Quick and easy to make 4 ingredient healthy protein brownies are moist and fudgy and contain NO SUGAR, NO EGGS, NO OIL, AND NO FLOUR! They are naturally Vegan, gluten-free, and paleo. Enjoy them for breakfast or any time of the day. 
Ever since I started making these healthy protein brownies for my paleo obsessed husband, We’ve never looked back. They are fudgy and delicious and because they are made with all wholesome ingredients, eating them couldn’t be easier. There’s no better feeling out there than enjoying brownies guilt free!
These brownies are great if you are on a low-carb or paleo diet or if you are a weight trainer. They are packed with protein powder, nut butter, and bananas. Since they are mostly banana and nut butter, they make a great breakfast on the go.
For best results:
- I suggest using casein, Vega, or any plant-based protein powder in chocolate flavor.
- For the nut butter, almond, cashew or peanut butter all work really well.
- For the bananas, the one and only rule is the riper the better!
To make the brownies, simply combine all the ingredients with a whisk or wooden spoon until fully combined. Pour (or press) better into a greased skillet or small pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes and cool before slicing. 
To make the brownies, simply combine all the ingredients with a whisk or wooden spoon until fully combined. Pour (or press) better into a greased 
4 Ingredient Fudge Protein Brownies (Vegan, Gluten-free, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed banana, about 6 medium, overripe bananas
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter, use almond or cashew butter for paleo/low-carb
- 1/2 cup protein powder
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a small 8x8 baking dish or 8'' skillet with parchment paper or grease well. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, peanut butter, whisk until fully combined. Stir in protein powder and cocoa powder with a wooden spoon. Pour batter into a greased pan. Bake for 12-20 minutes or until cooked through.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Cover the leftovers and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy cold or at room temp!
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS RECIPE, PLEASE PIN IMAGE BELOW!! <3 
I make these every week so figured I should comment. We love them!!! Eat ‘em for breakfast. Usually add some walnut too. For people posting about them not being done they aren’t supposed to have the texture of cake or brownies they are unique! Kind of a cross between pudding and brownie. I always cook for 20-25 min though
Thanks for the detailed feedback, Arielle!
What can I replace for the protein powder for normal dietary? Can I use flour?
Can I swap cocoa powder for cacao powder??
Yes, that should work!
What if I don’t have any protein powder?
I used six large bananas, added 2 eggs and 1 tsp. baking powder, everything else the same as above and cooked for 25 minutes – REALLY good. Thanks!!
Add 1-2 eggs
I would like to see the nutritional values please. Did you forget it?
Thanks
These were very good, although they did not have the crispy flaky tops that yours do in the photo. Maybe it’s because I used a hand mixer instead of stirring it with a whisk and/or spoon. I used almond butter, Vega Vanilla Proteins & Greens (because that’s what I have) and 7 small bananas (because I didn’t want to throw any out.) It tasted too banana-ey so I added another 1/4 cup of cacao powder (1/2 cup total) and 1/2 tsp sea salt + I sprinkled some salt on top. I baked it for about 23 minutes in a cast iron skillet. Maybe I should have baked it a little longer, but my husband insisted it would continue to cook in the cast iron. The texture was very silky, rich and decadent. I cut it in 12 slices and served it with fresh raspberries. Next time I’ll cut back on the bananas a little and try it with peanut butter. Thanks for the recipe!
This was surprisingly good and my kids enjoyed it. Will make again when I have bananas coming out of my ears. I added 1/3 c. cocoa and a handful of walnuts and chocolate chips.
Do you have The nutr information for these brow?
Made these vegan wiTh arbonne chocoLate protein powder, almond butter and sweet POTATOES INSTEAD of bananas (DIDN’T have bananas today). Yummy!
I made these In a pan no a skillet anD they are grainy and kind of gross. Other than that, i followed the recipe exactly. What am i missing??
I followed this recipe and the brownies were grainy. I could not serve them to my family.
Is your protein powder grainy? Make sure to use a very powdery protein powder
since I don’t have chocolate protein powder, can I use vanilla and reduce to 1/4 cup, and then increase the cacao powder to 1/2 cup?
