These paleo brownies are simply perfect: they’re fudgy and dense with a crunchy, crackly top and chewy edges. Not only that, they’re quick and easy to make! Made with almond and coconut flour, they’re gluten free, grain free, and dairy free, too. They’re topped with a sprinkle of flake salt for the perfect gourmet complement to these rich, delicious brownies.
Perfect Paleo Brownies
I won’t call these Engagement Brownies. Nah, I’ve already been engaged. It was my shrimp and grits that did it, followed by a dose of my red velvet cupcakes (and the gluten free red velvet cake version does me plenty of favors, while we’re at it).
Nope! These are Marriage Sustainer Brownies. They’re Vow Renewal Brownies. He Hasn’t Given Me That Look Since the First Time He Saw Me in Yoga Pants Brownies.
What I’m trying to say is they’re life-changingly good. So good that, after the 3rd batch, my husband actually forbid me from making them again. He simply can’t control himself! I caught him sneaking one before dinner in the laundry room where he thought I couldn’t see or hear him. He ate three after lunch the next day, just hovering over the container on our butler’s pantry.
Why These Perfect Paleo Brownies Are So Good:
This is one recipe that I refused to quit testing until I thought it was just perfect. I made several batches before this ding-ding-ding winner, and none were just right beforehand. I wanted these paleo brownies to be fudgy but not overly dense. These paleo brownies needed them to have a crackly top, which seemed essentially impossible to eke out of a gluten free brownie. But, hey, spoiler alert: it’s absolutely possible! I needed them to have chewy edges with super rich middle pieces. And lastly, they needed to be fully brownies, not just a shorter or slightly denser cake.
They needed to be just as good as (or better than!) a regular, ol’ brownie that you’d find at bakery, not “good for being paleo.” Verdict: this recipe absolutely smashed that requirement.
- They’re everything I love in a brownie: fudgy, with a crackly, crunchy top, and chewy corners. They’re dense and rich and just sweet enough.
- These paleo brownies are actually quite easy to make and come together very quickly.
- This recipe is gluten free, grain free, and refined sugar free, too, making them much healthier than your average brownies.
- The little bit of liquid coffee used in this paleo brownies recipe enriches the chocolate flavor. Use whatever is leftover from breakfast! No need to go grab a cup at Starbucks, though, if you’re out. Water will be fine here.
- Pairing melted chocolate and cocoa creates a super rich complexity to the chocolate that you’ll just love.
- A little sprinkling of flake or sea salt before baking makes these super elegant. The salt enhances the rich chocolate in the best way!
I previewed this recipe on my Instagram Stories right when I made them, and my followers absolutely freaked out! I gave away a sneak peek of the recipe to dozens of people, we were both so excited about these paleo brownies.
Tips:
- Make sure you whip the eggs and sugar until the color lightens and the mixture becomes fluffy and a bit sticky. This is what contributes to the crunchy, crackly top, and you won’t have it if you skip this part.
- The measurements must be exact. This is not an “eyeball it” recipe.
- Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the recipe: you’ll see moist crumbs on the toothpick when done, not brownie batter. You definitely want to err on the side of under-baking these, but not too much. If you underbake them, they won’t be as chewy and will be a little more saturated tasting than fudgy. Test often for those moist crumbs!
How to Get a Crackly, Crunchy Top on These Paleo Brownies.
The crackly, crunchy top on these brownies happens when you whip the eggs with the coconut sugar until the mixture becomes light in color, like a peanut butter frosting, fluffy, and a bit sticky. There will not be any “peaks” that form, but you will see the entire mixture increase in volume and change in texture.
Just look at that perfect, crunchy top layer!
This process creates a meringue layer on the very top, allowing this crispy, air-filled layer to pull away from the fudgy base. It’s absolutely divine, so don’t skip it! In fact, I have not tested the recipe without beating the eggs with the coconut sugar. If you opt to skip this part, you’re on your own, friend! But let me know how it goes – I’d love to know!
Oh, and that sprinkle of flake salt or sea salt on top? Paired with the crunchy, meringue top, it’s sheer perfection.
How to Make Paleo Brownies
Start by whipping together the eggs and coconut sugar in a medium bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this task and beat on high until light and fluffy, increased in volume. The mixture will look sticky, rather than liquid or runny.
Stir in almond flour, coconut flour, dark cocoa powder, cooled liquid coffee, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and coconut oil in 60-second bursts. Stir very well in between each burst, until chocolate is just melted.
Pour this mixture into the brownie batter and stir to combine well. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into a 9×9″ baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 325º F oven on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with moist crumbs. The toothpick should not be completely coated in brownie batter, but it should not be clean.
Let cool then cut into 9 equal squares.
