These almond flour brownies are just as delicious as traditional gooey brownies but are made entirely with almond flour and can easily be made paleo and dairy-free. They’re also super easy to make!
The same is also true of my almond flour banana muffins that I just posted. Definitely check those out after making these brownies. ;)
Together with my paleo chocolate chip cookies, my gluten-free brownies recipe have been one of my most popular recipes over the years. I have three different gluten-free flour options listed on that recipe (plus whole wheat flour for gluten-tolerating people) but readers wanted more.
So I came up with these coconut flour brownies (be sure to check out my favorite cookies, these coconut flour cookies, if you love coconut flour!).
But that still wasn’t enough. So here’s another! Brownies with almond flour. And it’s the last one. 5 flour options are enough! ;)
I think I’ve now got everyone covered, at least from the flour perspective – you can choose from plain gluten-free flour, whole grain gluten-free flours (buckwheat + teff), a grain-free + nut-free flour (coconut flour) and now a grain-free nut flour version.
Which flour is the best?
If you’re wondering which version to make, you can choose whichever one you have the flour for. They all taste the same and have the same texture.
If you’ve got them all, the coconut flour version is the cheapest. The original recipe, with teff, buckwheat or a GF 1:1 baking flour, is in the middle, and these almond flour brownies are the most expensive to make.
They call for 1 1/3 cups (133 grams) of almond flour so these brownies don’t cost a fortune. They’re definitely cheaper than some other healthy brownie recipes that call for a cup of almond butter, half a cup of maple syrup, and so on.
I have nothing against those brownies and am working on such a version myself. :)
Can I make these eggless?
I’ve tried egg replacers in the original version, the coconut flour version, and the below gluten-free brownies with almond flour. They’re all disasters.
Flax eggs, chia eggs and powdered egg replacers haven’t worked. The brownies were super oily.
The recipe needed a lot of reworking, but I came up with a vegan version! Check it out here → paleo vegan brownies.
If you need a chocolaty vegan dessert recipe now, check out my kladdkaka (Swedish sticky chocolate cake), vegan chocolate cake, vegan chocolate ice cream or vegan chocolate cheesecake. All are either gluten-free or paleo!
I think that’s it from me. I’ve answered questions about every single ingredient down below!
If you want more almond flour recipes, try my almond flour chocolate chip cookies that I posted recently or these amazing mini cheesecakes.
Other questions about these almond flour brownies?
- Can I use something instead of almond flour?
Almond flour is only really interchangeable with other nut flours so cashew or hazelnut meal might work, but the texture likely wouldn’t be exactly the same as the fat content of those flours are different.
I’ve never used almond meal in these but think it’d work fine. - Can I use homemade almond flour?
I don’t recommend it. It’s impossible to make it as fine as store-bought almond flour. If it’s not finely ground, the brownies are likely to be greasy.
- Do I have to use Dutch-process cocoa powder?
No, but they won’t be as chocolaty and might be cakier. Or they could totally fail (but I don’t think they would). The type of cocoa powder actually plays a big role in some recipes!
- Are all cocoa powders gluten-free?
Cocoa powder is naturally gluten-free, but read Is Cocoa Powder Gluten-free? for more info on brands that are tested and labeled as gluten-free! You can also read specifically about Hershey’s here → Is Hershey’s Gluten-free?
- Can I use something instead of coconut oil or butter?
Those are the only two I’ve tried. One commenter (thanks, Na!) said they used ghee with success. People have also said that they’ve used olive oil in the original version but I haven’t tried it. You would use the same amount.
- Do they taste like coconut?
Not if you use refined coconut oil. They taste 100% like regular, super gooey traditional brownies.
- Can I use something instead of coconut sugar / granulated sugar?
Subbing in a liquid sweetener won’t work. There’s no liquid to reduce to make up for the added liquid, so it’d make the brownies cakey or possibly a liquidy mess. Other granulated sweeteners like maple sugar would probably work.
I have tried making these with keto sweeteners and the oil totally separated. And they were inedible. So I don’t recommend experimenting! I hope to someday post a keto brownie recipe. - Can I reduce the sugar?
There’s been a lot of talk about this on the original recipe. People saying that they reduce the sugar to basically nothing and they’re still gooey. But that’s not possible. Or we must have differing opinions of what gooey means. The less sugar you add, the cakier and less gooey they are. They might also not hold together as well because sugar is a binder.
You could probably knock off 1/4 cup of sugar but don’t be surprised if they don’t have the perfect texture you see in the photos. - What can I use instead of the eggs?
I’ve tried egg replacements so many times and failed. The recipe needed a bit of reworking to make it vegan but here it is → paleo vegan brownies
- Do I have to use the chocolate chips?
