The PERFECT Gluten Free & Paleo Brownies – These are everything I’m looking for. They’re fudgy and rich, chocolatey and delicious, all without gluten, grains, or dairy! (Scroll down for a how-to VIDEO)
Gluten free, dairy free baking has been such an adventure. I’ve had to learn new techniques, combine different flours, and rework lots of my old favorite recipes. Whether it’s coming up with an amazing gluten free pie crust recipe, some seriously good chocolate cookies, or cobbling together a new vegan birthday frosting, it’s been a lot of delicious experimenting.
Some things have come together pretty easily, and others have been disastrous. These brownies were, thankfully, in the first group. They were everything I dreamed they could be–fudgy and rich with a crispy exterior and rich chocolatey interior. I absolutely love them. I’ve made them countless times in the last year, enjoying them plain or putting them into dairy free ice cream. They haven’t steered us wrong yet. My big secret?
It’s been better than any gluten free flour I’ve tried for brownies. They get that gorgeous fudgy texture I love so much (I’m not a cake-y brownie fan), and I love that the flour isn’t empty calories. Instead, it’s just ground almonds!
The technique isn’t fussy, but I have found that following a few ground rules really helps guarantee success. Here are my best notes after a year of making and enjoying the brownies…
Notes on the Recipe:
Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda – A really smart reader explained to me that baking powder helps puff while baking soda helps spread. The reason I used baking soda instead of powder was because it’s paleo friendly (many baking powders contain cornstarch with isn’t paleo approved). After trying it both ways, I totally agree with her! If you want more puff to your brownies, use the baking powder. If you’re paleo or avoiding corn, stick with baking soda. (The brownies in the photos used baking soda).
Whisking the eggs and sugar. I’ve learned that you really want to whisk the eggs and sugar until they pass the “ribbon test.” When you whisk them and lift up the whisk, the mixture should stream down pretty evenly in “ribbons” rather than in big lumpy clumps. If you’re not there yet, just keep whisking.
Try not to over-mix. When you’re mixing in the dry ingredients, you can give it a good mix, but you want to stop when the dry ingredients are incorporated. This is less important in gluten free baking, but I have over done it a few times and I feel like they ended up a little more dry.
Don’t over-bake. My trick for fudgy brownies is always to pull them out when the center is juuuust about set. They’ll finish setting as they cool and won’t end up too crispy or dried out.
Coarse Sea Salt. I LOVE adding a little coarse sea salt to the tops of these (I realize I didn’t do that in the photos, but it’s incredibly good. The tiny hint of salt wakes up the chocolate and provides a nice balance of flavors. If you’re not a salt-with-sweet fan, feel free to skip it!
Almond Flour: There are a LOT of different brands and blends of almond flour and most of them produce different results. I recommend using a very finely ground blanched almond flour rather than a coarse grind or almond meal which is made with skins-on almonds. I’ve had good luck with Bob’s Red Mill, Honeyville, Hughson, Trader Joe’s blanched almond flour, and even Target’s brand.
Substitutions: You can use just about any fat you like here–avocado oil, butter, ghee, vegan butter, coconut oil, etc. Choose your favorite and go from there. The recipe can take it.
Swap the Sugar. I’ve used coconut sugar which is lower on the glycemic index, but if you don’t have it or like it, feel free to substitute white sugar, brown sugar, or even something like maple sugar. It will all work.
Like these brownies? You might also love…
The PERFECT Gluten Free Brownies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 16 brownies 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These intensely fudgy brownies are SO GOOD no one will ever guess they’re also gluten, dairy AND grain free. They’re everything a brownie should be!
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (I use dairy free chocolate chips)
- 5 Tbsp coconut oil (can sub butter, avocado oil, vegan butter, ghee)
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar (can sub white, brown, or maple sugar)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup blanched almond flour
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (if paleo) or baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
To mix in:
- 2/3 cup additional chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (can sub nuts)
Optional: coarse sea salt to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.
- In a small saucepan, gently melt chocolate and oil over low heat until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until slightly lighter in color and until they pass the ribbon test (when you lift the whisk the mixture should stream down evenly in “ribbons”). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients–almond flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- Working slowly, whisk the egg/sugar mixture into the saucepan of melted chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla and mix in.
- Stir in the dry ingredients and fold until just mixed.
- Fold in the additional chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into your prepared pan and smooth the surface.
- Bake at 350 degrees 20-24 minutes, or until edges are set and the center is still ever so slightly underdone. (The remaining heat should set the center as it cools)
- Sprinkle with coarse salt, if using, and allow brownies to cool before slicing.
Notes
Whisking the eggs and sugar. I’ve learned that you really want to whisk the eggs and sugar until they pass the “ribbon test.” When you whisk them and lift up the whisk, the mixture should stream down pretty evenly in “ribbons” rather than in big lumpy clumps. If you’re not there yet, just keep whisking.
Try not to over-mix. When you’re mixing in the dry ingredients, you can give it a good mix, but you want to stop when the dry ingredients are incorporated. This is less important in gluten free baking, but I have over done it a few times and I feel like they ended up a little more dry.
Don’t over-bake. My trick for fudgy brownies is always to pull them out when the center is juuuust about set. They’ll finish setting as they cool and won’t end up too crispy or dried out.
Coarse Sea Salt. I LOVE adding a little coarse sea salt to the tops of these (I realize I didn’t do that in the photos, but it’s incredibly good. The tiny hint of salt wakes up the chocolate and provides a nice balance of flavors. If you’re not a salt-with-sweet fan, feel free to skip it!
Almond Flour: There are a LOT of different brands and blends of almond flour and most of them produce different results. I recommend using a very finely ground blanched almond flour rather than a coarse grind or almond meal which is made with skins-on almonds. I’ve had good luck with Bob’s Red Mill, Honeyville, Hughson, Trader Joe’s blanched almond flour, and even Target’s brand.
Substitutions: You can use just about any fat you like here–avocado oil, butter, ghee, vegan butter, coconut oil, etc. Choose your favorite and go from there. The recipe can take it.
Swap the Sugar. I’ve used coconut sugar which is lower on the glycemic index, but if you don’t have it or like it, feel free to substitute white sugar, brown sugar, or even something like maple sugar. It will all work.
- Category: Dessert, brownies
- Method: baking
Keywords: brownies, paleo, gluten free, dairy free
Paige says
March 3, 2016 at 10:08 amThe brownies look fabulous! And I already have all the ingredients to make them… I think I know what I’ll be doing tonight. Also, really jealous of your perfect brownie cutting skills.
Emily says
March 3, 2016 at 10:19 amPaige – Here’s my secret: I chill them first! They cut perfectly when chilled.
Brenda says
January 27, 2018 at 10:39 amAnd…if you like to have them warm, cut brownies with a plastic knife!
Emily says
January 27, 2018 at 1:18 pmGreat suggestion! Thank you!
AG says
April 27, 2019 at 8:32 amCould I use a cup for cup GF replacement flour? Thanks so much!
Emily says
April 27, 2019 at 10:21 amYou *technically* can, but do know they won’t be as fudgey. They’ll puff a bit more and be a bit more cakelike. If you’re good with that, I say go for it!
Cynthia Hadley says
December 12, 2018 at 3:33 amEmily 🙂
I have tried many alternative gluten free healthy brownie recipes. Your recipe is unsurpassed delicious!
I like to also garnish the brownies while still cooling, with a natural chocolate glaze and atop it with halved walnuts.
Very pretty.
Can’t wait to try other “ONE LOVELY LIFE” recipes!
Cynthia Hadley
★★★★★
Emily says
December 12, 2018 at 5:04 amOh my goodness. That chocolate glaze sounds amazing! I’m totally going to try that. (Thank you so much for sharing!!!)
AP says
April 9, 2019 at 8:51 pmBest brownies ever period
Emily says
April 10, 2019 at 7:29 amOh my GOSH! THANK YOU!!!
julie b says
June 20, 2019 at 9:07 amhaven’t dug in yet, but the center of mine just sunk after i took them out of the oven! might be eating these with a spoon.
Emily says
June 20, 2019 at 10:06 amOh dear! They do naturally settle a bit, but it sounds like they could possibly be underbaked?
Natalie says
March 3, 2016 at 1:48 pmThese look amazing! I’m always on the lookout for a great gf brownie 🙂 Do you think Trader Joe’s almond meal would work here, or would I need actual almond flour?
Emily says
March 3, 2016 at 3:49 pmNatalie – When I tried it, it did work, though the texture was a bit more grainy with the coarser grind of nuts. But it still worked for me! You may want to add an extra Tablespoon of almond meal.
Dante says
March 11, 2018 at 7:07 pmYes it does perfectly ❤️
Kaileen Elise says
March 3, 2016 at 7:39 pmSo excited to make these! If I try coconut sugar, do you recommend the same amount?
Emily says
March 3, 2016 at 7:49 pmI do! If you add much more or less it will mess with the texture.
