
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.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!




Well, I didn’t have the gelatin. Hubby can’t get past the cooling effects of Swerve (I don’t get it) so I use xylitol and stevia. I must have baked them too long as they weren’t fudgy. ??? Help. Just gotta get some fudgy brownies!
Well, you’ve changed the recipe significantly so I don’t really know what to say. They may bake very differently using xylitol and without the gelatin, I can’t guarantee the fudginess.
I made these today and they are amazing! I did make a couple of small changes – reduced the Swerve by half (so just 1/3 cup), as I personally find it sometimes to be a bit too sweet. I also added 1/3 cup of unsweetened organic shredded coconut (having just seen Carolyn’s Almond Joy Brownies recipe made me hungry for coconut!). I love how chocolately and chewy they came out – and not too sweet! I’ve never used the gelatin in baking before but I’m a convert now – they hold together very well! Love your recipes Carolyn!
They all sound like great tweaks to me!
Just made my 4th batch of these fantastic brownies!! Thank you so much for all your hard work and experimenting so we can benefit. I made one little mistake and forgot to add the water but they turned out perfectly anyway. Would you mind explaining the purpose of the gelatin (I use it – just curious about how it works) – hopefully I’m not asking you to repeat yourself…I read everything posted, but might have missed this. Thanks again and keep on keeping on!!
In this recipe, the gelatin really helps give the brownies some chewiness. Not quite sure how it does that except that it gels things a bit together!
Can I use regular gelatin that isn’t grassfed? I have an orange box of Knox gelatin in my cupboard.
So I made these but for some reason I thought the recipe said 1 tsp of salt (which it doesn’t) so they were suuuper salty haha. The texture was so fudgey though! I couldn’t get past the excess salt however so they went into the compost bucket (womp-womp). I will try them again and be sure to follow the recipe this time 🙂
These we hands down the BEST keto brounies I have ever tried! So delicious! They will be my go to brownie recipe from now on. I made your caramel sauce to drizzle over top and that was perfect too… YUM! Thanks for creating such amazing recipes!
So glad to hear it!
Seriously, how easy are these to make? I had some almond milk I needed to use up, so use that instead of water. They are in the oven now and can’t wait for the family to try them! xx
These are legit my new favorite keto brownies! So close to the real thing, it’s insane! I did add a touch of espresso powder, and some chopped pecans to mine as well, which put it over the top. Definitely try this recipe!
These are fantastic! My husband (who doesn’t like sweets or eat low carb) said, “These are good. They don’t taste diety at all.” lol I think that’s the best praise you could get!
Chocolate is my life and if you’re saying a non-sweets addict approves then I am definitely trying out this recipe!
Thank you for the recipe ! The flavour is amazing 🙂
I do have a question. How critical is the gelatine ? I made them this morning and they rose nicely and as mentioned , the flavour is great , but I found the texture to be a tad … watery? I’m wondering if it’s because I left out the gelatine entirely or if maybe I could have added a bit less than the 1/4 cup of water?
Thanks again !
I think that either your cocoa powder or your almond flour is the more likely culprit if the are watery.
These are now my go-to brownies!!! Incredible… thanks for sharing this!!
Should I keep them in the refridge, or is on the counter for a couple days ok?
They are fine on the counter for 2 days but should be refrigerated after that.
Heard your One-bowl Brownies are amazing. Can you share this recipe please? Thanks!
No, I am sorry. Those are in Easy Keto Desserts https://amzn.to/2BdOfBP
I’ve made these twice so far and the whole family loves them – if they win my two girls over, they’re a keeper in my book!! Great recipe.
Thank you! Thank you! I’ve been wanting to make fudgy brownies for us for so long! I didn’t see them on your site…my oversight I guess. Eager to try these and others and I’ll let you know how we like ‘me. I like to keep us as low carb and sf as possible and hubby has been longing for fudgy brownie…to be continued. You Rock!
Just made these and I love, love, love them! They don’t have the cooling effect taste that Swerve sometimes has. BTW, I’ve followed you for years and consider you to be a woman of integrity and great creativity – not a copycat. Thank you!
I made these yesterday for a Birthday party we had in order to have a low carb / sugar free alternative to those who did not want a full fledge sugar carb loaded cake. They were such a hit! Even those who normally don’t eat the sugar free stuff tried them & were amazed they were sugar free & low carb.
The recipe was simple to put together & the taste was perfect. Thank you!
I always read reviews on recipes but normally don’t post my own opinion, but I have to chime in on these brownies. They are the best low-carb brownies ever! I used Hershey’s special dark cocoa in mine since I prefer dark chocolate. So good! Thank you!
Hi Denise! I just wanted you to know that “special dark” cocoa powder isn’t actually any deeper in chocolate content than regular (high quality) cocoa powder. They just dutch the powder, which means they add additives to it which makes it look darker in color. Unlike dark chocolate, You are actually probably getting less cocoa flavor using “dark” cocoa powder.
I learned this recently and felt duped, so I thought I would share. 🙂 Have a good day!