These paleo and keto brownies are extra fudgy, super easy, just 5 ingredients and 1g net carb a pop! Now that’s what we call the ideal low carb chocolate dessert! The recipe was first published on January 8th ’18, and has been updated to provide more info on various sweeteners.
The Ultimate Paleo & Keto Brownies 🍫
Suuuper Fudgy!
Ridiculously decadent, suuuper fudgy and intensely chocolatey, these keto brownies are one indulgent low carb chocolate treat. Plus, they’re suuuper easy and with staple (grain-free) pantry ingredients.
And guess what? Just 1g net carb per brownie. (Drumroll please!) 🥁
p.s. these are very chocolatey, as in proper chocolate! So ideal for you dark-chocolate-lovers out there.
Oh, and if you’re into brownies and cheesecake (who isn’t?!), do check out our keto cheesecake brownies based off these guys.
The Origins
This recipe happens to be a keto adaptation based off Alice Medrich’s famous cocoa brownies, incidentally one of the most popular brownie recipes on the web. And the keto result varies little from the original, albeit perhaps a little less chewy and more melt-in-your-mouth sorta thing (courtesy of the lack of gluten).
Fun fact: Medrich’s original recipe called for beating vigorously with 40 strokes (exactly!) to incorporate the batter. Now that’s what we call precision.
A Couple (Very Simple!) Rules
We’ll start with the most important one: do not over-bake the brownies! Timing might just be the most important rule when making any type of brownie, so you don’t end up with a dry and crumbly mess. Keep an eye out for them, and take them out once the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out moist (but not drenching).
We even prefer to slightly undercook them and chill them in the fridge before cutting. That’s the secret for extra fudgy brownies.
I’ve also noticed that when using powdered erythritol rather than xylitol (my favorite), you also need to decrease the baking time by about 5 minutes as they cook faster.
You’ll also want to use eggs at room temp. Reason being that if your cocoa/butter mixture is not hot enough (and your eggs are very cold), they’ll solidify the butter and your batter will be too thick (doesn’t affect the end results, just annoying to spoon rather than pour!).
And if possible, refrigerate the batter overnight. This is an old Medrich rule, but it does work a charm to get a richer texture (as the flavors have had a chance to mingle). Though if not possible, honestly don’t sweat it– we’ve done them either way multiple times. Just keep in mind that your batter will solidify in the fridge (as the butter sets), totally normal and just pop the baking dish in the oven as is.
The Chocolate
Cocoa brownies are generally regarded as second best to their ‘molten chocolate bar’ counterparts, given that they’re generally more cake-like than fudgy. But that’s most definitely not the case here, as these are some of the fudgiest brownies you’ll ever make.
Albeit ‘healthier‘, as you can control the chocolate and fat input completely, so no added refined sugars, preservatives etc. And of course, cocoa powder is much less expensive than chocolate bars (particularly keto ones!). So think of these keto brownies as wallet-friendly too.
Cocoa or cacao? Both work great, just know that quality really matters here. Our favorite will forever be the Dutch-processed alkaline cocoa Valrhona, known to be one of (if not the) best cocoas in the world. But feel free to use a raw cacao powder (arguably more nutritional perks here), though keep in mind that your brownies will be lighter in color and more reddish in hue. Both are well and good, as long as they’re unsweetened.
p.s. a lightly sprinkle of flakey sea salt works wonders to cut through the chocolate in these guys! And Maldon flakes are the undisputed best, by a mile.
The Flours
This recipe uses almond flour only (💥💃🎆!!). Yup, that’s it! Having said that, you can always sub half of the almond for hazelnut flour (think Nutella), if you wanna spiff things up a notch or give them a little twist.
In terms of brands, for the almond either Anthony’s or WellBees work great. Both are super fine grinds.
The Sweetener
You’ve got a couple options here. Xylitol and allulose (use the higher amount as its less sweet1) have become my top choice (no aftertaste, best and chewier texture), Lakanto (barely any aftertaste, and many of you also love the Golden version), and powdered Swerve (some cooling sensation, but still great). Xylitol takes (much) longer to dry out though so your brownies will be extra delicate (think gooey) right after baking.
If using erythritol in any form, because it needs a little extra help to dissolve than xylitol (and they vary so much from brand to brand because of different fillers and so on!), you’ll want to be sure to use a powdered form. If you only have granular on hand, don’t sweat it, and simply blend it in your (very dry!) bullet or blender until powdered. Easy-peasy!
