These No Bake Protein Brownie Cups have a soft and fudgy brownie center surrounded by a thin crisp layer of chocolate. They’re grain-free, gluten-free, and easily made vegan, and/or paleo. A healthy and delicious way to satisfy those chocolate cravings!
So I usually try to start my recipe posts with some kind of story or witty humour or something, but all I really want to do today is jump right in and talk about these no bake protein brownie cups so that you can hop off your computer or phone and go make them.
Which I know is presuming a lot, so I guess I should say “so that you can hear me out and decide if you wanna go make them.”… [And then go make them]. Because honestly? HONESTLY?? These guys are pretty epic.
I mean, there are recipes where I take my first bite and I’m like… “Oh yes, this is delicious. Exactly what I was going for.” And then there are recipes where I take my first bite, my eyes go all wide, and it’s just like ho.ly.SH*T THIS IS AMAZING!!!!
These cups are part of that second group.
Because how can they be anything short of amazing when they’re basically a soft and fudgy no bake protein brownie surrounded by a thin, crisp layer of chocolate? You bite into one, and while the chocolate shell offers up a little bit of resistance at first, it quickly gives way and your mouth is met with the delicious taste of chocolate on chocolate. Or chocolate on chocolate brownie, if we’re getting technical.
But not just any brownie! The brownie stuffed into these little cups is made without any flour, butter, or oil, and packs a nice little protein punch. It’s grain-free, gluten-free, and easily made vegan and/or paleo depending on what kind of protein powder you use. I tend to lean towards plant-based protein powders since I find they agree with my stomach a lot better, and I really like this one and this one. But you can use whatever kind of you have on hand!
So let’s talk about the process of making these little guys. I know the directions look a bit lengthy and daunting, but I promise you they’re super easy to make!
You start by creating the cups for the brownies to go into. To do that, you line a muffin pan with paper or silicone liners, melt some chocolate, place a few dollops of melted chocolate into each cavity, and use the back of a spoon to push the chocolate about halfway up the edges of each liner. Like so:
You want it to be a pretty thin layer since the brownie will take up most of the room.
Then, while that’s setting in the freezer, you make the brownies by adding all the ingredients into a bowl and using those epic arm muscles to mix away. Once you have a dough, form it into little balls, flatten them slightly, and place them into each of the cups. Like so:
After that, melt the remaining chocolate, use it to cover each brownie cup, place them in the freezer again to set, and VOILA! You’ve got yourself a batch of irresistible no bake protein brownie cups with a soft and fudgy center surrounded by a crisp chocolate shell. I hope you love them as much as I do.
Happy eating!!
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No Bake Protein Brownie Cups
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 12 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup (180 g) vegan chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup (28 g) coconut flour
- 1/4 cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (40 g) chocolate or vanilla protein powder*
- 6 tbsp (90 ml) non-dairy milk
- 3 tbsp (60 g) brown rice syrup**
- 3 tbsp (48 g) seed or nut butter
Instructions
- Line a muffin pan with 12 paper or silicone liners. Set aside.
- Add 2/3 cup (120 g) of the chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 1 minute increments until the chocolate is fully melted, stirring between each round. Alternatively, you can also melt the chocolate in a saucepan set over low heat.
- One the chocolate is melted, fill each muffin liner with about 2 tsp (10 ml) of melted chocolate and use the back of a spoon to bring some of the chocolate a little over halfway up the sides to create a cup. Place the pan in the freezer to set.
- While the chocolate is setting, prepare the brownie filling by adding the remaining ingredients (coconut flour through nut butter) to a large mixing bowl and mixing until all the ingredients are well combined and a dough forms. Depending on the ingredients you use, you may need to add a splash of extra milk or a small sprinkle of coconut flour to get the right consistency. The mixture should stick together easily when pressed without being overly sticky or wet.
- Using a tablespoon, roll the dough between your hands to form individual balls and then flatten them slightly so that they resemble the shape of the muffin cups. Place one of these discs into each of the muffin cups and use your fingers to gently flatten them so they press up against the sides.
