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 1/3 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 1/2 cups (175.5 g) walnut pieces, divided
- 1 cup (112 g) almond flour
- 2/3 cup (121.33 g) Swerve brown
- 1/4 cup (27 g) collagen protein powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 1/3 cup (72.67 g) walnut oil, (or avocado oil)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla
- 3 ounces (85.05 g) 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.
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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yum! I love blondies! They look great!
These Blondies look fantastic! I'll be passing this onto my Gluten Intolerant Mum-In_Law.
I have a confession to make. I've never made blondies before. But, I love walnuts, too. As noted by the gigantic tin of fresh walnuts sitting in my kitchen just waiting for a good crackin'.
BTW, I loved your perspectives on the various nut varieties. I seriously laughed out loud. Thanks for the giggles. And awesome recipe!!
I love these! They look so chewy and nutty, yum.
Fabulous blog, Carolyn! I've added you to my favorite blogs. Hope you have a wonderful low-carb Thanksgiving! 🙂
I love love love blondies! These sound incredible!
Hi!
Just to let you know that little award is waiting for you at my blog!
These look great! My mom is on a low carb diet…I think I will make these for her Thanksgiving dessert! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I love your comparisons of the nuts to people. I've always been somewhat of a walnut. I'll be trying these soon.
I think I may be a cross between an almond and a walnut! Haha, love these descriptions but digging the look of these fab blondies even more!
I appriciate that these are heart healthy! They look absolutely delicious! All chock full of goodies!
First of all, your use of fake expletives is always excused, especially when they do indeed look freaking good!
Those look great, Carolyn!!! Mmmmmmm….
Wow,che vera golosità questi dolcetti Cara!!!!!
Buonissimi oltre che belli anche da vedere..:-)
Bravissima e buon sabato a prest!!! :-***
Carolyn!! You are definitetly my new low carb gluten free gal.. I love the recipes and will be trying lots of them for sure..B
You love me, you really love me! (I'm a walnut)
These blondies looks fabulous!