Before you trust my opinion on brownies, you should know that my family does NOT enjoy cake-like brownies, and we are certainly not above using a box mix in a pinch. (Ghirardelli’s double chocolate brownies are a house favorite.)
But when you need a gluten-free brownie recipe, almond flour makes some of the best brownies I’ve ever tasted. I’ve experimented with this recipe dozens of times to make sure I get the ratio “just right.”
The resulting brownies are rich, fudgy, and not at all cake-like. Once you taste them, it’s hard to believe that they are naturally sweetened and require minimal oil. But don’t take my word for it— read over a hundred glowing reviews for these below!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“If I could give this 10 stars I would. These were absolutely delicious. Everyone who tried them loved them. I will make this again and again. Better than and healthier than regular brownies. Thank you!” – Deena
Almond Flour Brownie Ingredients
- Almond Flour. Use finely ground blanched almond flour (meaning the skins have been removed from the almonds) for the best results. Almond meal is made with almond skins, so you’ll see brown flecks in the flour, which may make the brownies feel denser or more cake-like.
- Eggs. These are essential for holding the brownies together, so I don’t recommend swapping them for flax eggs. If using eggs that are cold from the fridge, the batter might thicken when you mix it with the coconut oil. That’s okay! The brownies will still bake well, but the batter might be more challenging to spread in the pan.
- Cacao Powder. I always use raw cacao powder in my recipes because it’s slightly less processed than cocoa powder. But if you keep the latter on hand, feel free to swap it! (The brownies should taste a little sweeter when you use cocoa powder.)
- Coconut Sugar. Granulated sugar is required for a classic brownie texture. Maple syrup or honey creates a fluffy, cake-like texture, so I don’t recommend swapping those here, but brown sugar would work similarly.
- Baking Soda. This helps brownies rise and spread. If you prefer to use baking powder, double the amount. (So 1/2 teaspoon baking soda = 1 teaspoon baking powder.)
- Vanilla & Salt. These boost the flavor, but if you’re out of vanilla extract, the brownies will still turn out delicious. I don’t recommend skipping the salt; it’s essential in dessert recipes!
If you want to add walnuts or pecans to your brownies, feel free to stir them in before baking. Adding chocolate chips makes them taste extra decadent!
How to Make Almond Flour Brownies
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. (I like to spray the pan lightly with oil first, so that the parchment paper will stick in place.)
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut sugar, cacao powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well to help break up any clumps.
Step 2:
Add in the eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla, then use a spatula to mix the batter well. It will be very thick and sticky, and not nearly as runny as traditional brownie batter.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to sprinkle over the top, then stir the remaining chocolate chips into the batter.
Step 3:
Transfer the batter to the prepared 8-inch baking dish. Then, use a spatula (or wet hands) to press the batter evenly into the bottom of the pan. It’s okay if it’s not perfectly smooth, because the batter will spread as it cooks.
Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the top.
Bake at 350°F until the edges of the brownies appear dry and the center of the pan no longer jiggles much, about 25 minutes. It’s normal for the brownies to puff up slightly in the oven and then deflate slightly as they cool.
Note: For brownies with a more gooey middle, remove them from the oven when the center jiggles slightly, after 22 to 24 minutes of baking. They will continue to firm up as they cool, and a toothpick should come out relatively clean when inserted into the center of the pan. (There may be a few crumbs that stick, but it shouldn’t look like raw batter.)
Serving and Slicing Tips
Let the brownies cool for at least 1 hour before slicing them into 16 squares. Don’t be surprised if the brownies slightly stick to your knife as you cut them into squares. They are very fudgy!
I recommend cleaning the knife after each slice for the cleanest results.
Serve these brownies at room temperature or cold from the fridge. They are delicious either way, but are slightly chewier when chilled.
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. (I like to spray the pan lightly with oil first, so that the parchment paper will stick in place.) In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut sugar, cacao, eggs, oil, baking soda, vanilla, and salt, and stir well to form a thick batter. It will be much thicker and stickier than a traditional brownie batter, so be sure to mix well and break up any lumps.
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Reserve 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to sprinkle over the top, then fold the rest of them into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared 8-inch pan, then use a spatula (or use wet hands) to press the batter evenly into the bottom of the pan. It’s okay if it’s not perfectly smooth, because the batter will spread as it cooks. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the top.
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Bake at 350ºF until the edges of the brownies look dry and the center of the pan doesn’t jiggle too much, about 25 minutes. It’s normal for the brownies to puff up slightly in the oven, and then deflate slightly as they cool. (For brownies with a more gooey middle, pull them out of the oven when the center jiggles slightly, after 22 to 23 minutes.)
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Let the brownies cool for 1 to 2 hours before slicing them into 16 squares. They probably won’t last long before they are all eaten, but I recommend storing these in an airtight container in the fridge for the best shelf life. They should last in the fridge for up to 5 days, if you don’t eat them all by then.
Update Note: This recipe was slightly modified in April 2021. I increased the coconut oil by 1 tablespoon and decreased the cacao powder from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup. If you prefer the original version, use only 2 T of oil and 1/2 cup of cacao powder instead. That will result in a “darker” chocolate brownie.
For Vegan Brownies: I’ve successfully used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer instead of the eggs. In that case, I recommend using 3 “egg replacements” for the 2 eggs that are called for in this recipe.
Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
More Recipes to Try
If you try these almond flour brownies, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them!