Kathleen says
June 5, 2016 at 11:26 pmWhat would the serving size be? Also do you know how many carbs per serving?
Emily says
June 6, 2016 at 8:35 amKathleen – I usually cut these into 16 squares. As for the carbs, I’m sorry I don’t have nutrition facts for each recipe yet, but you can plug this recipe into any online calculator to get a good idea. My favorite is MyFitnessPal (website or free app). You can import recipes from anywhere on the web!
Megan says
November 11, 2016 at 8:45 amHi Emily–I’m wondering whether you think this recipe would turn out using “flax eggs” in place of the regular eggs? I am looking for a vegan and gluten free dessert option. If you have a favorite recipe that meets these dietary needs, I’d love to hear it! Happy Friday 🙂
Emily says
November 11, 2016 at 11:21 amMegan – I haven’t tried them with a flax egg, but I’d LOVE to know how they turn out for you if you try them this way!
Carrie says
April 7, 2019 at 7:29 pmI made these and they were great but wouldn’t set. I used flax eggs. Everything else was the same. Not sure what happened but I ended up having to good them so long that all the edges burnt. Any other suggestions? I used baking powder instead of soda for less sodium.
Emily says
April 8, 2019 at 5:41 amCarrie – It could very well be the flax eggs and baking powder substitutions. (I haven’t made them with flax eggs, but someone else had a similar issue.) The brownies also tend to completely set as they cool, so if you kept testing them while hot, they’d probably continue to test gooey. I’m sorry that happened!
Shannon Wagener says
September 11, 2017 at 3:01 pmI just made these with ground chia seed eggs (3T water:1 T ground chia) and it turned out fine, not great. The batter hardly rose and made about 1/2″ thick brownies, whereas the original recipe makes a bit of a fluffier brownie. Taste-wise, about the same but I much prefer the “original recipe” posted here with the eggs. hope that helps anyone in the future!!
★★★★★
Emily says
September 11, 2017 at 7:47 pmThank you for chiming in with your results!
Laurie says
April 3, 2017 at 6:59 pmThank you. These look delicious.
Just as an FYI , coconut sugar does not have a lower glycemic index than any other sugar.
This was based on one sketchy study from the phillipines which has been proven wrong by other studies since. A lot on this on the internet.
Swerve is a sugar substitute which is safe and has a relatively low carb content.
Thank you!!
Emily says
April 3, 2017 at 7:06 pmThanks for the head’s up! I’ll have to look into that.
Jenny says
March 23, 2019 at 7:05 pmActually that is false, it is lower on glycemic index and I know because I have gestational diabetes and played around with sugars and monitored my glucose levels 4 times a day and after eating paleo chocolate chip cookies made with coconut sugar.
Emily says
March 24, 2019 at 5:59 amThanks for following up with this for us!
Nadine says
May 9, 2019 at 6:46 amI’m with Jenny on coconut sugar. I get yeast infections when I eat sugar, honey, or maple syrup. No problem with coconut sugar. That’s what I’m planning to use in this recipe.
Which I can’t rate yet but I’m psyched to try it! Just as soon as I get me some almond flour or meal. 😁
Emily says
May 9, 2019 at 8:47 amI hope you LOVE them. They’re our very favorite!!!
Pamela Maxfield says
October 19, 2018 at 2:49 amYour recipe is fantastic! Thank you for your research, and expertise!
Regarding “Swerve” sweetener: it sounded interesting, so I did a search for reviews and feedback from people who have tried it, or who have been using it. I see a lot of reservations expressed, and negative input, regarding the taste, after-taste, and concerns about the undisclosed processes Swerve employs in order to produce it. Personally, I want products that have not been messed around with since nature created them. I save a lot of money, and avoid a lot of disappointment, by perusing baking sites and blogs for feedback on new products. Plus, I always wonder about the potential for product placement plugs, used by people due to potential compensation.
★★★★★
Emily says
October 19, 2018 at 10:41 amPamela – Thanks for your comment! Swerve isn’t for me either, but I have lots of friends who swear by it. To each her own!
Carol says
January 24, 2019 at 3:23 pmBest brownies !
Very tender ! I used the darkest chocolate I could find and topped them with walnut halfs. Super!
★★★★★
Emily says
January 24, 2019 at 4:06 pmOh, I LOVE hearing this! Thank you so much for sharing Carol!!!
Molly says
April 7, 2017 at 2:51 pmHi there! I just made these exactly as listed. However, the sides raised up around the edge while the middle didnt rise at all. The top seemed a little crunchy while the inside wasn’t. I think it’s a win because they are much healthier, but thought the cooking was a bit weird, with the sides raising up so high. Wonder what happened?
Emily says
April 7, 2017 at 4:17 pmMolly – Hm… My sides usually puff up a tiny bit, but not a lot. I wonder what happened? I’ll have to think about it!
Molly says
April 8, 2017 at 3:20 pmI’m going to try it again and add baking powder as well, to make them raise more. I think it needs just a smidgen. Will let you know how it goes! I’m also going to reduce the oil to maybe 3.5 Tablespoons…will let you know! 🙂 I think this is a great base though, they are very fudgy and I dont mind the almond flour!
Emily says
April 9, 2017 at 5:39 amI hope your adjustments help! Thanks so much for your comments!
Molly says
April 9, 2017 at 1:00 pmHi! So I made these again today but instead used baking powder instead of soda and they turned out absolutely perfect! I checked a number of other brownie recipes and they all use baking powder (none of them use soda – soda spreads, powder puffs, which is what these need in a 8×8 pan). Maybe check it out, these are so perfect now! Thanks for the recipe!!!
★★★★★
Emily says
April 9, 2017 at 6:54 pmMolly – THANK YOU for reporting back! Honestly, I’m wondering now if I made a typo. I’ll test it your way and update again!
Deb says
December 29, 2017 at 4:53 pmLower temp of oven a bit and add a couple minutes?
Jennifer Shaw says
April 8, 2017 at 4:01 pmLOVE love LOVED them!I have tried several different healthy brownie recipes and these are the BOMB!
★★★★★
Emily says
April 9, 2017 at 5:39 amOh, I’m so glad to hear that! You made my day!!!
JustM says
May 21, 2017 at 1:13 pmI’ve made these twice, and they are SOOOOO yummy!! My only problem is they come out of the oven with a thick crusty top, not moist, so the salt can’t stick… I have no idea why and what to do to prevent this… I just put the salt on after they’re sliced, so it falls between the cracks…
★★★★★
Emily says
May 21, 2017 at 1:51 pmJustM – I’m glad you’re enjoying them! One thing you can do is pull them out about halfway through and add the salt on top them, then pop them back in to finish cooking. It sometimes helps the salt stick a little better to the tops. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Caroline says
May 27, 2017 at 10:54 amMade them with baking powder instead of baking soda and added 1/4 tsp of Nutmeg and OH MY GOD these are the best things I’ve ever tasted!!! I have Celiacs and a dairy allergy so there are very few baked desserts that actually taste this good and don’t hurt my tummy at all! I also use dairy free chocolate chips and the coconut sugar. Cooking time is perfect, sprinkling the sea salt with 8-10 minutes left in cooking works beautifully. I think I am going to have to make another batch tomorrow… THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS!!!!
★★★★★
Emily says
May 27, 2017 at 7:10 pmYUM! The addition of nutmeg sounds incredible!!!
Jen says
May 30, 2017 at 4:47 pmThis is the best paleo baking recipe I’ve come across to date. The texture and flavor are spot on. I am always disappointed when baking paleo, but not this time! I had my mom make some too and she liked them a lot as well. Thanks for creating them!
★★★★★
Emily says
May 30, 2017 at 6:59 pmWhat a sweet comment! I’m so glad you love them like we do!
Natasha says
June 12, 2017 at 11:03 pmI’m definitely going to make these, but can you tell me what size pan works best, or what size you use? Thanks!
Emily says
June 13, 2017 at 5:36 amYes! I use an 8×8 square baking dish. You can use any 2 quart dish you like. I’ll make a note of that in the recipe!
Meg says
June 16, 2017 at 2:38 pmThese are AMAZING! As a Crohnie I have a hard time finding yummy baked goods that aren’t hard on my tummy! These are perfect! thanks so much for this!! Super grateful!!
Emily says
June 17, 2017 at 1:09 pmI’m so glad to hear that! Wishing you well!
Barbara says
July 4, 2017 at 5:06 pmOK, these are GREAT. I am addicted! Thanks for sharing. Do you have an almond flour recipe for lemon bars?
Emily says
July 4, 2017 at 7:39 pmOooooh, not yet, but THAT sounds delicious! I’ll get to work! (So glad you enjoyed the brownies!)
Cyndi says
July 13, 2017 at 2:51 pmI am in love with these brownies. My whole house smells of chocolate! I used baking powder instead of soda and they are fabulous. Future ideas: peppermint extract, cinnamon on top, and remembering to spray the sides of the pan as well as the bottom. Thanks!
