The fudgiest, most chocolatey Keto brownies ever. This simple low carb and sugar free brownies recipe requires only 6 ingredients and works perfectly time after time. Ready in 30 minutes!
I have not yet met a person who does not like brownies. There is something irresistible about their intense chocolate flavor and their fudgy-ness. My guess is that you like them too - otherwise you would not be reading this!
These brownies are one of my favourite sugar free desserts. I dabbled a bit in trying to create an avocado brownie, but just did not like them enough to post. In the end, I adapted my original brownie recipe that's been passed down to me by my Grandma and made it low carb gluten free and keto friendly.
I was super pleased with how these keto brownies turned out. They are really easy to make and I've baked them many times since. They turn out like a dream every single time!
Regular brownies are a feast of chocolate, butter and indulgent sweetness. It's the same with these low carb brownies - the only difference being that instead of sugar I used powdered erythritol and instead of flour my brownies contain almond flour.
This way, they're not only sugar free, low carb and diabetic-friendly (they're 3.2g net carbs per portion), but also grain and gluten free.
How to make fudgy keto brownies - step by step:
1.) Melt the chocolate: Break the chocolate into squares and place in a small bowl. Place this bowl inside a larger bowl which you have filled with boiling water. The water will heat the walls of the small bowl and melt the chocolate.
2.) Blend the VERY soft (or melted) butter, powdered sweetener, eggs and cocoa with a blender or in a food processor.
3.) Add the melted chocolate and almond flour and mix until you have a thick, smooth brownie batter. I did this in a food processor, but it is possible to simply stir it together with a fork.
4.) Line a rectangular baking pan or small casserole dish with baking / parchment paper. Cut the paper to size so that it covers the bottom and two sides of the dish. Grease the two remaining sides (or cover these with parchment, too).
5.) Fill the batter into the dish and smoothen the top. Bake 25 minutes or until the top is firm.
6.) Let the sugar free brownies cool completely before you remove them from the baking tin. They will be VERY soft when warm, but firm up as they cool down.
Top tips for perfect Keto brownies
I'd say one of the most important tips for extra fudgy brownies is to slightly under-bake them. Yes, take them out before you think they're done! The corners should be cooked and the top just set, but you're looking for a jiggly middle.
If you leave them in the oven for too long, you'll end up with crumbly brownies. We don't want that!
Trust me and remove them from the oven after 25 minutes max. Then, simply be patient and let them cool COMPLETELY before cutting. If you place them in the fridge, they will firm up even more.
Here is a quick breakdown of the ingredients and what to look out for:
Dark or sugar free chocolate
Use the best quality you can get hold of. There's a LOT of chocolate in this recipe - almost 2 bars - so you'll be able to taste it. In the UK, Lindt is a popular quality brand and I went for their 90% dark chocolate. It contains only 7 grams of sugar per 100g, which is very low, and it's widely available.
You could use unsweetened chocolate as well (in the UK there's a brand called Montezuma which Sainsbury's stocks, in the US Baker's chocolate is a good option). In this case, you may want to increase the amount sweetener.
If you decide to use sugar free chocolate such as Lily's in the US or Balance in the UK, simply reduce the amount of sweetener you use.
Low carb sweetener
I have made these low carb brownies twice - once with granulated erythritol and once with powdered erythritol.
The texture is smoother with the powdered erythritol and I preferred it. If you only have granulated sweetener, try grinding it down to a powder before you use it. Erythritol does not melt like sugar does and it can re-crystallise when it cools down.
In regular cake recipes granulated erythritol works absolutely fine. In dishes with a soft or fudgy texture, however, it's better if you use powdered sweetener.
You can also use xylitol, Swerve or your sweetener of choice. With Swerve, be sure to use the cup measurements instead of grams. It's lighter than erythritol.
Grain free nut flour
I've tried it - both fine almond flour and ground almonds work. I first used 100g / 1 cup and the second time reduced the amount to 80g / ¾ cup, which made the brownies even softer and more fudgy.
Fat
As you might have guessed even before checking the nutrition facts, Keto brownies are a high fat dessert. They are filling! That's why one batch makes 16 very satisfying portions.
I like butter in my brownies. But if you prefer, you can swap out the butter for coconut oil. If you do, make sure you use an extra virgin coconut oil - it's unrefined and you'll taste the difference.
Note: I did not use baking powder in this recipe. But if you would like a little rise like you'd expect in a cake, add 1 tsp of baking powder.
