I have tested dozens of keto brownie recipes over the years, trying to nail that perfect balance of crisp edges and a fudgy, gooey center. And THIS is the recipe that I come back to every time. It has everything you want in a brownie, without the sugar, carbs, or grains.
And it is the basis for so many other delicious treats, like Keto Peanut Butter Brownies and Keto German Chocolate Brownies. I mean, why mess with perfection? These keto brownies lend themselves so well to delicious toppings and frostings.
It took some experimenting, but I finally cracked the code to get that chewy brownie texture. The secret is so simple! A little gelatin mixed in with the almond flour and cocoa powder makes them ultra-moist and fudgy.
And they are so darn easy to make – one bowl and 35 minutes to pure chocolate bliss. I guarantee this will become your go-to keto brownie recipe. Top them with a scoop of keto ice cream or a drizzle of keto chocolate sauce for a seriously decadent experience.
Reader’s Thoughts
“This brownie exceeded my expectations of a brownie taste to the max. Most brownies are dry but this recipe takes them to another level and this is one of my favorite keto dessert recipes ever. If your on keto or not you need to make these yummy gooey brownies they definitely will put a smile on your face!” — Melinda S.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- So easy! Whip up this keto brownie batter in one bowl, and they’re ready for the oven.
- Rich flavor: If you’re a chocoholic like me, you will adore the deep chocolate flavor.
- Perfect texture: They have that wonderful chewy, fudgy texture that make brownies so unique.
- Low carb: They are very low in carbs, with only 3.6 grams per serving.
- Make ahead recipe: These brownies store well in the fridge or freezer so you can make a batch and enjoy them at your leisure.
- A crowd pleaser: Readers love them and many people say that no one can tell they are keto-friendly!
Ingredient Notes
- Almond flour: Make sure you are using a finely ground almond flour for the best consistency. But these also work well with sunflower seed flour, for a nut-free option.
- 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.
- Gelatin: I like to use grass-fed gelatin for my 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.
- Sweetener: I recommend an erythritol-based sweetener for this recipe. Using another sweetener will change the texture and consistency. Learn more about keto sweeteners here.
- Chocolate chips: Make sure to choose keto-friendly chips like Lily’s or ChocZero.
- Baking staples: Butter, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt.
How to Make Keto Brownies
- Combine the wet ingredients: Whisk together the wet ingredients, including the butter, sweetener, eggs, and vanilla extract. The sweetener goes in with the wet ingredients to help it dissolve.
- Add the dry ingredients: Mix in 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.
- Thin the batter. 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. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Bake the brownies: Spread the batter in na 8-inch metal baking pan and bake 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 before cutting into bars.
Tips for Success
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. They may also get over-cooked on the edges while the center stays liquid.
How much water you need depends on how absorbent your cocoa powder is. Add a little at a time so you don’t thin out the batter too much. It should be the same consistency as conventional brownie batter.
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. You can also use other nut or seed flours.
- 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 to achieve the best texture. Other sweeteners like BochaSweet and allulose will make them more cakey and soft.
Keto Brownies
Equipment
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
- 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
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional brownies are not keto-friendly, as they contain plenty of flour and sugar. A conventional brownie has more than 30 grams of carbs! But these fudgy keto brownies are made with almond flour and alternative sweetener, so you can indulge on a keto diet.
This recipe requires a nut or seed flour. However I have a delicious coconut flour brownie recipe, if you prefer to use it.
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.
This fudgy keto brownie recipe has 3.6g of carbs and 2.4g of fiber per serving. 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.
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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These are the best brownies … keto or otherwise! My kids and husband can’t get enough of them.
Why is this one not my first choice when I google Keto Brownies? It is the best and only recipe you will need!
I need to make these
You refer the batter as thick but pourable. Made the cinnamon coffee cake and the batter was very thick. I even added more water than was called for. How do I determine what is thick but pourable? The coffee cake was very good but it took a long time to cook and was dry. Should batter be like cake batter or is that too thin?
Thick as in not runny. And pourable as in you don’t have to scoop it from the bowl into the pan, but you can actually pour it in. Does that help?
These brownies are amazing. I have tried multiple keto brownies recipes, and wasn’t satisfied by any of them. But the taste and texture of these is superior! Just like “regular” brownies, and the crispy edges make them irresistible.
I am delighted to hear that!
I don’t have Grassfed Gelatin can I use Knox Gelatin instead?
Please read the blog post! 🙂
Dear Carolyn: I was hoping for an answer to my comment of Oct 15, but did not get one. If I made a ganache out of 1/3 c heavy cream and 2 T sugarless chocolate chips (as in your chocolate torte recipe topping), could you please tell me what that would do to the computed carb count for the brownie recipe. Thanks, SKJ
1/3C heavy cream is 2 carbs then depending on which chocolate chips you use it will be an additional 0-2 carbs (you’ll have to check the nutrition on the bag of chips) so add 2-4 carbs for your topping. DIvide those carbs by how many servings (16 servings would add an additional .12-.25 carbs per serving ) hope this helps. calculating is relatively easy..
I have printed up a list of the common ingredients I use and their nutritional information so its easy for me to look up the macros for whatever I’m making., this way, I’m completely accurate in my calculations. Happy baking!
I am sorry, you will need to calculate any additions like that yourself. Should be pretty easy with an online calculator.
Made these brownies Friday with the addition of 1/3 c toasted chopped walnuts. They came out fabulous. You mention optional ganache frosting. If I used your 1/3c whipping cream, 2oz sugar free chocolate chips from the torte recipe to top it, can you tell me what it would do to the carb count for the recipe ?? Thanks, so much, SKJ
I have been searching for the best brownie recipe for a long time. I finally found it here after 10 other recipes…everything a brownie should be…chewy and gooey in the middle. I paired it with your vanilla ice cream…WOW…so creamy. Together pure heaven!!!
That’s so great to hear!
Oh my, these are the best! I used nuts but no chocolate chips and they still looked just like the photos—I don’t know when that has ever happened. So very tasty (I also added some espresso powder) and tender. This one’s a keeper!! Thank for this delicious gluten free brownie recipe. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Waiting for my latest batch of these to cool. The waiting is so hard. These are a favorite of ours.
I made this recipe with organic cacao powder,(that I got for making chocolate) and it came out a little bitter. should I have used cocoa powder or backed off of the amount of cacao powder used?
You should have used Dutched cocoa. Cacao is always bitter unless you up the sweetener.
I made the brownies and frosted them with peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Delicious
These turned out great! Just the right amount of sweetness , nice and chocolaty. I will up the chocolate chips a bit next time. Maybe add nuts too!
Is there another name or another option for grass fed gelatin? Is this the same as unflavored Knox gelatin, like you use to make finger jello?
It’s not the same (it’s higher quality) but you can use Knox.
Hello, I really like your recipes but I have a question that crosses my mind every time. When you put in the “large egg” recipes, these are eggs of about how many grams (if I can have the weight please, specifying whether it is with or without the shell). THANKS
You can Google that! 🙂 I don’t weight my eggs.