★★★★★
Sadie says
July 23, 2017 at 12:02 pmCan I use bobs red milk 1:1 baking flour. Don’t have almond flour on hand.
Emily says
July 23, 2017 at 3:09 pmSadie – Typically almond flour and GF all purpose flour aren’t interchangeable. I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but I’d LOVE to know how it turns out if you try it!
Heather says
August 2, 2017 at 5:34 pmI know my stevia package says cup for cup for sugar replacement.. have you had any experience with using stevia with this recipe? Trying to keep the carb count down
Emily says
August 3, 2017 at 5:17 amHeather – I wish I could help! I haven’t tried it with stevia. If you do, I’d LOVE to know how it turns out so I can share that with others in the future!
Nezzy says
August 3, 2017 at 10:17 amMy daughter made these and it was the best brownies I have ever had. I have all the ingredients and I am definitely making them. Thank you!
Emily says
August 3, 2017 at 11:42 amI’m SO glad to hear that! Thank you for your comment!
Jeny says
August 9, 2017 at 4:30 pmFabulous! Used butter and subbed baking powder for the soda after reading the comments. For sweetener, I used 1/3 cup Pyure and it was plenty. Best yet! Thank you!!
★★★★★
Gilda Kan says
August 16, 2017 at 11:15 pmI just popped the brownies in the oven so cannot wait to see if these brownies are perfect!😁
Emily says
August 17, 2017 at 5:51 amI hope you love them as much as we do Gilda!
Victoria says
August 23, 2017 at 5:48 amI’ll be honest I was a little hesitant to try these, while I like paleo desserts my work colleagues are not always a fan. However I made them and you can’t even tell they are Paleo. My work colleagues didn’t even notice. I will be making these again for sure. Thank you!
★★★★★
Emily says
August 23, 2017 at 5:48 amI’m so happy to hear that Victoria! Thank you for sharing!!!
Jo says
September 5, 2017 at 7:34 amThis recipe looks fab. One question: could you kindly tell me how much the 2/3 cup of choccie chips weigh (in grams if possible, though I can convert from ounces if needed). I’m not in the USA so have bars of dark choc which I’ll weigh out as needed.
Many thanks!
★★★★
Emily says
September 5, 2017 at 10:08 amAbsolutely! 2/3 cup is 4oz, which is about 115 grams. Hope that helps!
Jo says
September 17, 2017 at 2:17 amMade these and everyone reported they were fab. Used Lindt lime dark choccie, the entire amount mixed in with the almond flour. I discovered that it is easiest to cut them neatly after putting them in the fridge. Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Emily says
September 17, 2017 at 10:44 amOh my HEAVENS. Lime dark chocolate sounds divine! I can’t wait to try that sometime!
Barbara Tucker says
September 10, 2017 at 5:54 pmThese were delicious! I used butter, baking powder, half coconut sugar and half regular sugar.
★★★★★
Emily says
September 10, 2017 at 7:33 pmI’m so glad to hear that Barbara! Thank you for your comment!
Elizabeth says
September 11, 2017 at 10:57 amI’ll be making these tonight – have been looking for a new gluten free brownie recipe that is fudgier
Question for you- my boyfriend will likely input these into his fitness pal, I’m sure I could do each ingredient one by one but any idea what the calories for one brownie would be?
Emily says
September 11, 2017 at 1:42 pmElizabeth – I’m so sorry! I don’t have the nutrition facts on hand. I usually use My Fitness Pal when I calculate them, too. I’m hoping to have nutrition facts on my site soon!
Linda Hinds says
September 23, 2017 at 7:55 amWould like to try these, but need the nutrition value of them, since my husband and I are on a paleo/low carb diet.
Thanks, They Sound good!
Linda
Emily says
September 23, 2017 at 10:26 amLinda – I don’t have nutrition software on my site yet (coming soon!) so you’d need to plug the ingredients into a free online calculator, like My Fitness Pal (the app or site). Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Ramya says
October 22, 2017 at 9:10 amThese were divine! I used baking powder, added 1/4 tsp of cinnamon and 2/3 cup of walnuts, and used 1/2 cup of GF all-purpose flour (Bob’s Red Mill) since I didn’t have almond flour on hand. They came out fudgy and delicious – and were a big hit! Thanks!
★★★★★
Emily says
October 22, 2017 at 7:48 pmSo glad you enjoyed them! I love the idea of adding cinnamon! I’ll try that next time!
Carrie says
November 4, 2017 at 5:40 amHi Emily! Do you think half almond, half brown rice flour would still have an outcome of fudgy (not cake-like)? I want the fudgiest brownie possible! 😋
Emily says
November 4, 2017 at 8:51 amCarrie – I haven’t tested that combination, so I don’t feel confident in advising you. I LOVE the fudginess I get from all almond flour. If you do try the 50/50 combo, I’d love to know how it works out!
Heather says
November 4, 2017 at 11:59 amThese are amaaaazing! I was a bit worried since my chocolate chips didn’t get “glossy” they were more grainy- still turned out great!
★★★★★
Emily says
November 4, 2017 at 8:27 pmHeather – so glad you enjoyed them!!!
Claire says
November 28, 2017 at 10:50 pmI just made these as I’m always looking for new paleo recipes but for some reason the middle was little and the edges raised and crisp even when I followed the instructions. Any advice on how to fix this or why this happened? They still tasted great so as a quick save I served the mess over vanilla coconut milk ice cream, but I’d really like to try them again because the flavor was fantastic. Thanks so much!
Emily says
November 29, 2017 at 5:56 amClaire – I’d love to help! Did you use baking powder or baking soda?
Kimmi d says
December 15, 2017 at 8:31 pmThank you so much for this amazing recipe!! Insanely yummy and easy. I subbed Nikki’s coconut butter for the coconut oil. Rich, dense, gooey, best brownie and not terrible for you!
Emily says
December 16, 2017 at 8:18 amI’m SO happy to hear that! I’ll have to try it with coconut butter next time!
Gabriela says
December 18, 2017 at 11:01 pmHola
Yo necesito sustituir la hatina de almendras ya que mi hijo es intolerante
Que otra harina me recomiendas ?o alguna mezcla de harinas vivo en ecuador aca no hay marcas para comprar solo hacer em casa 🙂
Saludos
Emily says
December 19, 2017 at 5:41 amGabriela – Can you tell me what flours you have available? I might be able to help you come up with a mixture that would work as a substitute.
Robin says
December 21, 2017 at 8:48 pmOMG!! So good! You can’t even tell it is GF!
Used the baking powder.
Thank you for these…more please
★★★★★
Emily says
December 22, 2017 at 5:35 amRobin – I’m SO glad you enjoyed them!!!
Hayfa says
December 24, 2017 at 11:18 amI tried it and LOVED. I was searching for a long time for a healthier brownies recipe that tastes good and chewy, your recipe turned to be perfect. Thank you for sharing. I have tried dark chocolate (85%). Wondering if 70% dark chocolate would taste better as they might be closer to the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Let me know if you have any recommendation.
Emily says
December 24, 2017 at 2:25 pmHayfa – I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I do think that 70% would be closer to the semi-sweet chocolate chips. 80% is probably just a little too dark unless you wanted to add more sugar. Have a great day!
Jerri Eiser says
December 25, 2017 at 1:59 pmI substituted GF flour for the almond flour and they turned out perfect! Amazing brownies!
Emily says
December 25, 2017 at 2:42 pmYay! So glad you loved them!
Melanie Botha says
December 27, 2017 at 5:24 amThis is the best brownie recipe ever- gooy, satisfying, perfect flavour balance and texture and yet with health benefits. A big thankyou from a food lover and healthy eating fan.
★★★★★
Emily says
December 27, 2017 at 11:00 amOh my GOODNESS! What a sweet and wonderful comment to get today! Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Karen says
January 12, 2018 at 7:50 amLooks delicious. I eat very low carb/keto and 2/3 cup of (coconut) sugar is way too much for me. Somewhere in the comments you wrote that more or less coconut sugar will mess with the texture. So do you think that if you use almost no sugar (say 20 grams) the brownies will fail or just have another texture?
Emily says
January 12, 2018 at 10:19 amKaren – Great question! I’d be hesitant texture-wise and structure-wise. I think they’d be really dense and fudgy, but wouldn’t have any rise or crispness on the top, would have trouble setting in the middle, and would be on the bitter side. I know some friends who eat keto use other powdered sweeteners (like erithrytol) which might be able to give you similar results. I just can’t really guarantee results with that much less sweetener for this recipe. If you do give it a try, I’d love to know what worked for you!
Karen says
January 13, 2018 at 7:02 amHi Emily, thanks for your reply. Just tried the recipe; I used 20 gram of coconut sugar and only 1 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder. I didn’t put in extra chocolate chips, which probably was a mistake 😊 . I only put it in the oven for about 12 minutes. It didn’t rose very much and I found it also much drier than expected. Maybe the measurements were not quite right. I work with grams and 5 tbsp of coconut oil might be more than the 68 grams I used. There also might be a difference in egg sizes. Should an extra egg and more fat make it more fudgy?
