You know when your body wants something sweet, but you just want none of the guilt? I have those moments all the time, and these Healthy Chocolate Chip Blondies is one of those healthy dessert recipes that comes to the rescue!
Watch how easy these are to make!
How to make healthy no bake desserts
When I think of the foods my body craves, it’s usually salty things like nuts, cheese, olives, hummus… I mean, growing up in Spain that’s what we had for snack regularly, salty things. Like in the afternoons, I’d sit with my grandpa playing cards while shelling peanuts and eating olives.
However, I hate to admit that I’ve developed quite a sweet tooth through recipe development. I try all things, snack on all things, and therefore, eat all things!
I made these blondies for a group of ladies in my boxing class that has so kindly volunteered to be the testers for all my Family KickStart Program recipes and treats. They were all doing their own whole food 30-day programs so my KickStart recipes were perfect for them!
If you’ve never heard of Family KickStart, it’s a 30-day program created with a Whole Food & Whole-Family approach where the entire family eats real foods together while eliminating processed foods and sugars from their diets. Check out Family KickStart here.
I brought a batch to eat from “a Pinterest recipe that I had to modify because I didn’t have half of the ingredients.” Oh, how familiar this was to my ears since I know that sometimes people change things and they don’t always come out as described. Ha!
Making these is a very simple process. Can you mix ingredients in a bowl with a spoon and then press them down into a container? Seriously, it’s that easy. Check out this video where I show you how to make them.
So, back to the blondies. The following week I brought my first batch to my newly found group of taste testers, and they all agreed they were great! Thrilled with my newly found zero-guilt recipe, I now make them from time to time and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. They usually don’t last that long since my husband and kids have discovered them as well.
On a final note, I’ve made these with added protein powder, up to ¼ of a cup, for extra nutrition and been able to reduce the honey in half by removing 1-2 tablespoons of coconut flour. How do you know it’s going to hold together? When the texture in the bowl has the consistency of playdough, and you pinch it, and it holds together. Trial and error I tell you.
Are you a chocolate brownie person or a blondie person?
Healthy Blondies Recipe Substitutions FAQ
There have been many questions regarding this simple recipe about the ingredients and substitutions. Check the answers below if you have any questions regarding substitutions.
You can use any “butter” for this recipe. However, the runnier consistency butters tend to need more time to set or 1 to 2 teaspoons of additional coconut flour.
You can use any “butter” for this recipe. However, the runnier consistency butters tend to need more time to set or 1 to 2 teaspoons of additional coconut flour.
Absolutely! For a nut-free alternative, use sunflower butter, pea butter, soy butter, or sesame butter.
Unfortunately no. Coconut flour is not really a “flour” it’s ground and dehydrated coconut meat. It also absorbs 10 times its weight in liquid and it does not perform like any other “flour.”
This recipe only works with coconut flour.
I’ve always found that freezing coconut flour goods changed the texture so I would not recommend freezing these healthy blondies bars. Don’t worry, they are tasty enough and the recipe doesn’t yield enough for an army that you probably won’t have any leftover to freeze anyway!
This recipe can certainly be made chocolate-free for a plain blondie. You could also add chopped raisins, dried fruit, or chopped nuts in the same amount as the chocolate chips.
If you don’t like banana or don’t have any ripe bananas on hand, try mashed pumpkin instead. The pumpkin texture is “wetter” so you’ll need to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of additional coconut flour.
No Bake Healthy Chocolate Chip Blondies
These no bake healthy chocolate chip blondies are the perfect treat without the guilt! They come together in a single bowl and are ready before you know it!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 squares 1x
- Category: Healthy Desserts
- Method: No-bake
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut flour, sifted
- ½ cup mashed banana
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line an 8×4 loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mash the banana, add peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Once the mixture is cohesive and creamy, add in the coconut flour and combine well. The final step is to add in chocolate chips and combine.
- Spread mixture into a lined pan with your hands, pressing down and spreading evenly, to about ½ thick. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm.
- Picking up the parchment paper, remove from pan and cut into individual squares.
- You can wrap them individually or in an airtight container and refrigerate them for a week. They can also be wrapped individually and frozen for up to a month.
