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Whole-Wheat Brownies

These brownies get a healthy boost from whole-wheat flour and applesauce, while cocoa powder plus 8 ounces of semisweet chocolate make them nice and fudgy.
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Whole-Wheat Brownies

Everyday Food editor Sarah Carey shows you how to make a more virtuous brownie (hint: it uses applesauce) that's every bit as delicious as the traditional treat.

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    Everyday Food, September 2010
    • Yield Makes 16
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    Ingredients

    • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
    • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
    • 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
    • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
    • 1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce
    • 1 large egg
    • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

    Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish; line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

    2. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, applesauce, and egg. Place butter and 6 ounces chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water; stir until melted. Stir chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in flour mixture. Pour into pan and top with 2 ounces chocolate.

    3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares.

    Recipe Reviews

    • MairiC
      15 Apr, 2012

      These are really delicious. I have often had trouble with brownies being too dry, but these are moist and chewy, and the chocolate chunks give it nice texture. I guess I made a small mistake, I did not melt the butter first, I just put pats of butter in with the chocolate pieces, but they seemed to turn out fine. I would look no further for a brownie recipe.

    • Kingy513
      3 Sep, 2011

      I really like this recipe. I'm not big on brownies but these are very delicious and very chocolatey. Have made it several times and will not look any further for a brownie recipe!

    • jesusheart
      27 Aug, 2011

      I found an only-cocoa brownie recipe in Alice Medrich's Bittersweet -- an intense cookbook on chocolate. You may find you like Joanlue's recipe more (I prefer more cocoa/chocolate and less sugar) or you can search recipes like tastespotting.com or foodblogsearch.com. Hope this helps! :)

    • Joanlue
      23 Aug, 2011

      Here's recipe using only cocoa. I love the richness that baking choc. gives a brownie. I want to try the one above.

      Cocoa Brownies

      2 Cups Sugar
      5 Tblsp. Cocoa
      ½ Tsp. Salt
      ¾ Cup Margarine
      4 Eggs (One at a time)
      1 ½ Cups Un-sifted Flour
      1 Tsp. Vanilla
      1 Cup Nuts (Opt.)

      Mix Sugar, cocoa, salt and melted margarine. Add eggs; mix after each. Add flour, vanilla and nuts. Pour in a 9x13 inch ungreased pan. Bake at 375° for 20-22 minutes. (Good with or without frosting.

    • anniequinn
      8 Nov, 2010

      When I searched the Internet I found that 3 tb of cocoa powder and 1 tb of melted butter equals 1 1-oz baking chocolate square. I'm not sure how that might change the texture of your finished product but I guess you'll never know unless you try. Wouldn't work for this recipe because of the chocolate you put on top but there's plenty of other recipes out there.

    • theverytalented
      26 Oct, 2010

      can any one please help me find a brownie recipie that doesnt use any chocolate, and only uses cocco powder??

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