These Almond Flour Brownies are just as delicious and fudgy as traditional brownies, but gluten-free and lower in carbs! Made with almond flour and coconut palm sugar, they are perfectly gooey, fudgy and absolutely delicious.
My hubby is always on a quest to convert his favorite treats to 'flourless', to lower their carb content. If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen his mad-scientist experiments at work in my stories 🙂
This recipe has been on his mind for a long time. He loves the flourless chocolate cake I've been making for years, so he adapted that to a gluten-free brownie recipe using almond flour. After six trials and errors, I am proud (and relieved!) to say, we've finally hit a home-run!
Fun Fact: While the brownie's origins are hard to pinpoint exactly, one popular story is that a housewife in the 1800s forgot to add baking powder to her cake. Instead of throwing the dessert out, she sliced it into squares and served the flat pieces.
Delicious Gluten-Free Brownies
- Because none of the ingredients contain wheat, these brownies are completely gluten-free.
- This recipe is made with palm sugar (coconut sugar) which is unrefined and minimally processed, as well as being lower on the glycemic index than traditional sugar.
- While not a low carb dessert, these brownies are much lower in carbs than the traditional variety, making them a great alternative if you're watching your macros!
- These Almond Flour Brownies can easily be made vegan with a simple swap. (instructions below)
What is Almond Flour?
Almond flour is made from blanched almonds. The almonds are placed in boiling water to remove the skin, then ground into a fine powder. Almond meal is similar, but is made from raw, unpeeled almonds and is a different texture.
Almond flour is very rich in nutrients, including magnesium, which can help manage high blood sugar and lower blood sugar. Because almond flour is lower in carbs than wheat-based flour, it's lower on the glycemic index and won't cause blood sugar spikes.
Almond Brownies Vs. Regular Brownies
For the purpose of this comparison, I compared these gluten-free brownies made with ground almonds to my family's favorite, Nutella Brownies and Trader Joe's Dark Fudgy Brownies.
Because almonds naturally contain a lot of (healthy) fat, these brownies are more chewy and fudgy than brownies made with wheat based flour. The fat helps keep them moist, which makes them incredibly decadent!
Carb Content Comparison Per Serving (1/16)
| Brownie Type | Protein | Total Carbs | Net Carbs | |
| Trader Joe's Brownies | 2g | 23g | 22g | |
| Almond Flour Brownies | 3g | 12g | 10g |
Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
- Almond flour: I prefer using almond flour here for it's fine texture. You can substitute with almond meal if you'd like, but the texture is more coarse. I prefer using Bob's red Mill brand. You can actually make your own almond flour by taking peeled, blanched almonds and grinding them in a high-speed blender. Keep blending until the almonds are a fine powder.
- Unsweetened cacao powder: Cacao powder is minimally processed, meaning it has more nutrients than more highly processed cocoa. However, you can sub out the cacao with unsweetened cocoa powder if you'd like.
- Coconut palm sugar: You can also use date sugar at a 1:1 ratio. If you'd like to use traditional sugar, you can use white or brown, also at a 1:1 ratio.
- Olive or avocado oil: Either oil is fine, or you can use any neutral oil.
- Eggs: 2 large eggs is all we need here. For vegan almond flour brownies, I recommend using a store-bought egg replacement, like Bob’s Red Mill, or flaxmeal (detailed instructions in recipe notes)
- Vanilla extract: Use high-quality vanilla extract, not artificial or vanilla essence.
- Chocolate chips: If you are watching your sugar intake, use sugar-free chocolate chips. For vegan, make sure your chocolate chips don't contain dairy.
Step by Step Instructions for Almond Flour Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush oil in the center of an 8-inch square pan, then line it with parchment squares or paper so it sticks.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, cacao powder (or cocoa), sugar, oil, eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and salt, and stir together till you make a lump-free batter. The batter looks sticky, thick and grainy at this point, so don't worry.
Egg Substitute: To replace 1 large egg, mix 1 tablespoon of flaxmeal with 3 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit till it thickens and becomes gelatinous. Alternatively, use ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce.
- Add half the chocolate chips and mix in to the batter.
- Pour the batter in to the lined baking pan, and spread it out evenly using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Since the batter is extremely sticky, wet the spatula or spoon and then smooth the top. Spread the remaining chocolate chips evenly on top.
- Bake at 350ºF for about 21 to 25 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out wet, bake them for another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes. Using a clean serrated knife, slicing them into 16 squares. Store the brownies in any airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Spreading tip: Since the batter is extremely sticky, wet the spatula or spoon and then smooth the top.
