These healthier miso brownies are fudgy, yet made with healthier ingredients like oats, ground almonds, flaxseed and cocoa powder. I went a step further to make them extra decadent by topping them with a simple tahini miso ‘salted caramel’ and dark chocolate layer. The result is something so deliciously irresistible!
Brownies have always been one of my favourite desserts and they’re definitely my go to at restaurants. If I’m in the mood for a sweet treat and there’s brownies on the menu, I can safely say that’s what I’ll be ordering regardless of what else is on there.
Even though I have a major sweet tooth and typically crave something sweet after my meals, I’m also not someone who likes their sweets to be overly sweet. That’s why I gravitate towards chocolate treats, especially things with dark chocolate or something with a more intense chocolate flavour like a brownie. I find the bitterness of the dark chocolate cuts through the sweetness and creates a more balanced and harmonious dessert where sweet isn’t the overpowering and only taste that comes through.
Why use miso paste to make these healthier miso brownies?
If you’re anything like me and love a good balance between sweet and salty in desserts, adding miso paste to your chocolate treats may just be something that you need to try.
Adding miso to brownies may sound odd, but it actually works so well with both chocolate and tahini! White miso paste can elevate the flavour profile and add depth to any brownies. The natural saltiness of miso can balance the sweetness of brownies, preventing them from being overly sugary and adding a subtle savoury note that complements the chocolate.
Using miso instead of, or along side salt, adds a hint of umami flavour that salt alone won’t do. That along with the bitter notes from the chocolate and tahini and sweetness from the sugar marries so well to create something to decadent! I’m only adding a tsp of miso to the tahini layer to create a healthier ‘salted caramel’ kind of vibe. A little goes a long way.
Why I love making these healthier miso brownies:
I made some simple substitutes to make these healthier miso brownies more nutritious. I used things like oat flour and ground almonds instead of white flour to boost the fibre and healthy fat content. They’re also both naturally gluten-free, so great for those with a gluten allergy. Just make sure to use gluten-free oats (oats that haven’t been contaminated with gluten from being handled in a facility with other gluten containing grains).
I also use other wholesome ingredients like tahini and miso to make the ‘salted caramel’ layer and topped the brownies with dark chocolate, which is packed with antioxidants!
Plain brownies are great, but I wanted to go a step further and make these brownies even more extra and decadent, so I decided to add a tahini miso caramel layer. I also topped it with dark chocolate for good measure.
What you need to make these healthier miso brownies:
Oat flour – Replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or oat flour to increase fibre content.
Ground almonds – Ground almonds are packed with essential nutrients including vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, and riboflavin.
Cocoa – Packs in lots of antioxidants and is of course essential to achieve the rich chocolate flavour.
Sugar – We need some sort of sweetener to balance out the bitter notes in the chocolate and I find that caster sugar works best in baked brownies to get the best texture.
Tahini – I always buy runny Middle Eastern/Lebanese tahini as I find it works best in all recipes – savoury, but especially in sweet treats. It adds so much moisture and is easier to incorporate and mix in with other ingredients.
Oil & milk – Both will add lots of moisture and make the brownies lovely and fudgy. You can use any oil or butter and any milk will work. Dairy or non-dairy alternatives.
Egg or flax egg – You can either use a medium egg, or mix 1 tbsp milled flaxseed with 3 tbsp warm water and leave to set for 10 minutes. This will create a gel like mixture that works as a vegan replacement for eggs.
Miso paste – You can find white miso paste in most major supermarkets or online. If you don’t have any, you can substitute it with a pinch of salt instead.
Dark chocolate – I prefer dark chocolate to milk as it adds a richer and more decadent taste to these healthier miso brownies. Of course you can use any type of chocolate you prefer.
How to make these healthier miso brownies:
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Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
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Add the oat flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, sugar and salt to a bowl, and mix to combine.
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Add the egg/flax eggs and pour in the tahini, oil/butter and milk. Mix to form a batter.
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Transfer into a loaf tin (I used a 22×12 cm loaf tin) and bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
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In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, melted coconut oil, maple syrup and miso paste until you have a runny caramel like mixture.
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Pour over the brownies whilst still in the tin, then freeze for around an hour.
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Break up the dark chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and melt in the microwave for a minute or 2, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Mix in the tahini.
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Remove the brownies from the freezer and top with the melted chocolate mixture. Allow to set slightly in the fridge (don’t let the chocolate harden much or else you’ll find them difficult to slice).
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Slice and enjoy!
How to store your healthier miso brownies:
Store your brownies in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Remove 5 minutes before serving.
These healthier miso brownies are:
- Dairy-free
- Made with more wholesome ingredients
- Can be made vegan (by using a flax egg instead or a regular egg)
- Can be made gluten-free (by using gluten-free oats)
- Super chocolatey
- Super decadent
- Not overly sweet
- Perfectly balanced with sweet, bitter and umami notes.
- A must try!
Healthier Miso Brownies
Ingredients
- 65g oat flour*
- 65g ground almonds
- 55g caster sugar
- 35g cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 60ml tahini
- 80ml oil or butter
- 80ml milk
- 1 egg or flax egg** see notes
For the miso tahini layer
- 140g tahini
- 40g coconut oil melted
- 60ml maple syrup
- 1 tsp white miso paste
For the chocolate topping
- 80g dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp tahini
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
- Add the oat flour, ground almonds, cocoa powder, sugar and salt to a bowl, and mix to combine.
- Add the egg/flax egg and pour in the tahini, oil/butter and milk. Mix to form a batter.
- Transfer into a loaf tin (I used a 22×12 cm loaf tin) and bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool completely in the tin.
- In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, melted coconut oil, maple syrup and miso paste until you have a runny caramel like mixture.
- Pour over the brownies whilst still in the tin, then freeze for around an hour.
- Break up the dark chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and melt in the microwave for a minute or 2, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Mix in the tahini.
- Remove the brownies from the freezer and top with the melted chocolate mixture. Allow to set slightly in the fridge (don't let the chocolate harden much or else you'll find them difficult to slice).
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
These look so good, big fan of tahini and miso. Could I use something instead of the almonds? Coconut flour maybe?
Hi Dori 🙂 It is a great flavour combo! I don’t have much experience with coconut flour (always found it really dry and difficult to work with), but you could try adding more oat flour instead.