These almond flour brownies bake up with chewy edges and a rich, fudgy center studded with chocolate chips. Made in one bowl with almond flour, cacao powder, coconut sugar, and oil, they're naturally gluten-free and grain-free, with no refined flour. The batter comes together in 10 minutes, and the brownies bake in 21-25 minutes for that iconic fudgy texture.
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My husband is always experimenting with ways to remake our favorite treats without refined flour. After six rounds of testing (including 2 disasters!), we finally landed on almond flour brownies that are rich, fudgy, and hold together beautifully once cooled.
Once we got the ratios right, the recipe itself couldn't be simpler: mix the batter in one bowl, fold in the chocolate chips, and bake. Let's make a batch!
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Why You'll Love These Brownies
- These brownies are completely gluten-free and grain-free.
- This recipe uses palm sugar (coconut sugar), which is unrefined and minimally processed.
- While these brownies aren't low-carb, they're much lower in carbs than traditional brownies (22g vs. 10g), making them a great alternative if you're watching your macros!
- You can easily make these Almond Flour Brownies vegan with a simple swap. (instructions below)
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Almond Flour Brownies
Let's take a look at what we need for a chocolate brownie recipe with almond flour. You can find all these ingredients at your nearest supermarket.
- Almond flour: Almond flour is made from blanched almonds that are ground into a fine powder. I prefer using Bob's red Mill brand. I prefer the flour for its super-fine texture, but you can use almond meal if you'd like; it will be coarser.
- Unsweetened cacao powder: Cacao powder is minimally processed, meaning it has more nutrients than more highly processed cocoa. However, you can substitute 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, use white or brown sugar 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 a vegan recipe, make sure your chocolate chips don't contain dairy.
Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Almond Flour Brownies
Here are the step-by-step directions and photos for these easy gluten-free brownies:
- Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush oil in the center of an 8-inch square pan, then line it with parchment squares or paper.
- Make Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, cacao powder (or cocoa), sugar, oil, eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and salt, and stir until lump-free.
Note: 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 Chocolate Chips: Add half the chocolate chips and mix them into the batter.
- Transfer to Baking Pan: Pour the batter into the lined baking pan and spread it evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Because the batter is extremely sticky, wet the spatula or spoon, then smooth the top. Spread the remaining chocolate chips evenly on top.
- Bake: 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.
- Cool & Cut: Let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes. Using a clean serrated knife, slice them into 16 squares. Store the brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Note: It's important to cool the brownies so they set properly. If you cut into a warm brownie, the mix will be greasy and crumbly.
How to Know They're Done
The brownies are ready when the edges look set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Avoid overbaking, and let them cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting so the fudgy center can set.
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 |
Recipe Tips & Testing Notes
Testing Notes: I tested the recipe six times. Here are my notes:
- Finely ground, blanched almond flour gives the smoothest texture.
- Almond meal produces a grainy, coarser result.
- Cooling for 30 minutes prevents the slices from crumbling.
- Spreading tip: Since the batter is extremely sticky, wet the spatula or spoon and then smooth the top.
- Dividing chocolate chips: Add half to the batter and the remaining half on top for even distribution throughout. If you add them all at once, most will sink to the bottom. It also makes for a prettier presentation.
- Cutting tip: Wipe the knife with a wet paper towel between cuts for cleaner slices.
- 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. Also check the ingredients in your chocolate chips to make sure they don't contain dairy.
- Add nuts: If you like nutty brownies, stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts along with the chocolate chips.
- Make your own almond flour: You can make your own almond flour by grinding peeled, blanched almonds in a high-speed blender. Keep blending until the almonds are a fine powder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Almond flour is made from blanched almonds that are boiled, peeled, then ground into a fine powder. Almond meal is similar but is made from raw, unpeeled almonds and has a coarser texture. For this recipe, I recommend almond flour for best results.
Because almonds are full of (good) fat, they are great for keeping desserts moist, which is perfect for brownies.
I developed and tested this recipe specifically with almond flour. Because almond flour behaves differently from wheat, coconut, and gluten-free flour blends, I don't recommend substituting another flour 1:1.
More Almond Flour Recipes
📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Brownies (Gluten-Free)
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Video
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.
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!