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Get the Skinny with Molly and Ben McLauchlin of Swerve, whipping up a batch of Mississippi Mud Brownies.  Low-carb and gluten-free with no added sugar, these decadent treats are sure to satisfy any chocolate craving without the blood sugar roller coaster.

 

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Makes 20 brownies

Ingredients:

Toasted Pecans

  • ¾ cup chopped pecans

 Cheesecake Filling

  • 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
  • ¼ cup Swerve, Confectioners
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 egg (room temperature)

 Brownie Mix

  • 4 egg whites (room temperature)
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 1/4 cup fine ground almond flour
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil
  • 1 cup Swerve, Granular
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)

Chocolate Glaze

  • 1 stick butter (or vegan plant-based butter)
  • 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 tablesoons whipping cream or milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cups Swerve, Confectioners
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Toasted pecans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (same temperature as the brownie batter).  Place pecans on rimmed cookie sheet, and toast for 5-7 minutes.  They should be aromatic but not burned. Remove from oven and set aside.

Cheesecake Filling: For the cream cheese filling, blend cream cheese in an electric mixer or with a hand mixer, until creamy.  Scrape sides of bowl, and add Swerve, Confectioners, and vanilla until smooth (5 minutes).  Add egg, and mix until combined.  Set aside to dollop into brownie batter

Brownie: Line a 9″ square pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.  Mix together flours, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat on the highest setting, egg whites and cream of tartar for 7-10 minutes until you get stiff peaks. Set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low to medium low heat.  Stir in Swerve, Granular and vanilla, and stir for a few minutes.  Remove from heat, and pour into a separate mixing bowl.  Quickly whisk in eggs, one at a time (this will ensure the eggs do not cook).  Stir in dry ingredients with a spatula until well combined.  Add meringue (stiff peaks) and gently mix into the batter until combined.  Spread smoothly in prepared pan.

Dollop cream cheese filling all over the batter, and with a knife, create a design making sure not to mix too much or over blend the brownie mix and cheesecake filling.  You want a pretty design.  Bake 17-19 minutes or until the edges of the pan show brownies are cooked.  It is okay if the middle of the brownie looks under cooked (they will be ooey gooey when served).

Cool in pan for 30 minutes to an hour, and sprinkle toasted pecans all over top of brownies.

Chocolate Glaze: On low heat, in a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa powder, and milk. Heat until the butter melts. Pour butter mixture in an electric mixer bowl (it may look like the butter is separating from the milk and that’s okay). With electric mixer or with a hand mixer, beat in the remaining frosting ingredients and drizzle onto the brownie while it’s still warm. Set aside and let cool for an hour- then dive in!

Per serving: 200 calories, 18 grams fat, 8 grams saturated (nearly all plant-based if use coconut oil and/or vegan butter), 95 mg sodium, 21 grams carbohydrate (5 grams net carbs), 4 grams fiber, 1.7 grams sugar, 5 grams protein.

 

Click here to enter the Swerve Giveaway.

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Want more from Molly?  Click here to sign up for Nutrition Bites, her weekly e-newsletter with links to her Get the Skinny TV segments here on WGNO, and her weekly column in NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune!   And you can follow Molly on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram:  @MollyKimballRD