Fudgy Keto Brownies Recipe

The keto diet has been around for quite some time, but has become more and more popular over the years for weight loss reasons. For those who don't know the specifics about this diet, the main factor revolves around consuming a low amount of carbs and a high amount of fat, something that will put your body into ketosis. Now, obviously the most important question you might have about the keto diet is whether or not you can still enjoy dessert, and the great news is that yes, you can. As long as you stick to specific types of desserts or ones that are designed to fit into the keto requirements, like these fudgy keto brownies from recipe developer Jessica Morone, then you can have your delicious treat and maintain your diet all in one go.

These brownies are adapted to the keto diet without losing any of the fudgy deliciousness that you normally get in a brownie. Instead of using regular wheat-based flour, these brownies use a mixture of almond flour and coconut flour, both of which are keto-approved flour substitutes. Rather than regular sugar, this recipe uses erythritol, which contains fewer calories than sugar and doesn't impact blood sugar levels. Essentially, with a few easy ingredient swaps, you can enjoy all of the goodness of a chocolatey brownie, because regardless of diet, no one should have to sacrifice dessert.

The first step to this fudgy keto brownie recipe is to gather the ingredients. You will need almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking powder, salt, butter, dark chocolate chips, erythritol, eggs, and vanilla extract. Morone notes that dark chocolate chips are generally considered keto as they are high in fat and low in carbs, but there are also specifically labeled keto chocolate chips or sugar-free chocolate chips you could use instead if you prefer those options.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Add the butter and dark chocolate chips to a small, microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave in 15-second increments, mixing between each increment, until the butter and chocolate are melted and combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the erythritol, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still slightly jiggly.

Let the brownies cool completely so that they are completely set, then cut and serve.

This recipe uses erythritol, which is a plant-based sugar alcohol. It is a great sugar substitute because it doesn't have a strong aftertaste like some artificial sweeteners do. It has a fairly close taste to regular sugar, and it typically doesn't cause the stomach upset that some sugar substitutes do. If you cant find erythritol, there are some other keto-friendly sweetener options that you can try out instead. Allulose is also a really good option for baking, because it behaves like sugar in baked goods by browning the way sugar does and also providing moisture. It's not as sweet as erythritol though, so if you use allulose, you'll want to increase the amount you use in this recipe to 1 cup.

There are some sweetener blends out there that combine a few of these different options to try to get the best flavor and texture for baking. You just have to check to make sure the blend is still acceptable for a keto diet and possibly give a few of them a try before you land on one that works well for your baking needs.

There are a few things you can add into these brownies that are still acceptable for the keto diet. One option is to add some more sugar-free chocolate chips into the batter to give the brownies some extra texture and chocolate flavor. Shredded unsweetened coconut flakes can be added to these brownies for more texture. Cacao nibs are also a good choice if you want to add some crunch and flavor to these brownies without adding an excess of extra carbs.

Some nuts are more keto-friendly than others, and those can be added to these brownies as well. Walnuts are a classic mix-in for brownies, and since they are high in fat and low in carbs they are a great option. There is already almond flour in these brownies, but if you love almonds you could also add some sliced almonds to the batter for texture as well. Pecans also go really well with all things chocolate and are low in carbohydrates, so chopped pecans are another great option as a mix-in for keto brownies.