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All Day I Dream About Food

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September 26, 2011

Almond Butter Amaretto Brownies (Low Carb and Gluten Free)

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Ever since I was forced to go low carb, I’ve been on the hunt for a truly great, fudgey low carb, gluten free brownie recipe. It isn’t as simple as you might think. It isn’t just a matter of substituting almond flour for regular flour and low carb sweetener for sugar. Gluten and sugar combine in a seemingly magical way that allows for a crispy top and a gooey center that’s hard to replicate in their absence. I’ve tried a number of recipes and a lot of them end up more cakey than fudgey. Others use cream cheese to make them fudgey, but then to me they taste slightly more like cheesecake. They all have pretty good flavour, but they just aren’t what I am looking for.

A few weeks ago, I typed in “flourless brownies” instead of “low carb brownies” and got a whole new set of ideas. There were many hits for the ubiquitous black bean brownies, but black beans are hardly low carb so I wasn’t going down that road. But then I came across THIS recipe, which struck me as quite smart. There are flourless peanut butter cookies…why not spread similar batter in a pan and make them into brownies!?!? And why didn’t I think of that? They certainly looked rich and chocolatey and fudgey. Would they be as good with erythritol in place of the honey?

First, I had to get my hands on some almond butter. I had a little homemade in the fridge, but didn’t feel up to the task of making more just to make these brownies. As I happened to be hitting Trader Joe’s, I figured I’d pick some up there. I haven’t really liked Trader Joe’s Almond Butter in the past, and preferred my own. But this time, I picked up one that had roasted flax seeds in it as well, and from the moment I opened the jar, I knew there was a huge difference. It had a richer, more complex flavour and I liked it a lot more than the others I’ve tried. The roasted flax seeds add both flavour and nutrition, so you really can’t go wrong.

I also knew I’d be making more changes to this recipe than just subbing in erythritol for the honey. First off, as honey is a liquid, I needed something to make up some of the lost moisture, so I settled on greek yogurt. And where the recipe said to add in water if the batter seemed dry, I went with almond milk. I also decided to really amp up the almond flavour with a little almond extract. And glaze…to make them really appetizing, brownies need glaze. In keeping with the almond theme, I flavoured the glaze with some amaretto, and sprinkled some toasted sliced almonds on top.

The Results: First, let’s discuss flavour. The flavour of these brownies is wonderful. Intensely chocolate, but with a lovely hint of almond/amaretto that doesn’t overpower. Now, let’s discuss texture. Yes, these are definitely fudgey and dense. They don’t have that crispy/fudgey thing going on that you get with flour-and-sugar brownies, but that might just be something that’s impossible to achieve with low carb ingredients. I did find the edges of these a bit on the dry side, but once you were 1/2 an inch in towards the center, they were lovely and moist. I think the dryness on the edges can’t really be helped, and if you were to try to underbake these, you’d get a gooey mess. The glaze certainly helps to add to the flavour and the consistency, and the crunch of the toasted almonds on the top was great.

There are some things I might do differently next time. First, I might increase the batter by about 50%, to get a thicker brownie. Obviously, this would change the baking time by at least a few minutes. I would also line the pan with a parchment sling, so I could lift the whole thing out. That way, I could cut off that little edge that was a bit too dry and then spread the rest with glaze. Center bits for everyone!

Almond Butter Amaretto Brownies

Brownies:
1 cup almond butter
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup granulated erythritol
2 large eggs
2 tbsp almond milk
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
25 drops stevia extract

Glaze:
1/4 cup butter
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp powdered erythritol
3 tbsp cocoa powder
16 drops stevia extract
2 tbsp amaretto liqueur
1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Garnish:
1/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

For the brownies, preheat oven to 325F and grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, beat together almond butter, greek yogurt, cocoa powder and erythritol until combined. Beat in eggs, almond milk, almond extract, salt and stevia.

Spread in prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until just set in center. Do not overbake. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.

For the glaze, melt butter, chocolate and erythritol in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Stir in cocoa powder. Whisk in stevia and amaretto until combined. It will thicken slightly, so stir in vegetable oil to smooth it back out.

Spread glaze on cooled brownies. Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Serves 16. Each brownie has a total of 6.4g of carbs and 3.4g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 3g.

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Filed Under: Brownies & Bars, Gluten Free, Low Carb

Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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Comments

  1. thelittleloaf says

    September 26, 2011 at 11:56 am

    These look so fudgey and delicious – I'm amazed that there's no sugar in them! I love the idea of using almond butter and although it will be hard to tear myself away from my favourite brownie recipe, I'm bookmarketing this for a coeliac friend who will die and go to heaven when she hears about these!

