Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies
Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies are a fun memory of Grandma Willey; here’s my healthier version of her famous brownies with walnuts. This is relatively low in net carbs; check the nutritional info to see what you think.
PIN Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies to try them later!
There’s a heart-warming story behind this stack of Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies. A few weeks ago my sister Pam’s mother-in-law passed away. When I went to the viewing for Grandma Willey there was a table of memories of her life, along with a stack of printed recipe cards and a little sign that said “Dorothy’s favorite recipe, please take one.” On the card was the recipe for Dot’s Brownies.
Grandma Willey wasn’t technically a relative of mine, but I did see her often at Willey family events and always enjoyed her warm personality, her forthright comments, and her political philosophies, including a strong belief in women’s rights. The last few years of her life she suffered with poor eyesight, and I admired the way Pam’s husband Kelly and his sister Elizabeth took care of their mom’s every need.
I’m pretty sure Grandma Willey didn’t use a computer and I’m not sure if she even knew about my blog, but I thought it would be fun come up with a recipe for sugar-free and whole wheat brownies were adapted from her brownie recipe. This not a super-sweet brownie the way I’ve made it, which suits my tastebuds perfectly. I’ll always remember Grandma Willey mostly for the goodness she instilled in her son Kelly, who has done so many nice things for me during my life, but now I have a great brownie recipe to remember her by as well.
What ingredient do you need for this recipe?
- melted butter
- cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link), or other sweetener of your choice
- White Whole Wheat Flour (affiliate link)
- salt
- vanilla
- walnuts
How did I change Grandma Willey’s recipe?
Grandma Willey’s brownies had frosting, something I skipped for a sugar-free version. And when I tried the recipe the first time just substituting sweetener for sugar, I thought they were not quite sweet enough, so the version I’m sharing here has an extra 1/2 cup of sweetener. Grandma Willey used margarine (probably this was a depression-era recipe) but I made my version with butter the best; use margarine or coconut oil if you prefer. I also switched the white flour for white whole wheat, something I use in almost all my baking recipes that have flour.
Want Flourless Sugar-Free and Gluten-Free Brownies?
If you’d prefer a brownie recipe that’s not only sugar-free but also flourless and gluten-free, check out my recipe for Almond Flour Brownies.
Want more sugar-free chocolate ideas?
Check my round-up of The BEST Low-Carb Chocolate Desserts for more sugar-free recipes with chocolate.
How to Make Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies:
(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)
- Use the microwave to melt the butter or oil/margarine of your choice in a bowl that’s big enough to hold all the ingredients.
- Mix 7 tablespoons of cocoa powder into the melted butter.
- In a smaller bowl, beat 4 eggs with Monkfruit Sweetener or other sweetener of your choice.
- Mix the egg mixture into the cocoa powder mixture.
- Then add the flour, salt, and vanilla and stir to combine.
- I loved the part of the recipe that said 1 cup nuts (hand broken) and I did indeed break them by hand.
- Press the mixture into a sprayed baking dish. I used a glass dish that was about 8″ x 11″ which gave me twelve large brownies.
- Bake at 350F/180C for 30 minutes, and then let the brownies cool in the pan for a few minutes before cutting.
More Sugar-Free Recipes with Chocolate:
Whole Grain Sugar-Free Chocolate Cookies with Pecans
Flourless Sugar-Free Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Flourless Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies
Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies with Walnuts are a healthier version of Grandma Willey's famous brownies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup melted butter (see notes)
- 7 T cocoa powder
- 4 eggs, well beaten
- 2 1/2 cups Monkfruit Sweetener (see notes)
- 1 1/3 cups white whole wheat flour
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup walnuts (hand broken)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
- Use a microwave to melt the butter or other fat choice in a large bowl (big enough to hold all the ingredients.)
- Stir the cocoa powder into the melted butter.
- In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs well, then stir in 2 1/2 cups Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) or whatever sweetener you prefer) and stir again.
- Stir the egg mixture into the cocoa mixture.
- Then add the flour, salt, and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Use your fingers to break enough walnuts to make 1 cup, and then gently stir them into the batter.
- Spray a glass baking dish with nonstick spray and then add the batter, pressing down so the brownies are evenly flat. (I used a dish that was about 8″ x 11″.)
- Bake 30 minutes, then let the brownies cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Notes
If you don't have butter you can use margarine or coconut oil; do not use margarine that has water as the first ingredient.
I'm a huge fan of Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link) but use another sweetener or brown sugar if you prefer.
Recipe adapted from Dot’s Brownies, the favorite brownie recipe of Grandma Willey.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This is a good brownie recipe for most Low-Glycemic diets, including phase two or three of the original South Beach Diet. South Beach would prefer margarine. The recipe is relatively low in net carbs if you use portion control; check the nutritional info and see what you think.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Dessert Recipes to find more recipes like this. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was posted in 2011. It was last updated with more information in 2022.