And one more thing to keep in mind, is that a few of you who have used erythritol (Swerve in particular) report back periodically that your batter ends up thick. This seems to be improved by microwaving rather than using a water bath, and using powdered rather than regular. Though there seems to be no hard rule here. Doesn’t seem to affect much the taste in the end, so just spread the batter rather than pour it in. But if you’re finding your brownies feel too thick, simply add in an extra egg (just don’t over-whisk or they could become more cakey).
Fun fact: it might also be my taste buds here, but I’ve noticed that stevia-based sweeteners (such as Pyure) don’t work so great when chocolate is involved as the aftertaste is accentuated. So I cannot recommend enough that you don’t use stevia-based sweeteners here.
Oh, and if just paleo or gluten free (or not restricted by sugars), simply sub 1-to-1 with coconut or regular sugar.
And if using xylitol, make sure to be careful if you have a pup (or kitty!) around the house, as it’s highly toxic to the little guys! 🐕
And… the video story!
(1g net carb!) Suuuper Fudgy Keto Brownies
Ingredients
- 130 g unsalted grass-fed butter or 8 TBS coconut oil + 1 TBS coconut cream if paleo
- 140-200 g xylitol allulose (use higher amount), powdered erythritol or coconut sugar if paleo*
- 80 g cocoa powder **
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs at room temperature***
- 70 g almond flour
To garnish
- flakey sea salt optional (but highly suggested!)
Serving suggestions
- unsweetened macadamia milk nice 'n cold!
Instructions
- See recipe video for guidance!
- Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 350°F/180°C. Line with parchment paper the bottom and sides of a 8x8-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- Add butter, sweetener, cocoa powder and salt to a medium heatproof bowl. Melt over a water bath whisking constantly (or use the microwave, in small increments). You'll want to heat it up until most of the sweetener has melted and the mixture is well incorporated (note that erythritol, unlike xylitol, won't dissolve much at this point). Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
- Add one egg at a time, whisking well after each one until completely incorporated. The texture should appear smooth, with all the sweetener dissolving into the mixture. And if using erythritol, and your batter ends up too thick, you may want to add an extra egg. Just be sure not to over-whisk, or your brownies could end up more cakey rather than fudgy.
- Add the almond flour, whisking vigorously until fully blended (about a minute).
- Bake for 15-25 minutes (we do about 23 with xylitol and 17 with erythritol), or until the center is just set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist. This really does vary (a lot!!) from oven to oven (think convection etc), so give them a check from minute 15 the first time around, and remember that you'll brownies will continue to cook while they cool.
- Sprinkle with flakey sea salt (optional) and allow to cool completely on a rack. Lift brownies using the edges of the parchment paper and cut into desired size (we do 16!). To get extra clean edges, place in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to cutting.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I’m not sure what I did wrong! They ended up basically with the consistency of fudge. I used Swerve (since I have dogs) which I did grind in the blender, and then I added 1 more egg. They were very wet at 17 minutes so I baked for a total amount of 25 minutes. I also did refrigerate the batter for 5 hours before baking. Any ideas?
I went dairy free, so I substituted the butter with bacon grease. Omg, delicious 😍 Thought I would share for anyone else with bacon grease leftover from breakfast. Also, (just personal opinion)these brownies are best after they have cooled in the freezer. So for anyone who tries them out of the oven and isn’t sold right away, try letting them get cold. Really delicious!
I have been gluten free for quite some time and I can honestly say these are some of THE BEST gf brownies I’ve ever had. I was a bit hesitant since the reviews are so extreme, but looking at the directions and whatnot, it looked like they should work.
Because my only dietary need is gluten, I browned the butter (who doesn’t love browned butter?) and added coconut sugar 1for1… it was AMAZING! I’m definitely making these for our family reunion coming up where my dad’s side of the family is celiac and haven’t been able to enjoy many blissful foods in years!
Thank you!
Lol! I think you’ll find extreme reviews in ANY keto recipe (ingredients, particularly sweeteners vary A LOT!)…. but I think you’ll find that out of the over 700 comments, most are as positive as yours 😉 xo!
I made a few changes and some additions. I only used half a cup of sweetener and half cup of cocoa powder and they turned out amazing. I also added half a cup of frozen Raspberries which really amps up the sweetness and moisture. I really had to watch them in the oven because just a few minutes too much can be the difference between fudgey brownie and not fudgey. I got greedy and made only 6 brownies instead of 16 as they were not overly thick, so the calories on mine will be sky high but worth it. Next time I am going to double the mixture for the height, and also add some chopped walnuts, then maybe I will be make 12 instead of six. These are by far the best and my flatmates even said they were as good as the regular brownies they cook!