I have not tried that alteration so I can not recommend it but please do let us know if you try it out and how it works out for you!
GReat heAlthier alternative to brownies! I used CarAmel machiato Soy PROTEIN powder and tastes great. Not too SwEet! Going to use As a post gym Snack 🙂
Is there something I could use instead of cocoa powder
Carob powder is generally a good substitute for cocoa.
Can i not use the protein powder and would it STill work??
These are wonderful. They’re even in consistency and didn’t taste grainy like i suspected they might. These brownies are a pleasantly convenient surprise.
do you have the macros on these?
Can i sub pumpkin for the banana and aDd a sugar free sweetener?
Does anyone know how many calorieS are in this?
It will depend on which protein powder you use, but if you use the one that is linked…
6 bananas:630 calories
1 cup peanut butter: 1440 calories
1/2 cup (linked) protein powder (call it two scoops): 240 calories
1/4 cup cocoa: 80 calories
total calories: 2390
Per serving (9):266
Per serving (6): 399
thank you for this recipe! I Have made it so many timeS. Its the Best way to use up Very ripe bananas and the inGredients are so simple. I Just made a batch and added carob chips and chOpped walnuts. Yum!
I made these yesterday and they are SO AWESOME. i really like all the heathy ingredients. The only thing i will change is next time i will add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder because they needed more chocolate flavor to me. I will be making theses often. Thank you for this great recipe!!!
Or would you suggest doing 1/2 cup of protein powder instead?
love Them! Though, i am not a vegan or anything Else along those lines, (i am a white meat Eating kinda Being), but i have endometrosis which somewhat forces me to leaN more toward a diary, soy and gLuten free tyPe of diet. So, this recipe iS right for my body, and We (my husband and son), really ENJOYED tHese. Great Protein intake. ThOugh, i wish I knew the Macros on this Recipe.
I used chOcolate flavor hydroLyzed whey protein, whiCh i know whey is daiRy. But, my Vegan protein is too chalky. Besides i wasn’t going to deprive my Husband and son from a delicious protein when I can cheat a little On my endo-diet. I also added 2 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce just for kicks. It’s a Great idea, just saying.
Overall, Great recipe, taste great.
Hopefully, i can figure out the mAcros for each serving!
Enjoy!!!
What would adding egg whites do to the recipe? I am not vegan and am considering adding egg whites!
If you add egg WHITES add 1/2 c and I would also add 2 tsp of baking powder. I assume you want it to be fluffier so adding the baking powder will help accomplish that. If you try it let me know how it goes! I may try it too.
I tried thie egg whites and 2tsp baking powder. It worked really well! Baked in an 8×8 glass pan for about 40-45 minutes so it cooked all the way through and set. I used unsweetened rice protein and natural almond butter. I like this version better than the original recipient which I made many times.
I really liked these. All of my overripe bananas were in the freezer so I just defrosted a bunch and then mixed in the other ingredients with a fork. I baked them for 18 minutes at 350 and they’re great fudgey brownies.
I believe the author meant that it could be made vegan by using the appropriate protein powder. Choose the one that works for your diet needs. Also, as others have mentioned, true natural peanut butter does not have sugar added. And of course bananas have sugar. I am sure the author meant no added sugar.
I really like these . I made them with Bob reeds unflavored whey protein powder instead of choc powder. I don’t care for flavored protein powders. Kept the rest of the recipe the same and baked in a glass our dish for 18 mins .They turned out great. I’m going to try with reconstituted powdered peanut butter to cut some calories and fat.
Love the idea of cooking these in a skillet! Looks absolutely delicious. ❤️
I just made these for the Super Bowl , my daughter and son in law are coming over and both have gone Gluten free and my husband and I are watching our calories and trying the more cleaner diet, I used my husband Whey protein, chocolate peanut butter flavor powder, and they did take like 40 min before they where done, but they aren’t bad at all, you have to remember they are not old fashion brownies, they are a healthier protein brownie, so with that in mind they are pretty good , 😊 thank you for a healthier way to have a treat !!!!!!!