Nope! They’re sweet enough without. I just like them in my brownies. You could also top them off with my favorite paleo chocolate fudge frosting.
- Can I double this brownie recipe?
Yes! Use a 9″x13″. I didn’t write down the baking time but one reviewer (thanks Melissa!) has done it and said you need 37 minutes. Her daughter also doubled them and confirmed this. :D But all ovens are different so keep an eye on them!
If you try this almond flour brownie recipe, I’d love to hear how they come out!
Almond Flour Brownies (paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 16 brownies
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups (133 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour (this is called ground almonds in many countries)
- 3/4 cup (86 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (196 grams) refined coconut oil, melted (you can use unrefined if you don't mind the coconut taste) or butter for a non-paleo version if you can have dairy
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) coconut sugar - it's best to weigh this! (granulated sugar for a non-paleo version)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large (50 grams each, out of shell) eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) chopped semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (make sure to use paleo chocolate, if needed)
- mini chocolate chips on top
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line an 8"×8" (20cmx20cm) pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter or coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Once combined, add the eggs one at a time, and stir just until combined (don't use a hand mixer like in the video!).
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until almost no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix! Fold in 3/4 cup (128 grams) chocolate chunks.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 23 minutes. The brownies will puff up a little bit and may crack a little bit around the edges and the top will appear dry and crisp (not at all wet). When you remove it from the oven and tilt the pan, it may appear to move a little but shouldn't look super jiggly. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out wet. A toothpick inserted into the sides will come out with some moist crumbs on it, but not totally raw batter. The brownies will continue to bake as they sit in the pan and will firm up as they cool.
- Let cool completely and cut into squares. Cover and store at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate for 5 days. They get firmer and have a great texture from the fridge! They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- There is no need to use a hand mixer like in the video! The videographer made a mistake with that but it didn't actually have an effect on these brownies - they were still super gooey. Normally with brownies, you don't ever want to use a mixer because overmixing leads to bad brownies. It didn't matter here because these are grain-free brownies and there's no gluten to overmix.
- If you're very sensitive to gluten and unsure of what brand of chocolate chips are safe, check out → Are Chocolate Chips Gluten-free?
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260 comments on “Almond Flour Brownies – Super Gooey! (paleo option)” — Add one!
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Can I use cacao powder instead of cocoa powder? Thanks!
I’m sorry for just now seeing your question! Hopefully you found the answer in the post. :) Yes, you can, but the result might not be the same. I’d love to hear how they come out!
Made “em, love ’em. Used ghee instead of coconut oil because that’s what I had. Did not have chocolate chips to add either but that were delicious without them.
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed them! It’s great to know that ghee works well. I added that info to the post. :) Thanks for the tip and for your feedback!
Hi! I am super excited to try this recipe but I still have to buy some of the ingredients that are missing. Do you happen to know how many calories they have? I am planning on making them with butter and granulated sugar instead. Thank you!!
Hello! I’m so sorry to have just seen your question. It was sitting in spam for some reason. I don’t have that info but you can use this recipe analyzer for the nutritional profile. :) I hope you’ll enjoy the brownies!
I made these today, and they are delicious! I baked them for 35 minutes but they were too gooey. We could eat the edge pieces. I was afraid to bake them longer but maybe I should have.
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Is your oven maybe running low? That’s a lot longer than I always bake them for and none of the commenters have needed that long. Or did you make any changes to the recipe? Thanks for your comment and sorry for just now seeing it (it was in spam for some weird reason).
These are absolutely amazing! I have worked at a gluten-free bakery and bake for some gluten-intolerant and celiac friends. Typically GF brownies are either gritty or dry. Not these! I used eggs and butter. They were moist and cakey (not a bad thing) once cooled but I refrigerated them and they had a great fudgy texture. I served them to a guest who was in the middle of telling a story and she actually stopped mid-sentence and said “Oh.my.god. These are the best brownies I have ever eaten.” They are definitely the best ones I’ve ever made, and that includes the bakery.
I’m so glad to hear that you think they’re the best you’ve ever made! And that your guest enjoyed them so much. :) Be sure to check out my other two gluten-free brownie recipes. They’re also not gritty or dry and are cheaper to make. ;) Thanks a ton for your feedback! I was so happy to get it.
These are awesome! I’m not an almond flour kinda gal usually, but my online grocery order subbed this for the organic wheat flour that I asked for🤷♀️. I didn’t have enough granulated sugar, so I used half brown sugar. Delicious. So thankful I found your site!
Hi Erin! Can’t wait to make these! Quick question, which of the versions the coconut flour ones or this version do you think would keep longer or better or maybe even freeze better..? I know it’s ridiculous to have leftover brownies lol but there’s only three of us in my house and we try to do things in moderation (but your goodies make that reallllllly hard!) Hope your feeling better. It’s great to hear that your sense of taste is coming back Yay!
