These bites are a fudgy brownie topped with cookie dough. They are vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free and ACTUALLY taste good!

I go to gym a lot and I run a lot. I’m not the most social person but at gym, people started talking to me and I guess I made friends. My friends aka the “boss babes” started running park runs together largely because of this one amazing lady - our trainer Lolita (aka Lol). Lol is the kind of person who lights up a room with a smile. She has this insanely positive energy which inspires and motivates people to do. Lol has a sweet tooth like every person should unashamedly have! I began developing “healthy” sweet treats so that she and my fellow gym bunnies can eat my bakes guilt free.

These bites are surprisingly delicious. They sound healthy, yes, and in theory they might be guilt free but I’m not counting out macros for you. Just enjoy them and yourself - as my favourite lady Ms Tosi says, “life’s too short to worry about how many cookies you ate today.” The best part about these are that everyone can enjoy them! Oh and my favourite part is that the cookie dough makes too much so you have extra for whenever you need that little pick me up. You definitely want the extra dough. These are EXTRA! Treat yo’ self.

Makes 12 bites (with extra dough)

The Brownie

1 jar of Pana Hazelnut and Chocolate Spread (you could use nutella or make your own)
2 flax eggs (2 tbs flax meal mixed with 6 tbs water, let sit for 5 mins)
sprinkle of salt*
10 tbs gluten free flour/oat flour/almond meal/mix of these
1 tbs dairy free yoghurt*

Cookie Dough

50 g coconut oil melted (or if in Australia it will be liquid always)
1/2 cup coconut sugar
3-4 Tbs dairy free yogurt (I used Cocobella natural)
187.5 g mayvers dark roast crunchy peanut butter (you can use any nut butter/combo of nut butters or even biscoff spread)
150 g gf flour/oat flour/almond meal (only toast flour if using gf flour)
2 x Pana chocolate bars, roughly chopped
sprinkle or 2 of Maldon salt

To make the brownie

Preheat the oven to 180’C (I use a fan forced oven)
Combine all ingredients together
Half fill muffin/cupcake cases
Bake for 10 minutes.
Let rest in tin for 5 minutes, then cool on rack in cases.

To make the dough

Place oil and sugar in a bowl and mix well. add the yoghurt then mix the nut butter until well combined.
Fold the flour into the wet mixture. (if using gf flour bake it for 10 minutes at low heat to treat it before use).
Once well combined, fold through chocolate bits and sprinkle salt to taste.

To Assemble:

Place a tablespoon of cookie dough on top of each cooled brownie.
Gently flatten the dough.
Repeat until all your brownies are topped with dough.
If you feel like dressing the bites up, drizzle melted chocolate/biscoff spread/peanut butter on top and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Notes:

*I use Maldon Salt

*I used Nudie Natural Yoghurt (vegan)

*You could use sprinkles or nuts or different types of chocolate as an add in

final thoughts…

If you’re stuck in lock down, like most of us are in Australia, how are you doing without gym?… or maybe you didn’t gym but you went rock climbing or played team sport or went to the movies… how are you without these little pieces of socialising and human contact?

Prior to lock down I was at gym at least 5 to 6 times a week (sometimes twice a day). I miss my gym and the people in it.

Amelia xx