These easy one-bowl keto brownies have a secret ingredient to make them extra fudgy and chewy. This might just be the ultimate keto brownie recipe and no one can tell they are low carb and gluten-free. At less than 4g total carbs, you can dig in with gusto!
Remember some time ago when I promised to bring you more basic keto recipes on this blog? Well these super fudgy keto brownies are part of that promise.
I love baking more elaborate creations and proving to the world that the keto diet it anything but restrictive. But sometimes I forget that simple and straightforward can be just as delicious.
So let’s skip the fancy stuff and get down to basics again!
Why you’ll love this recipe
The secret to the perfect texture is the addition of a little gelatin. I figured if it helps make my keto ginger molasses cookies chewier, it couldn’t hurt to try adding it to brownies, right?
And it really works! These keto brownies have all the best features you’re looking for, with a dense, rich texture and a slightly crackly top. They’re incredibly easy to make too. It takes a single bowl and 35 minutes from start to finish.
And readers swear that no one can even tell they are keto. I call that a win.
Ingredients you need
- Butter: Use unsalted butter and make sure to let it cool a bit before adding the sweetener and eggs.
- Sweetener: I recommend Swerve or another erythritol-based sweetener for this recipe. Using another sweetener will change the texture and consistency. Learn more about keto sweeteners here.
- Eggs: Large eggs are the standard for baking.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla always brings out the chocolate flavor.
- Almond flour: Make sure you are using a finely ground almond flour for the best consistency. I also have a coconut flour brownie recipe, if you prefer.
- Cocoa powder: I prefer Dutch process cocoa powder when baking keto brownies. It has a deeper, richer chocolate flavor, but you can use natural cocoa powder if you prefer.
- Grass fed gelatin: Grassfed gelatin is the best choice for this and other keto recipes, but you can use Knox gelatin. Use 1 envelope for the brownies and make sure you add it along with the dry ingredients. You can also omit it completely but the brownies will be less chewy.
- Chocolate chips: Make sure to choose keto-friendly chips like ChocZero!
- Pantry staples: Baking powder and salt.
Step by Step Instructions
1. Whisk together the wet ingredients, including the butter, sweetener, eggs, and vanilla extract. Sweetener goes in with the wet ingredients so it dissolves better.
2. Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, gelatin, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well combined. Always add the gelatin powder with the dry ingredients before adding any water so that you don’t end up with blobs of gelatin in your brownie batter.
3. Stir in the water a little at a time to thin the batter to a thick but pourable consistency. You may not need the full amount of liquid to thin the batter – it depends on your cocoa powder and how absorbent it is. The batter should be the consistency of conventional brownie batter. Stir in the chocolate chips or chopped nuts, if using.
4. Spread the batter in a greased 8×8 inch metal baking pan and bake at 350ºF 15 to 20 minutes. If you prefer cakier brownies, continue baking for another few minutes until the center is fully cooked through. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
This is a basic keto brownie recipe that you can customize and add your own fun twists to. Try these delicious ideas:
- Stir in ½ – ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Use brewed coffee instead of water to enhance the chocolate flavor. Or add some espresso powder for a mocha flavor.
- Add some different flavors of keto chocolate chips, such as white chocolate, peanut butter, or mint.
- Add some keto chocolate frosting or chocolate ganache.
- Drizzle with some keto caramel sauce for a decadent treat.
Use a metal baking pan. Ceramic and glass don’t conduct heat as efficiently as metal, so they will take much longer to bake through and firm up properly.
For fudgy keto brownies you will need almond meal, swerve sweetener, butter, eggs, cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips. My secret ingredient to making these brownies chewy is the addition of grass fed gelatin.
This brownie recipe is tested with almond flour and you can not simply swap out with coconut flour. You can, however, substitute with sunflower seed flour for a nut-free version.
For one 2-inch square, these keto brownies have only 1.2 grams of net carbs. Best of all, they taste as good as regular brownies, so you won’t miss the carbs at all.
Store the brownies in a covered container on the counter for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for a week. They can also be frozen for several months. Store them in an airtight container to avoid freezer burn.
Swaps and substitutions
- Dairy-free Option: Substitute the butter with melted coconut oil, ghee, or another liquid oil.
- Nut-free Option: You can use sunflower seed flour for nut-free keto brownies. Replace the almond flour cup for cup.
- Egg-free Option: I have not tried to make these keto brownies egg-free, but a few readers had good luck using flax seed meal and water.
- Alternate Sweeteners: I highly recommend an erythritol-based sweetener, such as Swerve or Lakanto, to achieve the best texture. Other sweeteners like BochaSweet and allulose will make them more cakey and soft.
More delicious keto brownie recipes
If you love brownies, I have the ultimate list of the best keto brownie recipes. Some of my personal favorites include:
Fudgy Keto Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter , melted
- 2/3 cup (121.33 g) Swerve Sweetener
- 3 large (3) eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (56 g) almond flour, about 50g
- 1/3 cup (28.67 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp grassfed gelatin
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (62.5 g) water, (as necessary)
- 1/3 cup (60 g) dark chocolate chips, sugar-free, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease an 8×8 inch metal baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sweetener, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, gelatin, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well combined. Stir in a little water at a time to thin the batter to a thick but pourable consistency. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still seems a tiny bit wet. If you prefer cakier brownies, continue baking for another few minutes until the center is fully cooked through.