Just another question; is it possible for you to put the recipe also in grams?
CARYN says
January 22, 2018 at 1:11 amHi 🙂 Do these freeze well?
Thanks
Emily says
January 22, 2018 at 12:19 pmThey freeze like a DREAM! (And *might* just taste amazing straight from the freezer…I have a lot of experience with that 😉 )
Shirley says
January 3, 2019 at 9:15 pmMy kinda gal 😃 🤗 … I just polished of a half dozen frozen prepackaged brownies reading your comments… While looking for a gf brownie recipe… Oven will be working tomorrow night…
Looking forward to the gf lemon bar recipe… Ummm yum …
Emily says
January 4, 2019 at 10:12 amRight? I need to get that nailed down stat!
So glad you liked the brownies!
Brooke says
January 23, 2018 at 10:44 amI’m a dessert lover who enjoys finding healthier ways to indulge in that sweet tooth. So as you can imagine, I’ve had some “Pinterest fails” over time. But it’s all worth it when you find that ONE magical recipe that becomes your “go to” when you want a less guilty cheat. This is it!!! Brownies are my favorite and these are just wonderful! Thanks for sharing and all of your comments/responses above help when wanting to tweak it just a bit. Great job on this one!
Emily says
January 23, 2018 at 11:37 amBrooke, you absolutely made my day! Thank you so much for your sweet comment! That’s exactly how I felt when I nailed down the proportions for these brownies. 🙂
milania dela cruz says
January 26, 2018 at 2:00 pmSo i’m new to your blog, stumbled upon it as I searched for a paleo brownies. found these!!! Ok I made these yesterday with few revisions (I didn’t have enough chocolate chips so I took that out, I baked them in muffin tins for only 12 mins, I also put baking powder, I had about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips which I melted in the microwave with coconut oil, little coffee and cardamom, drizzled that on top, OMG OMG OMG, these are soooo soooo ridiculously delicious!!!!!! me and my husb are only eating 1 per day but it’s so hard!!!! do you know much calories is in each cut/muffin?
I am going to make these again!!!! ty!
Emily says
January 26, 2018 at 3:38 pmThat glaze sounds delicious! I love cardamom! As for the nutrition facts, I don’t have them calculated, but I love using MyFitnessPal (the free site or app) for calculating recipes. It works great!
Kristen Schneider says
January 29, 2018 at 5:46 pmHas anyone calculated the macros for these that they could share? Thank you!
I can’t wait to try them.
Kathryn says
January 30, 2018 at 2:57 pmCan I use coconut flour instead of almond flour? I can’t wait to use this recipe for a valentines party in a few weeks!
★★★★★
Emily says
January 30, 2018 at 7:05 pmKathryn – I wouldn’t. Coconut flour is NOT a 1-to-1 substitute for any other flour. It absorbs many times its own volume in liquid, so it would make REALLY dry brownies unless you adapted the recipe in other ways. I haven’t tested it for coconut flour, so I couldn’t advise you about how many more eggs, and how much more liquid, etc. you’d need to add to the recipe.
Sandra says
February 1, 2018 at 4:43 amHonestly! Fantastic. I made these for my sons 10th birthday. I subbed cashew flour for almond flour (baking powder not soda) as I can get the flour diner in my Vitamix than I can with almonds and they were perfect! Everyone loved thenm, thank you SO much!!!
Emily says
February 1, 2018 at 8:56 amWow! That’s so great! I’m glad to hear that. I’ll have to try them with cashew flour next time!
Staci says
February 4, 2018 at 11:57 amI substituted coconut flour because I could not find almond flour. The macros per brownie are
Cals 137.5
Fat 8g
Carbs 16g
Protein <1
elis says
February 4, 2018 at 4:17 pmFollowed recipe but used baking powder. Very tasty! Nice top “crust”. Even better cold. Will make again. Only downside was dirtying up 3 bowls!
★★★★★
Emily says
February 4, 2018 at 7:03 pmI LOVE them cold! So glad I’m not alone!
CC says
February 7, 2018 at 10:36 amHi Emily,
I LOVE these brownies so much, make them ALL the time and have even converted some non-GF friends and coworkers onto almond flour!!! I just learned that I am intolerant to coconut and am wondering if you have recommendations for a sugar substitute? I use olive oil (love the flavor) in all my chocolate baking already. Do you think honey / maple syrup would work? If so, how much would you recommend using?
Thank you, thank you, thank you again for sharing this with all of us!!!
Emily says
February 7, 2018 at 10:48 amI’m so glad you liked them and so sorry about your coconut intolerance. That’s such a bummer! Hmm… I haven’t tested liquid sweeteners in this recipe yet. In general, you’d use 1/2 the amount of liquid sweetener, but I’m not sure for this if other adjustments would need to be made. For granulated sweeteners, raw cane sugar (turbinado), white or brown sugars would work, as would maple sugar (which is paleo friendly, but somewhat tricky to find). If you give them a go with 1/2 the amount of syrup or honey, I’d LOVE to know how they turn out!
Abbie says
February 7, 2018 at 11:53 pmThese were AMAZING! Thank you! They curbed my PMS craving! 🙂
★★★★★
Emily says
February 8, 2018 at 10:22 amHa ha ha! I’ve BEEN THERE!!!
Shelley Ellis says
February 9, 2018 at 10:55 pmI made these today. My husband has eaten 1/2 of them already. Excellent recipe. Thank You again Emily! I haven’t found a recipe that I don’t absolutely love.
Hugs 💗💗
★★★★★
Emily says
February 10, 2018 at 6:45 amHa! I’m so glad he’s enjoying them. And so glad YOU are enjoying them. Have a wonderful weekend, Shelley!!!
Cynthia Hadley says
December 9, 2018 at 12:07 pmI made these “perfect gluten free” brownies for my own birthday. My husband placed three candles on one decadent brownie with raw cream maple flavored icecream and sang Psalm67:7 over my life to me!
The brownie recipe is better than store bought Betty Crocker’s baking mix!
Thank you for your talent!!!!!!!
Warmly,
Cynthia Hadley
Emily says
December 9, 2018 at 7:25 pmI’m so glad they could add to your celebration! Happy birthday, Cynthia!
Beth says
February 12, 2018 at 11:47 amI used half almond flour because I didn’t have enough for recipe and used the other half gluten free flour.
They came out too cake like for me. The taste was great. I will try again when I get more almond flour.
★★★★★
Emily says
February 12, 2018 at 2:01 pmBeth – I’m guessing that was the GF flour, like you thought. Bummer! I’d love to know what you think when you get a chance to try it with all almond flour!
Ruth says
February 16, 2018 at 10:41 amJust tried this the 2nd time. First time with almond meal as I didn’t have almond flour, 2nd time (today) with refined rice flour as I am living in the Dominican Republic now. Also used unrefined natural sugar which is coarse, however, they turned out wonderful and tasty! Very fluffy. If you want to respond to Gabriela living in Ecuador (lived there also), tell her to use “harina refinada de arroz” (refined rice flour) which GOYA makes and also Bisonó. While living in Ecuador, I found yucca flour but it was way too gummy for baking cakes – only good for yucca buns. This time I also tried baking “soda” instead of “powder” and actually liked it better. I have to use the products here so I found sweetened baking squares and cut them into small chunks, I’ve also used organic 100% cacao (unsweetened) 1st time, and they were less sweet, but still tasty. Lastly, tried sprinkling sea salt on them 7-10 minutes before done but it melted in – better to wait until it comes right out of the oven! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! This is a keeper!
★★★★
Emily says
February 16, 2018 at 12:17 pmRuth – THANK YOU for all those helpful tips!!!
Savannah says
February 23, 2018 at 8:27 pmUm, I am not even paleo and these are the best brownies I have ever had. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Emily says
February 24, 2018 at 5:35 amWOW! What an awesome review! Thank you so much for sharing this with me!!!
Erica says
March 2, 2018 at 7:53 pmWOW! I have tried several Paleo/Gluten free brownies and FINALLY, I’ve found one that my family and I LOVE. I used avocado oil and added the 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and they turned out perfect.. Amazing treat for everyone.
Thanks so much.
★★★★★
Emily says
March 3, 2018 at 5:27 amErica – you just made my weekend! Thank you so much for sharing this review! (And I’m TOTALLY doing the nutmeg next time!)
Noelle says
March 3, 2018 at 10:45 amThey are in the oven for my sons birthday…. I make my own baking powder to keep the cornstarch out… 2 parts cream of tater to one part baking soda.
Emily says
March 3, 2018 at 1:01 pmSo great!
April says
March 9, 2018 at 10:48 amThese look fantastic! Do you think it’s possible to sub unsweetened apple sauce for the oil, like I usually do in a traditional brownie recipe?
