While the brownie bites are cooling make the frosting. In a small bowl, melt the almond butter in the microwave for 30 seconds until it is smooth. Then, combine the remaining ingredients into the small bowl with the almond butter.
Pour the frosting into a small ziplock bag and cut a very small hole in the corner of the plastic bag.
Once the brownies have cooled begin frosting the brownies starting from the center and moving outward in a circular motion until the brownie bite is covered in chocolate on top. Once complete add the sprinkles.
Keep these stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
When making the frosting be sure to add milk slowly as this is a thick frosting and you don’t want to make it drippy by adding too much liquid. If you accidentally add to much simply add more almond butter until it thickens.
This was calculated using Lily’s no sugar added chips.
These Flavorful Healthy Mexican Stuffed Peppers are filled with over 6 grams of fiber and over 35 grams of protein!
One of the best parts of this recipe is that it is very low-effort when it comes to the preparation for this dish.
How Simple Can This Really Be?
Honestly, I would consider this a lazy-girls (or guys) go-to meal prep recipe for the week. Now, you may be wondering why that is…
You see, by using salsa as the main seasoning there isn’t much more to add to the stuffing of the peppers other than the rice, beans, and turkey. All of which require minimal preparation.
I’m Busy Girl What Can I Do To Make This Easier?
Use microwavable jasmine rice from Trader Joes. It tastes amazing and also is easy on the wallet.
Wash the canned corn and beans together before adding them to the dish.
Throw everything in at once after the turkey is done cooking.
This recipe is really a matter of cooking meat, and then adding everything together over the course of 5 minutes before popping it in the oven. So, if you’re just starting to meal prep this recipe is a great place to start.
I made this recipe for a busy week I had ahead for my first week working from home. Some would argue that working from home doesn’t make meal prep necessary, but for the first week I had no idea what to expect so I had to be sure I had a healthy lunch packed just in case.
Also, is any thing better than gazing at your fridge knowing you have meals already prepped?
Yeah…didn’t think so.
If you’re looking for other gluten free healthy recipes checkout my latest posts below!
A simple, yet satisfying healthy mexican-style meal that is high in fiber and packed with over 35 grams of protein.
Ingredients
Scale
1 lb 99% Lean turkey
1 tsp avocado oil
4 Large Bell Peppers
1 1/2 cup Salsa ( I opt for a lower sodium variety)
2 Tbsp Cilantro
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cumin
1 Can black beans
1/2 cup corn
1 Cup cooked rice of choice
Optional: 1/2 cup mexican-style cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350.
Cook the turkey in a pan with 1 tsp of oil until it is fully cooked over medium-high heat.
Add the cilantro, chili powder, red pepper, and salsa to the pan and lower the heat to low for 1-2 minutes.
After washing the beans add the can with the turkey and cooked rice. Stir over low heat until the ingredients are incorporated and set aside.
Cut the tops off the peppers and stuff them evenly with the mixture from the pan.
Cook the peppers for 40 minutes in the oven. Then take them out and add the cheese on top of the peppers and set the broiler in your oven to high. Place the peppers with the cheese on top in the oven for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully to ensure the cheese does not burn.
Take out of the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
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