- Remove and let cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
Video
Notes
Storage Information
Store the brownies in a covered container on the counter for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for a week. They can also be frozen for several months. Always make sure to wrap them up tightly to avoid freezer burn.Nutrition
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Since you recently posted that video about Erythritol substitutes, just want to say that I had some success using pure liquid monk fruit drops instead of Swerve. I added 50g of unsweetened chocolate (melted it with the butter) and then about 30 drops of monk fruit sweetener. Oh and I just used Knox gelatin because that’s all I had. Apart from that I followed the recipe exactly. They came out pretty good! Probably not as good as the original recipe but still very yummy. They were more bittersweet than sweet, next time I might add a bit more monk fruit.
I have Bulletproof collagelatin and wonder if I could use it instead of the grass fed variety. I couldn’t find anything in your blog that spoke to that. Thanks for amazing recipes!
Sure, give it a try.
Thank You FOR SHARING Carolyn 👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼♥️These LOOK SO AWESOME 👍🏼♥️❗️And Thank You For the Hints On ADD Ins TOO❗️WOW and Changing Water For Expresso 💕💕💕👏🏼THESE are Gonna Be GREAT ❗️❗️THANKS For Both Kinds Of Flours Too😊G-d♥️Bless
I’m looking for some recipes, especially brownies, that use protein powder. I have some tubs that need to be used before they expire.
But I can’t seem to find any recipes using it, can you help? I’ve spent ages looking at your recipes to no avail. I feel like I’ve seen some of your recipes using it in the past. My protein powder is vanilla flavoured so it’s versatile.
Brownies like these won’t be great with whey protein as it tends to make them very cake-y. But I have started a series of protein snack recipes, and all of my cakes and muffins tend to use it. Just type “protein” into the search box on my blog. TONS of recipes should come up.
Hi what can I use in place of (if there is anything) the grass fed gelatin?
OH and I love your site, it is wonderful to find it! Thank you
YOu can skip it, if necessary.
Can you recommend the baking time for a 9 x 9 square pan? Thank you so much! Love your recipes!
Start with 12 minutes, then check frequently after htat.
I bakedine for 20 minutes using dutch cocoa and the center is still soupy. Used 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) almond milk. Should I just keep baking it until set?
Did you bake them in a glass or ceramic pan?
I made this last night & even cut it in 16 pieces! So delightful. Hubby liked it, too. Added a spoonFULL of whipped cream. This truly hit the spot as it’s pungent & so satisfying to the pallet. Thank YOU!
Have you tried doubling the recipe in a 13×9? Wondering if that would still cook through ok and if so how to adjust baking temp and/or time? The 8×8 pan is gone so quick LOL
Hi can I use Monk Fruit instead of Swerve or do you think they bake differently?
By monk fruit, I am guessing you really mean an erythritol sweetener with a little monk fruit in it. If that’s the case, then it will be fine.
These were delicious brownies, easy to mix up, and baked evenly. They had a light sponge cake texture which threw me off at first bite, vs. chewy, yet I will make them again for sure. Thank s for the recipe.
They are definitely not sponge-cake like so… something went wrong. Not sure what without more info!
These are the freaking best keto brownies ever!! I make them for every tailgate here in Georgia and my friends rave about them. OH and so easy to whip up too. Thx Carolyn.
The brownies turned out great. I had been buying keto-friendly brownie mixes, but making them from scratch turned out so well (and so much cheaper) that I will make them from now on.
I just made these brownies this afternoon and they amazing in both texture and taste. I will definitely add this recipe to my list of favorite low carb treats! I made a couple of very minor changes; Bochasweet instead of Swerve, pecans instead of chocolate chips, and 3 extra large eggs instead of just large (that’s all I had). With the extra large eggs, it was runny enough that I didn’t add any water.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I’m wanting to add raspberry flavor to these brownies. Could I add some raspberry syrup in place of some of the water? If so should I remove some of the sweetener? Thank you again for these amazing brownies.
Please delete this comment as I couldn’t find my previous comment so I wrote a new one, but then I found it.
If I’m wanting to add some raspberry flavor could I add some sugar free raspberry syrup instead of water? If so should I add less sweetener?
I don’t know what syrup you intend to use so I can’t really guide you as to how to reduce the sweetener. I think you will need to experiment.
Thank you. I was going to use the sugar free Torani syrup.
OMG!!! Just made these, they are EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!!!! Gone are ALL the other recipes in my book. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
Life is good , AGAIN!!!!
Glad you enjoyed them!
Just made these! so good!! Will try the others too!
Great to hear!
can I use plain gelatin not beef?
I am not sure what you mean, since most gelatin is made from beef. Some is made from pork but that’s not as common.
These are delicious! The next day they were even more chewy, thank you!