You could also play around with different flavours - orange zest would be lovely, or try ¼ tsp ground cardamom and 1 tsp cinnamon for a warm flavour. 1 tsp of vanilla extract would also work here.
Also, feel free to add in chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans!
How to store keto brownies
It's best to store Keto brownies at room temperature, that way they stay nice and fudgy. They stay fresh for 3-4 days. Store in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.
Can you freeze sugar free brownies?
Absolutely! I pre-cut the brownies and then wrap them in parchment paper before freezing in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More sugar free brownie recipes
I adore these pumpkin brownies and these Keto Avocado Brownies - the recipe is just as simple, but they're much lighter in texture.
If you also like cheesecake, give these keto cheesecake brownies a try. And peanut butter fans will appreciate these Keto Peanut Butter Brownies.
When I first started Sugar Free Londoner, I created these sweet potato brownies. At the time I was concentrating on lowering my sugar intake only.
Even though this recipe is not particularly low in carbohydrates due to the sweet potatoes, it's still a MUCH healthier option than your regular sugary brownie recipes. One day I want to rework it to lower the carb content.
Made these brownies? Give them a star rating below!
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Fabulously Fudgy Keto Brownies
Note: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary. ***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 175 g / 6.17 oz butter unsalted, softened
- 100 g / ⅔ cup powdered sweetener
- 3 eggs
- 40 g / ⅓ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 175 g / 6.17 oz dark chocolate at least 85% cocoa solids, melted
- 75 g / ¾ cup almond flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius / 356 Fahrenheit
- Melt the chocolate: Break the chocolate into squares and place in a small bowl. Place this bowl inside a larger bowl which you have filled with boiling water. The water will heat the walls of the small bowl and melt the chocolate. (see notes)
- Blend the VERY soft (or melted) butter, powdered sweetener, eggs and cocoa with a blender or in a food processor.
- Add the melted chocolate and almond flour and mix until you have a thick, smooth batter.
- Line a rectangular baking tin or small casserole dish with baking / parchment paper. Cut the paper to size so that it covers the bottom and two sides of the dish. Grease the two remaining sides.
- Fill the batter into the dish and smoothen the top. Bake 25 minutes or until the top is firm.
- Let the brownies cool before you remove them from the baking tin. They will be VERY soft when warm, but firm up as they cool down.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Rose says
Katrin
It was absolutely divine and came out very well.
I followed every single step in the recipe although I made smaller with half of the size of original recipe.
It was very moist, rich and delicious.
Thank you for the great recipes.
Cheryl says
Would i be able to replace the almond flour with coconut flour instead? Thank you x
Katrin Nürnberger says
Yes, but you don't need as much because coconut flour is around 3 x as absorbent as almond flour. I have a great coconut flour brownie recipe in my keto desserts cookbook.
Deborah Russi says
I tried this recipe with 2 Tbsp. almond flour, increased Swerve powdered Erythritol by about 2 Tbsp. (tasting batter until desired sweetness) and added 2/3 cup of Lily's Dark Chocolate chips, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/8 tsp. salt.
After having a poor, cakey result with other recipes, I wanted to try an almost flourless brownie.
I also reduced the baking time to 17 minutes. The edges looked set and the top was glossy and jiggly. The result was a delicious, rich, fudge brownie. I am delighted with the result.
Thanks for your recipe.
Katrin Nürnberger says
Thanks for writing down your tweaks for everyone. Glad you liked the brownies!
LyndaW says
I made this recipe today, but replaced the chocolate and cocoa with melted carob chips which I have just discovered. I can't have chocolate due to a gastric issue so haven't tasted anything Chocolatey in neatly 2 years. This recipe reminds me of my favourite hummingbird bakery brownie recipe and it tastes just as delicious. I used xylitol sweeter (50g). Thank you for another great recipe
Katrin Nürnberger says
How amazing that this recipe works with carob chips! Thanks so much for sharing this. I like the taste of carob - I may give it a go next time!
LyndaW says
I melted the carob over a pan of water with the butter. I had read up on melting carob and it seems quite difficult on its own, so it was perfect to use for a recipe that also needed melted butter. As I said after nearly 2 years of not having another "chocolate" flavour I could have supped it with a spoon.
Colin Gummer says
Just made these for the first time today, and loved them! Thank you!
