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,
How crucial is the parchment paper lining? I have all the ingredients on hand but no parchment paper.
Thanks,
Molly
THey’ll just most likely stick to the pan Molly xo!
So what if you do t have a scale to weigh the ingredients. Do you have a measurement in tablespoons/teaspoons/cups?
Click on US Cups below the ingredients 😉
Hi! I’ve tried this recipe twice now. The first time I ran out of almond flour, so I tried it with coconut flour. It came out a little drier. I just tried it again and even left it over night. When i pulled it out of the fridge and set it out for it to acclimate again. When I baked it there was a whole bunch of liquid. Is that normal?
Can I use the powdered version of swerve?
Yes! Just weight it xo
These look fantastic! In the video it looks like powdered swerve? Is this what we should be using? Thanks!
It’s actually powdered xylitol xo!
Hi the nutrition facts dont say what the unit for one serving size is.
Number of servings is always on the top of the recipe card and nutrition facts are per serving (standard) xo!
I just made these and they are delicious. Full disclosure: some ketoers are on the hunt for that classic chewy texture with keto brownies and I’m just not sure it exists when you give up sugar and flour.
However, this is the best brownie recipe I’ve tried by far. Others turn out very dry and cakey, more like cupcakes. I’ve searched far and wide on the blogosphere. But Not these. These are fudgey, gooey, and delicious!
You’re absolutely right, you need the gluten to give them more of a chew but so happy you loved these! xo!
OMG!!! I just made these!! Absolutely fantastic – so yummy!
I only used 100g of Erythritol and found that fine (I don’t have any sugar or sweeteners normally so found this was more than enough – would probably even use less next time).
Thank you for posting this recipe – it’s been my salvation as I’ve been craving chocolate/baking lately.
I don’t know what happened but mine turned out dry and flat, didn’t notice when making there was no baking powder in the recipe. I am going to put some heavy cream and eat them anyway, thanks for the recipe!
Hi Kris! Brownies traditionally don’t use any baking powder, they rise from the eggs. So maybe just didn’t whisk them enough? xo!
Wow! This is the first time I have EVER enjoyed anything I’ve made with almond flour.
These are seriously just the best chocolate gooey-ness ever! Thanks so much! I think you may have just extended my keto diet.
P.S. My children love them too – bonus! Guilt free treats 🙂
Lol Zoe that’s awesome to hear! Keto can actually be wonderful 😉
I was a little unsure how these would turn out as I only had coconut flour and read another comment saying coconut made them crumbly. But I was craving something fudgey and chocolatey so I took a chance. I made a few adjustments; I went with coconut oil instead of butter, added about 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, used 150g of Swerve because that’s all I had left, swapped equal amount of coconut flour for the almond flour and added about 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, since the coconut flour absorbs liquid and I didn’t want them turning out crumbly. I had to literally press the batter into the pan with my hand and they looked a little “spongy” coming out of the oven. I let them cool before cutting. They did not crumble, but they were a tiny bit crumbly. But after biting into one, WOW. The top had a nice crust and the inside was fudgey, just as I was hoping. Not too sweet but sweet enough for my taste. and I really didn’t notice the “cooling” of the Swerve, maybe because I used less? Thank you for this recipe, it will be my new go-to.
Hello, I will try to use coconut flour but decrease the amount so that it won’t be dry and in my country amazon do not sell swerve so I will try to use erythritol added stevia but it has many carb however when you remove sugar alcohol and fiber it is basically no carb. Do you think it will work?
Swerve is erythritol so that’s fine, just don’t add stevia pls! Also coconut flour doesn’t work with these, you need a nut base xo!
Hi, I used coconut oil instead of the butter. I’m curious as to why my batter is clumpy :/ can you tell me what I can add or do to get the consistency I see in your video? Thanks!
Did you use almond flour or meal?
Hey! Waiting for these to cool but after 5 years of eating no refined sugar I can already tell from licking some batter off the spoon that the sweetness is going to send me to outer space – and I already left a few tablespoons of Xylitol (what I had) out instinctively. Any advice on cutting the sweetener below 140g or combining Xylitol/Monkfruit/Erythritol in a way that makes it not so sickly? I saw your recommendation on not halving the sweetner. Is there a way around this, like something that could be added back in to replace a bit of bulk? I also believe I fell pray to the “scooping” issue and added too much cacao – so I already added a TBSP of coconut oil on top of the butter. This was because it was pretty dry on the double boiler without this, but luckily still poured (very slowly) into the pan.
Hi Erica! Keto palates do vary a lot, just use less sweetener but in all honesty from 210g to 140g it’s already a big jump in sweetness level. You could try adding some inulin? But in all honesty I haven’t experimented with that xo!
Hello!
Could we use Truvia by any chance instead of the Swerve?
Hi Sarah! If Truvia has stevia (I believe it does?), I wouldn’t quite recommend it with these xo!
How do you store them?
So, I might be crazy, but… I made the recipe using 90% erythritol and 10% xylitol. When I melted the sugars/cocoa/butter in the microwave my batter pre-flour was still pretty grainy – but did taste sweet. So then I followed through with the rest of the recipe and baked. Once they came out, the consistency/texture was definitely fudgy, but there was no sweetness at all. I don’t get it. I don’t think I microwaved it long enough for the sweetners to melt into the chocolate mixture, but it still tasted sweet until after it was baked. Any idea? Could it just be the not melted enough sweetners that somehow caused this result?
What is the serving size?
1 brownie piece
Hi Paola! Thank you so much for sharing such a great recipe with us!! I would like to know if there’s a possibility to change almond flour for coconut flour!
