This easy Keto Brownie Bark recipe is a thin and crispy chocolate treat. If you love the crispy brownie edges the most, this is the recipe for you!
Who doesn’t love a good brownie? But we don’t always love them the same way. Some people love them gooey and fudgy, and others love them more soft and cakey. And still others love the crispy edges that are right up against the edge of the pan.
Well, this keto version of the famed Brownie Brittle is like the last kind of brownie. All crispy chocolate deliciousness, from start to finish.
I have a deep and abiding affection for my fudgy keto brownies and usually, the fudgier, the better. But I have to say, that this crispy keto brownie bark is such a delicious treat.
Why you must try this recipe
This low carb brownie bark recipe has been on my blog since 2013. A reader told me that they adored the Brownie Brittle® from Sheila’s and need a healthier replacement. It seemed like a great idea to me so I set about seeing if I could make something comparable with low carb ingredients.
I am absolutely thrilled with the results. They come together quickly and easily, and they use basic keto ingredients. To get them super crisp, I use the double-bake method, similar to making keto biscotti.
And this is a kid-pleaser of a recipe. I recently served it at a get together and it disappeared so fast, I only wished I’d made more.
Brownie Brittle is a trademarked term so I call my recipe Keto Brownie Bark. Or maybe Keto Brownie Crisps? Keto Crispy Brownies? Whatever you call them, they are delicious!
And they make fabulous Keto Christmas Cookies for sharing. Try them with peppermint or white chocolate chips!
Reader reviews
“Omg ! Wow! Just wowza! I made these brownie barks today following the video…
So easy, nothing went wrong. Let them cool and went for a hike …. Came back and these did not disappoint! I even gave them to someone who is NOT a fan of low carb no sugar….. and He said …… omg ! Wow! Thank you so much for this recipe! And I am at 7400 elevation…… still perfect!” — Dena
“You’re a Keto God. These were AMAZING. I bake a different recipe of yours every week to “meal prep dessert” (hehe) and these are going in the rotation.” — Kristin
“oH.mY.gOsH!!! I made these last night after finding your recipe. From licking the batter off the spoon, the smell while they were baking to the first taste of the finished product…. heavenly! I have made quite an array of low carb treats but this one….. WOW! Thank you! 🙂” — Stef B
Ingredients you need
- Almond flour: Make sure you are using a finely ground almond flour for the best consistency. For a nut free option, you can use sunflower seed flour.
- Egg whites room: Do not use packaged egg whites in this recipe. The pasteurization process can prevent egg whites from getting light and frothy when whipped. I have plenty of keto recipes that use egg yolks.
- Sweetener: You must use an erythritol based sweetener, with NO allulose or xylitol in it, for these to crisp up properly. This is vital to the success of the recipe.
- Cocoa powder: I prefer Dutch process cocoa powder when baking keto brownies, as it has a deeper, richer chocolate flavor.
- Instant coffee: This is optional, but it intensifies the chocolate flavor.
- Butter: Make sure to let it cool a bit before adding the sweetener and egg whites.
- Heavy whipping cream: You can also use almond milk.
- Sugar-free chocolate chips.
- Pantry staples: Baking powder, vanilla, and salt
Step by Step Directions
1. Mix the dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Whip the egg whites: In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they are frothy like soap bubbles, but not stiff like meringue.
3. Add the other ingredients: Beat in the sweetener, cocoa powder and instant coffee until smooth, then beat in melted butter, cream and vanilla. Add the almond flour mixture and beat until well combined.
4. Spread the mixture: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. Spread the batter onto the greased parchment into a rectangle about 12 by 8 inches. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
4. Bake: Bake at 325F for 18 minutes, until puffed and set. Remove from oven, turn oven off and let cool 15 minutes.
5. Cut into squares: Use a sharp knife or pizza wheel to cut into 2-inch squares, but don’t separate.
6. Bake again: Return to the warm oven for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up slightly. Remove, let coo completely and then break into squares.
Tips for Success
It is imperative to use an erythritol-based sweetener. This might be the most important factor here. Bocha Sweet, allulose, and xylitol all produce more cakey, less crispy results.
Use egg whites only, not the whole egg. Egg yolks contain a lot more fat and the brownie crisps don’t crisp up as nicely or as quickly.