I absolutely love these! I wish peanut butter had fewer calories…but such is life. I was thinking of ways to try to substitute it out. I am no baker or anything so maybe these won’t let the brownies set up properly. Maybe you have a few suggestions?
1. Mix PB2 with greek yogurt?
2. Mix PB2 with unsweetened apple sauce?
Great recipe though! Thank you!
Wonder if the dry peanut powder (reconstituted) would work? I use it in my smoothies because its less calories and fat. But havent baked with it. I’m going to try it.
Took 1.5 hours to cook all the way through.
Very true! Took me 40 ish mins
Making them now. I used pb2 chocolate pb (powder) instead of regular pb…guess we will see how they come out
How did they turn out ?? Thought about using peanut butter powerer too
Oh!!! So curious about this! How did they turn out?
I LOVED THESE!!! I used QUEST baking protein. Thanks for posting.
Will be sure to try quest next time I make a batch. I’m glad you enjoyed them 🙂
My boyfriend and I didn’t love it, but we didn’t hate it either. I have a horrible sweet tooth and this is an alternative to the regular brownie. Might do a bit of tweaking with the recipe next time.
I wouldn’t say they were a total disaster but they definitely didn’t cook through in the middle, and taste more like batter than actual brownies.
So easy and so delicious
They might be ok if you bake them in a cast iron skillet, like the picture .I used a glass pan for 30 mins
They seem to be raw? They taste funky…
Not a fan ????
Can I use real chocolate, I know it has more fat in it but these don’t seem to shy away from including a lot of fat, personally I much prefer chocolate to more refined things like cocoa powder but would chocolate incorporate well?
I haven’t used “real” chocolate as a replacement for the cocoa, but please do let us know how it turns out!
What’s the carb count on these?
These are amazing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made them. It’s the closest you’re going to get to a fudgy brownie while being healthy – unless you are on a super low fat diet you might not want to incorporate these into your diet. I used justin’s almond butter, vega chocolate protein (2 scoops), 4 super ripe bananas, cacao and throw in a little Maca powder because I add it to everything. Approx 260 calories for a 9th, 17 grams of fat, 20 carbs, 13 grams of protein. 1.1 grams of sugar.
I am currently making these now! The taste is amazing, but they’re not cooking through. I’m guessing an 8×8 pan is too small…or flour/baking soda needs to be added. I’m not a baking expert though.
What’s the nutrition facts?
For those concerned about the sugar in the peanut butter, make your own. A food processor and a few minutes and you have fresh homemade peanut butter and it works great in recipes. You can’t get more natural than that.
Can i replace the protein powder with something else?
I tried this recipe last night and it turned out perfect! I tried to half the recipe since I will be the only one in my house eating these. Here is what I used:
3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup almond butter (Justin’s)
1/2 cup ON double chocolate protein powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
I baked them in a 8×8 glass dish @350 for 25 minutes. They were delicious with a glass of almond milk!
Hello! I just made these and while the taste is great, the brownies never seemed to fully set – it was if they got done on the top but not fully done underneath. I ended up cooking them for 26 minutes and they’re still gooey when you cut them. Has anyone else had this issue or did I miss something in the recipe?
Oh I want to try these so bad but the comments are making me nervous lol. I only have Vega vegan protein powder in vanilla but I may try these.
These were GREAT! I used:
– 1/4c IronMan whey protein powder (chocolate) and 1/4 cup Designer Whey (unflavored) because 1/4c was all I had left of the chocolate flavor
– peanut butter because who doesn’t love peanut butter
– bananas and cacao powder as recommended
– added a teaspoon of vanilla extract
– threw in a handful of dark chocolate chips
baked for 20 minutes
They came out really tastey, but next time I will make sure I have the full amount of chocolate protein powder readily available.
do these taste like bananas? i know probably a stupid question but i hate bananas..lol
You can use canned pumpkin instead if you don’t like bananas!
Thank you for that tip!
