Brownie Recipes: Explore The No Maida Options With Oats, Almond Flour and Millets
Written by jheelum basu | December 1, 2025
For all the dessert lovers, a classic chocolate brownie is an ultimate moodlifter. With its rich taste and indulgent nature, every bite of a chocolate brownie can soothe a broken heart or an anxious soul like nothing else. But, when it comes to the ingredients of brownies, what about the downsides of excess flour intake? Considering the rise in lifestyle disorders due to the overconsumption of refined and processed food items, the alternative healthy brownie recipes are gaining popularity.
The traditional brownie recipes often include maida (refined flour). However, to make the classic dessert guilt-free and healthy, several modern no-naida brownie recipes are there.
In these healthy brownie recipes, refined flour is often replaced by alternatives like almond flour, millet, and oats. The plant-based natural options add more nutritional value to the recipes while keeping the taste and texture intact. From almond flour and oats to millet and whole wheat flour, several options are available today to help mitigate health hazards.
Why Are No-Maida Brownies Becoming Popular?
To follow a healthy lifestyle, people are switching to the no-maida brownie recipes these days. Due to high industrial processing and the removal of essential nutrients, refined flour is considered extremely unhealthy. With a very high glycemic index ranging between 70 to 85, regular consumption of maida is known to cause several chronic diseases. Now, to still keep the sweet lovers happy, several no-maida recipes are there.
1. Millet Brownie
This no-maida, gluten-free, nutrient-rich alternative is a very popular option to make the brownies better for health. Rich in calcium, this alternate option makes delicious, fudgy, and moist brownies. To make them even healthier, natural sweeteners like jaggery and honey can be used.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups millet flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup regular milk
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar/jaggery powder
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Step-by-step guide:
Step 1:
Start by preheating the oven to 180°C. Keep a pan prepared by lining it with a baking sheet and keep it aside.
Step 2:
In a heatproof bowl, melt the butter and semisweet chocolate chips. Place it in the microwave for three rounds, each of 30 seconds. Please note that stirring in between until smooth is important.
Step 3:
Allow the butter and chocolate mixture to cool down properly for 5 minutes. It is often recommended to pick cooking chocolate chips from the baking section of the supermarket, as they are more compatible with baking than regular eating chocolates.
Step 4:
Now add the millet flour, sugar or jaggery, salt, cocoa powder, eggs, milk, and vanilla essence. Keep stirring the mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated well and the batter achieves a smooth consistency.
Step 5:
Slowly pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to smooth the surface and bake it in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean yet a bit moist to ensure fudginess.
Step 6:
Take the pan out of the oven and allow the freshly baked fudgy brownie to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before lifting the brownie out of the pan. One may also refrigerate it for some time so that it firms up well.
Step 7:
Once the brownie is out of the refrigerator, slice it with a warm and sharp knife to get neat squares and serve. Add a light chocolate drizzle on top for more indulgence.
2. Oats Brownie
Oats are another high-fiber alternative that brings a healthy twist to the regular brownie recipe. Rolled oats are primarily used as a replacement for refined flour. While sugar is the most common sweetener, the natural alternatives like maple syrup, honey, or jaggery powder can be used as well.
To make these healthy brownies, prepare the batter with rolled oats, sugar or jaggery powder, milk, unsalted butter, eggs, unsweetened cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and vanilla essence. Bake the batter at 180°C for 25 minutes. Based on the recipe, it often forms a more cake-like fudgy brownie. Packed with fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates, these healthy brownies keep the stomach full for longer periods.
3. Almond Flour Brownie
Made with blanched almond flour, this healthy brownie recipe makes a gluten-free, grain-free alternative to take care of everyone’s health. While the almond flour adds a classic nutty flavor, the texture is often denser and fudgier than traditional brownies. However, they firm up well once they are cooled completely. These nutrient-dense brownies are a great source of protein, fiber, iron, and healthy fats.
To bake the batter, mix flour made from blanched and finely ground almonds, unsweetened cocoa powder, melted butter, milk, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Bake the batter at 180°C for 25-30 minutes. Once it is ready and completely cooled, garnish it with chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or pecans.
4. Whole Wheat Flour (Atta) Brownies
Made with whole wheat flour, also known as atta, this brownie recipe also makes a classic healthy alternative that helps keep the health hazards at bay. While the ingredients and baking process remain the same as the other variations mentioned above, here the batter replaces refined flour with whole wheat flour.
The high-fiber alternative brownie recipe carries a slightly nutty taste and a denser, chewier texture. A subtle earthy undertone of the recipe complements the rich chocolate flavor well.
To make these healthy brownies, start by mixing whole wheat flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Bake the batter at 180°C for 25-30 minutes. Once done, allow it to cool completely and garnish it with chocolate chips.
5. Ragi Flour Brownies
Just like millets, oats, and the other alternatives, ragi flour is also gaining popularity in Indian kitchens. Even without any maida, it never fails to offer a rich, fudgy taste along with a smooth texture due to the dense nature of ragi. The recipe makes gluten-free, fiber-rich, and calcium-rich brownies.
To prepare these brownies, follow any standard recipe. The only exception is the ragi flour in place of the all-purpose maida. To explore variations, one may try the eggless and vegan recipes with proper substitutes like nut butter and yogurt. Here, chocolate often masks the earthy undertone. However, with proper balancing of ingredients, both the earthy and the chocolatey notes can coexist to make them more appealing.
To make these healthy brownies, mix ragi flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, melted butter, granulated sugar or jaggery powder, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Bake the batter at 180°C for 25-30 minutes. Once done, allow it to cool completely and garnish it with chocolate chips.
Conclusion
With rising health hazards stemming from the fast and stressful lifestyle, this is high time to take care of health. But that doesn’t mean one needs to stop finding joy and comfort in desserts. To make enjoying desserts guilt-free, try these alternative no-maida options for friends and family.