Emily says
March 9, 2018 at 12:41 pmApril – You can, but applesauce will change the texture. It’ll be more cake-like than super fudgy. If that’s your preference, I say go for it! 🙂
Nathalia says
March 26, 2018 at 6:06 pmOMG! It looks so good, I cant wait to make them for easter!
One question: did you use alcaline (dutch processed) or regular (raw?) cocoa? I only have the regular one, do you think it would work?
Thxs for the great recipes!
Emily says
March 26, 2018 at 6:47 pmI used regular! It’ll work great!
Ruth says
March 28, 2018 at 1:03 pmI just made these and they are amazing! I used a bar of 74% chocolate. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Emily says
March 28, 2018 at 3:46 pmI’m SO GLAD! Yay!
Mel says
March 29, 2018 at 3:09 amReplaced your 2/3 cups sugar with sweetener blend (xylitol/erythritol/stevia) but still find it too sweet. Really ‘beat d hell outta it’ with the eggs! Will do it 1/2 cup instead of 2/3 next round. Amazing texture and none of my friends believe it’s a sugarfree & gluten-free brownie!
Thanks!
Emily says
March 29, 2018 at 5:15 amSounds like you have a great plan for next time!
Samantha says
March 30, 2018 at 4:04 pmCan you use coconuts flour as a substitute?
Emily says
March 30, 2018 at 4:08 pmSamantha – No, I’m sorry you can’t. Coconut flour behaves VERY differently than almond flour and absorbs several times its volume in liquid. Coconut flour recipes need extra liquid and usually additional eggs. I haven’t tested this with coconut flour, so I couldn’t advise you about adapting it. If you substitute coconut flour for almond flour, your brownies will be VERY dry and crumbly.
Elissa says
April 2, 2018 at 10:48 amThis didn’t work out for me. I followed the instructions exactly, the brownies came out super flat and stuck to the bottom of the pan despite using nonstick spray. After waiting for them to cool off, I tried to get them out but since they were super flat (literally no “puff” at all) they just crumbled. I used baking powder instead of baking soda as other reviewers recommended. Any idea what went wrong?
Emily says
April 2, 2018 at 12:01 pmElissa – I’m so sorry they didn’t work out! I’m so curious what happened!? I haven’t heard anyone else report those results yet. It sounds like you did everything right… I wonder if by chance your baking powder wasn’t fresh? That’s literally the only thing I can think of since you didn’t make any other substitutions.
Shirley says
January 10, 2019 at 6:43 pmI was going to suggest the baking powder wasn’t fresh, as I have used some of my boyfriends BP that’s very very old and my baking has been very very flat… Lol
Sarah says
April 21, 2018 at 9:23 amMade these last night and my husband never came close to guessing at the ingredients! I followed the recipe exactly and made no substitutes. Even my mother-in-law, who follows a very strict gluten free and paleo diet AND doesn’t like trying things other people have made, LOVED them so much! She asked me to make more asap (such a compliment)! This recipe was perfect! The hint of coconut flavor just goes perfectly with the dark chocolate and the dark chocolate does not make the brownies bitter at all. We paired these with some Halo ice cream and had an amazing, guilt-free dessert. This recipe is being sent to everyone I know immediately! Wonderful job making this recipe, Emily!! I truly cannot thank you enough!
★★★★★
Emily says
April 21, 2018 at 7:34 pmI LOVE hearing this! You made my day!!! They are my all-time favorite brownies ever (gluten or not!). They always get rave reviews when I serve them. I can’t get enough!!!
Sami says
April 22, 2018 at 4:27 pmHi I was wondering if it is safe to double this recipe or would I be better just to make two batches? Thanks
Emily says
April 22, 2018 at 7:03 pmSami – I usually make it in two batches. That way the edges don’t burn while the middle stays underdone in a larger pan. That said, many people have doubled it and report loving it!
Leandra says
April 23, 2018 at 5:01 amThese were AMAZING! The whole family loved them. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Emily says
April 23, 2018 at 7:29 amI’m so glad you loved them! They’re my ALL TIME favorite brownies!
Mia says
May 5, 2018 at 4:58 pmHi,
Is there any way I would be able to use honey or maple syrup instead of the sugar?
Emily says
May 5, 2018 at 7:13 pmMia – I haven’t tested these with liquid sweetener since that can tend to mess with the texture a bit. If you want to try it, I usually swap half the amount of liquid sweetener in place of granulated sweeteners in other recipes. If you do give it a try, I’d love to know how it goes!
Lizzy says
May 7, 2018 at 6:59 amJust wondering about baking these. Has anyone tried using honey yet? Would love to know how they turned out.
Emily says
May 7, 2018 at 9:57 amNo one has reported back about trying it with liquid (honey or syrup), but if you give it a try I’d love to know how it goes!
Samantha says
February 27, 2019 at 10:16 amI made them with honey last night! I used 1/4 cup. Really great! Maybe it is due to the extra moisture, but by this morning they no longer had any crunch and are soft on top after storing covered, still great though!
Emily says
February 27, 2019 at 10:21 amSamantha – I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I’m wondering if it was the honey. Typically, liquid sweeteners don’t produce the same strength/crispness as granulated sweeteners.
Tiffany sin says
May 12, 2018 at 7:42 pmHey !The recipe look AMAZING!I’m gonna make this for my mom as a sneaky present for mothers day😆.But if I half the recipe, how long does it take in the oven ?🤔 I’m soooo nervous to try this .I don’t want to fail😵😵😵😵
Emily says
May 13, 2018 at 5:55 amThis recipe makes an 8×8 pan. If you’re halving it, the bake time would depend on what pan you’re using. If you’re using a loaf pan, you’d probably want to check them after 10-15 minutes or so and go from there. If you’re using something wider, you’d want to check them earlier.
Judy. Parkerson says
May 16, 2018 at 5:38 amWhat are the macros on this?
★★★★★
Emily says
May 16, 2018 at 8:42 amJudy – Perfect timing! I *just* updated the recipe card to include the nutrition facts. You should be able to see the macros now 🙂
Jennifer Morgan says
May 27, 2018 at 4:11 pmI used butter & brown sugar without the added chocolate chips. They were amazing and my Celiac granddaughter loved them. Definitely will make a double recipe next time.
Emily says
May 27, 2018 at 7:06 pmI’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them! We LOVE them!!!
Rachel says
May 31, 2018 at 5:32 pmOkay, I have commented on more recipes in the last 2 weeks than ever before in my life! I only comment on stellar recipes, and here I am! These are AMAZING. I made my own chocolate chunks, because paleo chocolate is unheard of in my area. Even with their “homemade” texture, these cake out absolutely amazing. My 9 year old asked me to make them again for her birthday on Saturday, they’re that good! I was a bit short on coconut sugar, so I added a bit of maple syrup, and they were perfect. I also used baking soda, and still had good results!!
Emily says
June 1, 2018 at 5:38 amAhh! I’m so glad to hear that! YAY!!!
Eliza says
June 1, 2018 at 4:23 pmHi there! I’m planning on making these soon because they look so delicious. Would 100% cacao chocolate work in place of the melted chocolate chips? Also, if I want to replace the baking soda with baking powder do I use a larger amount of baking powder or keep it the same? Thanks!
Emily says
June 1, 2018 at 4:31 pmEliza – You’d keep the baking powder measurement the same. As for the chocolate, 100% cacao is completely unsweetened, so these would be much less sweet and more bitter unless you increase the sugar. If you like it that way, you can make the switch, but otherwise, they’ll likely be a bit on the bitter side. I usually use 70% chocolate (semi-sweet/dark).
mia says
June 2, 2018 at 10:06 pmhi,
I just made your brownies with chesnut flour and they were delicious.
I will definitely cook them again.
Emily says
June 3, 2018 at 5:16 amYum! I bet that’s delicious. I’ll have to try it some time. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Mariam says
June 3, 2018 at 10:45 amOh my GOOOOODNNNNESSS!!!
EMILY …brownies are just amazing.
My son who isn’t too keen on eating healthy even said they taste great …Thank you very much…
★★★★★
Emily says
June 3, 2018 at 6:57 pmAhh! You made my day! I’m SO GLAD! They’re my absolutely FAVORITE brownies. I’m so glad you loved them as much as we do!
Grace says
June 7, 2018 at 4:55 amJust made these and they are amazing! I’ve always struggled to make a good brownie, but these are just perfect! Fudgy, dense centre, chewy edges, perfectly chocolately… all that I dream for in a brownie. Will definitely be making again and again! Thank you Emily!
★★★★★
Emily says
June 7, 2018 at 5:28 amGrace – I’m SO glad to hear that! Honestly, that’s exactly what I love about this recipe, too. It’s just perfect!
Jayne parker says
June 9, 2018 at 2:50 pmLoved these except they were very thin. Didn’t rise , I used the baking powder maybe I will use soda Nextel any other suggestions?