Stocking a Paleo Pantry for Baking with Thrive Market
Let’s be real: the grocery store can be expensive, especially if you’re finding paleo ingredients. That’s where Thrive Market makes my life so much easier. Their inventory of 4,000+ products are categorized by any diet or lifestyle that you follow. Paleo? Check. Vegan? Yup. Sugar-free? Definitely. High fiber? You bet. And with prices that are 25-50% below traditional retail price, you’re saving money on all of the pantry staples that you need—all shipped right to your door. These are the pantry staples that I always order from Thrive Market that I use in these paleo brownies:
- EnjoyLife Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips
- Thrive Market Almond Flour
- Thrive Market Coconut Flour
- Thrive Market Coconut Sugar
- Thrive Market Refined Coconut Oil
- Simply Organic Vanilla Extract
Finding Paleo Chocolate Chips
If you’re pretty darn paleo, you can use Enjoy Life chocolate chips. These are dairy free but still contain a bit of processed sugar. If you’re very strictly paleo, try using 7 oz. of this paleo chocolate bar from Thrive Market. It’s sweetened with coconut sugar, making it totally paleo. How cool is that?! You’ll want to chop the bar into chocolate-chip-ish-sized pieces, but otherwise you can make the recipe as written. Use 7 ounces weighted, or about 1 cup of chopped chocolate.
Other Recipes You’ll Love:
- Black Bean Brownies
- Vegan Cookie Dough
- Paleo Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Turtle Bars Recipe (Paleo, Vegan)
- Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
And if you’re looking for a classic version of perfect, fudgy brownies, this recipe from Erren’s Kitchen is lovely!
Perfect Paleo Brownies (Fudgy, Crunchy Top, Gluten Free)
Paleo brownies that are fudgy and rich with a crackly, crunchy top and chewy edges. In other words, these gluten free brownies are just perfect.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder see Note 1
- 2 tablespoons prepared coffee cool or room temperature. Water is fine if coffee is not available.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or paleo chocolate, see Note 2. Divided
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
Wine Pairings — See Notes
- 2019 Fiddleneck Chardonnay click to buy
- 2018 Middle Jane Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve click to buy
- 2019 Fiddleneck Muscat Blanc click to buy
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325º F. In a medium bowl, combine eggs and coconut sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Mixture will have increased in volume and will be sticky, rather than thin or runny. Stir in almond flour, coconut flour, dark cocoa powder, cooled liquid coffee, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
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In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave in 60-seconds bursts, stirring very well in between each round, until the chocolate has just melted. Stir until completely smooth, then pour into the brownie batter. Stir well to combine.
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Fold in remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
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Line a 9x9" baking pan with parchment paper. Pour brownie batter into the prepared pan, making sure batter fills all corners evenly. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with moist crumbs. The toothpick should not be coated in batter, but it should not be clean, either. When you see moist crumbs, remove from the oven and let cool completely on the counter or on a wire rack. When cool, lift out of the baking pan using the sides of the parchment paper. Cut into 9 equal squares.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1
I love dark cocoa powder in this recipe, as it produces a very rich taste and dark, dramatic look. You can use regular cocoa powder here with great results, and you can try black cocoa powder, too, for an even more dramatic brownie!
Note 2
I use Enjoy Life semisweet dairy-free chocolate chips for most recipes. However, these contain a bit of processed sugar. If you strictly eat no processed sugar, try these paleo chocolate bars from Thrive Market. Chop them to be about chocolate chip size and use approximately 7 ounces by weight, or 1 cup volume. This will result in a darker, richer brownie, since the chocolate percentage is much higher than semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Wine Pairings
I recommend buying wine from Scout and Cellar, especially for lower carb or sugar and the health conscious. There's no added sugar to these wines, and they're all much lower in carbs, calories, and sugar. For me, there's no headache or fogginess the next day!
This paleo dessert recipe is packed with chocolatey flavor and is super dense, so you can get away with a variety of desserty wine pairings. I recommend:
These are amazing!! My family ate the whole batch in one sitting because they were just that good!! I had a problem getting my sugar and eggs light and fluffy like you said though. I used a hand mixer for about 25 minutes on the highest setting and nothing really changed :/ it got lighter and a little more airy but not how you described it. Any tips to get that consistency you described? I really want that crackly too but not sure what i’m doing wrong. Thank you for the recipe!!
I find a stand mixer is best for this since it can do the work without your effort, but it’s just a constant mixing game! The more air is let into the egg and sugar mixture, the more it will fluff.
For my anniversary, I finally received a stand mixer! But my husband and I have been dieting. I tried another recipe and those brownies were terrible. This one though! It’s amazing! Even my mother in law loved them!
So glad these worked for y’all Kayla!
DELICIOUS! Why didn’t mine set? Do I need to cook longer?
Likely so! The toothpick trick should still work here.
I love this recipe SO much and have made them nearly weekly since discovering it. I find regular sugar treats now unbearably sweet. Thank you.
I have, however, never been able to achieve the cracked top. I follow the recipe to a T, cook in an oven that is very temperature stable, and don’t live at elevation. Any tips on what might be going wrong? They’re amazing regardless but yours look so pretty!
I’m thrilled you’ve been loving it! Coconut sugar is definitely a life changer. The nice, crackled top is from when you mix in the sugar, specifically step 2. You want it to be a meringue-like texture, and it really does need to be mixed for 5 minutes, if you can. Better to whip too long than not long enough! Also, make sure your bowl isn’t too oily. That can be an issue, too! I hope that helps, and let me know how your next batch turns out!
