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
Hello! I’m so excited to try this recipe but I have a couple questions! I have no restriction when it comes to the sweetener so I was gonna use pure can sugar. My question is how long will it take for the sugar to dissolve using the microwave method and will it even completely dissolve? Or can I dissolve the sugar by itself first then add it to the mixed butter, cocoa powder and sat?
Is monk fruit Granular sweetener ok to use?
Hello. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
A few questions please:
– Any idea what the ingredient proportions are for a 9×9 tray?
– Xylitol range is big 140g – 200g. Higher for sweeter taste or is there a different reason?
– Is butter preferred over coconut oil? Better tasting?
– This recipe creates a dense brownie. How to make it “fluffier”? My guess is not possible due to the ingredients used.
Thanks!
I over mixed it, mine came out cakey as opposed to fudgey. Basically I was tired n totally mixed this wrong, but it was delicious none the less
In the recipe,if you whisk your egg mixture combined with the chocolate mixture,you’ll get cakier consistency….because you’re adding more air into the batter by extra whisking🙂
Lord…These are the best brownies ever. Bar none. Thank you for this recipe!
Would reducing the xylitol to 1/2C negatively impact the goo factor? I’d like to reduce the sweetness. tia!
I don’t like too sweet so I started with 140g xylitol but it was not enough. 165g was perfect.
Why won’t granulated stevia work as a sweetener?
It has a terrible aftertaste and it’s quite bitter. I’ve tried it… It’s a definite no-go.
I made these with Xylitol and they came out tasting great BUT then I read about xylitol and real net carbs in that and based on using 175 grams for this recipe it actually came out to 7 net carbs per 1/16th of this! I have had 2 servings of this each day before doing my research..so I have been out of Ketosis for those 2 days because of this.
I agree. I also used xylitol and when I entered it into myfitnesspal, I found out xylitol contains a lot of carbs… 🙁 but I love this recipe! Will just use powdered erythritol next time. Question, I would like to make it rise a little, can I add baking soda or baking powder?
You guuuuys! Remember its common practice to substract sugar alcohols as you do fiber, as they aren’t actually carbs xo!
Has anyone tried this recipe using Allulose, or Monkfruit, or a blend of both for the sweetener? Do they work well, or do you recommend sticking with either of the two sweeteners in the recipe?
Allulose works great Catherine! Please see section on sweeteners xo!
Hello! I am sorry in advance for this question, but I am new to all this keto/paleo/vegan and whatnot cooking :).
Is there one recipe of these brownies that is both complaint with a keto and paleo diet (I.e. sweetener, butter vs coconut oil, etc)?
Also, is the nutrition table referencing the keto recipe?
Lastly, how can I make my nutrition labels at home if I change some of the ingredients depending on my taste?
Thank you so so much! And looking forward to baking ALL of your recipes :)!!!!!
they taste like REAL brownies!!! amazing!
have baked it before with ground almonds and erythritol but it does not compare to when you use xylitol and real fine almond flour. wow:)
Can I use fully hazelnut flour instead of almond flour? And may I know if you bake yours in fan assisted oven or non-fan assisted? Thank you
Hi. I left a question here Feb. 7 and I don’t see it. The comments go from Feb. 3 to Feb. 29 so maybe you missed some….?
Thanks,
Is it 1 and 2/3 sweetener?
Mine try out super dry and crumbly please help!
What sweetener did you use Colin? Any chance something with erythritol (or stevia?)
Colon, try adding another egg. I’ve never had that problem but my mom did. The next time she added another egg and they were perfect.
Indeed I used erythritol based one.
me too! Super dry and crumbly and very bitter too :/
It’s the erythritol sweetener you guys are using! 😉 Its explained in the post and you guys report back on this frequently xo!
wheres the almond flour amount listed?
