Low carb brownies are an indulgent dessert that will make any occasion more special. These brownies have a rich chocolatey taste that’s achieved without using large amounts of sugar, making them ideal for those following a low glycemic diet. Almond flour makes up the base for these easy low carb brownies to provide delicious nutty undertones and a chewy texture.
Walnuts are often used in brownies for their nutty taste and bite. This recipe uses our cacao nut granola in place of nuts to give these brownies their full-bodied crunch. Our flavored granola is the ultimate upgrade because not only does it contain the crunch you crave but it also offers an extra boost of indulgent flavor with no added sugar.
Are premade box brownies good for you?
The quality of your box brownies really depends on the ingredients, and not all premade mixes are created the same. While convenient, using a box mix doesn’t allow you to control what goes into your food, leaving you with a layer of mystery despite an ingredient list on the back of the box. Making low carb brownies at home allows you to include your favorite sweetener and customize the treat exactly to your liking so they come out perfect every time.
Not to mention, you’ll avoid the preservatives that are added to help make the mixes shelf-stable. Making your own brownies at home will always produce the most fresh-tasting dessert. If you choose to use a box mix, always be sure to go with a brand that’s transparent about its ingredients and puts quality first.
Why You’ll Love It
Chocolate flavor - Many brownie recipes only use cocoa powder, but for the best taste that a true chocolate lover can appreciate, melted chocolate and espresso powder are key. These ingredients are mixed into the batter to elevate the chocolate goodness to heights that cocoa powder alone cannot achieve.
Simple - While the ingredient list isn’t super short, this recipe couldn’t be easier. The pantry-centric list of ingredients is mostly made up of things you probably already have on hand if you bake often. This recipe also doesn’t require any special tools or advanced cooking methods. You can mix it all up in one bowl and have your brownies in the oven in no time.
Easy to customize - One of the best things about brownies is they can be as indulgent as you want them to be. Add more NuTrail granola to the top if you like a big crunch or add a pop of color with low carb rainbow sprinkles. Top your brownies with frosting, a dusting of confectioner’s style sweetener, or a mound whipped cream depending on your mood. Enjoy these brownies à la mode with a scoop of your favorite ice cream- there’s so many ways to eat these soft and chewy low carb brownies.
Ingredients
NuTrail Granola - Any of our delicious flavors of nut-based granola can be used in this recipe. Cacao Nut is the perfect choice because of its chocolatey flavor.
Butter - Butter adds to the rich flavor of these brownies and gives them a soft and moist texture.
Egg - Eggs hold the brownies together and aid in leavening.
Almond flour - Blanched finely ground almond flour is ideal because of its fine texture and neutral taste. It’s made from almonds whose skins have been removed. This takes away from the gritty texture and rustic taste that you might find in almond meal, making blanched almond flour ideal for baking desserts.
Sweetener - Feel free to use your favorite low-carb sweetener. This recipe was developed using granular erythritol.
Cocoa powder - Unsweetened cocoa powder gives our brownies a great chocolate base. You can use regular or dark chocolate cocoa powder based on your preference.
Chocolate chips - Low carb chocolate chips give these brownies a rich flavor boost. Check the ingredient label and choose a brand that uses low glycemic sweeteners such as stevia. Some brands use large amounts of maltitol which can cause upset in sensitive stomachs.
Espresso powder - Espresso powder boosts the natural chocolate flavor in a way that takes these brownies from good to great. You’ll only need a small amount, and the coffee taste should not be noticeable. If you avoid caffeine or don’t want to use it, feel free to leave it out.
Salt - Adding salt not only helps flavor the brownies but it also balances the sweetness from the chocolate and erythritol.
Baking powder - Baking powder helps the brownies rise and gives them a moist, tender bite that doesn’t taste overly dense or egg-like.
Vanilla extract - Vanilla helps tie all of the flavors together within the recipe.
How to Store Low Carb Brownies
Store your freshly baked low carb brownies wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container.
Wrapping them in plastic and placing them into a storage bag will prevent air and moisture from clinging to them whenever you grab a treat. However, an airtight container may be more convenient.
Store your leftover brownies in the refrigerator to keep them fresh for up to three days. Keep in mind that because these are homemade they won’t keep fresh as long as those with preservatives from the store.
How do low carb brownies differ in texture from traditional brownies?
Baking with almond flour is very simple but it will always produce a different texture than all-purpose flour baked goods. This is due to the lack of gluten. These brownies are soft and cake-like without being crumbly. Your brownies may also differ in texture based on the brand of almond flour you use.
Tips and Substitutions
- One of the biggest problems in baking, whether it’s low carb or traditional, is overbaking. When your food comes out of the oven, it doesn’t automatically cool. It may even continue to rise a couple of degrees in temperature for a few minutes. This is called carryover cooking. Carryover cooking can take your perfectly baked brownies and turn them dense and hard. This is why it’s important to remove them from the oven just before they’re completely done. A toothpick test should come out with a few crumbs and the center should just be slightly underdone.
- This recipe was developed using almond flour and cannot be substituted for any other low carb flour. Coconut flour, for example, requires larger amounts of moisture and will come out very dry if it’s substituted directly into a recipe developed for almond flour.
- Feel free to swap the butter for melted coconut oil. You can replace this at a 1 to 1 ratio.
- Out of chocolate chips? You can chop up a low-carb baking bar or simply leave out the chocolate chips. While they do add lots of great flavor, it won’t ruin your recipe to omit them. You can also alternatively use low carb white chocolate chips.
- Swap out the Cacao Nut granola for any one of our tasty flavors! Birthday Cake or Cinnamon Pecan would be great additions offering delicious flavor with the same incredible texture.
Easy Low Carb Brownie Frosting
Prefer frosting for your brownies? Simply whip together 4 ounces of softened cream cheese,1/2- 3/4 cup powdered (confectioner’s style) erythritol, and 2 tablespoons of softened butter until fluffy. Slowly add 1-3 teaspoons of heavy cream to reach your desired consistency.
For a chocolate frosting, add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
More from our blog:
Almond Flour Birthday Cake Pancakes
10 Healthy Snacks for Game Day
Tips to Make the Most of Your Produce
Low Carb Brownies
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Yield: Serves 12
Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granular erythritol
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup blanched finely ground almond flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup NuTrail Cacao Nut Granola, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup sugar free chocolate chips, melted
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment then set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and erythritol together until well combined, about 2 minutes. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
3. Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder and salt and mix until well combined.
4. Fold the granola and melted chocolate chips into the batter and scrape into the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick should come out mostly clean with a few crumbles. It may appear a little jiggly but almond flour sets as it cools. Cool for 60-90 minutes. Slice into 12 pieces to serve.
