Look at me getting all sorts of philosophical here. But it’s true and this recipe is a perfect example. It is essentially a riff on Maria Emmerich’s Flourless Chocolate Torte, which she kindly allowed me to post a few weeks ago. I got thinking about how I wanted to add peanut butter to this torte, because I want to add peanut butter to pretty much everything. It’s a sickness, really. And then it somehow occurred to me that the basic torte batter would make a great brownie too. And suddenly I could see in my mind’s eye a perfect, dark dense brownie with swirls of peanut butter throughout. I knew it would be a match made in heaven.
Sometimes, however, reality doesn’t quite go as smoothly as the image in my head. I find that the ingredients didn’t quite combine the way I thought they would and I have to improvise. But the same can be said for language and writing. When sitting down to write, I have a basic structure in my head but sometimes as I go along, I find it’s not quite coming together the way I thought and I need to change tack. Again this recipe is a perfect example. When I’d mixed in my eggs, I found all of my oil rising to the surface of my batter and it wasn’t combining properly. I knew I needed something to bring it together, so I threw in a little almond flour and bingo. The oil reabsorbed and away we went. And when I first started writing this post, I had a different idea altogether. I’d written half of it when I hit upon the idea that food was like language, the way they both combine in infinitely unique ways. Suddenly I found myself writing a whole new post.
Food and language. Language and food. I love them both. I love the way I can play with them and rework them and reinvent them constantly. And I love the way they can both suddenly challenge me in the middle and force me to rethink my approach. A never-ending adventure.
Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies – Low Carb and Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoon 1 ¾ sticks butter or coconut oil
- 7 oz sugar free very dark chocolate (85 to 90% cacao)
- ⅔ cups Swerve Sweetener or granulated erythritol
- 5 large eggs
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- ½ cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F and grease an 8x8 inch baking pan.
- In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate together until smooth.
- Add the Swerve Sweetener and stir until well combined.
- Let cool 10 minutes.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
- Stir in the almond flour until batter is smooth.
- Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Drop peanut butter in spoonfuls over the surface of the batter and use a knife to swirl in and create a marbled effect.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until surface of brownies is just barely firm to the touch.
- Remove and let cool, then cut into squares.
Angela says
I accidentally got 73% cacao instead of 90% – will that still be ok to use you thinkj?
Carolyn says
Yes, it should still work just fine. But it will have more carbs.
Angela says
I also forgot to put the peanut butter on top before baking, omg! What a dummy I am! Think theyll taste ok still?
Carolyn says
Yes, but maybe spread with a little PB when they are cool, for extra flavour!
Lady Jennie says
I’ll be making this for guests on Sunday in a double batch, and the ice cream turtle pie for more guests on Saturday night (which means I need to start parts of it tomorrow).
And thank goodness for your blog because I now have to be serious about no sugar, and I don’t think I could do it there weren’t such delicious alternatives.
Carolyn says
Uh oh, why do you now have to be serious about no-sugar? One word of advice on the IC pie…Let it sit out a bit before serving because it does freeze quite hard. The joy of making ice cream without sugar!
Andrea Haney says
What size pan is this?
Andrea Haney says
Never mind! Just re-read. Sorry for my short attention span. Love your recipes!
Carolyn says
LOL! I was actually thinking “I am pretty sure I put the pan size in, it’s usually one of the first things I mention in the instructions!”. Glad you figured it out!
Caroline says
Do you have the calorie count on these delicious treats? I made them last night and when I tried them warm I wasn’t too impressed. But once they are left to sit out overnight, wow, totally different texture and taste in the morning. I’m addicted!
Carolyn says
That’s very typical of GF treats, they are best once they’ve cooled completely. I don’t count calories, but it should be pretty easy to enter the ingredients into some of the free online calculators to get a count. It won’t be low, though, I can tell you that much!
Nout says
I made these on Friday! I had to do a couple of substitutions because I didn’t have enough Swerve (put a little xylitol), only had chunky peanut butter (added a little PB2), only had unsweetened chocolate (added liquid sucralose). Had a hard time telling if they were done, but once the were refrigerated and cooled all the way through, they were yummy. Very fudgy, dense, and choco/peanut-buttery. I like to eat them with sugar free ice cream. Thanks Carolyn!
desertbronze says
I made these today. Did not have any erythritol, so used 1/2 cup of Splenda. I had checked a sweetener equivalent chart and thought that was the right amount. Texture was good, but they are very bitter. Will try a full cup of Splenda next time and I think they will be good to go.
