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I have a confession to make: I’m a total chocolate addict. I eat something chocolate almost every single day. The silver lining is that I strive to make the most of it by making my chocolate creations healthy healthier. They do not have to be sugar-laden and filled with empty calories. And, what tops my list of The Best Chocolate Things? Low carb brownies, of course.
Especially my fudgy low carb brownies made with almond butter.
Truth be told, I eat flourless brownies for breakfast with my coffee sometimes. That’s right, starting the day with chocolate makes for a happy rest of the day. People have muffins and scones for breakfast, so why not brownies? With autumn setting in, a hot cup of coffee and a warm brownie is the perfect way to start a crisp, cool morning.
You may be thinking, Brownies for breakfast? This girl must be out of her mind.
Or maybe you’re wondering, How does she get any nutrition?
Actually, the low carb brownies I’m sharing today are quite nutrient-dense. They are packed with calcium, iron, and healthy monounsaturated fat. They are a great source of fiber and protein, meaning you’ll actually stay full after eating them. Best of all, they are sugar-free and each one has only 2 grams net carbs! They also happen to be paleo-friendly, which of course means gluten-free and dairy-free, too.
Aside from the obvious awesome fact that they are brownies, what also makes this low carb brownies recipe one of my favorites is how easy it is. There are only six ingredients, all of which are simple and are usually on hand in my pantry. I love that I can throw together this dessert (or, ahem, breakfast?) in just a few minutes and have it ready in under half an hour. They store well, so you can prepare them over the weekend and enjoy them all week long… or for whatever length of time they last you.
If I didn’t know better, I would have a hard time believing that a paleo, low carb brownie can still taste good. My family and friends are certainly surprised when I tell them that these flourless brownies are both. To me, they are even better than their unhealthy, sugar-filled counterparts. The almond butter gives them an amazingly decadent, fudgy texture. Knowing that they actually have nutrition benefits makes them that much more wonderful.
So go ahead, have low carb brownies for breakfast. I won’t tell – but you can, because they offer plenty of benefits to smile about.
Low Carb Brownies Recipe with Almond Butter (Paleo, Gluten-free):
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- 1 cup Almond butter
- 4 large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup Erythritol (or any granulated sweetener)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Coconut flour
- 1/8 tsp Sea salt *
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9x9" baking pan with foil or parchment paper and grease lightly.
- In a food processor or using a hand mixer, blend the almond butter and eggs together until smooth.
- Add the cocoa powder, erythritol, coconut flour, and sea salt. Blend again. Let sit for a minute or two.
- Transfer the batter into the lined baking pan. Smooth with a spatula. Bake about 13-16 minutes, until brownies are just barely set. The top should no longer be wet, but the center should still be very soft. Cool completely to firm up before cutting.
Net carbs per serving (1 brownie, 1/16 of pan): 2g
*If your almond butter is raw or unsalted, add additional sea salt to taste.
You'll love my low carb cookbook & meal plans!
- LOW CARB MEAL PLANNING STARTER KIT: 7-day low carb meal plan, printable templates, shopping list, recipes, and more!
- 30 DINNERS IN 30 MINUTES COOKBOOK: 30 easy low carb recipes, all under 30 minutes to make and 10 ingredients or less!
Want to use a different sweetener? Check the natural low carb sweeteners guide & conversion chart!
Want more low carb, gluten-free ideas for chocolate? Try these:
Patti L Crites says
Hi! I love the taste of the brownies. Any suggestion of how to adjust the recipe for high altitude cooking? I doubled the recipe and they are really runny.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Patti, I haven’t had experience with high altitude baking, but I do know that cooking times usually need to be increased. I would try baking the brownies for an extra few minutes. The other thing to keep in mind is that the brownies don’t fully set until they cool down completely. But, at high altitudes you’ll still need to increase cooking time for that to even happen. Hope this helps!
Maria Rivera says
What can I use to substitute for almond butter and coconut flour? Can I use peanut butter and what substitute for coconut flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Maria, Yes, you can use peanut butter instead of almond butter (the brownies will have a bit of a peanut butter flavor but should still be very good!). Unfortunately coconut flour doesn’t have a direct substitute in this recipe, because other flours react differently with the other ingredients. Coconut flour absorbs much more moisture than any other flour. I’ll add it to my list to create a brownie recipe without coconut flour, too.
Tish says
Hi I love this recipe but I am egg sensitive. Will flax eggs or chia eggs work?
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
I haven’t tried this particular recipe with flax or chia eggs. It might work – I know they’re used as replacements in baking frequently. Let me know if you try it!
Michael berger says
Is there a substitute for the erythritol?
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Michael, Absolutely! You can use any sweetener you like. I have a natural low carb sweeteners guide (with conversion chart) here.
Theresa says
Yikes, what blender could handle this batter? I’ve got a Vitamix and I’m scared it will burn out the motor, this is so dry!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you for the feedback, Theresa. I originally used my Blendtec, which is comparable to the Vitamix. I did have to scrape down the sides and stir a couple times. That being said, I updated the recipe card to use either a food processor or hand mixer instead. Either one of these would work better than a blender for this recipe. Hope that helps!
Edith says
Hi! I made these and they are good! I used my Kitchen Aid mixer and had no trouble with the batter. How should I store them? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thank you, Edith! They’re fine on the counter for about a day, any more than that I’d recommend refrigerating. I haven’t tried freezing them yet.
Melissa Farris says
I’m new to this and want to know about using truvia baking blend sugar? I have not seen it for any recipes. Wanting to know if it is okay for keto recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Melissa, Truvia Baking Blend is made with stevia leaf extract, erythritol and sugar. Using it will reduce sugar, but not eliminate it, and it would not be keto or low carb. I have a natural low carb sweeteners guide here that you might find helpful.
Jesse Locks says
Reading the box and the FAQ on Truvia’s website, there is no mention of it containing sugar. It claims to be a blend of stevia leaf extract and erythritol. It also says it’s not a significant source of sugars.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Hi Jesse, According to their website, Truvia Baking Blend is a mix of zero-calorie Truvía® Natural Sweetener (stevia leaf extract, erythritol) and sugar: https://www.truvia.com/faq/bakingblend-faq There would be no sugar if you use Truvia Natural Sweetener, but the baking blend does contain sugar.
Angela says
Am I missing something? It says it’s a 7 ingredient recipe, but I only see 6 listed.
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
Thanks for catching that, Angela! I originally had seven ingredients when I was testing the recipe but the best version ended up being six. I updated the post to say it’s six ingredients. Hope you get the chance to try them!