★★★★
Emily says
June 9, 2018 at 6:54 pmI’m so glad you enjoyed them! That’s curious about the thin brownies–what size pan did you use? Sometimes if you use a larger pan (even a 9×9 vs and 8×8) it can make a difference.
cheryl says
June 11, 2018 at 10:30 pmI used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao bittersweet chocolate baking chips, coconut oil, maple syrup instead of sugar and baking powder. I sprinkled the salt on after I took it out. It came out great. I am a chocoholic so always looking at the healthiest way I can eat my favorite chocolate treats. I’ll be making these again and probably try adding cinnamon and nutmeg like I saw in some other comments to see how it comes out.
Mahalo!
Emily says
June 12, 2018 at 5:19 amYum! That sounds delicious! thank you so much for sharing!
Gajra says
June 19, 2018 at 12:15 amCan I use quinoa flour instead of almond flour? If so then would it be the same quantity?
Emily says
June 19, 2018 at 5:08 amI have never tested this with quinoa flour, so I’m not sure! If you give it a try, I’d love to know how it goes!
Patty says
June 28, 2018 at 6:32 pmI found this on Pinterest…. Best gluten free brownies I’ve had so far! I cut the recipe in half and used a loaf pan instead of an 8×8, used Trader Joe’s blanched almond meal, and used stevia instead of sugar (not the 1:1 baking blend so I followed ratio on container which was about a 1:3 ratio of stevia to sugar). I also prefer a fudgey texture so I used just baking soda instead of powder as the original recipe calls for, so the sides did rise more than the middle but it still tasted great and texture was fine for me. Even my boyfriend loved them too!
Emily says
June 28, 2018 at 7:05 pmOh, YUM! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!!
miya says
July 18, 2018 at 11:04 amHey so i was wondering if it would be alright if i didn’t use unsweetened cocoa powder and a different type of cocoa powder instead…
Emily says
July 19, 2018 at 5:50 amMiya – What other cocoa powder would you substitute?
gfw says
July 21, 2018 at 7:44 pmHi Emily, I appreciate your recipes and your willingness to share your discoveries and experiments. I made your brownies with a couple of adaptations that I’ve discovered useful in successful–and delicious gf baking. I used both soda and cream of tarter (its what baking powder is made of without the corn starch). I use a high quality butter and always add a small amount of creme fraiche–it’s almost butter, but offers a bit of culture which activates the baking soda to help with the rise. I also add a small amount of flax meal to give the batter more gluey-ness since there is no gluten. They were delicious by the way! My husband and I finished them off way too quickly. Like other posters, I appreciate the protein in the almond flour–and I added walnuts, so not too guilty about it after all! Thank you so much, gfw
★★★★
Emily says
July 21, 2018 at 7:57 pmWOW! This is amazing. Thank you so much for your tips! I’m sure lots of other folks will love to try them your way, too!
Joanne says
July 22, 2018 at 3:11 pmHi Emily. These brownies are perfection! My first batch resulted in a more cake like brownie, so for the second batch (today), I used 1/4 tsp baking powder, mixed the sugar then the eggs into the melted chocolate without wisking them first, used Earth Balance instead coconut oil, and half white and half brown sugar, since I can’t have anything coconut. They are everything I hoped for in a brownie: fudgey, just the right amount of chocolate, with a delicate top crust.
After trying so many brownie recipes and not liking any of them enough to make again, I am so happy I found your recipe. I can stop searching.
Thanks!!
★★★★★
Emily says
July 24, 2018 at 5:33 amJoanne – Thank you so much for this sweet review. You MADE my day! I’m so glad you liked them 🙂
Kirsty says
July 29, 2018 at 2:49 pmThis is definitely the best brownie recipe, I love that it is sweetened with coconut sugar! We used Whittakers 70% Dark Cocoa chocolate instead of chocolate chips. It makes a small amount so next time will double.
thank you
Emily says
July 30, 2018 at 8:36 amI’m SO GLAD you loved them! They’re my absolute favorite!
Elena says
August 10, 2018 at 4:35 pmThis recipe is so perfect! I poured them into cupcake liners so I could properly portion them out without eating too much in one sitting. I love recipes that use simple ingredients and these are soooo dangerously good. 10/10 will be making these again and again!
Thanks for sharing this!
★★★★★
Emily says
August 11, 2018 at 11:42 amI’m so glad you enjoyed them Elena! You totally made my day!
Cindy says
August 19, 2018 at 3:43 amHi there! Loved your recipe! I actually used 1/4 cup of coconut flour instead because Im sensitive to almonds and it came out great! (Less coconut flour is needed than almond flour as it is more absorbent for anyone considering trying).
Thanks again will def make in the future!
★★★★★
Emily says
August 19, 2018 at 7:56 amCindy – Thanks for the tip! I’ve been too intimidated to try it with coconut flour, knowing I’d need to play with the amounts a bit. Thanks for passing that along!
Lexi says
September 6, 2018 at 2:30 pmHi Emily,
This looks amazing! I would love to try but don’t have any chocolate chips on hand. How would you recommend I tweak the recipe? Thank you!
Emily says
September 7, 2018 at 5:32 amLexi – I’m so sorry I’m just getting this! This recipe won’t work if you don’t have some kind of meltable chocolate–whether that’s a chocolate bar or chocolate chips. If you try to omit it, the texture will get messed up and they won’t be as chocolatey. I’m sorry!
Syreeta says
September 8, 2018 at 8:22 pmI made these today, and I added a little over 1/3 Cup of Ghirardelli 60% Chips and the rest chopped walnuts to make the 2/3 Cup at the end
Helena says
September 9, 2018 at 3:56 pmI was impatient and made this without parchment paper as I didn’t have any in the cupboard! I didn’t wait for it to cool completely either before removing from pan. The result an ooey delicious broken mess! All the better to eat with a fork I say!!! Will make it with paper next time and (maybe) be patient and wait for it to cool first!! Really though, if something tastes that delicious why wait until it has cooled!!!!? Thank you so much for bringing this recipe into my life!
Emily says
September 10, 2018 at 5:42 amI’m SO glad you enjoyed them! Hopefully, they’ll be even better next time 🙂
ashlyn elizabeth pooler says
September 25, 2018 at 12:48 pmIm currently in Italy and was thinking of using a flour by a company called garofalo – the description say “least strong flour. Perfect for short leavening – up to 8 hours – at room temperature. Ideal for pies, shortcrust pastry and small pastries.” any help on the conversion of almond flour? thank you in advance!!
Emily says
September 25, 2018 at 2:15 pmAshlyn – I’m so sorry. I haven’t any idea! I’ve only ever tested it with almond flour. I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
Ashlyn says
September 27, 2018 at 11:42 amNo worries!! That was a randomly specific question haha. What about just using a cake/pastry blend?
Emily says
September 27, 2018 at 11:44 amAshlyn – I can’t guarantee results (since I can’t test any flour that contains gluten), but it’s worth a try!
Ashlyn says
September 28, 2018 at 10:16 amJust made and they were amazing!! Had to sort of wing it since I’m using milileters and what not but it came out amazing! And it was a 1:1 (:
★★★★★
Emily says
September 28, 2018 at 12:35 pmYAAAAAY!!! I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing! I’m sure your results will be helpful to others in the same boat!
lisa says
September 29, 2018 at 9:18 pmI love this recipe! I tweaked it a little and it came out amazing! I didn’t have chocolate chips so I mixed avocado oil with a bit of raw cacao and sugar, then heated them on low. I also used almond meal because it’s what I had on hand. I also added a cream cheese swirl on top. I only baked them for about 15 minutes. They turned out incredible and soooo fudge like. Definitely going to make these again!!!
★★★★★
Emily says
September 30, 2018 at 8:31 amWhat a clever substitution! So glad you liked them.
Lexi says
October 11, 2018 at 6:09 pmReally delicious! This is my 1st time making a paleo-like recipe so I wasn’t sure of what to expect. I made some almond meal, added a little bit of oat flour and didn’t add any sugar (this worked for me but my daughter thought that they needed sugar so it’s definitely preference). They weren’t fudgy, but they weren’t dry either, kind of a little crumbly, maybe it’s because of my substitutions, but the flavor was delicious. I love chocolate, brownies, cakes, cookies…you name it but am trying to cut down on sugar so this is a good start. Thank you
Emily says
October 12, 2018 at 5:36 amLexi – I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I do think the texture difference was because of the substitutions you made. Almond meal and oat flour would produce a different texture than blanched almond flour, and the sugar would also have some structural differences. It sounds like you made them work for you! Yay!!!
Sarah says
October 17, 2018 at 11:39 amHoly Sh*** this recipe was AMAZING!!! I am eating them right now haha and they are delicious. Moist, taste a LOT like chocolate. Heaven! 🙂 Was a bit sceptic because they are paleo but they are perfect!
★★★★★
Emily says
October 17, 2018 at 4:40 pmHA! I’m SO glad you loved them! They’re my all-time favorite brownies.
