Heart healthy walnuts and dark chocolate chunks abound in these gooey, sweet keto blondies. They’re dairy-free and full of healthy fats. With only 2.7g net carbs per serving.
Once upon a time, about a billion years ago, I took a stab at making keto-friendly blondies. They turned out really well, and I was delighted to have such a healthy, low carb sweet treat that didn’t spike my blood sugar.
Then I went on to create many more Keto Brownies and Bars, and I forgot about the walnut blondies altogether. But I recently happened upon them again and thought they looked delicious. In the intervening billion years (okay, 12 years, but close enough), I have expanded my keto baking skills and thought I might make them even better.
Did I pull it off? Well let me just say that these keto walnut blondies FAR exceeded my expectations. They are so delectable, and have the ideal texture. Tender, a little gooey, and with a slight chewiness. The chunks of sugar-free chocolate don’t hurt either!
Why you need to try these walnut blondies
Not only are these blondies keto and sugar-free, but they are also completely dairy-free. And I honestly think that makes them even more gooey and appealing.
Following my original recipe, I used ground walnuts are part of the flour. I also used walnut oil rather than butter, to bring out more flavor. The results were spectacular.
Walnuts are an incredibly healthy choice for keto baked goods. They have a much higher ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids than other nuts, offering our bodies more heart healthy fats.
And they add wonderful crunch and flavor to keto dinners and baked goods. I have so many wonderful recipes that use these healthy nuts to advantage, like Walnut Chicken and Keto Coffee Cake. And I love adding some to my Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Ingredients
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- Walnuts: Walnuts make up the bulk of this recipe. Chop half a cup of the walnuts coarsely and grind the rest to a flour.
- Almond flour: You need a little more flour for the blondies and I recommend blanched almond flour for a finer texture.
- Swerve Brown: This brown sugar replacement gives the blondies a deeper flavor than granular sweetener.
- Collagen: You don’t have to use collagen but it does give the blondies a chewier, richer texture. I love Perfect Keto Collagen.
- Walnut oil: Walnut oil in walnut blondies just makes sense! However, I know not everyone can get hold of it, so you can use any neutral tasting oil, like avocado or even light olive oil.
- Eggs: You need one whole egg and one egg yolk. The yolk makes the blondies more gooey.
- Sugar free dark chocolate: I used dark chocolate for this recipe, because it goes so well with walnuts. You can use ChocZero, Lily’s, or your favorite brand.
- Pantry staples: Baking powder, salt, vanilla
Step by Step Directions
1. Chop and grind the nuts: Coarsely chop half a cup of the walnuts and set aside. Place the remaining 1 cup of walnuts in a food processor and process until finely ground. Do not let them become walnut butter!
2. Combine the dry ingredients: Transfer to a large bowl and add the almond flour, sweetener, collagen, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine well.
3. Stir in the wet ingredients: Add the oil, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until the dough comes together. Stir in the chopped walnuts and the chopped chocolate.
4. Bake the blondies: Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is just barely set. They will still be very soft.
Expert tips
Don’t grind too much! If you keep grinding the walnuts past the point where they become finely ground, you will end up with walnut butter.
If you prefer, you can use butter in this recipe. Just melt ⅓ cup of butter and stir it in along with the other wet ingredients.
Don’t over-bake! Make sure you keep your eyes on them and take them out when the edges are set and brown but the top is still a little soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Walnuts are low in carbs and high in healthy fats, so they are great choice for keto dieters. Eat them plain as a snack, add them to salads, or cook and bake with them. They add plenty of nutrition to all your meals.
Blondies become crumbly when they are over-baked or don’t have enough fats and eggs to hold them together. For these keto blondies, make sure to let them cool completely before trying to cut them into bars.
Store these walnut blondies on the counter in a covered container for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for up to 10 days. Make sure they are tightly wrapped up so that they don’t dry out. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months.
More recipes you might enjoy
Walnut Blondies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups walnut pieces divided
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅔ cup Swerve brown
- ¼ cup collagen protein powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup walnut oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3 ounces sugar free dark chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF and grease an 8×8 inch metal baking pan.
- Coarsely chop half a cup of the walnuts and set aside. Place the remaining 1 cup of walnuts in a food processor and process until finely ground. Do not let them become walnut butter!
- Transfer to a large bowl and add the almond flour, sweetener, collagen, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine well.
- Add the oil, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until the dough comes together. Stir in the chopped walnuts and the chopped chocolate.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is just barely set. They will still be very soft.
- Remove and let cool completely before cutting into bars.
Linda Phillips says
What if I don’t have a food processor? How do I ground the walnuts?
Carolyn says
Not really sure what to say. Perhaps you can google that.
Tori says
These are to die for. I don’t even love walnuts. I mean, they are OK… but I wouldn’t choose them. BUT WOW. These blondies are to me, better than chocolate brownies and I don’t even believe I am saying that. I am back to this page to find the link to the walnut oil. It’s ordered now. I’m going to test these with the walnut oil whenever it gets here. I have learned to trust these recipes, and I want to support this page as much as I can. These recipes are what keeps me keto for a few years now. Thank you so much.
DeeDee says
Can I substitute grass fed gelatin for the collagen, and if so, how much?
Carolyn says
Use 1/4 cup
Melanie Colvard says
Just made today. Amazing. Taking on our road trip. Thank you!
Sarah B says
We made these blondies today. We love them!! So moist and chewy!! Definitely going to make these again!
Paula Gustafson says
These are absolutely delicious. I’m not inclined to bake anything too fancy, just cookies or brownies. These are perfect! I was initially unenthusiastic about the brown sugar replacement I had which was allulose. I found swerve brown and it’s a world of difference. Soooo tasty.
Dawn Fallt says
Could I bake in glass 8 x 8? Temp safe? Line with parchment ?
Thx
Dawn says
These are so delicious and decadent. I have made these numerous times and they always turns out delicious! What a treat! Thank you for yet another amazing recipe.
Amy Cronin says
I received a bottle of pecan oil from a friend for Christmas, and used that (and pecans) in place of the walnuts. I also left out the chocolate chips. This is a real winner! Thank you!
Carolyn says
Excellent!
JohnnyBinAZ says
Coconut oil???
Jane says
yes I’m wondering the same thing too. can we use coconut oil instead of avocado oil?
Carolyn says
Sure.