REAL NUTRITION
I used Hershey’s cacao powder and bobs red mill almond flour, which is where the carbs come from, the total bet carbs for the whole batch is 35 carbs, so divide by 16 that’s a little over 2 net carbs, realistically you’ll cut it into 9 pieces, witch is a little under 4 net carbs
Edit: Unsweetened cacao powder btw
Hello! Your recipes are amazing! Thank you! A question about this recipe – I followed it exactly, used Swerve sweetner, so watched foe consistency after adding the eggs and baked for 17 minutes. However, my brownies were pretty dry. Should I have added the extra egg or perhaps I needed more oil? Any help would be so appreciated!
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for this recipe.x
Would the baking time need to be adjusted with allulose? Thanks!
Do these come out fudgy raw-like rather than fudgy cake-like brownies? Many recipes in Keto that hype fudgy come out like they are raw, which my family hates.
Best brownies ever-hands down. Almost a cross between fudge and brownies. My whole family loves these!
What is that beautiful music that is playing during the video-The Brownies are cooling now- cant wait. LOVE the recipe instructions well written. Thanks
LOVE THIS RECIPE!! Make it all the time!!
I was curious how everybody stores the brownies once they are cooled. In the fridge or on the counter for no more than 4-5 days?
Thanks in advance!!
Is it supposed to look soupy? I wonder what I did wrong… I converted grams to Tablespoons. The converter I used online says 130 grams is 10 1/2 tablespoons….
Thinking of subbing in some coffee flour I picked up, any idea of how much? (Seems more fine so I’m assuming it wouldn’t be 1:1)
Can i substitute allulose for the sweetner? And do you know how much would the equivalent be?
Would coconut flour work as a substitute? It’s all I have on hand lol
I wouldn’t recommend tbh! If you’re looking for an almond flour sub I would use sunflower seed flour (or even hazelnut!) xo!
Thank you! I was just looking for substitutes for almond flour. I love it, but I just found out I’m mildly allergic to it. It explains the dry skin patches and itchiness after a baking frenzy 😂 Thank you!!
Carer just made these for me omg yes…. double thumbs up 😁👍👍
Thank you!
Hello there, I am new to keto and artificial sweeteners, that is also the reason why I am researching for hours before having my daily log estimates. These look really good and I will certainly give them a try, but.. there is one thing that I have noticed- xylitol has a total of 1g carbs per 1gram. And even if we use 140grams in the recipe that comes to a total of 8.75grams per serving.. I would rather believe it’s less but, it is what it is. 🙂
The net carbs in sugar alcohols is actually TOTAL carbs MINUS the sugar alcohols – so the net carbs are 0. That’s the great thing about most keto sweeteners! In anything keto when you look at total carbs you have to deducted fiber and sugar alcohols (and allulose if its in there) and that gets you the net carbs, in this case it’s 1 net carb per brownie. So ENJOY! 🙂
I understand you’re confused, I had the same thoughts in the beginning.
Xylitol is 100/100 ratio in carbs, but with polyols. It passes through your body without the calories.
Which you can subtract from the carbs.
So that leaves you with 0 grams nett. carbs.
There is a lot to read about polyols and it makes Keto diet so much easier.
Good luck!
Not enough research. Xylitol is classified as a sugar alcohol, and does not spike blood glucose like other carbohydrates. So yes, you are right that it contains that many carbs, but for the purposes of keto or maintaining low blood sugar it doesn’t matter.
The is the best thing I have ever read haha I can’t wait to make these tomorrow
You will have to subtract sugar alcohols from the total Carbohydrate!!
Without a doubt this is the best keto dessert ive ever made! Im starting keto again after falling off the wagon over xmas and day 2 of keto i start my period! so i just wanted chocolate chocolate chocolate and come across this recipe! its Delicious and fudgy! I added some sugar free choc chips in the batter, and served with some squirty cream! made them into little cake pop sizes and there perfect fresh out the oven. thank you so so much for sharing this recipe 🙂
Can I substitute my coconut flour because I am completely out of almond flour?
These were delicious! We are doing dirty keto/low carb so we used salted sweet cream butter and omitted the other salts.