So, I refrigerated mine as requested, and it did get very firm, as stated because of the butter. However, when I baked it, it never melted out, it just stayed very play dough formed.
It tasted decent, good dark chocolate brownie, very rich, but lacked the gooey bit. I’m wondering if I over baked as well? I followed all the ingredients to a T, I used dutched cocoa, even though all I had on hand was Nestle, but I’ve had luck with that and mug cakes/brownies before.
It just felt like it was very firm, not really dry, though. Strong flavor. I guess it just lacked the texture I was going for. Maybe a tablespoon of heavy cream, additional fat or even water to just loosen it a bit would help. Not sure.
Any ideas?
Absolutely fabulous.
The brownies cooled and cut beautifully at room temperature, I believe to my error of adding 1/4 teaspoon of xantham gum to the butter, cocoa, xylitol mixture.
I was simultaneously preparing the vanilla ice cream to pair with the brownies and put the xantham gum in the wrong mixture. I chilled the brownies overnight while the ice cream froze. My Keto guests, who haven’t gone the extra Keto mile, loved this treat. Now they follow you, and are encouraging me to give Keto cooking workshops to the baking challenged.
Thanks for sharing your research, recipes and observations.
These fudgy cocoa brownies look absolutely fantastic. Beautiful photos, too. I look forward to trying this.
These turned out good, I did a half batch. I used cocoa butter in place of butter and I did use Pyure, but only half the amount instead. No bitter aftertaste, not crystalized, etc.
I would really like to know what recipe some people used to make these brownies they say tasted like burnt play doh or weren’t chocolate-y enough. I followed the recipe exactly, used Lakanto classic monk fruit and Anthony’s Dutch processed cocoa, weighed all the ingredients and had the best keto brownies I have ever tasted. I probably bake them a minute or two too long and they weren’t as fudgy as I would have liked, but that’s my fault and it did not affect the taste one bit! Best brownies ever!
These also freeze beautifully! I take out a few, keep them in a container on the counter and eat half of one every evening. (The next batch will be cut into 32 rather than 16.) These are my guilty pleasure that’s basically guilt free. 😂
Okay, I did sprinkle a few walnuts on top, simply because I like the crunch of nuts in my brownies, but that was the only thing I did that wasn’t in the recipe. Can’t wait to make the peanut butter swirl version. Dark chocolate Reese’s cup brownies? Count me in!
I agree! I refrigerated the batter overnight as suggested, and they turned out DELICIOUS! I probably underbaked them a bit, but it was actually perfect because the texture is like a firm fudge. So decadent! Next time, I will definitely add a sprinkle of salt on top as suggested. YUM!!!
Cat, do you remember how many grams of Lakanto you used? I want to try this, but I’ve never used the Lakanto and want to make sure I don’t under or oversweeten!
Misty, I used 140 grams. The last time I made them I used 140 grams of Lakanto golden and they were even better than with the classic! That brown sugar flavor really works in brownies. I also added 1/8 tsp espresso powder. OMG! Highly recommend it!
I used the lower measure in the recipe. However, after reading Paola’s reply to a comment somewhere (this recipe or another one) I used allulose and now I won’t use anything else to make these! Allulose does act more like sugar in baking! The allulose version was the best batch of brownies I’ve made and I make these about twice a month. I really recommend it above the other sweeteners.
Ooof these came out awful! No chocolate flavor- like a wet bland sponge soaked in butter. I used half grass fed butter, half coconut oil, and Swerve powdered. Dutch process cocoa. The batter tasted a bit better than the baked product. Very disappointed to have wasted such expensive ingredients.
I’m sorry you didn’t like them Katherine! But what I really want to know is what cocoa did you use?!! Because if 80g worth don’t make it taste like chocolate…. I don’t know what will lol! In fact, the general ‘complaint’ from the milk-chocolate lovers in the comments is that these are even too chocolatey! So let’s advice against your brand of cocoa pls! Xo!
I put the mix in the fridge overnight and am getting ready to bake now. Do I need to add more time since the batter is so cold? Thank you for your amazing recipes!
Hi Paola, I tried your recipe and they were so yummy!! Can I ask what app are you using for your nutrition facts so I can also check in case I need to add some toppings. Thank you😊
The were absolutely amazing! I normally do not leave a rating on anything but I was extremely happy with these brownies. They are as claimed, super Fudgy, yum.