My daughter liked them, but she's really sensitive to sugar alcohols - do you know whether I could substitute some or all of the powdered sweetener for stevia? (I might just try it anyway!)
Katrin Nürnberger says
Have you tried allulose yet? It's not a sugar alcohol, but a rare sugar.
FM says
Hi, this is great, I have been looking for a good almond flour brownie recipe. I just have a couple of questions,as mine were quite crumbly. I use cacao which is very rich, so I reduced the ammont by half , do I need to increase something else ? Also my chocolate was 70-75%, did this affect the set?
Katrin Nürnberger says
It's possible the chocolate could have an impact, because the sugar content is higher. So you could use less sweetener. Also bake them for less time or at a lower heat. That should make them fudgier.
Ruth Fryman says
I managed to make Rocky Road by cocking up your recipe! I'd seen a Black Forest Brownie recipe by Nigella so got the basic idea, i.e added dried cherries rehydrated and toasted hazelnuts. I made your brownie recipe but used coconut oil instead of butter.I think I left it too long in my oven so it wasnt squidgy when it came out. I then left it in the garage to go cold. With the coconut oil it set so I ended up with a Rockie road! It was very delicious though!
I will try again with butter and bring it out earlier next time.
Katrin Nürnberger says
That sounds super delicious!! I love it when you get surprise results that are actually delicious 🙂
Heather irvin says
Omg these brownies are amazing!!! I made them tonight. I did them in cupcake form so that I could control my portion size better. I made 16 cupcakes. They came out amazing!! I absolutely love your recipes! I have so many bookmarked and use your recipes regularly!! Your recipes never disappoint. I share your recipes regularly with my friends and on my group page. Thank you for so many wonderful yummy keto recipes. You’ve helped me make my keto journey so much tastier!
Katrin Nürnberger says
That's so good to hear! So glad you like the brownies 🙂
David Curse says
Are these 192 kcal per piece or the entire serving? Because it contains this chocolate which is 566 kcal per 100g and that's not possible with those measures.
Katrin Nürnberger says
16 servings, calories and macros are calculated per serving
Grace Gerry says
Delicious. I had it with raspberries and fresh cream. Yum!
Rachelle says
Could you use Coconut sugar instead of eryithritol? If so any idea how much? How would cacao instead of cocoa alter the taste?
Katrin Nürnberger says
Yes, you can use the same amount of coconut sugar. As for the cocoa versus cacao - I mainly use cocoa powder. My personal take is that you need a little more cacao to get the same chocolate flavour. Also, the colour of the brownies will be a little lighter with cacao.
Nick says
I used ingredients for 6 brownies, Its the first keto sweet I ever tried and I was expecting it sweet.. it tastes good but definitely not sweet like some people comment or maybe it's me cause I compare it to sweets with sugar and normal chocolate or should I use more erythritol? Maybe double the amount?
Katrin Nürnberger says
Hi Nick, of course, just add more, we all have a different idea of what sweetness os just right. I've had people tell me this recipe was way too sweet for them! For these keto brownies, the chocolate will have an impact on the overall sweetness. So, if you use an unsweetened chocolate, you'd need to add more additional sweetener than if you used a sugar free chocolate like Lily's.
Just make sure you always taste the batter before you bake and add more sweetness if you prefer!
Zamira says
Hi.
I couldn't get the brownies right. They didn't get a solid form instead are crumbly to touch and a little bitter.
I used vegetable oil not butter.
Simple flour and not almond flour.
Sweetener sucralose.
The batter had a weird shape. Also I didn't use food blender but simple manual beater. Can you help me plz? Are these mistakes?
Katrin Nürnberger says
Hi Zamira, this could have happened because you used the sucralose, which may behave differently to erythritol. Also, vegetable oil is liquid at room temperature whereas butter is firm. I don't think it's a good substitution - it would give a less creamy (and possibly more crumbly) result. Using flour versus almond flour should not make a big difference, and I think using a simple blender is fine.
Anton Mclaughlan says
This will definitely be because of the oil and sucralose - Sucralose changes under heat which is why it's not used for baking or in any meals which are hot - try Stevia or Erythritol, guarantee it's much better! Late comment, but may help someone else. 🙂
Rochi says
Wooww!! That recipe looks so goods soon as I can I will go out will buy all the ingredients. Love brownies.
Amy says
I'm usually awful at baking, especially keto recipes, but i cannot believe how amazing these brownies turned out! I never leave reviews but couldn't not for these brownies - a huge family hit 🙂
Katrin Nürnberger says
So glad you like them!!!
