Best Fudgy Paleo Brownies
Posted Apr 28, 2016, Updated Nov 26, 2021
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This Fudgy Paleo Brownies recipe is the best! This heathy dessert recipe is ready in 15 minutes flat and makes the best paleo brownies ever!
Have you ever hit recipe gold? I mean…you’ve created something and think, “this is so good it could be used as currency.” Thats how I feel about these Fudgy Paleo Brownies. They are fudgy, gooey, irresistibly chocolatey.
These paleo brownies are insanely delicious and are gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo and vegan! Plus, they come together in 15 (yes, fifteen) minutes flat!
This paleo brownie recipe was born out of my desire to make super fudgy paleo brownies that didn’t call for melted chocolate. I wanted to create cocoa-based brownies that were just as good as their melted-chocolate counterparts. And, as I said previously I totally did it…jackpot.
Paleo Brownies: Ingredients & Substitutions
Ok these paleo brownies are actually fairly versatile, so here are a few tried-and-true, delicious ways they can be slightly altered and still achieve the ultimate brownie perfection! Just be sure to choose ingredients that comply with your dietary needs.
- Almond butter. If you are allergic to almonds cashew butter is a phenomenal substitution int his recipe. Like out of this world good! You can also use tahini, sunflower seed butter, or peanut butter (not paleo).
- Coconut oil. Grass-fed butter or ghee can be used in place of coconut oil.
- Maple syrup. Honey is a delicious option to use in place of maple syrup.
- Almond milk. Any non-dairy or regular dairy milk can be used in this recipe.
- Almond flour. I do not recommend tampering with the flour in this recipe. However, I have heard some people have success with regular flour, all-purpose gluten-free flour and tapioca flour. Do not use coconut flour, it is not an acceptable substitution for almond flour.
- Chocolate chips. You can use your favorite healthy/paleo chocolate variety, chips, chopped up bars, etc. See below for my favorite paleo chocolate options!
Paleo Chocolate Chips & Bars
Sometimes it’s hard to figure out which chocolate chips are Paleo, so I’ll discuss some of my favorite healthier chocolate options!
- Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems. This is my favorite paleo chocolate. These gems are delicious and easy to toss into cookies (no bar chopping required).
- Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate Bars. You can also buy dark chocolate bars and chop them up to toss into these paleo chocolate chip cookies.
- Lily’s Dark Chocolate. They make chips and bars that are stevia sweetened, low carb, keto, etc.
- Enjoy Life Foods Dark Chocolate Chips are a good option that are vegan, dairy-free but not fully paleo.
How to Make Fudgy Paleo Brownies
This recipe makes a small batch of fudy paleo brownies! If you’re like me and either a) don’t like taking risks with expensive ingredients or b) like to make a new dessert every other day…this is the perfect recipe for you!
It’s so simple, mix the wet ingredients, add the dry and bake! Go ahead and lick that batter straight out of the bowl because it’s VEGAN (no eggs, no worries)! Let’s walk through the process together, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Combine dry ingredients
The first step in this paleo brownie recipe is to combine the dry ingredients. I like to do this first so that I don’t have to wash my measuring utensils.
Combine wet ingredients
In the microwave or on the stovetop gently warm almond butter and coconut oil until melted and stir until combined.
Add honey (or maple syrup), applesauce, coconut sugar, almond milk and vanilla. Stir well.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
Once the wet mixture is smooth, add the dry ingredients and stir until there are no lumps.
Fold in chocolate chips
Next, fold in the chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Bake
Bake the paleo brownies for 10-15 minutes or until just barely set. This is how you determine the fudge-factor of these brownies. Do you want brownies that are basically like eating gooey, warm brownie batter? Then bake for only 10 minutes. Do you prefer your brownies a little heartier? Then bake for 15 minutes (NO more)! If you like something in between, go for it. My favorite baking time is 11-12 minutes.
Note about Pan size. Either an 8×4″ loaf pan. or a small 5″ Le Creuset baking dish, or a 6″ cast iron skillet, can be used to bake these brownies! I know this is a unique size, but it’s really not that hard to find (click here)! I have one of the Le Creuset pans and three of the loaf pans and use them all.the.time. to make small-batch desserts and baking homemade bread!
Cool slightly and serve
Let the paleo brownies cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. The cooler they are the better they hold up to cutting – they can be a little crumbly or gooey right after baking. Sometimes I like to eat them straight from the pan with a spoon!
Serve them with this paleo vanilla ice cream on top or a scoop of this paleo chocolate ice cream for an extra special dessert.
FAQs about Paleo Brownies
Yes! Double this recipe and bake in an 8×8″ pan for 12-15 minutes.
Yes! If you don’t want to worry about finding paleo chocolate chips, you can omit them and these paleo brownies are still amazing.
More delicious recipes
If you’re looking for more healthy dessert recipes, try these!
- I make these Flourless Paleo Brownies for guests all the time because no one can tell they’re paleo.
- I make these Black Bean Brownies about as often as this paleo brownie recipe. SO good.
- These Greek Yogurt Brownies are a reader favorite and family favorite.
- Have you ever baked with chickpeas? Try these healthy peanut butter blondies.