Bake them twice. Just like biscotti, this copycat brownie brittle is soft after the first baking but continues to crisp up in a warm oven. If you are still having trouble getting them to crisp up, you can keep returning them to the warm (175ºF) oven until they do.
If you live in a humid environment, they may soften a bit during storage. But you an always re-crisp them in a warm oven, as outlined above.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is a “keto” version of Sheila’s Brownie Brittle but it’s not as low carb as this homemade Keto Brownie Bark. It also contains wheat, so it’s not great for anyone who wants to be gluten-free. My recipe is easy to make and totally gluten-free.
I recommend letting them cool completely and then simply storing in an airtight container on your counter. Dry crisp recipes like this don’t do as well in the fridge, as it’s a more humid environment and they can take on the moisture and become soft. These should be good for up to 5 days.
This keto brownie bark recipe has 4.3g of carbs and 2.8g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1.5g net carbs per serving.
More keto brownie deliciousness
Keto Brownie Bark Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (56 g) almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (91 g) erythritol sweetener
- 3 tbsp (15.22 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp instant coffee, (optional, intensifies chocolate flavors)
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, melted
- 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cups (60 g) sugar-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Beat in the sweetener, cocoa powder and instant coffee until smooth, then beat in melted butter, cream and vanilla. Add in the almond flour mixture and beat until well combined.
- Spread the batter onto the greased parchment into a rectangle about 12 by 8 inches. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
- Bake 18 minutes, until puffed and set. Remove , turn the oven off and let cool 15 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife or pizza wheel to cut into 2-inch squares, but don't separate. You should get about 24 squares. Return to the warm oven for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up slightly.
- Remove, let cool completely and then break into squares.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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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I call that commercial stuff “brownie crack” because it is highly addicting!!! Back in my pre-lower carbing days…
So you have my permission to call your version “Brownie Crack”!!!! ????????❤️
Thanks, Nancy!
I made these last night, and followed the recipe to a T. While they have a great brownie taste, I am unsure if the amount of sweetener is too much. They have an aftertaste from the amount of Stevia I used. I have used this Stevia before in other recipes, and have never had an issue with it tasting too sweet or have an aftertaste. I would like to lower the amount of sweetener added to the batter. How much would you recommend to decrease—by 1/4 cup? From 3/4 cup to 1/2 cup?
Yes, I’d say reducing by 1/4 cup would probably be a good place to start.
Ok thanks….and just one more question: Applesauce in brownies is generally a healthy alternative to the oil (or fat portion of brownie recipe) and sugar. Do you think there is a way to replace the butter and sweetener in this recipe with the applesauce? I am not knowledgeable about substituting dry and wet ingredients to equal the same finished product in the end.
Thank you!
Alaina, you’ve come to the wrong food blog if you want to replace the fat with something as high carb as applesauce. I believe butter and coconut oil to be some of the healthiest things you can eat. The point of this brownie bark is to be low carb and high fat. And applesauce would not work as it would not crisp up much at all. I think you’d end up with a gooey (and rather tasteless) mess on your hands.
I made these last night and they were so delicious but they never got crisp. As I sat eating them and pondering what to do with them my husband tasted them, loved it and told me to press it into a Tupperware container bottom and eat it a little at a time with a spoon if that worked. It was too good to dump out. I agreed. SO glad I did. It is now like Keto Fudge!!! I cut out a square and it is solid and just the right texture. YUM! I might like this better than it being bark like.
These were a complete failure. I followed the recipe exactly but they never did crisp up at all. I’m left with small, thin cakes. Don’t bother with these. Thanks for posting them but this recipe does not work.
Since the VAST majority of people have had success and since I have made this several times myself, I have to disagree. The recipe does work. Without being in your kitchen, I can’t say what went wrong, but something did. You say you followed the recipe exactly but I suspect one of two things… you used almond meal instead of almond flour and/or you used a different sweetener.
I made these tonight. The flavor was spot on what I wanted (I recently tried the commercial kind) but they never got crisp. I used half swerve & half xylitol for sweetener & used Wellbee super fine almond flour. I followed the cooking directions & when I saw they weren’t crisp I turned my convection oven on & cooked them at various low temps for the next 2 hours! They are perhaps a bit denser but still soft after cooling. I suppose the almond flour could be the culprit but mine is very finely ground, soft, high quality flour, same price as Honeyville & actually was recommended as being better so thought I’d try it. I have a hard time thinking it’s the problem, especially as several other folks have had the same problem. I really want this to work. Any ideas/suggestions? Like I said, the flavor is perfect…just need to get the crispiness!