    Reply
  2. The Mom Chef says

    September 26, 2011 at 12:10 pm

    I don't think there is any blog I pass around to my friends more than yours. There are so many people who are developing gluten allergies around me and no one is as ingenious or creative at turning high carb/gluten foods into low or free versions. This is another example. Fantastic.

    Reply
  3. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says

    September 26, 2011 at 12:19 pm

    These look fabulous!

    Reply
  4. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

    September 26, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    Those brownies really do look fudgey and moist! So glad you found a brownie base you love:-)

    Reply
  5. Lizzy says

    September 26, 2011 at 12:45 pm

    These are gorgeous brownies, Carolyn! You've finally hit the low carb jackpot with these winners!!!

    Reply
  6. Curt says

    September 26, 2011 at 1:01 pm

    These sound great! And I really like the garnishing of sliced almonds on it.

    Reply
  7. Cookin' Canuck says

    September 26, 2011 at 1:28 pm

    It sounds as though all you hard work paid off. These look so fudge-y and satisfying. The next time I'm near a Trader Joe's, I am going to look for that almond butter with flax seeds.

    Reply
  8. Chef Dennis says

    September 26, 2011 at 2:08 pm

    those brownies look oh so chocolaty good! I can't believe their gluten free!

    Reply
  9. Kelly @ Eat Yourself Skinny says

    September 26, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    These look fantastic, what a great recipe!! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  10. RavieNomNoms says

    September 26, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    You are fantastic Caroyln! These look so great. I am so impressed with all the recipes you come up with. These brownies are a definite must try. I was just at Trader Joe's, what was the almond butter you used called? I'd love to try it

    Reply
  11. Belinda @zomppa says

    September 26, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    Carb schwarb – gimme these brownies!

    Reply
  12. Kristen says

    September 26, 2011 at 5:13 pm

    I am loving the idea of almond butter in brownies. What a great fudgey treat you have created!!

    Reply
  13. Diane {Created by Diane} says

    September 26, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    they look delicious and sound fantastic ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  14. Divya Yadava says

    September 26, 2011 at 5:19 pm

    Carolyn, I'm always amazed by how you come up with the best low-carb recipes! This one would be perfect with an afternoon coffee.

    Reply
  15. Erin says

    September 26, 2011 at 5:51 pm

    What a great job Carolyn! The icing on top looks delicious. Glad you finally found something is closer to what you are looking for!

    Reply
  16. Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says

    September 26, 2011 at 6:13 pm

    I like that Trader Joe's Almond butter with the flax seeds too! Sounds like a great addition to these brownies.

    Reply
  17. Cake Duchess says

    September 26, 2011 at 7:38 pm

    You are so creative with all your GF baking. It's impressive. I would be thrilled with all those flavors GF or not:)xx

    Reply
  18. Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says

    September 26, 2011 at 7:59 pm

    Yup, these sound pretty amazing!! Great job on perfecting a low-carb brownie!

    Reply
  19. The Slow Roasted Italian says

    September 26, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    Oh so delicious!! I love brownies and these look amazing!

    Reply
  20. Jacqueline - The Dusty Baker says

    September 26, 2011 at 9:07 pm

    Beautiful recipe! And I call that Trader Joe's almond butter "crack butter" – if it's in my kitchen, I have no choice but to eat it daily until it's gone.

    I can almost smell them from here!

    Reply
  21. Sprinkled with Flour says

    September 26, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    These are very interesting, I'll have to give them a try!

    Reply
  22. Becky says

    September 26, 2011 at 10:13 pm

    These GF brownies are the best. I'm bookmarking these babies. I have to look for that almond butter at TJ's.
    Thank you for all of your hard work and persistent.

    Reply
  23. MikeVFMK says

    September 26, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    Carolyn, what's not to like about this? Nothing. It looks delicious and my mouth is literally starting to water. Another winner!

    Reply
  24. Magic of Spice says

    September 27, 2011 at 12:51 am

    These look delightful! Greek yogurt and almond butter…plus cocoa, wow!

    Reply
  25. Kari says

    September 27, 2011 at 5:57 am

    I am so obsessed with almond butter right now. I think this might take that obsession to a whole new level!

    Reply
  26. Katherine Martinelli says

    September 27, 2011 at 6:40 am

    Wow! I think you should market these – low carb, gluten free brownies that look and taste this amazing??? I love that there's almond butter in there too. Great recipe. I'm trying to be a bit more mindful of carbs so definitely bookmarking this.