- These healthy no bake chocolate peanut butter cookies are another tried-and-true reader favorite.
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Fudgy Paleo Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy almond butter (or cashew butter)
- 1 TBS coconut oil melted
- 2 TBS maple syrup (or honey)
- 2 TBS unsweetened applesauce
- 2 TBS coconut sugar
- 1 TBS unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 TBS almond flour
- 2 TBS cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease an 8×4” loaf pan or a 5″ baking pan** with coconut oil, set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.
- In the microwave or on the stovetop gently warm almond butter and coconut oil until melted. Stir until combined.
- Add honey (or maple syrup), applesauce, coconut sugar, almond milk and vanilla. Stir well.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Gently fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Spread batter in your prepared 8×4” loaf pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until just barely set. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.
Video
Notes
Notes about baking pan/time
**If you only have a 9×5″ loaf pan check after baking 8-10 minutes. If you bake these for 10 minutes they will be very gooey, almost like warm brownie batter (YUM). The longer you bake, the heartier and less gooey they become. My favorite baking time is between 11 & 12 minutes.To double the recipe:
Double this recipe and bake in an 8×8″ pan for 12-15 minutes.Ingredient Substitutions
- Almond butter. If you are allergic to almonds cashew butter is a phenomenal substitution int his recipe. Like out of this world good! You can also use tahini, sunflower seed butter, or peanut butter (not paleo).
- Coconut oil. Grass-fed butter or ghee can be used in place of coconut oil.
- Maple syrup. Honey is a delicious option to use in place of maple syrup.
- Almond milk. Any non-dairy or regular dairy milk can be used in this recipe.
- Almond flour. I do not recommend tampering with the flour in this recipe. However, I have heard some people have success with regular flour, all-purpose gluten-free flour and tapioca flour. Do not use coconut flour, it is not an acceptable substitution for almond flour.
- Chocolate chips. You can use your favorite healthy/paleo chocolate variety, chips, chopped up bars, etc. See below for my favorite paleo chocolate options!
Paleo Chocolate Chips & Bars
- Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems. This is my favorite paleo chocolate. These gems are delicious and easy to toss into cookies (no bar chopping required).
- Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate Bars. You can also buy dark chocolate bars and chop them up to toss into these paleo chocolate chip cookies.
- Lily’s Dark Chocolate. They make chips and bars that are stevia sweetened, low carb, keto, etc.
- Enjoy Life Foods Dark Chocolate Chips are a good option that are vegan, dairy-free but not fully paleo.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have made this recipe almost weekly for years because it is one of my all-time favorites! You really have nothing to lose! These healthy, delicious, OoOoey, gooey paleo brownies won’t let you down. This might be my favorite recipe creation since these!!! No joke please make them! Please!
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I halved the recipe and microwaved it. I had everything but almond or cashew butter, so I used regular peanut butter. I baked it in a 5-inch ramekin for 1,minute and 25 seconds. It was excellent! Probably too much for a single serving, as rich and gooey as it was, but it was easier to make half than a third.
I made these are they are amazing! By chance does anyone have the nutritional info?
I made these using almond butter and added a handful of crushed pecans. They are absolutely delicious. Amazingly fudgy! A great great recipe.
Is it possible to use a standard muffin pan ???
Hey Kali! I do not think this recipe would translate really well into brownies because of how fudgy they are. You could try mini cast iron skillets! Or if you’re looking for a paleo brownie that would bake well in a muffin tin you could try this Flourless Paleo Brownie recipe!
These were actually pretty good! Gooey and fudgy as promised. Just for personal taste, I might try to sub half of the almond butter for something else as they were a bit too “peanut buttery” for just wanting fudgy brownies. But awesome recipe otherwise
These look delicious! What is the nutritional info for this recipe (calories, fat, carbs, sugar, protein)?
Made these as double batch for thanksgiving. Forgot to mix in chocolate chips so I poured them on top after taking out of oven. Didn’t quite double the baking time for 8×8 pan. They are DELICIOUS!!
Hubby and father in law couldn’t get enough. Thanks for all your “hard work” perfecting this recipe!
Is almond meal the same as almond flour in this recipe?
No it is not! Almond meal is coarser than almond flour! If you only have almond meal I recommend tossing it in your blender and pulsing for a few seconds to make it finer!
Are these brownies also keto approved?
Considering a keto diet does not include sugars (sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave…. ), I would guess no.
New to a paleo diet, one week in. Day 2-5 I thought I would die from hunger pains and massive cravings, despite eating copious amounts of food! LOL Day 6, yesterday, was the first day I didn’t have hunger pains, or cravings. But I rewarded myself for holding out through it, by searching for a paleo friendly chocolate dessert. These are the bomb! I made them last night, and oh, my, so much more chocolaty and gooey and yummy than any crappy traditional box brownie could ever hope to be! Seriously rich enough, and satisfying enough, that a very small brownie goes a long way. Thank you!
LOL I hope you’re find the right foods to nourish your body and keep those hunger pains away as you make the transition to the Paleo diet! I’m SO glad you enjoyed these brownies! They are in my top three favorite desserts ever so it makes me SO happy to know that they brought a little chocolatey joy to your life! 🙂