Fudgy Almond Flour Brownies

Two words: FUDGE FACTOR! The classic gets a remake! Let’s agree by stating the obvious: am totally brownie-obsessed; and have been so for as long as I can remember. These easy-to-make double chocolate almond flour brownies are my “spirit animal”, my kryptonite, the cheese to my macaroni. They’re my favorite chocolatey treat and the BEST dessert, in my humble opinion. And friends; this comes from a girl who likes to bake a’ plenty.

But what exactly does double chocolate imply one may ask? Well, it means they’ve got an infusion of real chocolate (cacao nibs or dark 70% organic chocolate chips) + a LOT of raw cacao powder. So, yes, all my brownie recipes feature this heavenly double chocolate combo, so what makes these brownies any different? Well, it’s all in the measurements. They’ve got far more raw cacao than any other brownie recipe I’ve ever published; and the almond flour measurements vary, as well. These are the most gooey, rich, chocolatey brownies I’ve tried- and they’re made with whole, unprocessed ingredients. I also added an extra egg for a total of 3 eggs at room temperature which make a HUGE difference. They’ve got a beautiful crackle, glossy top & a super moist interior. The way brownies were intended to be: dense, thick, and packed with chocolate.

It’s almost fair to say these almond flour brownies jump-started the blog you all know as The Dish On Healthy today. I used to serve them to friends and family; and they were probably one of the very first gluten, dairy-free and refined sugar-free treats I experimented with baking. The story goes back to Gracie’s first birthday party; I wanted to have some healthy treats to turn to aside from birthday cake as I had just started eating better. And don’t get me wrong; my kiddos had a traditional birthday cake with buttercream icing every single year and still do. But friends, the brownies were a massive hit. No disrespect to birthday cake… ya know I heart you! People asked for the recipe and my friends started making them at home and sharing them with their friends.

These paleo brownies are perfectly FUDGY and have just the right amount of sweetness. If you prefer things on the “sweeter side” these are easily adaptable because they rely on pure, dark maple syrup for sweetness which you can add more of, if needed. In other words, they are sweetened naturally and are refined-sugar free. As opposed to getting a brownie that’s made with white flour, butter, milk and white refined sugar- you are making a brownie that’s got almond flour, coconut oil, pure maple syrup and raw cocoa powder. Can’t be beat, right?

Over the years, I’ve continued making them and have finally improved and perfected the recipe with the experience that comes from avidly baking for the last couple of years with gluten-free paleo flours. That said, these brownies don’t taste gluten-free or healthy. They taste like “proper brownies”- in the words of a brownie aficionado. That’s the appeal. The key selling point. You’re eating healthy brownies that taste totally decadent and will rock your world.

Time: 40 mins
Print

Makes 12 Brownies in an 8 x 8 pan- You Will Need:

Dry Ingredients

1 + 1/3 cup of almond flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour)
1/2 teaspoon of gluten free baking powder
a pinch of sea salt
4 packed tablespoons of pure, raw cacao or good quality Dutch cocoa powder
1 cup of cacao nibs OR semisweet OR dark chocolate chips (50-70% cacao)

Wet Ingredients

2/3 cup of pure maple syrup, or agave or raw honey (I prefer dark maple syrup)
3 eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup of melted coconut oil (you could also use grass-fed butter or vanilla ghee, the same measurement applies)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
Melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips in a (heat-proof) bowl that’s placed directly over a gently simmering saucepan filled with water. You could microwave them, too- just make sure not to burn the chocolate.
Pour all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well with a whisk
In a separate bowl: whisk the eggs, maple syrup and vanilla extract
Gently pour them into the wet ingredients bowl with the cooled down melted chocolate & coconut oil mixture, whisking well to integrate/thicken
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl and whisk until smooth
Pour into a parchment paper lined brownie pan, preferably a non-stick pan
Bake for 25 minutes. They may look “under-baked” but almond flour settles in nicely once it cools. Don’t over-bake these or you’ll kill the “fudge factor”.
Wait until they completely cool down before you try to cut them into squares. Almond flour can be particularly crumbly when still hot.
A nice little trick: I like to refrigerate these, always. They keep better and hold together nicely when refrigerated. I bring them out 10 minutes before serving & they’re every bit the delicious brownie you imagined.
Enjoy them with those you love.