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Pumpkin Protein Brownies

Fudgy pumpkin protein brownies are the best sweet snack or dessert any time of the year (but especially during fall). These protein pumpkin brownies are so easy to make and you will not believe how fudgy the texture is every single time! These brownies are naturally vegan, egg free, gluten free, dairy free and can be made without protein powder!

Hand holding a pumpkin brownie with a bite taken out of it.
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Why you will love this recipe

  • Super fudgy – If you have never tried pumpkin + chocolate before, you are going to have your mind blown by how amazing this combination is!  Don’t worry about tasting the pumpkin though, it tends to just add the moisture but the taste just slips into the background, the chocolate is really the star!
  • Easy to make – These healthy pumpkin brownies are made with easy to find ingredients and are so incredibly simple to make! All you need is one bowl and about 30 minutes! Trust me you are going to want to make these on repeat once you try them!
  • Lower carbs, high protein snack! Because these protein pumpkin brownies are made with protein powder, they tend to be lower in carbs than traditional brownies! The great thing is even if you don’t have protein powder, you can use almond flour to keep the carb count down!

Ingredients

  • Ground Flax -acts as the eggs and helps to bind together the mixture
  • Water – used to help set up the ground flax
  • Pumpkin puree -adds moisture and helps to create that super fudgy texture.
  • Maple Syrup: Adds a depth of flavor, sweetness, and moisture
  • Vegan protein powder (vanilla or chocolate) – this acts like flour in this recipe and absorbs the liquid just like flour. If you don’t have protein powder, see the substitutions below. Note: this recipe has not been tested with whey protein.
  • Cacao powder – adds a rich chocolate flavor. Be sure to use cacao powder not cocoa powder as cocoa powder can be bitter.
  • Gluten free flour of choice (all purpose gluten free flour, oat flour, tigernut, cassava are all great choices) – this helps the brownies set up during baking.
  • Almond butter – a little bit of fat helps with the gooey, fudgy quality
  • Pumpkin pie spice – optional but I think it takes these brownies to the next level, especially as a fall dessert
  • Baking powder – helps the brownies rise slightly during baking
  • Chocolate chips (vegan) – adds creamy chocolate as they melt during baking. Use whatever dairy free chocolate chips you have on hand. I love Pascha chocolate and have really been enjoying the Whole Foods Organic Chocolate Chips lately.
  • Non-stick spray – this ensures that you can get your brownies out of the pan!
Pumpkin protein brownies in a glass baking dish.

How to make pumpkin protein brownies

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl combine the ground flax, water, pumpkin puree and maple syrup. Stir well to get the flax well incorporated.

Pumpkin puree, ground flax, water and maple syrup in a large white bowl.

Add the protein powder, cacao powder and gluten free flour to the pumpkin mixture and stir well, getting all the flours well incorporated.

Dry ingredients added to the pumpkin mixture in the bowl.

Add the pumpkin pie spice, almond butter and baking powder and stir well.

Fold in the chocolate chips to the bowl and stir until incorporated.

Chocolate chips added to pumpkin batter in white bowl.

Spray an 8X8 or 9X13 pan with non-stick spray and pour the batter into the baking dish.

Use a spatula to even out the top of the brownies before baking, as these do not rise so the top will not change much during baking.

Protein pumpkin brownie mixture in glass baking dish before baking.

Add additional chocolate chips  (optional), be sure to press them into the batter. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Chocolate chips added to the top of the brownie mix before baking.

Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely for best flavor and texture. These brownies are actually best cold or heated up after being cooled.

Protein pumpkin brownies in glass dish after baking.

Top tips

  • Allow the brownies to cool completely for the best texture. These brownies are incredibly rich and fudgy and get even fudgier as they cool down. If you have the time, these brownies are really best when they have had time to cool down completely in the fridge. At minimum I would allow these to fully cool to room temperature before serving.
  • These brownies can be reheated in the microwave or in a toaster oven after cooling and the flavor is great! They just need that initial cool down period to really get the best texture and flavor.
  • Choose your favorite gluten free flour for this recipe. You can use your favorite all purpose gluten free flour (a 1:1 swap), oat flour, tigernut flour or cassava flour. I would not recommend coconut flour. 

Other mix ins

  • Chopped pecan, walnuts or almonds
  • Dried cranberries, dried cherries, chopped pitted dates
  • Cacao nibs (for a bit of a crunch)
  • White chocolate chips
  • Coconut flakes

Toppings to take these to the next level

Stack of 4 pumpkin protein brownies on a plate.

Common questions

What is the best protein powder to bake with?

Vegan protein powders are my go-to for baking. They absorb liquid like traditional flour and do not dry out the baked goods like whey protein tends to. Because of this I only recommend you using a vegan protein powder in this recipe. If you cannot find vegan protein powder, please use the substitution below with almond flour and omit the protein completely.