- Dividing chocolate chips: We add half in the batter and the remaining half on top for even distribution of chocolate chips throughout the batter. If we add all of them at once, most will sink to the bottom. It also makes for a prettier presentation.
- Cutting tip: Clean the knife with a wet paper towel between each cut for a cleaner slice.
- Vegan brownies: You can very easily make this recipe vegan by swapping out the eggs for a vegan egg replacer, such at Bob's Red Mill or by mixing in 2 tablespoons of flaxmeal with 6 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit till it thickens and becomes gelatinous. Make sure to also check the ingredients in your chocolate chips to ensure they don't contain dairy.
- Add nuts: If nutty brownies are your thing, stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts along with chocolate chips.
FAQs
While all-purpose flour is usually thought of as the best flour for brownies, almond flour is lower on the glycemic index and also works quite well.
Because almonds are full of (good) fat, they are great for making desserts moist, which is perfect for desserts like brownies.
Almond flour can be used a variety of recipes for protein-rich and gluten-free baked goods. You can see some recipe suggestions below.
You can substitute almond flour for all-purpose at a 1:1 ratio.
Almond flour brownies are not unhealthy in moderation. If you are looking to cut down on carbs, they are a great alternative to traditional brownies.
Popular Chocolate Desserts on the Blog
- Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Chocolate Lava Cake
- Easy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries Recipe
- Chocolate Ice Cream (No-Churn)
More Almond Flour Recipes
- Badam halwa (Indian Almond Pudding)
- Almond Spice Cookies
- Carrot Burfi (Indian Carrot Fudge)
- Nutella Mug Cake
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Almond Flour Brownies (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour blanched or almond meal
- ½ cup unsweetened cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup coconut palm sugar see notes for substitutes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush oil in the center of an 8-inch square pan, then line it with parchment squares or paper so it sticks.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, cocoa powder, sugar, oil, eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and salt, and stir together till you make a lump-free batter. The batter looks sticky, thick and grainy at this point, so don't worry.
- Add half the chocolate chips and mix in to the batter.
- Pour the batter in to the lined baking pan, and spread it out evenly using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Since the batter is extremely sticky, wet the spatula or spoon and then smooth the top. Spread the remaining chocolate chips evenly on top.
- Bake at 350ºF for about 21 to 25 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle. If it comes out wet, bake them for another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes. Using a clean serrated knife, slicing them into 16 squares. Store the brownies in any airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- Spreading tip: Since the batter is extremely sticky, wet the spatula or spoon and then smooth the top.
- Dividing chocolate chips: We add half in the batter and the remaining half on top for even distribution of chocolate chips throughout the batter. If we add all of them at once, most will sink to the bottom. It also makes for a prettier presentation.
- Cutting tip: Clean the knife with a wet paper towel between each cut for a cleaner slice.
- Vegan brownies: You can very easily make this recipe vegan by swapping out the eggs for a vegan egg replacer, such at Bob's Red Mill or by mixing in 2 tablespoons of flaxmeal with 6 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit till it thickens and becomes gelatinous. Make sure to also check the ingredients in your chocolate chips to ensure they don't contain dairy.
- Add nuts: If nutty brownies are your thing, stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts along with chocolate chips.
Aditi says
Hi Aneesha, I love this recipe! I just tried it out and it is excellent.
I did make a few changes that others might find interesting.
Instead of coconut sugar, I used a 1/2 cup maple syrup+molasses combination, cut the oil in half, and added an extra 1/4 cup of almond flour to make up for the additional moisture --- the brownies turned out GREAT.
I especially love how low in oil they are!
Thank you so much!
Aneesha says
Hi Aditi, that sounds like a great variation, I'll try it next time. So glad you enjoy these brownies!
Carol says
Can I use a sugar substitute? There was nothing in the notes.
Aneesha says
Hi Carol, I haven't tried this recipe with a sugar substitute, but I would guess that you can replace coconut palm sugar with Erythritol. If you try it, I would love to hear you feedback. Enjoy!
Kelly says
Thoughts on making this in the Instant Pot? We tried your Instant Pot Trader Joes brownies, and it was absolute heaven.
Aneesha says
Hi Kelly, thank you! I haven't tried these in the IP yet, but I would think 30 minutes at high pressure, with a 10 min NPR would work. If you try it, I'd love to hear how it worked. Enjoy!