Unfortunately no Sabrina, they’re never interchangeable in my opinion xo!
Is it definitely 200g xylitol? I made these – and they were delicious – but a few hours after eating a couple it was like a brown shotgun had gone off in my bathroom. I don’t *think* I’m sensitive to xylitol…
Oh lol whoops! You can do 140-250g of xylitol in this recipe, depending on your preference. Some people get this effect (I believe it’s stated in the bag). Maybe try less or switching to erythritol? xo!
Hi, these tasted great but the texture did not turn out like a brownie. I made mine with coconut oil, and coconut sugar, I think that maybe there was too much oil. I baked for 25 mins and they looked ok, but was waiting to get to the point where the toothpick came out slightly gooey. But they turned out really moist and crumbly, they fall apart and are gooey. But tastes great so I had a slice anyway, but going to try putting them in the fridge overnight to see info it improves the texture. They just didn’t seem like they held together very well. What went wrong?
Hi Natalie! I’m sorry to hear that! Did you weigh the ingredients? It could’ve been too much coconut oil, or that it wasn’t emulsified into the eggs properly (not whisked enough?) xo!
These were good but wayyyy too sweet to me, I weighed the ingredients. Could I lessen the swerve (I’m thinking of even halving it) in this or would that ruin the texture?
Hi Kim! Keep in mind that your sweet buds will change a lot while on keto, and vary from person to person (a normal brownie recipe uses 250g of sugar!). I would stay in the range of 140-200g of sweetener (I prefer xylitol) for keto, don’t halve it or they’ll be dry and bitter! xo!
Whoops–I figured out the date I thought was a mistake! It wasn’t.
It seems like using 11 tbsp of the Valrhona cocoa powder will almost use the whole container–which makes for some very expensive brownies?!
Well not quite the whole container! About 1/3 actually 😉 11 TBSP is 80g out of 250g. Said container is $13.75 (so you’ll be using $4.4 worth of cocoa). If you think about it, MUCH less expensive than brownies which call for a chocolate bars (even if you’re using the fanciest cocoa out there!) xo!
these are the best keto brownies on earth!! so easy, fudgy and delicious!
Made these last night and my batch definitely did not turn out like the pictures. My batter was thick, did not pour and had to be scooped out of the bowl. I Used Lakanto Monk Fruit for my sweetener and that could of been the issue. The flavor was amazing, but they didn’t turn out like fudgy brownies. I’m going to try to make them again and make some adjustments based on the comments I’ve read and see if I have better luck! Definitely missing sweet treats being keto.
Hi Paola! I made your brownies two nights ago, refrigerated them overnight, and my hubby and I ate one last night for dessert. I was a little disappointed because, although they tasted good, they are very thick and dense like fudge. I’m still going to eat them as they taste good but I was hoping for something in between fudge and a brownie. I used xylitol and, since I don’t have any kosher salt, used 1/2 tsp. pink Himalayan salt. I microwaved the first four ingredients in 30-second increments until everything was melted and well blended. I added the eggs one at a time and blended well, then the almond flour, and the batter was still pourable after that. I baked them for 23 minutes and let them cool on the counter before putting in the fridge. I’m wondering if I overbaked them or if it could be the cacao powder that I used? Curious as to your thoughts.
Here’s a link to the cacao powder I used:
Hi Suzette! Thank you for your detailed description! It actually sounds like you under-baked them, so they didn’t cook long enough to get some bite and come out more fudge-like definitely. Keep in mind that every oven is different, so time can really vary a lot for these guys. But maybe try 5 minutes longer bake time? Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for your input, Paola! I had something under the broiler at 450 degrees right before putting the brownies in there, so I was worried that the residual heat would cause them to bake faster. A lot of that heat must’ve escaped when I opened the oven door which I didn’t realize, so in my haste, I probably did end up under-baking them. I will try leaving them in an extra 5 minutes next time and will let you know how they turn out. XOXO
Hi Paola!
Tried yesterday with a stevia/monk fruit mix and Van Houten cacao powder. A real win, we loved it (even my non-Keto boyfriend who loves brownies). So easy to bake. So thank you!
Oh yay! So happy these worked out for you guys Yuna! Van Houten cacao is also awesome 😉 xo!
So my first time baking/cooking anything keto… my friend was craving chocolate and she’s on the keto diet. but i just made a double batch them and they’re cooling!!!!
i used coconut oil and maple syrup and 7x 11 pans … so they’re a little thinner but came out looking great!
i did have to cook them longer, not only my oven kind of sucks, but with the maple syrup you said that it would need longer so i checked them after 20 mins … one pan took 25 mins and the other took almost 30…
can’t wait to taste test!
These brownies had a very strange, almost bitter flavor. Disappointed I used up so much Swerve – that stuff is not cheap! I followed the recipe exactly and weighed the ingredients. On the positive side, it was nice to have a keto brownie that didn’t taste like eggs.
Hi Erica! Oh no I’m sorry these didn’t come out great for you (I know the pain of waisting precious ingredients!). But I’m fairly certain that the bitter flavor you got comes from the cocoa you used. Or perhaps you’re more of a milk chocolate gal? xo!
Silly question but with the swerve would I use the granulated or cofectioners? I want to make these this weekend! Also, this will be my first keto baked good so what is all this about a cooling effect with some sweeteners?? Thanks!!
Hi Sam! Readers have reported that confectioners is easier to dissolve (just keep in mind that you would need to weigh it). Swerve (and erythritol in general) does have a sort of cooling/minty effect (how much depends on the person). If it bothers you, you can always try xylitol (no cooling effect but slightly higher GI, still keto though). xo!