My go to brand of protein powder is Nuzest. I have been using it for the last 3 years and love that it’s made with clean ingredients, made from peas that are tested for heavy metals and it’s naturally gluten free and dairy free. If you cannot tolerate pea protein or want this recipe to be paleo friendly, I recommend Octonuts Almond Protein Powder.

Can you make these brownies without protein powder?

Yes, if you do not have protein powder on hand or want to use something like collagen peptides which have no taste or change the texture, you can instead use 1 cup of almond flour + 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup in place of the protein powder in this recipe.

What are the health benefits of pumpkin

Pumpkins are a great source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, fiber, potassium and are naturally low in calories and sugar.

Adding pumpkin to brownies adds moisture to the batter, making them rich and fudgy without much fat or calories.

Pumpkin protein brownies sliced into square on parchment paper.

Storing leftovers

  • Fridge: These pumpkin brownies are great stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (although they have never lasted that long at my house).
  • Freezer: You may be able to freeze these, but due to the pumpkin the texture may change during defrosting. I have not tried freezing these brownies so if you do, please leave a comment to let me know.

Substitutions

  • Pumpkin puree: It’s important that you use pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix. The mix is full of sugar and other ingredients. If you cannot find canned pumpkin, you could also used mashed butternut squash or even mashed sweet potatoes.
  • Ground flax: You can also grind down chia seeds in the high speed blender to replace the ground flax.
  • Maple Syrup: You could also use honey, coconut nectar or even date syrup.
  • Protein powder: Like I mentioned above, if you don’t have a vegan protein power, I would not advise using a whey based for this recipe. Instead you can use 1 cup of almond flour + an additional 2 tablespoons of maple syrup for sweetness. This will create a similar fudgy brownie without the protein powder.
  • Cacao powder: This is really important for creating that fudgy chocolate flavor. If you can only find cocoa powder, you may need to add 1 more tablespoon of maple syrup to offset the bitterness from cocoa powder.
  • Almond butter: you can also use tahini, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter in place of the almond butter.
Two brownies on a plate with chocolate chips in the background.

If you love this recipe, you should try

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Pumpkin brownie with a bite removed on a plate.

Pumpkin Protein Brownies

Fudgy protein pumpkin brownies are the perfect healthy snack or sweet dessert! This recipe is so easy to make, all you need is one bowl and 30 minutes! Naturally vegan, gluten free, dairy free and lower in carbs!
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pumpkin brownies, pumpkin protien brownies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 9

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • In a large bowl, add ground flax, water, pumpkin puree and maple syrup. Stir well.
  • Add protein powder, unsweetened cocoa powder and gluten free flour. Stir until all the flour is combined and lumps removed.
  • Add almond butter, pumpkin pie spice and baking powder. Mix to combine.
  • Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
  • Spray a 8X8 or 9X13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Use your spatula to get all of the pumpkin brownie batter into the baking dish. Be sure to smooth out the top, as this doesn't rise or move very much in the oven.
  • Optional: add more chocolate chips to the top of the brownies for presentation.
  • Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving.

Notes

  • Tip: these brownies are the BEST when they have been able to fully cool. Let them at least come to room temperature but they are even best if they can be stored in the fridge until cool. 
  • You can reheat these after cooling, and the flavor and texture will be great, they just need the initial cool down for the perfect fudgy texture.
  • Choose your favorite gluten free flour for this recipe. You can use your favorite all purpose gluten free flour (a 1:1 swap), oat flour, tigernut flour or cassava flour. I would not recommend coconut flour. 
If you do not have vegan protein powder:
  • Replace protein powder with 1 cup of almond flour and increase the maple syrup from 2 tbsp. to 4 tbsp. 
Store brownies in the fridge for up to 5 days in a air tight container. 

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
132
Fat
 
6
g
Carbohydrates
 
14
g
Fiber
 
4
g
Sugar
 
5
g
Protein
 
7
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?Let others know by rating and leaving a comment below!

Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in October of 2015, but was published again in October 2020 to include step by step directions, recipe notes and new photos.

Recipe Rating




Lisa @ Fun Money Mom

Friday 23rd of October 2015

Yumm...this looks so delicious! Thanks so much for sharing at Share The Wealth Sunday! xoxo Lisa

Deborah Davis

Monday 19th of October 2015

Yum! Thank you so much for sharing these healthy, delicious and decadent pumpkin protein brownies at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I am so delighted that you are partying with us! I'm pinning and sharing.

Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Monday 19th of October 2015

Oh, these look SO good! All of your pumpkin recipes are making this pregnant lady hungry. :)

Danita Carr

Sunday 18th of October 2015

These look easy and delicious! Thanks for sharing at Small Victories Sunday Linkup!

Fanny

Sunday 18th of October 2015

This will definitely be a must-try for me this week! Thank you for Sharing!