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These rich and fudgy brownies contain a sneaky, secret ingredient.

Fudgy buckwheat brownies

In lieu of oil or butter, they get their moist texture from pureed beets!

Paired with rich cocoa powder, it’s difficult to detect the earthy flavor of the beets in these brownies, but that doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on the nutritional benefit that these root vegetables bring to the table. Beets are one of the best sources of folate and betaine, which are thought to work together to reduce inflammation and prevent heart disease. When cooked, they develop a sweet flavor that’s delicious on its own, but even better in brownies.

Made with buckwheat flour, which is actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb (and not at all related to wheat), these gluten-free brownies are a definite upgrade to the traditional versions made with butter and refined sugars. Buckwheat has been linked to lowered risk of developing higher cholesterol and high blood pressure, and may also contribute to improved blood sugar control!

Fudgy Buckwheat Brownies (Gluten-free, Egg-free)
makes one 8″ x 8″ pan

Adapted from this recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked beet puree
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
6 Tablespoons water
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F and line an 8″x8″ pan with parchment paper (not to be confused with wax paper!). In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the ground flax seeds and water, and allow them to gel together for about 10 minutes. If you haven’t pureed your beets at this point, now is a great time to do so!

Note: I attempted this recipe with both roasted beets and steamed beets, and I found that the flavor of the steamed beets was less noticeable in the final product, when compared to the flavor of the roasted beets. To steam the beets, I like to cut them into chunks (no need to peel) and place them in a saucepan, fitted with a steam basket, filled with 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and allow to steam for 15 minutes, or until the beets are fork tender.

Add the pureed beets, buckwheat flour, honey, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla to the bowl with the gelled flax seed mixture, and stir well until a thick, uniform batter is created. Fold in the dark chocolate chips, if using.

making fudgy buckwheat brownie mix

Transfer the batter to the parchment-lined baking dish, and use a spatula to spread the batter evenly to the edges. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until the center is fairly firm to the touch.

Allow to cool completely before serving. These brownies should last for a few days when stored at room temperature, but for best shelf life, store them in a sealed container in the fridge.

fudgy buckwheat brownies

Fudgy Buckwheat Brownies (Gluten-free, Egg-free)

5 from 7 votes
A rich and fudgy brownie featuring gluten-free buckwheat flour and beets!
prep20 mins cook20 mins total40 mins
Servings:9

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350F and line an 8"x8" baking dish with parchment paper (not to be confused with wax paper!). In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the ground flax seeds and water, and allow them to gel together for about 10 minutes. If you haven't pureed your beets at this point, now is a great time to do so!
  • Add the pureed beets, buckwheat flour, honey, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla to the bowl with the gelled flax seed mixture, and stir well until a thick, uniform batter is created. Fold in the dark chocolate chips, if using.
  • Transfer the batter to the parchment-lined baking dish, and use a spatula to spread the batter evenly to the edges. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until the center is fairly firm to the touch.
  • Allow to cool completely before serving. These brownies should last for a few days when stored at room temperature, but for best shelf life, store them in a sealed container in the fridge.

Notes

I attempted this recipe with both roasted beets and steamed beets, and I found that the flavor of the steamed beets was less noticeable in the final product, when compared to the flavor of the roasted beets. To steam the beets, I like to cut them into chunks (no need to peel) and place them in a saucepan, fitted with a steam basket, filled with 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and allow to steam for 15 minutes, or until the beets are fork tender.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1.5mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brownies, buckwheat, dairy free, gluten free, vegan
Per Serving: Calories: 160, Fat: 4g, Carbohydrates: 30g, Fiber: 3g, Protein: 3g

Substitution Notes:

  • I recommend using Bob’s Red Mill Organic Buckwheat Flour for best results. This is the brand of flour I used when developing the recipe, and I’ve noticed that homemade buckwheat flour tends to bake differently than store-bought brands.
  • Even though the beet flavor is very mild, if you’d prefer to avoid it, I think any other puree could would also work in this recipe, such as pureed zucchini or unsweetened applesauce.
  • For vegans, feel free to use maple syrup or coconut sugar instead of honey.

Reader Feedback: What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever added to a dessert? In my experience, avocado pudding still shocks people when they try it–> it’s surprisingly creamy!

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. These are absolutely delicious and they also meet the requirements for an alkaline/bone friendly diet. My husband loves them – even after I told him what the ingredients were. For the person who wondered about tasting the buckwheat, we did not notice the flavor at all. I think the other ingredients have their own unique and powerful flavors plus there is such a small amount in the recipe, that you really don’t notice it. We voted and the vote was 2 to 0 to make these our regular brownie recipe from now on.

    1. Perhaps different brands of buckwheat flour vary, but I don’t find the Bob’s Red Mill version to be that bitter.

  2. These are the best tasting brownies I’ve ever had. I did the exact recipe minus the chocolate chips and I also roasted my beets. I wouldn’t want these any other way. They are not overly sweet, but that is just the way I like them. I divided them out into 12 cupcake holders. I think each turns out to be about 90-100 calories. Thanks so much Megan. Love love love this one.

  3. Made these this weekend. I loved them because they had a slight coffee taste to me. I only had pureed pumpkin so used that instead and loved them…Taste like dense fudge and my 2 year old said “mmmm good!” so two thumbs up.

    Also made your cashew mac in cheese and loved it….You have a great site!

  4. Made these yesterday and they taste wonderful. I used eggs rather than flax. The chocolate really stands out because there isn’t a lot of sugar. For those that haven’t made them yet–they do not rise very much but it doesn’t detract at all from the taste.

  5. Any idea how many beets make the required amount of puree? Or am I completely missing it in the recipe?

    1. It totally depends on the size of your beets, since they vary so greatly. The first time I made these, it took 4-5 small steamed beets to get 1/2 cup puree, but the last couple times that I made them it only took a little over one large beet to achieve the same amount of puree. Usually you can eye-ball it, by looking for about 1 heaping cup of beet chunks, which will reduce to about 1/2 cup of puree.

  6. I tried baking with buckwheat once and didn’t like the flavor, so I haven’t tried again. However, these are tempting me. How prominent is the buckwheat flavor? I ground my own last time, so maybe indeed to try store bought? Thank you!!

    1. I think the rich cocoa and moisture content hides the buckwheat pretty well, but I don’t mind the flavor of buckwheat, so I’m not sure I’m the best judge!

      1. I LOVE buckwheat and use it for many things. I don’t find it bitter at all.
        In this recipe I found the beets to be a problem and too prominent.

  7. Now these are some healthy brownies! I can’t wait to make this recipe and put these treats in my kids’ lunches!