25 Comments on “Sugar-Free Whole Wheat Brownies”
I'm traveling so I can't check, but I think I used Smart Balance. Just check the label.
Do you have a recommendation for a margarine that you like that doesn't list water as the first ingredient. I typically just have unsalted butter or Brummel and Brown on hand.
So glad people are happy with the healthful aspects of this recipe! Maybe not 100% guilt free, but definitely better than the original.
Carolyn, I don't have any original recipe cards, but I do have some printed copies of a few of my mom's recipes, and I treasure them.
Kalyn – what a sweet, sweet story. I just think the idea of putting out a favorite recipe for people to take along to remember her is such a wonderful idea. I have 3×5 cards (obviously from long, long ago) that are in my mother's handwriting, or from some of my grandmother's friends, even, and I wax nostalgic every time I glance at them. Remembering the person. But doing it at a viewing is just nice.
I'm a sucker for brownies. A weakness of mine 🙂 I love that you're making them more guilt free!
Gorgeous! Love the whole wheat flour! I'll do anything for guiltless brownies!
Jeanette, I use the white whole wheat flour for pretty much everything (I don't even buy white flour.) I did wonder how these would work with partly almond flour; might try that version.
What a unique idea as one of the momentos to remember Grandma Willey by – she would be proud of you. I've yet to make brownies with whole wheat flour, but I understand it works terrifically.
Barbara, I do hope so!
Such a fun story behind this post. I'm sure Grandma Willey would love that you made her brownies.
Thanks Barbara. I thought it was such a unique and fun idea. I doubt my healthier brownies are *quite* as good as Grandma Willeys high sugar ones with frosting, but they were pretty good!
What a lovely idea to have recipe cards of her favourite recipes.If these brownies taste as good as they look, Kalyn you have a winner.
Donalyn, isn't it just the best idea ever? Hope you enjoy the brownies.
Bookmarking this to try Kalyn, and what a lovely idea, to have a great cook's recipes available to try when everyone gathers to say goodbye – wow!
Anonymous, if I had tried other versions I would have said so in the recipe.
You're welcome to make it any way you prefer. However my blog is not the place for "food police" type comments that imply that your food preferences are the right choice for everyone. I believe very strongly that everyone has the right to make their own food decisions (and that includes you if you make the brownies with butter and sugar.)
Have you ever tried using butter instead of margarine in this recipe, or real sugar instead of splenda? Obviously, it would have more calories…but I seriously recommend everyone research margarine before ever using it again in your cooking. May have less calories/fat in the short term…but its long term effects… yuck! I also suggest this for splenda. I am going to try this recipe with real ingredients. May not have as few as calories…but it will be real food which I think is better for my health in the long-term…
I was not ignoring the comment that said "How can you call this low-sugar"; for some reason it just barely came to my e-mail. (I hate it when that happens.) I can call this low sugar because 1/2 cup sugar in a recipe that makes 12 large brownies (less than 6 grams of sugar in one brownie) is really quite low in sugar, plus the recipe does give the option to use all sweetener if you prefer.
I'm so glad people like the sound of the brownies. I did think it was a wonderful idea to offer a recipe as a memory of the person (and I couldn't help but wonder what recipe my relatives would choose as a memory of me. Maybe the Shrimp and Macaroni Salad that I make for every single Denny family party!)
Words of Deliciousness, for years I didn't like brownies with nuts and now I love them!
Sangeeta, I've used coconut oil for baking a couple of times now and really like it. I might have to try these with all coconut oil.
Lydia, you would have loved Grandma Willey. She was active in the Utah Democratic Party most of her life and tap danced for years with a group called Dancing Grannies! Definitely a fascinating woman.
Thanks Joanne. Grandma Willey was under doctor's orders to eat a candy bar every day so she didn't need the lower sugar version, but they're better for me!
TW, I hadn't ever seen it before and I thought it was so charming.
Sam, you are so sweet; I do work hard to figure out healthier substitutes for my recipes.
I too love recipes that are passed down. I am very impressed with how healthy this is. Some people have green thumbs. I think you must have the "healthy touch" Kalyn. That touch keeps us coming back for more.
Glad to did not use the frosting. I've never been a frosting person on brownies.
Sam
What a wonderful idea to offer a recipe to visitors as a memory of someone who has passed on. Dot lives on each time someone bakes these brownies.
I think Grandma Willey would be so proud of your adaptations! These look so dense and delicious…would never know that they were healthified!
Uh oh. I have all of the ingredients for these brownies in my pantry! Good thing my kitchen is taken over with cookie decorating (for donation) this weekend, or I'd be very tempted to try these right away. I loved your story about Grandma Willey, too. She sounds like a fascinating woman.
How can you call this low sugar?
Grandma Willey must be a happy soul watching this 🙂
I never used margarine for brownies or for anything else but i am really curious about using coconut oil. Must try.
I love recipes that are passed down from generation to generation. Grandma Willey would be proud that you were posting her brownies on your blog. These brownies look delicious. I love brownies that have nuts in them.