I love a good brownie when I want something chocolaty. I think brownies are one of my favorite desserts because they’re like a hybrid of cake and chocolate fudge. As I continue to experiment with using almond flour in baking, I started making these brownies that use almond flour in place of regular flour, making them grain-free and gluten-free.
Raw Cacao Powder
The chocolaty flavor in these brownies comes from raw cacao powder. How is raw cacao powder different from natural cocoa powder? Raw cacao powder is made by cold-pressing unroasted cacao beans to remove the fat and create a powder. Natural cocoa powder is made by cold-pressing roasted beans. The roasting process is thought to diminish some of the nutritional value of the cacao bean, but either option provides some nutritional benefit.
The nutritional content of raw cacao powder is why dark chocolate is often considered a healthy food. Raw cacao powder is a surprisingly good source of dietary fiber. Two tablespoons contain 4g of fiber It’s also a good source of several minerals, especially iron and magnesium, but also potassium, calcium, and zinc. Finally, cacao powder is high in flavonoids, which have powerful antioxidant properties.Â
I like to use raw cacao powder when I bake for the added nutritional value and richer taste. However, if you don’t have any or prefer to use cocoa powder, you can use the same amount of natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed) instead.
Steps and Recipe
These almond flour brownies are simple to make.
Start by whisking together the eggs and sugar until the mixture is ribbon-thick. This helps to make the brownies fudgy and ensure that the sugar will be evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Then add the melted butter and vanilla extract. If you wanted to make these brownies dairy-free, use ½ cup of melted coconut oil or avocado oil instead of butter.
You then want to mix all your dry ingredients in another bowl.
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, careful not to over mix. Just stir until everything is combined.
Then transfer your batter to the baking pan and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. When you take it out of the oven you want the middle to look slightly undercooked so the brownies are moist. It will continue to cook a little while it starts to cool.
Let them cool for about 30 minutes, then cut and enjoy!
More Almond Flour Recipes to Try
Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins
Almond Flour Lemon Raspberry Muffins
Cranberry Orange Almond Flour Muffins
Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Muffins
Almond Flour Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder (can also use natural cocoa powder)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar.
- Add melted butter and vanilla to egg mixture and stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients: almond flour, cacao powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (you don't want to over mix it).
- Transfer the batter to your baking pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the edges are set and the middle looks slightly under-baked. The middle will continue to cook while it cools so you want to take it out of the oven before it is completely cooked through.
- Cool completely and then cut into squares.
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