Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies

Super chocolatey. No chocolate was spared in these Greek yogurt brownies. Melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips all come together to create the perfect chocolate brownie.

Very fudgy and dense. If you are on team fudgy brownie, here you go! These moist, chewy brownies are thick and dense and rich.

110-calorie brownie. Every day is a good day to have a fudgy Greek yogurt brownie. And at 110 calories each, go ahead and have two!

Greek yogurt. The fat-free Greek yogurt stands in for the oil in these brownies, so they don't have as much fat as a traditional brownie recipe. No applesauce. No black beans. No pumpkin.

One bowl recipe. It’s so easy to stir up this batch of fudgy Greek yogurt brownies with one bowl. No need to fill your sink with dishes just because you had a sweet tooth to satiate.

Dark chocolate chips. Melted dark chocolate brings the chocolatey goodness and makes this a very fudgy brownie recipe. So use good quality chocolate to ensure smooth melting and a rich chocolate flavor. I used chips with 60% cacao to give the best balance of flavor and a little bit of sweetness.

Brown sugar. I used brown sugar because it has molasses in it, which adds even more moisture, fudginess, and rich flavor.

Fat free vanilla Greek yogurt. There is no vegetable oil in these brownies, but there is a cup of vanilla Greek yogurt, which is a great substitute for oil. I use 2 individual cups of vanilla Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt, which measures out to one slightly rounded cup.

Eggs. Some low fat brownie recipes call for applesauce or pumpkin to replace the eggs. But I think the texture can be a bit rubbery. So this recipe uses full eggs — egg whites, yolks, everything.

Dark cocoa powder. Cocoa powder teams up with the melted chocolate to maximize the chocolatey flavor. I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder because it’s less bitter than regular unsweetened cocoa powder and gives these delicious Greek yogurt brownies an intensely dark color and a rich chocolate flavor.

Espresso powder. Espresso powder is the secret ingredient in these fudgy Greek yogurt brownies. It just makes the chocolate…well, chocolatier.

Flaky sea salt. A finish of flaky sea salt looks visually stunning and provides a crunchy contrast and enough saltiness to bring out even more chocolatey flavor.

Dark chocolate chips. You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips — or chop up a good quality chocolate bar to melt in the brownie batter and sprinkle on top.

Brown sugar. You can certainly swap white sugar for brown sugar in Greek yogurt brownies, but since white sugar doesn’t have molasses in it, like brown sugar does, the taste and texture may not be exactly the same. As a substitute, mix ½ cup of white sugar with ½ tablespoon of molasses to make your own brown sugar.

Fat free Greek yogurt. I use (2) 5.3 ounce cups of vanilla Oikos Triple Zero Greek Nonfat yogurt in these chocolate brownies because we always have those in the fridge. You can use plain Greek yogurt as a substitute.

Unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Almond milk is a low calorie option for milk when baking. You can use whatever kind of milk you have.

Flour. I used all purpose flour in this recipe. I haven't tried making Greek yogurt brownies with alternative flours like whole wheat flour, oat flour, coconut flour, or almond flour. But here's a helpful guide to flour substitutes if you'd like to make the switch.

Dark cocoa powder. You can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder instead of dark, if you prefer. The color just won’t be as dark or the flavor quite as rich.

Espresso powder. You can skip the espresso powder altogether if you don’t have it. Or you can use instant coffee crystals — the flavor just won’t be as intense as espresso powder.

Sea salt. You can use coarse sea salt or skip the flaky sea salt, altogether.

Heat oven to 350 and spray an 8x8 inch square pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine ½ cup chocolate chips and the almond milk. Microwave on high for one minute or until the chocolate is melted. Whisk to combine.

Whisk in the brown sugar, then the yogurt. Add the eggs and whisk until fully combined. Add the vanilla.

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.

Whisk until fully combined, be careful not to overmix.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18-22 minutes or until the edges appear fully baked through and the center is just set. The center should appear soft, but not jiggly.

I also like to use a kitchen thermometer to check for doneness. The ideal range for brownies is 165-210 degrees. For a very fudgy brownie, remove them right around the 165 mark. For a firmer brownie, leave them in until they get closer to 210.

While the brownies are still warm, sprinkle them with flaky or coarse sea salt.

Cool Greek yogurt brownies in the pan on a wire rack. After they cool completely, use a plastic knife or warm knife to cut the brownies into 2-inch squares.

Store brownies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Sift your dry ingredients. You don’t want large clumps of flour, baking powder, or cocoa powder in your Greek yogurt brownies. If you don’t have a sifter or mesh strainer, you can whisk flour with the rest of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl to remove any clumps.

Use room temperature ingredients. This will keep the melted chocolate from seizing when you add the yogurt, milk, and eggs. Just set them on the counter for about 30 minutes and you should be good to go.

To quickly get eggs to room temperature, just drop them into a bowl with warm water for about 10 minutes. For the milk and yogurt, you can microwave them in 5 second intervals to take the chill off of them.

Cut clean squares. To make clean slices in your pan of brownies, allow them to cool completely, then use a plastic knife or warm knife to cut your Greek yogurt brownies into squares.

Don’t overbake brownies. Check them 3-5 minutes before the earliest recommended baking time. If a toothpick placed in the center still has wet batter on it, they need to go back in for a few more minutes. If the toothpick has some batter and also some sticky crumbs on it, they’ll be fudgy in the center. For cakey Greek yogurt brownies, the toothpick will have moist crumbs on it.

Make adjustments for your pan. If you don't have an 8-inch-square baking dish, you can use a 9x9 pan, however the brownies will be thinner and will cook more quickly, so adjust the baking time down.

You can check for doneness two ways: with a toothpick or a thermometer.

Yes, Greek yogurt brownies freeze quite well. Freeze the whole slab wrapped in plastic wrap, then sealed in a freezer bag. Or place individual brownies in an airtight container in a single layer, cover them with a sheet of wax or parchment paper, and add another layer. Cover the top layer with wax or parchment paper, as well. You can store them in the freezer for up to three months.

To thaw frozen brownies, place the container of frozen brownies on the counter until they are completely thawed.

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