Notes
- Make sure to measure the mashed banana since coconut flour is not a very forgiving ingredient.
- You can add up to ¼ cup vanilla protein powder for an extra protein boost (not included in nutrition facts).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 159
- Sugar: 16.3g
- Sodium: 53.2mg
- Fat: 6.6g
- Saturated Fat: 1.8g
- Carbohydrates: 22.9g
- Fiber: 4.2g
- Protein: 4.6g
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: healthy desserts, no-bake recipes, chocolate chip blondies, healthy blondies
Sarah
Hoping to convince my daughter to eat these instead of the cookie dough she keeps making
Laura Fuentes
good luck!
Anne
Can I use green banana flour instead the coconut flour?
Laura Fuentes
Unfortunately, there is no substitute for coconut flour. Banana flour does not absorb as much liquid as coconut. Sorry! You’ll have to modify the recipe’s liquid measurements.
Sophie
Great recipe concept! I found it made a difference the second time through to use a really ripe banana. I also upped the maple syrup to ⅓ cup instead of ¼ and doubled the mini chips.
★★★★★
January
My daughter loves these in her lunchbox & I feel great about sending them as a healthier treat!
Jenny
I just made my first batch of these bars. I had my 10 year old granddaughter, who eats gluten-free d/t psoriasis, lick the spoon. She said “YUM”. I also licked the spoon and found that I liked it too! Great recipe!
★★★★★
Laura Fuentes
I’m so glad you liked them, Jenny! Thank you for trying my recipe.
Becca
Is there a sub for banana perhaps pumkin!? Thank you
Laura Fuentes
pumpkin will work for this! you’ll have pumpkin bars instead. Enjoy!
Kim
This is such an amazing healthy treat. I can’t wait to make them again.
★★★★★
Jackie
What are the measurements if you want to add protein powder?
Laura Fuentes
You can add 1/4 cup, max.
Kathie
Can you add walnuts or pecan for some extra crunchiness???
Laura Fuentes
Absolutely!!
ezabela khidhir
Does it taste like peanut butter?
Laura Fuentes
Unfortunately, you cannot. Coconut flour is 10x the absorbency of ap gf flour.
Katie
Hey. I want to try this recipe but don’t have anything to measure the banana in cups. Do you know how much mashed banana I need to add in grams? Thanks!
Laura Fuentes
1/2 cup of mashed banana is approx. 150g of banana. Enjoy!
Eleanor
Hi, can you taste the coconut in this?
Laura Fuentes
It does have a coconut flavor but it’s not overbearing.
Kelsey
Mine have been in the fridge for 4 hours now and they are still extremely soft. I just threw them in the freezer. I did use regular flour as I didn’t have coconut flour. Would this effect that?
Laura Fuentes
Hi Kelsey, unfortunately, traditional flour is not a substitute for coconut flour in this recipe. Coconut flour is 10x more absorbent than regular flour and cannot be substituted without changing the recipe entirely.
Mark
Going to try this with sunflower butter, since I’m allergic to peanuts. Will reply later once I try it. I will have to mix the sunflower butter a lot though, since the oils tend to separate a lot.
Laura Fuentes
Thank you, Mark! It should work out just fine. Keep me posted
Mark
Works great with sunflower butter or any other nut butter alternative!
krystal
Do you recommend trying with pumpkin puree instead of mashed bananas?
Laura Fuentes
You can absolutely use pumpkin puree instead!
Intrepid
How did this turn out? I need a substitute for bananas in healthy recipes and I haaaaaaaaaate bananas for some reason.
Allyson
Laura,
Can I use Almond Flour instead of coconut flour?
Laura Fuentes
Unfortunately, no. Almond flour is not a substitute for this recipe with these measurements. You’ll have to modify the amounts in all the other ingredients.
Patricia
Did you use salted or unsalted peanut butter?
Laura Fuentes
probably salted. Either will work!
Aerial
I don’t have any bananas on the counter right now, but I have some over ripe ones in the freezer, will these work?
Thanks!
Laura Fuentes
Yes. you can use the freezer ones but your blondies will look a lot more brown and you’ll need to add a teaspoon or two of additional coconut flour to absorb the liquid moisture from being frozen.