Well, that’s a question I never thought of. ;) I honestly have no idea. I had never frozen brownies until a few weeks ago (I’m working on an oat flour version and made several 8×8 pans in a few days) and I eat them straight from the freezer. They are super delicious! I think both coconut flour + almond flour recipes would be similar but I’m not positive. And both should keep as long as the other one. If you’re not sure which to make, go with coconut flour. It’s cheaper. And thank you! :)
These brownies look fabulous! Only problem is I am staying as far away from sugar as I can possibly manage so I may be experimenting with sugar replacements even though you do not recommend it. I would make them with all the sugar and take them to something but everything has been canceled thus far:(. Anyway, I will get back to you and let you know what happens.
For some reason I am not receiving your emails anymore. I know this has happened in the past. I tried adding myself to your list again but it is telling me I am already on it. And I have checked trash and spam, not there either. But I periodically hop over here to see if you have published anything new anyway.
Anyways, back to the brownies. I already LOVE your buckwheat/teff brownies. They are my go to brownies for any event ever!
Good luck with your sugar-free version! I’m excited to hear what happens. I’ll have my husband look into the email thing again. I’m sorry it’s not working! I’ll let you know what we find out. And I’m happy to hear that the brownies are your go-to. They’re mine, too. I always have bigger ambitions (“I can bake something and use it for the blog!”) then run out of time and make those brownies. ;)
Ok, so I had people coming over and made these with 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 regular sugar. Also did 1/2 butter and 1/2 coconut oil. They were awesome as usual. I love, love, love chocolate brownies!
I use Lakanto monk fruit granules in all my baked goods with great success. You can always run it thru a coffee grinder or even the nutribullet to make it more powdery but for most recipes including ice cream it works great. We all need to get the sugar out and this is one great way to do it and still enjoy Erin’s wonderful recipes!
I use Lakanto too but I don’t like how sometimes or most times when I use a sugar substitute, brownies go from chewy and gooey to cakey. I am not a fan of cakey brownies. Only reason I haven’t done it yet.
I tried Lakanto in the original GF brownies recipe and it came out terribly. I had to throw them away. :( I don’t know what it is, but whenever I’ve tried it in brownies, the oil totally separates and it’s a mess. And the taste is just awful. I think I just don’t like Lakanto but still… I don’t understand the oil separation. I would love to post more keto recipes but this has me stuck!
I made these brownies with xylitol instead of sugar. (Xylitol can be used with a 1:1 ratio to sugar) The brownies tasted absolutely amazing!
Thanks for letting us know that it worked well! After reading your comment, I made them with a mixture I’ve been using lately with xylitol, erythritol and stevia. The taste was okay but the texture was totally off. They weren’t fudgy. They were kind of clumpy, if that makes sense, which it probably doesn’t. 😂 I don’t know how to explain it. It was just off! So how is the version with all xylitol? And was there quite a bit of aftertaste? Thanks so much for your comment!
Hey,
When using 100% Xylitol in place of sugar, there was absolutely no noticeable aftertaste. (Especially compared to something like Stevia). I’m not sure, but maybe erythritol or stevia are harder to use because they don’t chemically bind well with the eggs and almond flour.
In our oven, the consistency was completely finished baking around 45 minutes instead of the time suggested. It was completely underbaked at 23 minutes. I hope this helps :)
That does help! Thanks so much. I’m going to try it soon! I’m new to baking (or more like attempting to bake) with keto sweeteners so that’s very useful info about the binding issue. Thank you again! (also for the baking time).
Made these and they were delicious! Will definitely be saving this recipe to keep making them!
I’m so glad that you liked them and will be making them again! Thanks a bunch for your feedback. :)
These look amazing! Question: You mention “Paleo chocolate chips.” What do you mean by that? Do you make them yourself or is there a brand you recommend?
Thanks! Most people consider Enjoy Life’s chocolate chips to be paleo. There are other paleo brands of chocolate, too. I live in Germany so I have access to different brands over here. You could also make homemade, if you prefer. :) (but I don’t have a recipe) I’d love to hear how you like the brownies if you try them!
Lilly’s is a good brand in the US. They’re sweetened with Stevia and come in milk and dark and taste yummy.
Thanks so much for the tip! :)
Going to try since I have a sweet tooth. Looking for the nutrition information
I don’t have that info but you could use this recipe analyzer for the nutritional profile. :) I’d love to hear how you like the brownies!
I have never written a recipe review, but these brownies are the most deserving place to start. Oh My Gosh, these are amazing!! I followed the recipe, but used butter. I woke up the next morning and some little stinkers had snuck into it and only left a tiny little square! I’m making a double batch tomorrow so we can enjoy them a little longer (I’m pretty sure that’s just wishful thinking on my part). These were a huge hit with everyone in my family, and they never agree on brownies. By the way, they were easy to make!