- Melt the remaining 1/3 cup (60 g) of chocolate chips, and add a generous teaspoon to each of the cups to cover them up. Sprinkle on any desired toppings (salt flakes, sprinkles, shredded coconut, etc.), and then place them in the freezer for a minimum of 10 minutes to allow everything to set. Store the cups in an airtight container the fridge for up to a two weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
* I used a plant based protein to make these vegan, but feel free to use whichever protein is your favourite. Just note that different types of powders absorb liquid differently, so you might have to adjust how much milk you add depending on which kind you use. ** You can also use honey if not strictly vegan.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
Keywords: brownie, chocolate, dessert, gluten-free, healthy, no bake, protein, recipe, snack, vegan
Looking for more no bake chocolate recipes? Try one of these!
Almond Crisp Snack Bites
Healthy Chocolate Fudge Bites
No Bake Brownie Bites
No Bake Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
Chunky Monkey Cups
*Disclosure: Some of the links included in this post may be affiliate links, meaning I’ll earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and believe will add value to my readers. Thank you so much for helping support Spoons!
What a wonderful brownie this is. I tried it and I simply loved it.
Hello,
Can almond flour be substituted for coconut flour in your no bake brownie cup recipe?
Gratefully,
L
awesome, so tasty.
These are very similar to what I normally do when I want a chocolatey treat (and it is not so cold outside).
Only…
1) I prepare the filling while the choc (and coconut oil) melt using bain-marie method
2) I put some melted choc at the bottom but I don’t freeze the bottom choc layer, I just place bottom choc layer, then immediately:
3) [I don’t bother making the filling into balls, I just ] spoon the filling into the middle of the cup
4) top with choc layer (from remaining melted choc)
5) put in freezer for a short while
6) TRY TO LEAVE SOME for the rest of the family!
Very quick!
★★★★
I really want to try these, Looking so good and yummy.
Looking so good and yummy. I will try these.
I really want to try these, but we’re trying to cut back on carbs. Can you help me figure out how to use erythritol or stevia in place of the brown rice syrup? Thanks.
Leave the sweetener out. I don’t use any!
it’s looking so yummy, but i try to make this in my home, but can’t make like this picture
★★★★★
I used wow butter, whey protein powder and only 1 tbsp honey. I also just made the filling into balls and didn’t add the chocolate.
Sooo good. I love them
They are delicious!!! I’ve had the tab for them open all week, hoping I’d get to making them. I finally did tonight. What a treat!!!
★★★★★
Woohoo! I’m so glad you liked them 🙂 I’m the same way with keeping tabs open in my browser -forever-
I’m definitely trying these protein bars ASAP! Looks so delicious and easy!
★★★★★
I hope you like them!
Made these this past weekend and I loved it. What a treat on a a strict paleo diet. Thank you.
★★★★
This is really awesome i tried this in my after the reading your post,
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked them, Rosy!
WOW! These look amazing! Plus, using protein powder is brilliant! GUILT FREE!
★★★★★
Thanks Tracey!
made these today and can’t wait to dig in! thanks for a great recipe girl!
I hope you liked them, Marti!
This was a great post and the brownie cups look insane good, easy recipe that is full of flavor, love the use of coconut flour
Thank you, Albert! I love playing around with coconut flour, even though it can be a little tricky to work with sometimes.
These look amazing! Definitely trying this recipe soon ♥
★★★★★
I hope you like them, Natalie!
OMG stoooooop it! I’m dying. Definitely making these ASAP.
These look so good and I can’t believe there is no baking!
I’m going to give these a try- I’m soooo glad the recipe doesn’t contain coconut oil like so many other recipes.
I hope you like them, Julie!
Definitely trying these! Have you tried the Pecan Butter Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt from the cookbook “Run Fast. Eat Slow”? I think you might like them if you haven’t already tried them.
They look incredible!
★★★★★
Thank you, Marie!
these sound unreal…any suggestions in place of the protein powder? i have so many allergies and i haven’t found one i can tolerate. 🙁
thanks!!
You could probably get away with adding a couple extra tablespoons of coconut flour in place of the protein powder, Marci! Start with 3 tablespoons and then just add a 4th if it still feels too sticky.
awesome!! thanks so much…i cannot wait to try them.