Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies
Crush your chocolate craving with Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies. This easy one-bowl brownie recipe is lightened up with Greek yogurt but still loaded with tons of chocolate for ooey-gooey thick, dense, dark chocolate brownies.
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Who doesn't love brownies?! They're so fudgy and decadent -- we even love them in fun flavors like these Red Velvet Brownies and Strawberry Brownies! There isn't a brownie we'll say no to.
But when sudden brownie cravings strike, and we're looking for something a little lighter than traditional brownies, these fudgy Greek yogurt brownies are our go-to. They're dense and fudgy, super chocolatey, and made with Greek yogurt instead of oil.
Plus, they're super fast and easy to stir together in one bowl. You're gonna love 'em!
You're Going to Love These
- So. Much. Chocolate. Melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips all come together in this perfect chocolate brownie.
- Fudgy and dense. These moist chewy brownies are thick and dense and rich.
- Greek yogurt. Fat-free Greek yogurt stands in for the oil in these brownies. No applesauce. No black beans. No pumpkin.
- One bowl recipe. Satisfy your sweet tooth without filling the sink with dishes!
Ingredients
Dark chocolate chips. Melted real dark chocolate brings the chocolatey goodness to this very fudgy brownie recipe. Use a good quality chocolate for smooth melting and a rich chocolate flavor. I use chocolate chips with 60% cacao for best balance of flavor and sweetness.
Brown sugar. The molasses in brown sugar 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 Greek yogurt, which is a great substitute for oil. I use Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt or Plain Nonfat Chobani Greek Yogurt.
Eggs. Some lighter brownie recipes call for unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin to replace the eggs. But the texture can be a bit rubbery, and the pumpkin flavor too strong. This recipe uses full eggs - egg whites, yolks, everything for the best texture and rich flavor.
Dark cocoa powder. I use Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder because it's less bitter than regular unsweetened cocoa powder and gives these delicious brownies an intensely dark color and a rich chocolate flavor.
Espresso powder. Espresso powder is the secret ingredient I use in almost all of my chocolate recipes. It makes chocolate taste chocolatier.
Substitutions
Chocolate chips. You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips - or chop up a good quality chocolate bar
Brown sugar. You can certainly swap white sugar for brown sugar in these brownies, but the taste and texture may not be exactly the same.
Unsweetened vanilla almond milk. You can use whatever kind of milk you have.
Dark cocoa powder. You can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder instead of dark, if you prefer. The color just won't be as intensely 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.
Instructions
Before you start: Heat oven to 350 and spray an 8x8 inch square pan with cooking spray.
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine chocolate chips and almond milk. Microwave on high for one minute or until the chocolate is melted. Whisk to combine.
Step 2: Whisk in the brown sugar, then the yogurt. Add the eggs and whisk until fully combined. Add the vanilla extract.
Step 3: Sift in the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.
Whisk until fully combined, be careful not to overmix.
Step 4: Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with more chocolate chips.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-24 minutes or until the edges appear fully baked through, and the center appears soft with a slight jiggle -- it should not be liquidy.
Step 5: While the brownies are still warm, sprinkle them with flaky or coarse sea salt. Cool brownies in the pan on a wire rack.
Step 6: After they cool completely, use a plastic knife or warm knife to cut the brownies into 2-inch squares.
Expert Tips
- Sift dry ingredients so you don't have lumps in the brownies. If you don't have a sifter or mesh strainer, whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Use room temperature yogurt, milk, and eggs to keep the melted chocolate from seizing.
- To make clean slices in your brownies, allow them to cool completely, then cut them with a plastic knife or warm knife.
- To keep from overbaking, check the brownies 3-5 minutes before the earliest recommended baking time. The center should be set and soft with a slight jiggle -- it shouldn't be liquidy. I use a kitchen thermometer to check for doneness. The ideal range for brownies is 185-210 degrees.
Recipe FAQs
Store brownies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yes, these brownies freeze quite well. Freeze the whole slab wrapped in plastic wrap, then wrapped in a double layer of aluminum foil or sealed in a freezer bag. Or freeze individual brownies individually wrapped or in an airtight container with sheets of wax paper or parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
For fudgy brownies, the toothpick test won't do much good. Because if the toothpick comes out clean, your brownies are overbaked. The best way to tell if brownies are done is with an instant read thermometer.
The ideal temperature range for brownies is 185-210. For a perfectly fudgy brownie, remove them right around the 185 mark. The closer they are to 210 degrees, the firmer and less fudgy these brownies will be.
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📖 Recipe
Fudgy Greek Yogurt Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 5.3 oz cups nonfat Greek yogurt -- I use Vanilla Oikos Triple Zero or Plain Nonfat Chobani
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 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. Stir 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. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top of the batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the edges appear fully set and the center appears soft, but not jiggly. Start checking them a few minutes early to make sure you don't over bake them.
- While the brownies are still warm, sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Cool 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.
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Recipe states 1/2 cup of flour this seems like a small amount of flour. Is 1/2 cup the right amount?
Hi, Sharron, yes, it's right :). Thanks for checking, I hope you love them (they're my husband's favorite). Cara
Thank you for those who left comments. Very helpful. I reduced the yogurt to 3/4 cup. It turned out good and not ‘soupy’. However, it needed more ‘sweetness’
I will adjust again next time I make it to add more brown sugar.
Thank you for your note, I'm glad they baked up well for you. I keep trying to recreate "soupy" from those who have commented about it so I can try to fix it, but have never had them come out that way. Next time I make them, though, I will try your tweaks in hopes of creating a brownie that consistently works for everyone. Let me know how your next round with more brown sugar goes. Thank you, again, I really appreciate it! Cara
I have a nut allergy and was wondering whether these would work fine with regular milk or other milk alternatives like soy or oat? Thanks
Hi Talia, any kind of milk should work fine. Let me know how they turn out for you! Cara
Very dismayed as i had a similar outcome to previous poster. Cooked for about 50 minutes now trying to dry out brownies. Not soupy but wet and mushy and very unpalatable
Oh, no, I'm so sorry they didn't turn out! They're definitely soft and fudgy, but not wet and mushy. Would you mind sharing what kind of yogurt you used? Or if there were any other variations to the recipe? Thanks so much! Cara
Do you have to use espresso powder?
No, it enhances the flavor of the chocolate, but isn't critical to the recipe. Enjoy :).
I used plain Greek yogurt, otherwise followed the recipe exactly and they were still soup at 22 min. Cooked for an additional 20 and they weren't done in the middle by the time I took them out. I guess you can't substitute sweetened yogurt.
Well, shoot, I'm super bummed these didn't turn out for you! As soon as I saw your comment I made a batch with (2) 5.3 oz. cups of plain Chobani nonfat Greek yogurt and they set up perfectly. I'm curious what kind of yogurt you used?
Hello, can I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk if that's all I have? Also is it ok to sub coconut sugar?
Hi! Thank you for your questions! Yes, you can use unsweetened vanilla almond milk -- that's usually what I have in my fridge, too :). As for coconut sugar, I've never tried this particular substitute, so I can't speak to how it would affect the flavor and texture of these brownies. My research finds that it could result in brownies that are less sweet with a drier, denser consistency. It is often suggested to add a little more liquid or even a little molasses. I wish I could give you more guidance on that one. Please let me know how it turns out! Thank you, again, Cara