Cacao Brownie Thins with Salted Pumpkin Seeds
Joy Wilson is well known for her daily dabbles in butter and sugar as her blogging alter ego, Joy the Baker. A California girl and longtime New Orleans resident who now calls Bellville, TX home, Joy is a 100% taste buds-taught baker and home cook. She's a three-time cookbook author, photographer, teacher and storyteller who has been sharing recipes and real-life reflections with a devoted community since launching Joy the Baker in 2008. What began as a small baking blog has grown into a beloved culinary platform including her Baked In newsletter, and The Bakehouse Texas, her small-batch pop up bakery.
- Dessert
Thin, snappy brownies that bake in twelve minutes.
hese thin, healthy brownies bake in just 10 to 12 minutes. We’re swapping butter for olive oil and sugar for maple syrup, whisked with raw cacao powder and spelt flour into a thick, glossy batter. Spread it paper-thin across a sheet pan, sprinkle pepitas roasted in olive oil, smoky paprika, and flaky salt, and you’ve got something super chocolatey with a salty-sweet crunch on top. These are also built to freeze. Cut them into squares, wrap them up in pairs, and tuck them away. They’re also wonderful eaten straight from frozen, no thawing required. Extras keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Why This Works
Spreading the batter thin is what gives them their snap, so resist the urge to let it pile up toward the center of the pan.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 105 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2g |
| Carbs | 11g |
| Fat | 7g |
Ingredients
Brownies
| Maple syrup | 3/4 cup |
|---|---|
| Cacao powder (or regular cocoa powder) | 3/4 cup |
| Sea salt | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Olive oil | 1/2 cup |
| Almond extract | Splash |
| Large eggs | 2 |
| Spelt flour (or all-purpose flour) | 1/2 cup |
Salted Pumpkin Seed Topping
| Pumpkin seeds | 1/3 cup |
|---|---|
| Olive oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Smoky paprika | 1/4 teaspoon |
| Flaky sea salt | For sprinkling |
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Roast the pumpkin seeds
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread pumpkin seeds across a rimmed half-sheet baking pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with smoky paprika and flaky sea salt and roast for 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from the oven and spoon the seeds into a small bowl.
2 Prep the pan
Allow the pan to cool before greasing and lightly flouring it in preparation for the brownies.
3 Whisk the batter
In a medium bowl whisk together maple syrup, cacao powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Add the oil and almond extract and whisk until emulsified and glossy. Add the eggs, one at a time whisking well after each addition until the batter is thick and shiny. Stir in the flour until no streaks remain.
4 Spread it thin
Using a rubber or offset spatula, spread the batter into a thin even layer almost to the edges of the pan. The priority is creating an even layer more than the batter reaching the edges of the pan.
5 Top with seeds and salt
Sprinkle the batter with toasted pumpkin seeds and another good sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
6 Bake
Bake for 10-12 minutes until just firm to the touch. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes.
7 Cut and cool
Cut the brownies in 3-inch squares. Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Store the brownies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes & Tips
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You are also welcome and encouraged to freeze and enjoy them frozen.
- Cacao or cocoa: Feel free to swap the cacao powder for cocoa powder if you’d like. Raw cacao is less processed (and can be pricier), but regular cocoa powder will also work very well if that’s what’s on hand.
- Flour swap: Spelt flour can be swapped with all-purpose flour if that’s what’s available to you.
Joy Wilson is well known for her daily dabbles in butter and sugar as her blogging alter ego, Joy the Baker. A California girl and longtime New Orleans resident who now calls Bellville, TX home, Joy is a 100% taste buds-taught baker and home cook. She's a three-time cookbook author, photographer, teacher and storyteller who has been sharing recipes and real-life reflections with a devoted community since launching Joy the Baker in 2008. What began as a small baking blog has grown into a beloved culinary platform including her Baked In newsletter, and The Bakehouse Texas, her small-batch pop up bakery.
