These keto chocolate fudge crumb bars are my healthy answer to an old Starbucks favorite. With less than 3g net carbs per serving, it’s a delicious sugar-free dessert you won’t want to miss!
I used to be such a Starbucks aficionado. It’s funny but I don’t go at all anymore unless I am traveling somewhere and in desperate need of a cuppa joe. I much prefer to make my own coffee and specialty drinks at home. Or maybe I have just become THAT anti-social.
I do have fond memories of their old baked goods, back when quality mattered to them. And I have created any number of low carb copycat recipes, like Keto Maple Pecan Scones and Keto Frappuccinos.
To be honest, my healthier versions are just as good as, or possibly even better than, the originals. And these Keto Fudge Crumb Bars are no exception!
Why this recipe rocks!
I really used to love the oatmeal fudge bars, with a delicious crumbly crust and rich chocolate filling. So how does one replicate that same crumbly, buttery crust in a low carb way?
You will be happy to hear that it’s not that hard. Done correctly, almond flour makes a great crumb crust for keto baked goods. It really comes down to the right ratio of almond flour, sweetener, and butter. I always like to add in a bit of coconut flour too, to dry out the mixture. I’ve used similar crusts in recipes like Keto Caramel Butter Bars and Keto Pumpkin Coffee Cake.
The filling is a simple keto chocolate ganache with a little added thickener. It’s like chocolate sauce when you pour it over but it becomes a thick, delicious fudgy layer as it bakes. The end result is spectacularly delicious!
Reader Reviews
“These were absolutely AMAZING!! I can’t believe they are low carb. No one would ever suspect. The only thing I did differently was add extra sweetener because the chocolate was pretty bitter and I’m not a fan of extra bitter chocolate. Thank you once again, Carolyn, for a marvelous dessert!” — Nancy
“OK it doesn’t get any better than this – quick and simple recipe, easy to throw together in a jiffy and tastes great! This one is a home run. This was a hit with everyone – keto, gluten free or people with no dietary restrictions. Everyone LOVES these bars. I have already been asked to bring these to the next family gathering. Thank you for an AMAZING recipe!!!” — Joyce
“Made this recipe over the weekend & delighted how easy to make!! Definitely another winner!! I was amazed how the chocolate ganache turned out. Thank you for sharing this fudgy delight with us!!! Your baking tips & videos are great & so beneficial for successful outcomes!!” — Diana
Ingredients You Need
- Almond flour: You really do need to use a good finely ground almond flour for this recipe.
- Sweetener: Erythritol based sweeteners will give you the best results for the crust. But you can use other sweeteners in the filling. See the Tips for Success for more information.
- Coconut flour: A little coconut flour gives the cake a lighter, fluffier consistency. It also helps cut down in fat and calories!
- Butter: For a dairy free option you can swap it out for coconut oil or palm shortening.
- Heavy whipping cream: A good chocolate ganache always starts with heavy cream!
- Unsweetened chocolate: Do note that this is completely unsweetened chocolate, meaning it doesn’t contain any sweeteners at all. I recommend getting a good brand like Guittard or Ghirardelli, as they are less likely to seize.
- Glucomannan: This helps the fudge filling thicken. You can also use xanthan gum.
- Pantry staples: Vanilla extract and salt.
Step by Step Directions
1. Make the crumb crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, and salt. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract and toss until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Bake the bottom crust: Press ⅔ of the mixture firmly into bottom a greased 8×8 baking pan. Bake at 325ºF for 8 minutes, until just golden on the edges and then remove (it will not be baked through).
3. Prepare the fudge filling: In a large saucepan, heat the whipping cream and powdered sweetener over medium heat, stirring to combine. Bring to barely a simmer and remove from heat. Add the chopped chocolate and let sit 5 minutes to melt.
4. Pour over the crust: Whisk filling until smooth, then add the vanilla. Sprinkle with glucomannan and whisk to combine. Pour the filling over the crust and spread to the edges.
5. Bake the bars: Sprinkle the surface with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.
Tips for Success
You want the crust mixture to resemble coarse crumbs, so if it’s too soft, add a little more almond or coconut flour to help thicken it.
Unsweetened chocolate makes a better fudge filling because it thickens up better than sugar-free brands like Lily’s or ChocZero. You can use these if you like but your filling may be a little too soft.
Sweetener Options
An erythritol based sweetener is your best bet for the crust in this recipe. Allulose sweeteners will make it too soft and hard to pick up. If you want to cut back on the erythritol, try using only ⅓ cup and adding a little stevia extract to make it sweeter.
The filling should work with both erythritol and allulose, although it may take longer to firm up properly with allulose. Make sure you use a powdered sweetener. I don’t recommend stevia extract here, as it can be very bitter when directly combined with chocolate.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make a wonderful crumb crust with almond flour, coconut flour, sweetener and butter. It’s great on everything from keto coffee cake muffins to Keto Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars.