Bybliopola says
What would you use to replace the chocolate? I only have cocoa powder and I reaaaally wanna try this out.
More egg? More butter maybe?
Katrin Nürnberger says
Use the brownie recipe from my keto cheesecake brownies! It uses cocoa powder only
Bybliopola says
Thank you so much! ♥
Rachel says
I had high hopes for these brownies and they did not disappoint! They cured my chocolate craving for sure!
Lil says
I love this recipe.
I actually changed out the sweetener for some maple syrup and they turned out amazing. Make this recipe every week.
I’m going to try and change some of the ingredients to make it vegan.
Thanks for sharing !
Katrin Nürnberger says
Oh, keep me posted and let me know how you did it!!!
Polie says
Can i substitute powdered sugar to granulated sugar? Is it 1:1?
Katrin Nürnberger says
Yes, you could. I would use the same amount.
Henri says
Hi,
If I use a monk fruit extract liquid sweetener can I use oat fibre, psyllium husk or coconut flour to balance out the bulk missing from using a liquid sweetener and if so to what ratio?
Katrin Nürnberger says
Good question. I'm only guessing here - maybe 1-2 tbsp coconut flour?
Henri says
Brilliant, thanks Katrin! I'll let you know how it goes.
emily says
what about stevia instead of erythritol?
Katrin Nürnberger says
You can definitely use stevia instead. If you're using liquid drops, remember that 1 teaspoon is normally 4-5 drops.
Natasha says
First time baking Keto pudding. Delicious - thoroughly enjoy having one for dessert. Don't feel like I'm missing out. Taste so good. Definitely doing this recipe again.
Sue says
We love these brownies. Make them every week
Beccy Sisson says
Hi, I tried mading these today, it tasted lovely but unfortunately the mixture simply hasn't bound together and is very crumbly, I followed the recipe to a "t" so not sure what went wrong
Katrin Nürnberger says
Hi Beccy, did the mix not come together in the bowl? This can happen when the chocolate has been heated too much and starts to seize. If is DID come together as a batter and you now have an issue with crumbliness, it could be that they were in the oven too long or browned too much. OR - did you write this comment when the brownies were still hot? Then simply have some patience. All almond flour baked goods firm up when they cool 🙂
Beccy Sisson says
Hi, yes it came together well in the bowl, though it did look a little thick, I took it out when it was just set but not wobbly, and waited about an hour before I cut it, I'm thinking there wasn't enough egg to bind it, the eggs were small to medium, unfortunately it's all I had
Katrin Nürnberger says
Hm. I guess it is possible. When you look at the ingredients though they should stick together even without the egg - butter, chocolate, almond flour. Is the texture crumbly? Or soft?
Beccy says
It looked slightly crumbly and not completely smooth, I'll definitely try again
Donna says
What size pan? I’d really like to know before I bake these.
Katrin Nürnberger says
I used a 5 x 9 inch casserole dish.
Anhelina Hubkovych says
Very tasty! Great result from the first trial. Kids also love it.
Katrin Nürnberger says
So glad you liked it!
Rosie says
I have used 100% cocoa mass as chocolate and it turned out quite bitter. Would you recommend just adding extra sweetener?
Katrin Nürnberger says
That's a good question. I think chocolate bars use a mixture of cocoa mass and cacao butter. Which means that by using only cocoa mass you might be using too much cocoa and that's the reason why it's bitter. I have actually just bought a bag of cocoa mass, but haven't experimented with it in recipes. But my feeling is that you need less of it.
Lina says
Brilliant, as good as the real thing. My kids love it. I will be adding pine nuts or walnuts next time as a variation.
Katrin Nürnberger says
That should be yummy. Or try adding raspberries or a swirl of caramel sauce
Sue says
As I am allergic to nuts, I usually use coconut flour. I have been considering grinding up a mix of chia, flax, coconut and hemp seed to a fine flour. What I haven't figured out is how that mixture comes out when baking or the equivalent amounts for a recipe. Any hints you know are much appreciated.
Katrin Nürnberger says
I would think that hemp seed probably behaves quite similar to almond flour. Both chia and flax soak up a lot of liquid, as does coconut flour. Have you tried to use a mix of sunflower and sesame seeds? If you grind that to a fine flour, you can replace it 1:1 with almond flour.