These brownies are fantastic and dangerously easy to make.
I like brownies to be really moist. These gluten free, sugar free brownies are very chocolatey, delectably moist, and taste like real brownies. It was hard to get my mind around the idea that they are actually not bad for me, since basically all they have in them is almonds, eggs, unsweetened chocolate, coconut, butter (or coconut oil for a paleo diet), and xylitol (which it turns out is great for your teeth)!
The trickiest thing about this recipe is judging when to pull them out of the oven. So if in doubt, take them out sooner rather than later because they’ll taste better slightly underbaked than over baked.
I cook these on tinfoil put in the baking pan for easy removal. Someone commented that cooking things on tinfoil may not be good for you. I really don’t know, but if you have your tinfoil doubts you can use parchment paper instead. It works just as well as a way to remove the brownies effortlessly.
This recipe creates brownies that are not especially thick. When I first made them I was a little concerned about that, but they are very rich and satisfying and a little goes a long way. These little guys will definitely satisfy your brownie cravings.
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into 1/2" pieces
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted; or coconut oil for dairy free
- 1/4 cup refined or unrefined coconut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup xylitol
- 1 1/4 cups almond meal (also called almond flour)
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 350°. Using a 9"x13" baking pan (normal pyrex lasagna pan), make a foil sling for easy removal of the baked brownies. This is easier than it reads: Using a normal foil roll (which is 12 inches wide), cut an 18 inch long piece of foil. Fold it lengthwise so that it is 8 inches wide. Fit it into the pan the long way, pushing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan; allow the excess to overhang the pan edges. Cut another piece of foil 14 inches long and fit it the width of the pan in the same manner. It will be over the top of the first piece of foil and perpendicular to it. Grease foil with butter, coconut oil, or coconut oil cooking spray.
- The 1st piece of foil:
- The 2nd piece of foil over the top of the 1st one:
- Whisk cocoa powder and boiling water together in a large bowl until mixed. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled).
- Add eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and xylitol and continue to whisk until fully incorporated.
- Add almond meal, coconut flour, and salt and mix with a rubber spatula until combined. Don't use the whisk or you'll have trouble getting the mixture off it.
- Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted 2-3 inches from the edge of the pan comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached 20-30 minutes. Do not over bake. See note below.
- Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan and transfer to a flat surface or wire rack. Let cool completely. May be served at room temperature or refrigerated and served cool. May be made 2 days ahead of time. These taste great frozen, so I recommend storing them in the freezer. They defrost in a few minutes.
- Note: Oven cooking times and temperatures vary. Judging doneness is the most difficult part. Another helpful thing, besides the toothpick test, is to touch it lightly in the center with your finger after 15 minutes of baking, when they are clearly not yet done. This will give you a sense of how jiggly it feels when not ready. Check again in 5 minutes (after 20 total minutes of cooking) and you'll feel a difference. Keep feeling after that, every 3 minutes or so until the center feels more firm but not too done. If you're unsure, take them out sooner rather than later. It's better to have underdone brownies that overdone ones.
I have stevia crystals, any idea on how much to use?
Hi Tracey,
Sorry for the late reply, I was away.
I think your best bet is to add a little bit of crystals and taste and add more tasting after each addition. Stevia is very strong so a little goes a long way. A word of warning – not everyone likes stevia, myself included. Some people really like it and others find it has a very weird flavor.
I substituted Swerve for the sweetener and they turned out great! Any idea how many carbs/fat per serving?
Hi Kris, Thanks for letting me know. Yes, I’ve been using Swerve in my recipes sometimes and have found that it’s interchangeable with xylitol. My later recipes list different sweetener options.
I’m working on adding the nutritional content to my recipes. It’s a whole other piece that takes a little time. Hopefully you should see that info here soon!