Thank you
Thank you for taking the time Deanna! That’s wonderful to hear 😉 xo!!!
Paola,
FABulous brownies aside, I just have to say that YOU are awesome! Always kind generous and gracious in every way. Thank you for being an online example to us all. We learn much from you that goes far beyond the low carb kitchen.
Much appreciated: )
Thank you for your comment Kimberleigh- went straight to the heart 🥰
It came out of the oven made my kitchen smell delish!! I have been craving chocolate for a while but dont want to ruin my diet. Found this recipe that looked really promising!! I let it cool for a while on my counter before taking a bite that i was looking forward to! I waited for my kids to get in bed or i would hear “can i have some?” On repeat.
Not even 5 minutes after they were suggled up I grabbed that knife to cut of a small corner where I would start on the delish i-must-have of a brownie! I popped it in my mouth and – – holy fuck what did I just eat?!
No not burnt dirt, no not play dough, I thought it was brownie!
I had to make sure, yeah it was the brownie I was looking forward to eating. Yeah it tasted nasty!
I had to spit and rinse!
I followed every step, i have the ingredients, i worked my oven correctly. Whats wrong with this picture?
Im really considering cheating on my diet tonight because of this burnt dirt playdoh cooked thing.
Ew. Just ew!!!
🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢
Hi Sara! I’m sorry to hear they came out so bad… but while I thoroughly enjoyed the story line of the epic disaster, I need more to go on to help you diagnose the problem than ‘they tasted horrendous’. Remember I’m not in the kitchen with you guys!
Lets start with what sweetener did you use love? If there’s any stevia in it it would DEF account for a bitter after taste… or some erythritrols also give strong cooling effects (and can crystalize) xo!
LANGUAGE necessary??? Are you fourteen, Sara?
I have made these many times – they have become my go to dessert for family dinners. I AM NOT A COOK, CHEF, BAKER, … you get the idea. Consequently sometimes I have used granulated xylitol, powdered the xylitol, used different amounts of xylitol, used a mixer instead of all the whisking, messed up the measuring (more than once), over whisked, used a double broiler, used the microwave for the melting – the only time it did not turn out well for me, frozen them, baked them in parchment cupcake liners, over-baked them, under-baked them – even dropped them on the floor! And while mine have never been picture perfect or even consistent (sometimes fudgey, sometimes cakey) with all these “mistakes” they always taste GREAT! A sure sign of a great recipe – when non-bakers can bake it with success! Thank you Paola – not just a home run but a grand slam! I am learning so much from your site – and having fun not only eating but cooking! (PS I am so sorry to read that you are struggling with health issues – from the gummy bear CBD recipe posted awhile back – I hope and pray that those issues are behind you or soon will be.
Just made this – haven’t actually tried yet, but they took an extra 10 minutes to bake. Otherwise, they are definitely fudge brownies. 🙂
I was just going through the raw ingredients list and it doesn’t seem to add all up to 1g net carbs (calculated for a serving size). For example one tsp of xylitol is just 4g in net carbs. Does putting it together or heating it somehow change the nutritional content? Thanks.
Hi Sam! It’s common practice to substract sugar alcohols as you do with fiber as they’re not regular carbs xo!
Wow, made these and they are by by far my favorite keto brownie recipe. I’ve been struggling making low carb/keto recipes because none of the other recipes were ever fudgy and chocolatey enough, the way brownies ought to be. I will have to make them again and reduce the cooking time by another few minutes. I used Bocha Sweet and a convection oven, and while the texture was perfect (after being refrigerated overnight), the tops were super smooth and kinda cakey looking, rather than the cracked brownie top as shown on the pictures. Is that typical and do you suppose the cooking time causes that? They taste fabulous but we do eat with our eyes first, so I was wondering how to achieve the cracks on the top. Thank you for an amazing recipe!
Hi Paola!!
Tell me something:
If I make this recipe and not eat all of them, can I freeze this ones?
DEF Mariah! You might not want to know this, but they actually taste SO good frozen 😉
I followed the exact recipe using 160g of powdered erythritol and 3 eggs. Before the eggs, the mixture was very thick. I almost couldn’t stir. After I added eggs to the batter, it was perfect. I made sure to do minimal stirring as I learned in the past how this makes brownies cakey and dry. After I put the batter in the baking dish, I refrigerated it for a few hours. I baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, then I put them in the freezer for 30 minutes before cutting. They were perfect! So fudgey!! The amount of sweetener I used made them bittersweet which I love. My family likes sweeter so I may add more erythritol next time. I may try toasting the almond flour or using brown butter next time to change up the flavors. This recipe is a great base to play with!!