These crumb bars will be good on the counter for up to 5 days, as long as you are not in a hot area. Otherwise, keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze these bars. Wrap them up tightly and store in a freezer safe container for several months.
This keto fudge crumb bar recipe has 5.4g of carbs and 2.7g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.7g net carbs per bar.
Keto Fudge Crumb Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon glucomannan (or xanthan gum)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and grease an 8×8 inch metal baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, coconut flour, and salt. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract and toss until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press ⅔ of the mixture firmly into bottom prepared baking pan. Bake 8 minutes, until just golden on the edges and then remove (it will not be baked through).
- In a large saucepan, heat the whipping cream and powdered sweetener over medium heat, stirring to combine. Bring to barely a simmer and remove from heat. Add the chopped chocolate and let sit 5 minutes to melt.
- Whisk filling until smooth, then add the vanilla. Sprinkle with glucomannan and whisk to combine. Pour the filling over the crust and spread to the edges.
- Sprinkle the surface with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, until topping is golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.
Video
Christina says
Mine looked just like yours, it looked really great. It was not sweet enough for us and I had put in 1 full cup of powdered erythritol. I used high quality organic unsweetened chocolate. I only had organic half and half on hand so I used that. still, I don’t think this recipe will be sweet enough for most people.
Carolyn says
Actually most people are giving it rave reviews. You may want to try adding 1/2 tsp liquid stevia extract to things to up the sweet factor. But I’ve had tons of people make this and say they love it, so I think it’s fair to say that it will be sweet enough for most.
laurasmess says
Omg. These look so incredibly chocolatey!!! Such a gorgeous recipe Carolyn. I love the fact that this bridal shower for Stephie has brought such a lovely group of women together – it’s a privilege to be a part of it and to ‘meet’ you all! Definitely want to try these soon. So excited for our friend Stephie! 🙂 x
katya says
Yum these look delicious! I really want to make these for an Easter dessert 🙂 I’m just wondering, does the chocolate filling firm up after they’ve cooled? Do they need to be refrigerated before eating them? I just want them to turn out perfect and I knew I’d find the perfect holiday treats on your blog 🙂 Thank you!
Carolyn says
No need to refrigerate and yes, the chocolate filling firms up well.
Estelle says
You are a genius and I couldn’t be happier with the result of my effort, considering all my substitutes! Almond flour is just too expensive in SA and we don’t have swerve… The top of my squares didn’t look as pretty as yours but it tasted AMAZING ! All the recipes I tried from your blog have been successful. You are truly a gifted lady. Thank you for making our lives so much easier and tastier, being a chocoholic is tricky when a person is avoiding sugar. Have a blessed Easter !
Nancy says
These were absolutely AMAZING!! I can’t believe they are low carb. No one would ever suspect. The only thing I did differently was add extra sweetener because the chocolate was pretty bitter and I’m not a fan of extra bitter chocolate. Thank you once again, Carolyn, for a marvelous dessert!
Jennifer says
I substituted 1/2 almond meal (the other half blanched almond flour) and canned full fat coconut milk and the result was a rather runny filling with a slightly mushy base. I also Used reg erythritol with a few drops of Stevia Glycenate and the filling had an initial bitterness. I took them on a work trip and they were delicious and held the shape better on the second and third day.
Terri says
PLEASE help a desperate girl who has food allergies to gluten, dairy, egg, rice, and potato among others. I have a disabling genetic connective tissue and joint disorder that makes cooking or anything standing up, difficult, but I have to cook all of my own foods. I see you have suggested full fat coconut milk for the dairy, what about using regular sugar instead of swerve? You have almond flour recipes which I need, but not sure if your other recipes are conducive to substitutions with flax eggs, and dairy substitutes. Thank you so much!
Carolyn says
Many of my recipes would hold up to dairy substitutes but I really don’t know about the flax eggs at all. Sorry, I haven’t tried that in most recipes because they rely so much on eggs to rise. But I think regular sugar would work well in this recipe.
stephanie says
These look delicious! I wonder if it’s a regional Starbucks item, because I’ve only ever seen blueberry oat bars. They look really similar to your bars, just blueberry instead of fudge. Anyhoo, I’ll def try these! Thanks for the recipe!
Jackie says
I love your recipes! 🙂 But I often hesitate to make them because they call for butter, and I’m sensitive to dairy. (I am not sure if butter would have the same effect as cheese, yoghurt, milk, etc, but I don’t really want to find out).
Can coconut oil be used to replace butter in your recipes pretty standard? Is there something that needs to be done to make the alteration effective? I’d love to try making these bars but obviously can’t due to the whip cream. However, in other recipes I’m wondering re: butter and coco oil swap.
Thanks for your advice (and your consistently lovely blog posts)!.
J.
