Sneaky Spinach Brownies

by Laura Fuentes

February 23, 2011
updated Jul 6, 2023

5 from 12 votes

These spinach brownies taste like traditional brownies and have a rich chocolate cake-like brownie texture.

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Looking for a way to get your kids to eat more greens? These spinach brownies are delicious, taste like traditional brownies, and have a rich chocolate cake-like brownie texture.

While it’s not the same as eating a bowl of spinach leaves, there’s nothing wrong with adding more greens into other fabulous recipes kids already love.

Brownies with Spinach

These brownies have a rich chocolate flavor and cakey texture that’s so good no one will even know they are made with puréed spinach and blueberries!

While brownies probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “spinach,” this recipe is an epic way to get picky eaters a few extra greens into their day.

I know firsthand how challenging getting enough nutrients into a picky eater’s day can be. While you’re introducing new foods to their diet and searching for recipes that can add nutrition to their meals, these brownies are a great option to help them get more vegetables into their day.

I have other recipes that use this method of incorporating extra nutrition into familiar foods, some being a little more obvious than others, like smoothies. 

Inside my picky eater’s program, I explain how to add variety into your kids’ meals, transform meal times and dinner table battles, and rotate familiar foods when introducing new ingredients.

You can learn more about how I’ve gotten my three picky eaters to expand their palate and overcome issues such as texture/color aversion and lack of interest in mealtimes inside the Happier Plates program.

Are Spinach Brownies Healthier?

While this recipe for brownies includes spinach and blueberries, it also uses classic ingredients such as flour, chocolate, butter, and sugar.

They’re slightly lower in sugar and fat than traditional brownies, but my focus with this recipe is the extra antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals my kids get in each brownie.

This is not a “healthy” brownie, but does provide some added nutritional benefit to the classic treat.

How to Make Spinach Brownies

This recipe for spinach brownies does require an extra step to blend the veggies and fruit, but overall they are easy to make! 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
   Line a 9×9 square baking dish with parchment paper, so the brownies are easier to lift out. 
2. Make the purple purée
   Blend the spinach, blueberries, and 2 teaspoons of water until a smooth puree is formed. 
3. Combine the dry ingredient
   Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. 
4. Melt the chocolate
   Bring 2-3-inches of water to a boil over medium heat. Place a heat-safe bowl over the saucepot and add the butter and chocolate chips to the bowl. Use the heat/steam to melt the chocolate, occasionally stirring until smooth and glossy.
5. Add the purple purée 
   Stir the blended spinach and blueberry mixture into the melted chocolate along with the vanilla extract.
6. Make the batter
   Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, and using a fork, mix everything until combined into a smooth batter. 
7. Add the batter to the pan
   Bake the brownies for 40 minutes until the middles are done and no longer wet to the touch. 
8. Almost there! 
   Remove the baked brownies from the oven and allow them to cool down to room temperature before slicing into 16 squares. I think you know what to do from here. 

What do Spinach Brownies Taste Like?

These brownies have a rich chocolate flavor with no hint of spinach. The semi-sweet chocolate is strong enough, so it masks the leafy greens, and the texture is more soft and cakey than the traditional fudgy brownie.

More Recipes that Hide Veggies

These brownies aren’t the only delicious way to get those veggies in. The recipe ideas below look and taste amazing but include additional ingredients to make them even better for you and the kids. 

• Veggie Mac & Cheese
• Fire-Roasted Tomato Soup
• Blueberry Spinach Smoothie
• Spinach Pancakes

Sneaky Brownies

Laura Fuentes

These spinach brownies taste like traditional brownies and have a rich chocolate cake-like brownie texture.

5 from 12 votes

Servings 16 brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

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• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons butter, 1 stick
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs

Instructions

 

• In a blender, place the chopped spinach, blueberries, and 2 teaspoons of water. Blend until a smooth puree form. Add a little more water if needed, you want the mixture to have the consistency of apple sauce, about 1 cup.
• Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9×9 square baking dish with parchment paper (for easy lifting). 
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. 
• Melt the butter and chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl with the double boiler method by placing water in a small saucepot, placing the bowl on top with the butter and chocolate, and using the heat/steam to melt the chocolate. Once the chocolate chips have melted, turn off the heat and place the bowl on the counter. You can also melt them in the microwave, very carefully to not burn the chocolate, about 1 minute, stirring throughout. 
• Pour the blended spinach and blueberry mixture into the melted chocolate bowl along with the vanilla. Stir to combine.
• Pour the chocolate bowl mixture into the flour bowl. Add the eggs, and with a fork, mix everything until combined. 
• Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until the middles are done and no longer wet to the touch.
• Remove from oven, allow brownies to cool down before slicing. 

Equipment

Clean Treats Cookbook

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownieCalories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 127mgPotassium: 83mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 561IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg

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