Definitely going a full five minutes (I’ve tried less, but made no difference). It does what you describe of getting “sticky” and even has the two-toned look you’d expect from something that’s going to have a crust. You know what I’m talking about? The lighter layer that’s sort of foamy on top, darker on bottom. I’ll keep trying and let you know if anything changes. After doing it strictly according to the recipe a dozen times, I started to try different things. I’m sure I’ll get it eventually.
I do live in a pretty humid (but cool) environment. I wonder if that has an impact. THANK YOU.
Oh, and I always use a clean melamine bowl to mix. Maybe I’ll try glass. Seems unlikely to be the issue, but you never know.
What sugar substitute could I use instead of coconut sugar? Xylitol, Monk fruit?
The coconut sugar is what helps create the crackly top. If you’re fine without it, both of those options would work fine.
Can I just oli the pan, instead of using parchment paper?
Absolutely!
I’ve not seen my partner in four months but I’m finally meeting him this weekend for a socially distanced picnic. And my kitchen is currently in tatters because I’m halfway through fitting a new one. But that wasn’t enough to stop me from making these for him for our get-together. And wow, am I glad! These are absolutely the best brownies I’ve ever treated. The taste is remarkable enough, but the texture is truly next-level. The crispy top and fudge-like middle. Perfect! I’ll make these again for sure, and next time I’ll be sure to source some dutched cocoa and darker chocolate chips.
After I made the sort of meringue at the start, I very carefully folded in all of the other ingredients with a metal spoon. Took a long time, but I didn’t want to risk knocking the air out.
I’m so glad you loved these! Hopefully your partner did too! And yep, the meringue is the trick to these so great job!!
Best gluten free brownies I’ve ever tasted!!! ???
That’s awesome! Thank you for the great review!
I was wondering if I could make this recipe without the chocolate chips? Would the flavor still taste good? I am in an area where dairy free chocolate is not easily accessible. If I don’t use chocolate chips can I use more cocoa powder instead?
These can definitely be made without the chocolate chips!
I never get the crackly top on these, but they are still some of the best brownies I’ve ever had!! Although I always add a good amount of salt, as I find it absolutely necessary in brownies. Other than that, no changes needed!
The secret to the crackly top is the whipped sugar step! Think meringue here.
These taste great but I didn’t get the crunchy top. I did leave out some sugar to make it less sweet. I used a little more than 3/4 cup than a cup. Is that why I didn’t get the crunchy top?
It’s possible! The top crunchy layer of brownies is actually a thin meringue it forms on its own from the whipped eggs and sugar combo, so less sugar COULD lead to less crunchy tops on the brownies.
Can you make these without almond flour & use coconut flour only?
You can, but the math will be tricky! To substitute coconut flour for almond flour, you typically need 1/4 cup of coconut for every 1 cup of almond. Also, since coconut flour is known to absorb more liquid than almond flour, you’ll definitely want to add at least one extra egg to the recipe.
These brownies are the best I’ve ever had. I added some walnuts to the recipe and need to hold back from eating too many…lol
Make these!! These are LITERALLY the only healthier, gluten-free brownies I’ve made that actually taste like the real deal! I will never use a different recipe or go back to boxed brownies again.
Glad you loved it!
Hi Cheryl! Do you know if I can use avocado oil, olive oil or any other oil?
You can use a different oil if it’s part of your diet! Keep the amount the same.
Delicious!! I have been making them every week for the last four weeks. So easy to make and so perfect! Only thing I changed is the order in which I do things, with the melting of the chocolate and coconut oil taking precedence over the other tasks.
Sounds great! Glad you loved them!
I’m in shock! These taste just like regular brownies (out of the box pre-paleo), and I’ve bookmarked this recipe for the future ❤️ I’ve been trying to find a good dessert recipe that doesn’t have a different “weird” texture or overly coconut/almond flavor to take to my ER friends and I think I’ve found it. I just hope I don’t eat my whole pan before the week is out ❤️❤️
Just made them today. Didn’t have any chocolate chips but had plenty of 75% chocolate which I chopped into small pieces.
I used an 8x8inch pan and cooked them for an extra 5 minutes.
These brownies truly are rich and decadent, it’s hard to believe they are Paleo but they are… I highly recommend this wonderful recipe and will definitely make them again.
I see in the nutrition info the calorie count is 380, but there is no serving size listed. Can you please clarify?
It may be a little hard to see, but in the recipe card at the bottom, it shows that the recipe makes 9 brownies, and a serving size is one. You could always potentially cut them into smaller brownies if you didn’t want to indulge quite as much!
Perfect, thanks!
Oh my goodness these turned out SO well! I used chocolate protein powder instead of the coconut flour. Thanks for the great recipe!
That’s such an awesome substitution! I’m glad you loved them!
joining the chorus to say these were bomb! like a flourless chocolate cake
I’m so glad you loved them. Thanks for the awesome review!
So excited to make these! Can I do this with a hand whisk instead of an electric mixer?