Carolyn says
I think coconut oil is going to make these too soft. But what about ghee? It has most of the milk solids removed. Another possibility is that i discovered goat’s milk butter the other day, that might work. For the filling here, you can use coconut milk.
Stephie says
I am just so blown away by everyone’s love and kind words today! Thank you so much for celebrating me – I am so grateful and so touched! Ill be sure to try to keep your words in mind in a couple of weeks and know that, at the end of the day a long as we are married it is a win. 🙂 xoxo
Carolyn says
Congratulations, Stephie and remember to just relax and enjoy the day!!!
Tess Harris says
Thanks for all the grain/carb alternative recipes. I have recently gone grain free and you are a BIG help.
Amy @Very Culinary says
Yay for Stephie! These look awesome. Serving size, 1 bar. Bwahahahahaha.
April says
These look amazing! I always have almond flour around because I make almond milk but I don’t have xanthan gum. Is there something I can use instead? Thanks!
Carolyn says
I just used the xanthan to help thicken the sauce a bit, as it was a bit too runny. You could maybe do a tbsp or two of cocoa powder, making sure to whisk it in well.
Debbie T says
I don’t have xanthan gum either but I do have glucomannan powder that I use to thicken gravy. Would that work as a substitute? I would have to order xanthan gum online and wait for delivery (little or no shopping choices on the Oregon coast!). Thanks for the great recipe!! Can’t wait to try it.
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking says
Forget Starbucks when you have these!!! Yesss! Great wedding advice. It was drizzling at my outdoor wedding but I really think that me not caring made it go away sooner! I also cry at every wedding except my own haha, so you’re not alone in that!
Patti says
Carolyn, I found your site recently and have to say it’s become my favorite of all the recipe blogs with all your low-carb and sugar-free recipes and tips. I am excited whenever I see your email in my inbox. I melted Lily’s SF chocolate bars today to encase cream cheese & almond butter filled chocolate mini-cups (added toasted pecans in the cheese/butter filling)–then froze them to avoid temptation after one. I love all your chocolate desserts so will have to try this one, too, looks great! Thanks again for recipes and nutritional net carb info!
Carolyn says
Thanks for your kind words, Patti!
Julia says
These would be the end of me! I love the fudge in there.
Diane says
Looks simply delish and can’t wait to make them, Carolyn. Are these ok to freeze? I’m afraid I’d devour them and need a safety net – aka the freezer! Thanks for doing all the hard work for us and coming up with fantastic delights!
Carolyn says
I didn’t try freezing them but I think they’d be fine.
Susan says
Hi Carolyn,
I frequently see shredded coconut in ‘healthy’ dessert recipes, but I don’t like shredded coconut. Would you suggest an alternative? Thanks!
Carolyn says
In this case, it gives the right texture for the crumb crust. But you could use flax seed meal instead, that would help.
Rachel says
Does the coconut in the crust give a noticeable taste? I don’t like coconut but wouldn’t want to mess up the texture!
Carolyn says
No, it just gives it the right texture.
Joan E says
I didn’t have any problem when I froze mine. I cut into small bite size pieces and when I need a quick treat these are perfect. They are rich and just what I need to get thru a “snack attack”.
Lori says
I am so happy to find your site. These fudge crumb bars look and sound amazing. Appreciate the healthful approach, too! Never heard of Swerve – enlighten me please. Also, any suggestions for a sub on the whipping cream? I am lactose intolerant. : – (
Carolyn says
Hi Lori. Swerve is a very popular sugar alternative made from erythritol (a sugar alcohol with none of the side effects of most sugar alcohols for most people). It technically has carbs but they never enter the blood stream. I see this on myself because i test my blood sugar regularly. So it’s a great way to get a sweet treat without the sugar! And yes, for whipping cream you can use full fat coconut milk, the kind from a can.
Jean says
I have a corn I tolerance. I have heard some erythritol is made from corn, and some made from birch. Do you know if this brand contains corn? I would love to try it, but have to be sure it is corn free. TYIA
Carolyn says
I have no idea.
Jennifer B Jensen says
…the erythritol in Swerve Sweetener is created by fermenting glucose from non-GMO corn with Moniliella pollinis, a yeast-like
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/swerve-sweetener#ingredients
Beth says
This recipe looks wonderful. A question though. If I want to use coconut flour in the crust,how much would I use.
Thanks,
Beth
Carolyn says
It’s not a good recipe for coconut flour.
Julia says
So happy to be joining you in this lovely celebration! I loved your advice to Steph – I know she’ll definitely heed it on the big day! These crumb bars look absolutely fabulous and since they’re healthful, I bet they’re way better than the real thing! I’m all about un-processed sweeteners and have never heard of swerve, so I’ll have to give it a try!! Have a wonderful Monday!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
I loooove decadent desserts that are on the healthy side!!! These look delish and are such a great way to celebrate Stephie! As an engaged lady myself-I loved your advice!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Kayle!