I can almost guarantee you it’s the xylitol in this case. Xylitol is more hygroscopic than erythritol, meaning it attracts and holds on to moisture. So it’s not going to crisp up properly. You’d be better using all swerve or part swerve and part something else that has no bulk, like stevia.
Thanks so much! I will try that next time. I really like the flavor of Swerve, but unfortunately I am sensitive to the cooling effect in recipes where there is a large proportion of it used as compared to other ingredients. My entire family has commented on it so I assumed that it is more noticeable when it makes up a lot of the bulk. So in low carb baking it is not a problem to not have the full amount called for? I am just learning this process & I guess I just figured you have to make up lost bulk…
It really depends on the recipe. In this one, I think if you went with half the swerve and then maybe 1/4 o4 1/3 tsp of liquid stevia extract, it would still crisp up. I can’t say for sure, as I haven’t tried it but I think it would work better than xylitol.
I made these today, the flavor is great but I was unable to get them to crisp up. I’ll try again, even chewy they’re delicious!
Two questions…what brand of almond flour and what brand of sweetener? Either of those might be the culprit.
What size baking sheet did you use?
Never mind. I reread the recipe, and saw you said to spread it to a certain size.
Glad you found it!
Have you tried the THM Sweet Blend in place of swerve? I’m currently out of swerve and was just wondering if you knew the conversion of how much sweet blend equals 3/4 cup swerve?, I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks!
Lisa B
I have never used the THM sweeteners so I really can’t say, but I am sure someone on the group on Facebook knows!
Curious about sugar free chocolate chips. Do you order them? Purchase from Whole Foods? Lilly brand? Thanks so much! Love your site!!!
Yes, I use Lily’s from whole Foods.
Can you use carton egg whites in this? 2/3 cup for 2 egg whites?
I am not sure, they don’t whip as well but it’s worth a try.
Can you use carton egg whites and just substitute the appropriate amount?
I see a few people have complained about the cooling sensation from Swerve. I use Swerve a lot as I am an ADIDAF addict & I have noticed that some things I make have more of the cooling effect than others. This recipe definitely had a major cooling effect. Is it a chemical reaction with certain ingredients that makes it more pronounced in some recipes than others? Also, can I sub part liquid stevia for part Swerve?
I don’t get a cooling sensation from this but I do find it intensely sweet. So yes, I think you could sub out 1/4 cup of the swerve for maybe 1/4 tsp liquid stevia. Be sure to report back how it tastes!
These look amazing. My daughter is severly allergic to almond flour. I have refrained from making anything with it since I’m not sure of a good substitute. But this, I really think I need this in my life!! Any ideas on the best sub for almond flour. She is allergic to all tree nuts but is fine with peanuts. Thank you so much for any help!
How about sunflower seed flour?
What do do you mean by frothy egg whites? Whipped to white and fluffy? Thanks
No, just beat them until they are frothy like soap bubbles, not like meringue.
How about gluten-free all purpose flour? I’m new to this gluten-free, dairy-free diet and still trying to figure out correct/possible/permissable substitutes. Thanks!
That might work. It has less fat and is more absorbent than almond flour so you will probably need a bit less of it.
These are delicious! I have a hard time with swerve sweetened chocolate treats, but these are great!
I have successfully converted these with coconut flour, I did one batch with 1/4 cup coco flour and 4 egg whites. Another I used 1/4 cup coco flour and 3 whole eggs. I also used just 1/2 cup swerve, and subbed the butter for coco oil for each batch. Both batches were good, the whole egg batch rose just a little bit higher than the egg white batch. Only difference I noticed is there were a tad bit drier than the almond flour version, but still chewy when chilled.
Neither the almond flour version nor the coco flour version crisped up for me, but when chilled the chewiness makes up for the lack of crispiness.
We are long time low-carbers and we loved this recipe. A new treat that I will keep on hand from now on, thank you!
Do you know how well they freeze?
No idea if they freeze well since my family eats them too quickly. But I can’t see why not!