Carolyn says
I don’t really think Splenda is a good substitute in these, and a full cup may leave you with a strong aftertaste. Just my opinion.
Tim Taylor says
Hello, I think your site is great and I am learning alot to help my low carb diet.
I have a couple of questions about this recipe; where does the 2.1 g of fiber come from? And I have not been able to find the cacao chocolate locally, is it unsweetened or sweetened with a sugar substitute? Thanks for your blog. It is becoming very useful to me. 🙂
Carolyn says
The fiber comes from both the chocolate and the almond flour, with are both high fiber. You can always make this with unsweetened chocolate, although you may want to increase the sweetener a bit if you do.
Tim Taylor says
Thanks Carolyn!
Catherine H. says
I have made these three times so far: they are easily in my top ten low carb desserts. They are rich and moist and filling–the perfect chocolate treat. The recipe turns out more like a flourless cake than a brownie, but that is not a complaint. I actually made these to go with the dulce de leche, so I made them without peanut butter the first time, then cut them in tiny squares and spread the dulce over them–it was over-the-top delicious! And I thought it was great when I saw you come out with a chocolate torte recipe for the same purpose.
Lisa says
Um. This is the best low carb treat I’ve had thus far of going low carb 6 month ago. Decadent, rich & moist chocolate with no aftertaste. I did add about 1/4 cup Splenda in addition to 2/3 Xylitol bc I wanted the batter a tad sweeter. I omitted the peanut butter only bc I didn’t have any on hand. My non low carb friend SWORE by these brownies & asked to take 2 home with her :). These are truly decadent.
Barbara says
I have a question and hope you know the answer. 🙂 First … these sound delish and I am going to try them tomorrow for my birthday. I couldn’t find 90% chocolate so I got the unsweetened. Will there be a problem with using it and just adding a bit more sweetener to them, do you think? I have not tried baking with chocolate since going low-carb.
thank you!
Carolyn says
The original recipe from Maria, which I adapted, is made with unsweetened chocolate so you should have no problem! 🙂
Cara says
Yum! Love knowing that Swerve substitutes so well in traditional baking recipes.
Rebekah says
For those suggesting cream cheese, how do I add it in? Do I replace the butter with cream cheese?
Nancy says
Replace the peanut butter with cream cheese…
Russell at Chasing Delicious says
I love the way you’ve explained food blogging and food here. It is so true! ANd my gosh look at this recipe!
Lisa says
Finally, a moist and chewy low-carb brownie! I made these with Splenda and Sunflower Butter. Delicious, we loved them!
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking says
Food and Language are so meant to be together, just like chocolate and peanut butter and these brownies look amazing! So fudgy and the peanut butter swirl on top, yum!
Susan says
These are amazing! Such a rich decadent texture…I refrigerated mine and slowly ate one as I was making our espressos this morning! Now I am going for a bike ride so I can have another or two this afternoon!
love the idea of adding a bit of cream cheese to them also. Thanks once more for all you do to keep fab desserts going.
Carolyn says
Glad you liked them!
Kari says
Made these on Friday and they didn’t last the weekend. So rich tasting!
Janice Plemon says
I made these for Sunday dinner dessert today. Sometimes these healthy desserts disappoint and do not deliver when it comes down to taste and texture. Have to say, these were delicious and I will be making them again! I think next time I will swirl in some cream cheese dollops.
Carolyn says
Cream cheese would be great in these!
Michele says
Jane Bowles, who was sort of a precursor or big sister to some of the Beat writers, was herself a writer. She turned to cooking and other creative pursuits as forms of art when she felt she couldn’t write any longer.
Carolyn says
Hey, that’s interesting! Thanks.
Dita MacDonald says
I love all your recipes and your writing style is terrific. Both together make your site and joy to read. Can’t wait to try these brownies!!!
Carolyn says
Thank you, I truly appreciate that.