Carolyn says
October 19, 2018 at 3:34 pmI literally cannot handle these brownies. They are the most delicious tasting brownie I’ve ever had in my life. Thank you for taking the time to make allergy-friendly recipes. I featured this recipe in my Instagram of all of the Pinterest recipes I’ve tried. This recipe definitely tops any other Pinterest recipes ever. @new.cooks
Emily says
October 20, 2018 at 10:33 amAH! Carolyn, you totally made my morning. They’re my ALL time favorite!
Anonymous says
October 27, 2018 at 8:31 pmThese were excellent!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Emily says
October 28, 2018 at 6:21 amI’m SO glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Alison says
October 28, 2018 at 12:21 pmThese sound amazing, I cant wait to try this recipe….have one question though I have an allergy to nut and nut based products…..is there a substitute for the almond flour. Thanks
Emily says
October 28, 2018 at 6:54 pmAlison – I haven’t tested any nut-free flours in this recipe, and don’t think the ratios would be quite the same. If you’re not using nut flours, you may like one of my older brownie recipes, like this one or this one!
Charisse thiel says
October 30, 2018 at 7:00 amI’ve been on the hunt tonperfect the perfect keto brownie that tastes good, moist not dry, not crumbly, is dense, rich, chocolatey. This gluten free brownie was the perfect base as I am sugarfree and gluten free(so I had to play with the ingredients). The first time I just subbed erythritol (granular) for the sugar 1:1, and used sugarfree lily’s Chocolate bar (1/2 cup melted) to melt and for added chunks. I could tell these bars were really good, but my subs made them fall apart after they had cooled( fromerithryitol). I ate the whole pan still , in 3 days by myself, with a spoon since it was crumbly 😂. I knew we were onto something!! Next try, I subbed egg yolks only to equal 2 eggs ( mega “ribbons” ) and I used powdered swerve and more, added more cocoa powder and more butter. And 💥 BOOM . The best brownie EVER. My husband and I ate the whole pan within 24 hrs ( even when it was hot and gooey right after the oven!) .
★★★★★
Emily says
October 30, 2018 at 7:59 amI’m SO glad you enjoyed them! And THANK YOU for sharing your Keto subs! I know there will be lots of folks who find that helpful!
Anonymous says
November 7, 2018 at 5:39 pmDelicious! I reduced sugar to ½ cup and the oil to 4T and they were still fudgy and sweet enough!
★★★★★
Emily says
November 7, 2018 at 7:41 pmYum! So glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing!
Heather says
November 8, 2018 at 6:04 pmThese brownies are tied for the best I’ve ever had – and the other recipe is traditional (wheat flour, etc)! THANK YOU, EMILY! You’re a baking rockstar! 😀
★★★★★
Emily says
November 9, 2018 at 9:10 amWOW!!! You just made my day! Thank YOU!
Melissa says
November 9, 2018 at 9:57 amMy daughter cannot have egg whites what’s the best substitute
Emily says
November 9, 2018 at 10:35 amMelissa – I haven’t made these without eggs. If she tolerates the yolks, you could try doubling and do 2 egg yolks, otherwise, I recommend a powdered egg substitute, like Neat Egg, Ener-G egg replacer, or Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer. I hope that helps!
Dhanashri says
November 25, 2018 at 5:29 pmOMG! This recipe is simply prefect! Super delicious brownies. Thank you!!!
Emily says
November 26, 2018 at 5:12 amOh, I love hearing this. THANK YOU so much for sharing!
Niecey says
December 7, 2018 at 6:46 pmHave you tried baking this in a 10 inch cast iron skillet? Any idea if this would yield a tasty result and if I should alter the baking time? I don’t want to sacrifice ANY of that fudgy goodness. Thanks!
Emily says
December 9, 2018 at 11:47 amI haven’t. I know cast iron gives a nice crust on the edges, but I’m not sure how long you’d need to adjust the baking time so you still have a good fudge-y middle. I’m sorry!
Cynthia Hadley says
December 9, 2018 at 12:14 pmThanks Emily for designing this gluten free brownie! I made it yesterday for my birthday. My husband placed three candles on a big brownie square with icecream and sang to me on my birthday! The brownies are wonderful! Better than Betty Crocker’s! I also topped the brownies with chocolate glaze. Yum!!!
★★★★★
Nikki says
December 14, 2018 at 1:12 pmWould honey, bananas, or applesauce work instead of sugar? If so, how much? Thanks!
Emily says
December 14, 2018 at 1:17 pmNikki – Not if you want the same taste or texture. I’d for sure stay away from bananas or applesauce if you want a fudg-y texture, but some folks have tried subbing pure maple syrup instead of the coconut sugar in the past (1/2 as much). I haven’t personally tried it, so I can’t guarantee the amounts.
Nicole says
December 18, 2018 at 8:41 pmOmg these are the best brownies ever. Made them today and my family loved them we ate them all in one day.
Emily says
December 19, 2018 at 5:04 amYAAAAS! I love hearing that!!! So glad you loved them!
Carol D. says
December 20, 2018 at 2:37 pmCan they be refrigerated? My son is asking for creme de menthe brownies and our wheat brownies needed to go in the fridge so the creme de menthe middle wouldn’t melt with the melted chocolate drizzled on top. I’m so excited to make these!
Emily says
December 20, 2018 at 7:00 pmCarol – Absolutely! I LOVE them from the fridge (or even freezer!) I just cover them whenever possible so they don’t dry out. If you’re covering them with creme de menthe and chocolate, that’ll provide a “seal” of sorts. You should be in great shape! I hope your son LOVES them!!!
Zarina says
December 25, 2018 at 1:31 pmI finally tried this recipe, and they cane out delicious and slightly fudgy and cakey. They even had that crusty top and look like brownies too. I used Lakanto monk fruit erythritol mix, Wellbee’s almond flour, half butter half coconut oil, and baked them on 350 drgrees for about 23 minutes.
★★★★★
Emily says
December 26, 2018 at 5:10 amI’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Sarah says
January 19, 2019 at 7:03 pmI’ve made this recipe numerous times for my family and they’re always a hit! When my mother-in-law requests them, I KNOW they must be something special. We like the subtle flavors from the coconut sugar and oil- such a great suggestion. When we’re feeling squirrely, we’ll add white chocolate chips to mix in once the batter is complete rather than more dark/milk chocolate. These brownies never last longer than about 6 hours after I make them… and there are only three people in the house…
★★★★★
Emily says
January 20, 2019 at 6:28 amSarah – Ha! I know the feeling! We polish them off SO fast every time!!!
lindsay Cirrincione says
January 24, 2019 at 5:50 pmI just made these the other day… WOW! They are soooo fudgy and delicious. It’s hard to find a gluten free recipe that is delicious, but this nails it! Thank you!!! *side note- I added toasted coconut to the top of it and it was perfect!
★★★★★
Emily says
January 24, 2019 at 6:11 pmI LOVE hearing this! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! (Also – TOASTED COCONUT!? That sounds AMAZING!!!)
Kayla says
January 24, 2019 at 6:57 pmI have made this recipe so many times and never had an issue until today. I attempted to double the recipe and not sure what happened but my end result is gritty lumpy looking brown paste. Very disappointed….I wonder if the oil was too hot when I out the eggs in ???? Or if I need to pulse my almond flour first. Not sure but it was sad
★★★★★
Emily says
January 25, 2019 at 5:09 amOh no! I’m so sorry that happened. I wonder if you’re right, or if something accidentally didn’t get doubled correctly? (I’ve done that once before and it was SUCH a bummer!) I hope it never happens again!
Cassandra says
January 28, 2019 at 7:51 pmAfter a little over a month with no added sugar, chocolate, or sweets, (as well as being gluten, dairy, and corn free), my tastes buds (and stomach) have betrayed me. I ate a serving size of dairy-free chocolate chips last night, and then this evening, and felt nauseated afterwards 😢
All this to ask:
I know the taste would not be as sweet (which is fine by me), but would the brownie consistency change if I were to omit the chocolate chips? I have a brownie bite pan that I will use, so the end result would be crispy brownies 😁
Thank you 💕
Emily says
January 29, 2019 at 5:17 amCassandra – I’m so sorry to hear that! You can absolutely leave out the additional chocolate chips that stud the interior, but you can’t leave out the ones that are melted into the batter. The texture would be too greatly impacted, since they also provide a lot of the structure. I’m sorry!
Cassandra says
January 30, 2019 at 3:59 pmI think the 2/3-cup chocolate chips would be fine considering the quantity of the overall batter. I just won’t add the extra chips. And I’ll pace myself (and share) the end product 😁 Thanks for your help!
Emily says
January 30, 2019 at 4:18 pm🙂 🙂 🙂
Cici says
January 29, 2019 at 6:27 pmThis recipe is PERFECT as written. YUM!! I was afraid the almond flour would make them too dense, but it does not. I even added a few chopped walnuts. The title of these is spot on! Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
Emily says
January 30, 2019 at 5:04 amI’m SO happy to hear that! (And walnuts are SO good in brownies!!!)
sasha says
February 3, 2019 at 9:37 amhi, can i take out the chocolate chips or do i have to replace them with something? i’m doing a sugar free diet!