Everyone in the comments is an idiot.
if you cant say something nice…dont say it at ll…your a very rude person…and I’m being nice
Can these be frozen after they are baked?
CASEIN IS NOT VEGAN
That’s why she suggested Vega protein powder if you want to make them vegan… she never stated that casein is vegan, if you actually read the post.
They look delicious! Can’t wait to try all of them! Cheers!! the 4 Ingredient Fudge Protein Brownies (Vegan, Gluten-free, Paleo) is a great idea.
Can I substitute or leave our the peanut butter? I dont like any of the nut butters…they all taste like peanut butter and its the worst
Isn’t Casein the cancer causing reason people don’t eat dairy?
What kind of consistency should these have when they’re done baking? I’m trying to bake them, but i can’t tell if they’re done.
Can it be made without the protein powder?
I haven’t tries making them without the protein powder but please let us know if you do.
Can I substitute the nut butter with anything else that’s not nut butter? I don’t have enough for the recipe.
I tried these last night and they turned out HORRENDOUS!! Only reason I can think of is the type of protein powder I used…
I opted for my chocolate flavored eggwhite protein powder and I think that’s what made them rubbery/taste like a tire… I was so disappointed because I saw the great reviews and they looked delicious!
Word to the wise, do not use eggwhite protein powder LOL
Yeah, I used a gnc plant based pp and mine also turned out horrendous. Stick to the mentioned brands, I guess
It’s a terrible recipe, nothing is good without real ingredients. Nothing that is three or four ingredient will be good. Use a regular brownie recipe, use eggs, coconut flour and a maple syrup and banana 1/2 mix of each to replace the sugar. And no peanut butter!
can you use unsweetened coco powder or does that change the taste?
Yea, the coco powder should be unsweetened.
Why would you say they’re sugar free when peanut butter has been added? Can I have the nutritional information for this recipe?
I was watching another recipe video where the guy said sugar free and then on the back of the peanut butter label it had sugar right at the top. In my cupboard I have peanut butter that is sugar free. It is only peanuts and peanut oil. You can just google the amounts of ingredient and find the nutritional info based on the ingredients you plan to use or read the backs of the label because many people will use different brands.
Your peanut butter should have one ingredient. Peanuts. Stay away from brands that add sugar and oils.
Not all Peanut butter has sugar – its quite easy to find peanut butter without sugar, actually.
Do you have to add the protein powder?
Macros for these?
I was shocked how good these were!!! I halved the recipe and made mini brownies. Next time I’ll
Have to double it! I used Arbonne vegan protein, and they turned out wonderfully! Thanks for this recipe! It will be my go to from now on!!
Which Arbonne protein did you use?
I’ve got Arbonnes Vanilla meal replacement protein powder, can I use this for the recipe?
Louise
I used chocolate and I’ve never tried the vanilla but please let us know how it turns out if you do try it!
Is there ANY alternative to the banana? I cannot even have them in my house, the smell of them makes me physically & violently ill… I want to make these, but am at a loss as to a substitute.
Yes, you can also use canned pumpkin.
Good, I’m so glad there’s an alternative to the bananas (I’m severely allergic); although, I’m sure they taste amazing.
Casein is a milk protein. It’s not vegan.
I looked up some generic nutritional(caloric) info:
2c Banana – 400 cal
1c Peanut Butter -1397 cal
1/2 c Chocolate Protein Powder- 400 cal
1/4 c Cocoa Powder- 48 cal
Total 2245 cal 250 cal per serving
Not to bad for a brownie! I’m a big fan of BP2 and was wondering if it could be reconstituted and used. I’m guessing the brownies would be less fudge-y without the oil from the Peanut Butter.
casein is not vegan.
What are the dietary stats per slice
ooooh I’m sharing this with my brother!
These fudgy brownies are so delicious and healthy- clearly I need to pick up some protein powder! Pinning 🙂
Just made these… really great tasting alternative to regular brownies! I added a splash of pure coffee extract for extra richness.
Casein is not vegan
exactly, casein is milk protein
She didn’t say it was vegan. She said to use Vega to make these vegan. Read the post.