Woohoo! I’m so happy to hear that you like them so much. And how funny that your little stinkers left a tiny little square for you. I love their style. 😂 Could you do me a huge favor and come back to let me know how long you baked the double batch for? I forgot to write that down when I tried. I’d love to add that to my recipe but we haven’t been able to find eggs for the last week, so I haven’t been able to make them again. Thanks a ton for your feedback! I was thrilled to get a review on this recipe. :) It’s definitely made my day!
They turned out perfectly again! I was secretly hoping that doubling the recipe would be a disaster, so I could turn my back on my newest obsession. But, these are literally the best brownies I have ever tasted, I’m in serious trouble over here!
I baked them in a 9 x 13 for 37 min….. Good Luck!
Haha. I love how you kind of wanted them to be a disaster. But I’m also happy that you don’t have to turn your back on your newest obsession (though I suppose you could have just made the single recipe? 😂) Thanks a bunch for coming back to let me know about the baking time! I’ve updated the post with it. And sorry for my slow reply. My kid’s been home the last 3 months, so, you know… ;)
Have you ever tried using an all purpose gluten free flour? Bob’s Red Mill, Great Value, Namaste, etc. usually include rice or bean flour, potato and/or corn starch, tapioca and xanthan gum.
Yup! It’s listed in the original recipe I link to at the beginning of the post. I used BRM 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour. :)
I make vegan grain free brownies w peeled, diced and boiled sweet potatoes, almond flour, cocoa powder, and agave nectar. I add semisweet chocolate chips and use vanilla & a dash of salt for flavor. I mix it all in a food processor, and taste the batter, adding a tablespoon of brown sugar at a time until it tastes right (it depends on the amount of sweet potato I get). The brownies are yummy, very fudgy, but take *forever* to cook, lol, about 45 minutes at 350F. Line your pan with parchment, these are sticky!
Ooh, interesting! I’ll have to look for a recipe like that to try out. Thanks for the tip! I’m intrigued. :)
Curious to know… do you think I could use monk sugar as the sweetner for this recipe?
Nope. :( Go check out the section “Can I use something instead of coconut sugar / granulated sugar?”
Their is not a print option that I can find. A print option would be very helpful to many of us.
It’s in the recipe card, under the picture. It says PRINT. :)
I have made yummy vegan brownies with equal parts date paste and nut butter. Then add cocoa powder to taste. Bake and enjoy.
Thanks for the tip! I think I’ll try it out tomorrow. Are they fudgy?
Depending on how long you bake them they will be brownies or fudge. Both really good. Cashew butter is my fave for a really smooth base. My ratio is a cup nut butter, a cup date paste 1( the same consistency as the butter) half cup or more cocoa powder and a tsp. Baking powder. However, heavy on the “ish”
Im a freestyle baker sooo….
Haha. Freestyle baking makes me nervous. ;) Thanks for coming back to let me know your ratio! I’m excited to try it out.
May I add chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts to the recipe?
Yes! I think about 3/4 cup would be good. I’d love to hear how they come out. :)
Can’t wait to try making these today! Curious if you’ve tried using applesauce for the egg? The minimal amount still allowed this recipe to be keto. It’s a dessert after all, it’s going to be higher in carbs than a meal regardless.
If applesauce works I’ll report back!
I’ve only tried the egg subs I mentioned. I’d love to hear how your applesauce experiment goes! To be honest, I don’t have much hope for it. :/ Maybe do a fourth batch? I’d hate for you to waste all those ingredients! I’m confused about the keto thing, though. These brownies aren’t keto. There’s a whole 1 1/2 cups of coconut sugar in them. Or do you mean using keto sweetener + applesauce for the egg would still make them keto? I also haven’t had luck with keto sweeteners in these. :(
You’ll have to excuse my early morning brain; I was reading through a bunch of brownie articles with these flours this morning and must have slipped up! Oops! I will let you know :)
Haha. No worries! Sorry I don’t have a keto + vegan version yet. Working on it, though!
I used 300g Pyure granulated sweetener and 150g room temp apple sauce in place of the egg. No other changes except only 1/2 cup inside. Brownies came out great! Gooey inside, crunchy outside. Baked for 29 min. They just need to cool fully in the pan before removal.
Wow! I’m shocked and SO happy that that worked out well! I really need to try that egg replacement. Thanks for including the amount in grams! I checked out Pyure and it says it’s 2x as sweet as regular sugar. So shouldn’t you use 150 grams? Or are there different types of Pyure and I’m looking at the wrong one? Thanks so much for your feedback!
I love using almond flour for grain free desserts! These are perfection.
Thanks! :)