Emily says
February 3, 2019 at 9:56 amSasha – You must include the first 2/3c chocolate chips (that you melt) for structure reasons. The second 2/3c (which you stir through the batter as a mix-in) can be left out. You might like Lily’s stevia sweetened chocolate chips for a lower sugar version!
Yessie says
February 10, 2019 at 5:54 pmI really like the brownies and so did my sister, who is the one I primarily made them for. I used homemade blanched almond flour, I use maple syrup with coconut sugar, also instead of chocolate chips I made some coconut oil, cocoa powder, coconut sugar mixture. They tasted good, but was kind of soft, so next time I will make homemade chocolate chips with cocoa butter to help out the consistency. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Emily says
February 10, 2019 at 7:01 pmYum! That sounds like a great way to experiment!
Lauren says
February 14, 2019 at 12:12 pmHey! I’m really excited to make these but I was wondering if you measure the coconut oil liquified or solid? Thank you!
Emily says
February 14, 2019 at 12:53 pmLauren – GREAT question (and sorry for the confusion!). I typically measure it solid. 🙂
SK says
March 23, 2019 at 8:37 pmThese were amazing. Decadent, dangerously good:) Thank you.
★★★★★
Emily says
March 24, 2019 at 5:59 amHa! That’s the PERFECT description for them!
Lynessa Nichols says
April 5, 2019 at 3:59 pmPractically perfect in every way!! I set out to find a gluten free brownie i coukd take friends who were gluten free and fell in LOVE with this recipe. I love it so much i make them weekly and prefer the over box! I double the recipe without any problems. Highly, highly recommend this recipe!
★★★★★
Linda says
April 9, 2019 at 8:15 amThese are amazing!!!! I used monk fruit sweetener in place of coconut sugar, and I used baking powder instead of baking soda. I’m not a big chocolate fan, really made this as a healthy alternative for my kids, but they are delish!! Thanks for posting this awesome recipe!
★★★★★
Emily says
April 9, 2019 at 8:50 amI’m so glad they were a hit! And thanks for reporting back about using monk fruit! I’ve never used it, but several folks have asked if it works. Glad to know it does!
Anonymous says
April 10, 2019 at 7:33 pmCan I substitute almond flour with coconut flour?
Emily says
April 11, 2019 at 5:14 amYou can’t, I’m sorry. Coconut flour isn’t a direct substitute for any other kind of flour because it behaves so differently. Coconut flour absorbs several times its own volume in liquid, so it will produce very dry, crumbly brownies if you substitute it here without adjusting the other liquid volumes (eggs, coconut olive etc.). I haven’t tested it successfully adapting it for coconut flour yet.
Lori Morris says
April 16, 2019 at 1:53 pmBest Gluten/dairy free brownies ever!! Ive made them a couple times and will make them many more. Thanks for coming up with this one!
★★★★★
Emily says
April 16, 2019 at 2:17 pmLori – We just LOVE THEM! I’m so glad you’re enjoying them too! Thank you so much for sharing this–you made my day!
Marsha says
April 20, 2019 at 2:00 pmI just took these out of the oven. Hope they’re as good tasting as they look.
Marsha says
April 20, 2019 at 2:03 pmOh mercy, they are.🤗
★★★★★
Emily says
April 21, 2019 at 5:13 amMarsha – I laughed out loud and smiled so widely reading these comments last night! Thank you for making my day!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them.
Bella Feuerbach says
April 22, 2019 at 7:29 pmCan I substitute sugar for Truvia brand powdered stevia? If so, how much would it convert to? I read somewhere that powdered stevia is sweeter than sugar and should be half of whatever sugar you are subbing it for.
Emily says
April 23, 2019 at 5:26 amBella – I haven’t ever cooked with stevia, so I’m not sure. I’m sorry!
Priscilla says
May 5, 2019 at 8:49 pmI use 1/3 cup of stevia, it works great!
★★★★★
Emily says
May 6, 2019 at 5:14 amThat’s great to know! Thanks for sharing!
Jess says
May 12, 2019 at 6:09 pmMade this recipe quite a few times and the result is so, so delicious! The last few times I have swapped out the almond flour for hazelnut flour which gives them a slight ferrero rocher taste 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Thanks for such a great recipe!
★★★★★
Emily says
May 13, 2019 at 8:20 amOh my GOODNESS that sounds amazing. Totally have to try that!!!
Dottie Ricketson says
May 15, 2019 at 3:18 pmHad a go-to brownie recipe for years and the similarity is they both use melted chocolate along with cacao powder. The difference is the flour and I am a big fan of almond flour so I had to try these! I used many reviewers suggestions and a few of my own: baking powder, butter, walnuts on top, chilling before cutting and adding salt to top half way through baking. With all of these choices these were the perfect brownies and my new go to recipe!!
★★★★★
Emily says
May 16, 2019 at 5:25 amDottie – I LOVE hearing this! YUM!
Jeremy Wallace says
May 21, 2019 at 12:51 pmI have a question, I would love to make your recipe, however I cannot eat chicken eggs, could i substitute the chicken eggs with say duck eggs?
Emily says
May 21, 2019 at 2:40 pmThat is a GREAT question. I have no experience using duck eggs, but my friend Erica did a whole write-up about it that’s worth a full read. She says not to use them as a direct substitute unless you’re doing them by weight.
“Duck eggs are about 1.3-1.4 times as big as a large chicken egg. The average duck egg is about 70 grams, whereas the average chicken egg is about 50 grams.” (She’s got more details about how to use them or substitute them in her article!)
If you give them a go, I’d LOVE to know how they turn out!
Susan says
May 27, 2019 at 7:34 pmFirst, let me say that these brownies were DELICIOUS! I’m gluten/dairy free (Paleo) and took them to a dinner with friends where I was the only one with food restrictions. Everyone devoured them and it was great that I could join in on that devouring. There were crumbs on the plate and one of the men literally licked the plate! Haha! I did not expect that! I followed your recipe exactly and my only issue was that the top didn’t have that traditional brownie sheen on top. It was matte brown instead, but sprinkling the salt distracted from that fact. Can you think of a reason why this happened so I can try to correct it?
Danila says
May 30, 2019 at 6:56 amIt bakes well and the brownies are a perfect texture. I substituted the coconut oil for butter (same amount) as my daughter has celiacs and she doesn’t like the taste of coconut. They came out yummy!!!!
★★★★★
Emily says
May 30, 2019 at 11:32 amI’m SO GLAD you liked them Danila!
Peter says
May 30, 2019 at 9:35 amHello. The recipe sounds good…but what I don’t like is this: 2/3 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips – ?
Why there is no back to basic simple brownie recipe.. Who knows what’s in the chocolate chips, how much butter and sugar is in them in total? I’d much prefer if we could just have kakao powder based recipe…
Emily says
May 30, 2019 at 11:31 amPeter – I’m sorry they weren’t what you were looking for. Hope you find that recipe soon!
Amy Baldridge says
June 1, 2019 at 11:00 amBirthday party tomorrow means I need to double this recipe! Have you done so successfully? I’d be doing it in a cake pan, and I’m just awful about knowing baking times when doubling! Any help appreciated! Can’t wait to try these!
Emily says
June 2, 2019 at 5:19 amAmy – Fun for a birthday! For doubling, I actually just usually make it in two square pans so the edges don’t burn while the middle stays underdone in a larger pan, but several folks have made a double batch in a 9×13″ pan. I’d start checking them around the same baking time (20-24 min), and then check every 2-3 minutes after that to be safe.
marina m says
June 11, 2019 at 8:49 amjust made these, they turned out perfect. I even halved the amount of sugar, and my family loved them. thanks so much for sharing this amazing recipe
★★★★★
Emily says
June 12, 2019 at 10:05 amYESSS! I love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed them! They’re our family favorite 🙂
marie says
June 12, 2019 at 6:46 pmJust did it and I putted shredded coconut on top to remind that coconut oil flavor. it smells amazing and it taste wonderful, it’s super fudgey!!!
★★★★★
Emily says
June 13, 2019 at 5:11 amOh, yum! That sounds delicious!
Hello says
June 16, 2019 at 1:00 pmI made these today for Father’s Day and they were amazing. My dad has celiac and he loved them. Even my younger siblings loved them. We finished the whole thing in like 10 minutes. Would definitely reccomend this recipe
Emily says
June 17, 2019 at 5:35 amI’m SO happy to hear that! We absolutely LOVE these brownies! I’m glad you did too 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share this with me!
Emily says
June 17, 2019 at 1:49 pmBest brownies I’ve ever made and had! Just perfectly fudgy with crisp edges but not super crunchy! I think I’ll stick with this when we get a little chocolate craving because it was perfect, thank you!
★★★★★
Emily says
June 17, 2019 at 3:48 pmWonderful! I love hearing that! We ADORE them too! 🙂