    Reply
  27. kita says

    September 27, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    OMG, brownies. I can't imagine how hard it must be on the quest for the perfect one for you. These do look like they came out rather deliciously though (I'd rather the chewy fudgy center then the crispy edge anyway) ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  28. geokatgirl says

    September 27, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    simpatico! I just made a fudge paleo brownie last night using almond butter.

    I like the addition of Greek yogurt in yours, and the glaze. The ones i made last night need something.

    Reply
  29. Karen says

    September 27, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    All you need to say is Amaretto and I'm there! These look so rich and chocolatey. The glaze and topping of almonds really does put it over the top. Great brownies!

    Reply
  30. kitchenarian says

    September 27, 2011 at 4:12 pm

    I love Amaretto! I've never tried almond butter before so I am anxious to give this a try. Thanks!

    Reply
  31. Lynn says

    September 27, 2011 at 11:44 pm

    These sound amazing! I had a great GF brownie at a flea market once, there was definitely almond flour in it, but I could never figure out the rest and they would not share the recipe. I can't wait to try this!

    Reply
  32. Kelli @ The Corner Kitchen says

    September 28, 2011 at 2:11 pm

    Ahhh….these sounds too good to be true. Can't wait to try them!

    Reply
  33. Anonymous says

    September 28, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    I made brownies using coconut manna as the base this weekend. I used the tropical traditions coconut cream recipe with the modifications suggested by a commenter on the site: sub honey with water, extra egg, xylitol and stevia. It came out really tasty, although I undercooked it.

    So I'm excited to see your recipe because 1) coconut cream is so expensive and 2) greek yogurt and almond milk sound so much richer than plain water.

    Reply
  34. Terra says

    September 28, 2011 at 5:09 pm

    Holy cats! You always make me excited to try a new gluten free treat:-) These brownies look like chocolatey happiness! Hugs, Terra

    Reply
  35. Buttercream Blondie says

    September 29, 2011 at 11:19 pm

    Carolyn these look perfectly decadent with that chocolate glaze! Love the amaretto!!

    Reply
  36. Tiffany says

    October 8, 2011 at 1:33 pm

    YES! Brownies are suppose to be FUDGY! just like these! The amaretto is such a nice touch! ๐Ÿ˜€

    Reply
  37. Naomi Most says

    October 31, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    I made these with sour cream instead of greek yogurt, and while it was super delicious, it wouldn’t set no matter how long I cooked it! I ate it like a lush caramel pudding. ๐Ÿ™‚

    I’ll have to try again with less liquid or maybe an extra egg, because I think the sour cream can work. I have a hard time finding *real* greek yogurt that’s low enough in carbs to qualify, and I love the cultured zero-lactose sour cream I can get nearby.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 1, 2012 at 6:08 am

      I would have thought the sour cream would work too! Try a little almond flour as well, that might help set it more. Maybe 1/4 or 1/2 a cup?

      Reply
      • Naomi Most says

        November 2, 2012 at 6:40 am

        Yeah, I would think sour cream would work as well. The other difference was that I used granulated Splenda, as I didn’t have erythritol at the time. Still, I don’t see that that would have made a difference in the brownies’ ability to set. *headscratch*

        Regardless, I can’t wait to try this one again. I used a chocolate-raspberry flavor liquid stevia and the taste was delightful.

        So yeah, something dry I suppose. I could try hazelnut flour. I am also tempted to toss in some egg white protein and/or whey protein to see if it adds more chewiness.

        I’ll report back!

        Reply
        • Naomi Most says

          November 6, 2012 at 6:03 pm

          Results: I used an extra Tbsp of cocoa powder and I also added 1/4 cup egg white protein. Texture was *amazing*, though more like flourless chocolate cake than brownies. I’m not going to complain, because it set beautifully.

          The other difference I only just realized, from the way you made yours, is that I used an 8×4 loaf pan lined with parchment, in order to get thicker brownies. So the fact that my original experiment didn’t set at all may have a lot more to do with the size of pan I used.

          This second experiment was under-sweet, so I think simply adding a little more sweetener (I used erythritol this time) would finish the job.

          Thanks for hearing me out — I love your blog and get so much inspiration from the things you do. ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
          • Carolyn says

            November 6, 2012 at 6:53 pm

            The experiments are all good…I love it when people find ways to improve on my stuff!

  38. Syvella Symonds says

    March 13, 2013 at 10:55 am

    These look awesome…would be my first thing to make with redmill products!

    Reply
  39. Stephanie says

    September 3, 2013 at 11:57 am

    What about using stevia instead of the erythritol?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 3, 2013 at 2:06 pm

      Sure, you can try that.

      Reply

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