Would it be okay to use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
That’s what I want to know too!
Hey Paolla!!! It is just amaaaazing this recipe! Thank you!! I want to do just for me, but im wondering if is going to be too many just for me, do you know how long it lasts?
Watch out! Here comes the old lady grammar police! A real oddity I have noticed in recent years is people getting certain expressions backwards. Such as, in this case, saying you can substitute almond flour for hazelnut, when what you mean is actually the opposite. At least, I think that’s what you mean — to use some hazelnut instead of all almond flour? That is substituting some of your almond flour with hazelnut flour. Or substituting some hazelnut flour for some of the almond flour. I have really been scratching my head over this one! I’ve finally kind of accepted “I could care less” instead of the more logical “I couldn’t care less,” which is what we said when I was young (I’m 66, and from the south.) But really, substituting something for something else means to use some of that something (hazelnut flour) instead of the almond flour. Similarly, you can substitute (usually) some brown sugar for part or all of the white sugar which many brownie recipes call for. Doesn’t that make sense to you? Oh, and one more — people nowadays say something is based OFF of something instead of based ON something. Another weird reversal. Good brownies, though! And I have to use flax eggs. Thank goodness they work.
Ellen you got my brain in a twist loooool!!! OK so what I mean is that you can also use hazelnut in place of the almond (is that better?!). I mean, English is also my second language… and while I did study in the US (and took AP English language AND literature) I’m aware I make frequent mistakes 😉 xo!
Her comment is full of grammatical errors, and your English is very good. Also these brownies were amazing. I accidentally used granulated xylitol instead of pulsing it to make it powdered, but they still came out perfect. My kids also love them. Hallelujah!
Lol thanks Jackie! xoooooo!
Waffle, waffle, waffle. Bully.
Ok I followed recipe to the Tee.. but decided to add a little xanthem gum. It was so grainy when I did final stir. The only other thing I could think of that I did different too is I added 4 tablespoons of regular unsalted butter bc I ran out of ghee. Anyways they were not gooey at all they crumbled quite a bit after baking. Was it the xanthem gum?
I’ve done this recipe a handful of times and the one time I had this problem, I did 2 things different: I tried a storebrand cocoa, and used a ceramic Corningware pan instead of my usual metal baking pan. Not sure why they ended up that way but they were still goos with milk, as suggested.
These brownies are fantastic!! I used 2/3c erythritol and they are still plenty sweet. I probably baked them 1 min too long because they are a bit dry. I was fooled into thinking they weren’t done @ 15 min because of the fat “pooling” on top (which was all reabsorbed as the brownie’s cooled). I cut them in 32 pcs and froze most of them. They are great from the freezer – like a fat bomb! I spread almond butter on top just before eating (yum)! Can’t wait to try these again with nuts and swirling the cream cheese mixture in (as suggested by another reader). Thanks for this GREAT recipe!!
Smells great as they are cooking but it’s been 25 mins and there’s a pool in the center of the pan. I did use a silicone baking liner instead of parchment but I’m nervous 😬
How did the work out Jessica? Tbh I’ve never baked in a silicon pan, so not sure how it would work (I’m assuming they would take loner because the metal helps to conduct heat?).. Honestly not sure though! xo!
My first attempt using Almond flour and it was excellent! It looked like a lot of oil before I baked them and was tempted to drain some of it out but glad I didn’t. Everything was great, thank you!
Hi! I made the brownies i used 120 g or eritritol, which a bit less that requested. However, the turned out too sweet… what could have gone wrong??
Hi Lizzy! Check first that the sweetener you used isn’t 2:1 to sugar (some erythritrols with added stevia and monk fruit are). Otherwise it might just be that your taste buds are SUPER Keto adapted (good for you!) and you simply need to cut the sweetener even more 😉 xo!
How do you store brownies once baked and cut? Thank you!
I like to keep them in the fridge or freezer (they’re great frozen too…!). But even room temp will do 😉
I have been eating Keto for the last 4 months and so far lost 10kg!!! Your recipes have contributed to my success. Everything I have made from your website is soooo good and in fact we are having your Pad Thai tonight. I’ve just made this brownie and OMG it’s the best. Thank you so much for all of the amazing recipes, you make our lives so much easier.
Oh Jody congratulations on your success, how wonderful to hear!! How awesome to hear that my recipes have helped to make the journey a bit more yummy 😉 xo!!