Fudgy Paleo Brownies

Skip out on the gluten, dairy, and refined sugar, but none of the taste. These healthy brownies have the same flavor and fudgy texture as traditional brownies and you'd never know they're made with better ingredients. We've tested this recipe countless times and these are hands down the best paleo brownies.

I pride myself on making paleo desserts taste just as good as any other dessert let me tell you we've accomplished that goal. Only the best brownies have a moist crumb, gooey center and crackly top.

Why You'll Love These Paleo Brownies

• Paleo brownies are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. And in this case also with a low carb option!
• Pantry staples: This recipe only includes pantry staples for healthy baking. No fancy ingredients you'll only use once!
• No need for a hand mixer or stand mixer—just one bowl, like these healthy banana muffins.
• Minimal flour: This recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of coconut flour total! No need for multiple types of flour and makes it an easy recipe to adapt to keto.
• So much chocolate: This recipe has double chocolate with the cocoa powder and chocolate chips! We love biting into a melted pool of dark chocolate right out of the oven.

Are Paleo Brownies Healthy?

From an ingredient perspective, yes, these fudgy brownies are healthier because they’re made with ingredients that your body won't mind and without any things that can sometimes cause inflammation.

They're not going to help with balancing blood sugar, because they have a decent amount of sugar, but they're great if you follow a paleo diet and want a sweet treat without a lot of processed ingredients, just like these tahini brownies and our ever-popular coconut flour chocolate chip cookies.

Grab These Ingredients

Here are the simple paleo ingredients to make this paleo brownie recipe. Most are pantry staples and easy (and affordable) to find in the grocery store. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

• Almond butter: This healthy fat is the base of the recipe and what we're using instead of fat from butter or coconut oil. You can use any nut butter you have on hand like cashew butter, but remember peanut butter isn't technically paleo-approved.
• Coconut sugar: This adds sweetness without any refined sugar! Most substitutes for coconut sugar would work here.
• Maple syrup: The mixture of coconut sugar and maple syrup is what makes these sweet and the maple adds a depth of flavor.
• Coconut flour: You only need 2 tablespoons here for the entire recipe! Coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture so this is all you need.
• Eggs: We're using a mixture of eggs and an egg yolk for extra fat and to help bind everything together. Use room temperature eggs when possible.
• Vanilla: Just a little bit goes a long way for adding flavor!
• Cocoa powder: This is the main dry ingredient and is why we barely need any flour in this recipe. Use natural cacao powder (rather than dutch processed).
• Baking soda and salt: The salt balances out the sweetness and the baking powder is the leavener that helps them rise.
• Dark chocolate: For extra chocolate! Most dark chocolate is dairy-free already, but be mindful of the type of chocolate you buy to make sure it doesn't include refined sugar.

Quick Guide to Paleo Chocolate Chips

We really love Enjoy Life chocolate chunks or baking bars because they're allergy friendly. However, they do include a small amount of refined sugar so they aren't technically super paleo. My two paleo-approved chocolate brands are Hu Kitchen and Lily's.

How to Make Paleo Brownies

The full instructions with step-by-step videos are below, but let’s walk through the steps so you have a clear idea of what to expect. These delicious brownies are really easy and these instructions will make sure they turn out every time.

Step 1: Melt the chocolate. Microwave the chocolate, coconut oil, and almond butter in a microwave bowl in 30-second increments. Stop to mix and scrape down the sides between each until it's melted in smooth.

Beat the eggs and sugar.  Beat the coconut sugar and eggs using an electric mixer or stand mixer for 3 minutes, until it reaches the ribbon stage. When you pull the beaters out, a ribbon of batter should melt back into the mixture.

Pro tip: beating the sugar is what gets you the shiny, crackly top (like regular brownies!). Beating air into the batter is the best way to create the brownie's structure and gives you the perfect lift.

Mix the wet ingredients. Gently stir in the melted chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula until combined.

Add the dry ingredients. Fold in the cocoa powder, coconut flour, and salt. The batter will be thick!

Bake and cool. Pour the batter into a prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until they're just barely done. Allow the brownies to cool slightly in the pan then use the parchment paper to remove the brownies to a wire rack. Take the brownies to the next level and sprinkle the top of the brownies with sea salt, if desired.

Pro Tip: If you like really gooey and fudgy brownies cook them for a little less time.

Dietary Modifications

Keto: Substitute the coconut sugar and maple syrup for ⅓ cup of your favorite low-carb sugar (i.e. stevia or erythritol) How many carbs in paleo brownies: There are 26.8 carbs in these paleo brownies, but the keto version has 15 carbs (11 net carbs).

Vegan: Swap the egg and egg yolk for one flax eggs.

Nut-free: Use tahini or sun butter instead of almond butter.