Grand Rapids Ballet’s Aurora Chernis Shares Her No-Bake Brownie Balls Recipe
Aurora Chernis developed the recipe for her no-bake brownie balls last year when she was craving brownies. “I didn’t feel like baking, so I put a bunch of ingredients together and they turned out delicious,” says the Grand Rapids Ballet trainee. “They’re a great sweet treat at the end of the day.” Chernis’ brownie balls are just one of dozens of recipes she’s posted online via Instagram or Substack over the past three years under the moniker “That Foodie Ballerina.” “I think there’s an all-or-nothing mindset about healthy cooking, where it’s either super-healthy but doesn’t taste good or tastes good but isn’t very good for you,” says Chernis. “My recipes aim to taste good and be good for you.”
Chernis is now furthering her passion by training to become a holistic nutritionist through an online program at Pacific Rim College. Eventually, she would love to write a cookbook for dancers. “I want it to be casual but inspirational and useful,” says Chernis. “That’s my biggest food dream.”
YouTube Inspo
Chernis often cooks with her roommate. But if she’s on her own, she likes to play YouTube food and lifestyle content in the background. Her favorite creators at the moment are Luna Montana, Linda Sun, and Alia Zaita. “I’ll watch their videos and be like, ‘That looks really good,’ and then try to figure it out myself,” says Chernis.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup almond flour (“I really like Bob’s Red Mill,” says Chernis.)
- 3 tbsps maple syrup
- 2 tbsps yogurt (“You can use whatever yogurt you prefer: Greek, full-fat, sheep’s milk, nondairy…” says Chernis.)
Instructions
- Mix the cocoa powder and almond flour together in a bowl. Add the maple syrup and yogurt and stir with a metal spoon until thoroughly combined. (It may take a few minutes for the mixture to come together, but Chernis says to resist the urge to add more wet ingredients.)
- Dampen your hands (to keep the batter from sticking to them) and roll the dough into roughly 16 bitesize balls. Remoisten your hands as needed .
- Place the balls on a plate or sheet pan covered in waxed paper and freeze them. The frozen balls can be stored in a resealable bag or airtight container. Enjoy frozen or at room temperature.
