Texas Trash Brownies delivers rich sweetness and craveable texture—slice, share, and try not to snag one early.
Morning-Ready Chocolate-Oat Squares
A chewy, chocolate-forward bar studded with nuts, seeds, and dried cherries that’s made for packing into lunchboxes or slicing for a quick breakfast on the go.
These bars come from Priya Lane of Sunrise & Crumb, whose recipes are designed for make-ahead mornings. Rolled oats and almond flour give the base a pleasantly dense, chewy crumb while unsweetened cocoa and creamy peanut butter deliver the deep chocolate-peanut flavor you crave. A little Greek yogurt keeps the batter moist and tender, and honey and vanilla round everything with warm sweetness.
Ground flax and eggs help bind the batter so it holds together when you slice it, and a sprinkle of baking powder gives just enough lift for a satisfying bite. Folded into the batter, chopped pecans and sunflower seeds add crunch, dried cherries bring bright chewy pops, and half the chocolate chips melt into gooey pockets—leave the rest to scatter across the top for contrast.
The method is straightforward: line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment (leave an overhang for easy removal), whisk dry ingredients together, stir wet into dry until uniform, fold in the mix-ins, then bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Warm the peanut butter briefly if needed so it blends smoothly; the batter should be thick but spoonable.
Once cooled, these squares slice cleanly and travel well—stack them in a lunchbox, tuck one in a bag for a mid-morning pick-me-up, or slice and freeze for quick mornings. They strike a comforting balance between brownie-like indulgence and breakfast-friendly texture, making them a reliable make-ahead recipe worth waking up for.
Ingredients
How to Make Texas Trash Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal; lightly grease the parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, ground flaxseed, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs briefly, then add the peanut butter, Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla; warm the peanut butter briefly (10–15 seconds in microwave) if needed so it blends smoothly.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until a thick, uniform batter forms. Fold in the chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, dried cherries, and half of the chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and press it evenly into the corners with a spatula or the back of a spoon; sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top and press lightly.
- Bake 18–22 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (about 30–45 minutes) so the bars firm up; use the parchment overhang to lift the slab from the pan and cut into 4 equal bars.
- For best lunchbox results, wrap individually and refrigerate; bars keep 4–5 days refrigerated or freeze up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature 15–20 minutes before eating if desired.
Recipe Card
Texas Trash Brownies
Texas Trash Brownies delivers rich sweetness and craveable texture—slice, share, and try not to snag one early.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal; lightly grease the parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, ground flaxseed, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs briefly, then add the peanut butter, Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla; warm the peanut butter briefly (10–15 seconds in microwave) if needed so it blends smoothly.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until a thick, uniform batter forms. Fold in the chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, dried cherries, and half of the chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and press it evenly into the corners with a spatula or the back of a spoon; sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top and press lightly.
- Bake 18–22 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (about 30–45 minutes) so the bars firm up; use the parchment overhang to lift the slab from the pan and cut into 4 equal bars.
- For best lunchbox results, wrap individually and refrigerate; bars keep 4–5 days refrigerated or freeze up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature 15–20 minutes before eating if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 53
- Saturated Fat
- 7
- Sodium
- 300
- Fiber
- 7
- Unsaturated Fat
- 26
- Protein
- 19
- Fat
- 33
- Cholesterol
- 93
- Trans Fat
- 0.1
- Calories
- 560
- Sugar
- 25