This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.

Coconut flour is a tricky ingredient to work with, so I’m shocked by how much I like these brownies. They have a rich, chocolate flavor, and you’d never guess that they’re made with a grain-free flour.

I originally published a version of these brownies in my first cookbook, Everyday Detox. That version is sweetened with maple syrup, but I was curious if coconut sugar might make them even more fudgy, like traditional brownies. That’s why you get this version, too!

The resulting brownies are gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and utterly delicious.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“These brownies are amazing!! My 8 year old and 4 year old, loved them. They didn’t notice the coconut flour. I feel so relieved they will eat a healthy, delicious dessert.” -Sara

3 coconut flour brownies stacked

Why You’ll Love this Paleo Brownie Recipe

It’s made without almond flour. While I’m personally a big fan of almond flour recipes, sometimes you want an alternative that isn’t as dense or high in calories. Coconut flour is the perfect solution for grain-free baking.

It’s high in protein. Coconut flour requires more eggs than you might expect, and as a result, these brownies have extra protein inside.

It’s high in fiber. This grain-free flour is notoriously gritty in texture, and this is due to its high fiber content. But don’t worry, once it’s baked in these brownies, the coconut flour isn’t noticeable.

It’s delicious. Why bother making a healthier dessert if it’s not going to taste good? You don’t have to worry about these brownies tasting “too healthy.” They have the perfect chocolate flavor.

How to Make Coconut Flour Brownies

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. Press a piece of parchment paper into the pan to make the brownies easier to remove later.

Add the coconut flour, cacao powder, coconut sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix, so you can break up any small clumps as you stir.

Note: It’s best to use room-temperature eggs, so they won’t cause the coconut oil to thicken as you mix the batter.

coconut flour brownie ingredients stirred in bowl

Step 2:

Fold the chocolate chips into the batter. If the batter starts to thicken up from the coconut oil mixing with cold eggs from the fridge, that’s okay. The brownie batter will simply be thicker than you might expect.

Don’t worry, these will still bake just fine! The batter will just be thicker to spread in the pan.

thick brownie batter with chocolate chips added

Step 3:

Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Bake the brownies at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until the center of the pan no longer jiggles when gently shaken.

Let the brownies cool completely, at least 1 hour, before slicing into squares.

brownie batter in glass pan baked

Serving and Storage Tips

I think brownies taste best when served at room temperature, so I like to let these cool completely, then serve. However, my family also likes these cold!

Becuase these brownies contain so many eggs, I don’t recommend storing them at room temperature overnight. Transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s likely you’ll eat them all before then, anyway.

You can also freeze brownies for up to 3 months.

coconut flour brownie cut into squares

Coconut Flour Brownie FAQs

Can coconut flour be used as a substitute in other recipes?

No, please don’t use coconut flour in a recipe that wasn’t developed for it. Coconut flour is not a substitute for any type of flour, even another Paleo flour like almond flour.

Can I make these without eggs?

No, I’ve tested a lot of egg substitutes, but I haven’t found one that works well when a recipe calls for four eggs. It’s simply too many to substitute, so the brownies won’t have structure without them. (They’d be flat and gooey.)

Can I use maple syrup as the sweetener?

This recipe has a different ingredient ratio compared to the one in my cookbook, so I’d start with 3/4 cup of maple syrup if you want a similar sweetness level.


3 coconut flour brownies stacked

Coconut Flour Brownies

4.73 from 58 votes
The next time you need a Paleo brownie recipe, try these Coconut Flour Brownies. They're naturally sweetened and have a rich, chocolate flavor you'll love. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and utterly delicious.
prep10 mins cook30 mins total40 mins
Servings:16
PrintRate

Ingredients
 
 

  • 6 tablespoons coconut flour (42 grams; I use Bob's Red Mill brand)
  • 4 large eggs (200 grams; at room temperature)
  • ⅓ cup raw cacao powder (28 grams; or cocoa powder)
  • 1 cup coconut sugar (158 grams; or other granulated sugar)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (3 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4 grams)
  • ⅓ cup melted coconut oil (68 grams)
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips (67 grams; optional; I use Enjoy Life brand)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. (I like to lightly spray the pan with oil first, then add the parchment paper so that it will stick in place.)
  • In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, eggs, cacao powder, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir well until no lumps remain. (This is sometimes easier to mix using a whisk to help break up clumps.)
  • Add in the melted coconut oil, and stir again until the batter is smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes, or until the center doesn't wiggle when you gently shake the pan.
  • Let the coconut flour brownies cool completely in the pan, then slice them into 16 pieces and serve. Because these brownies are rich and moist, I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, for the best shelf life. Let them come to room temperature again before serving at a party, for the best flavor.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 16 brownies. This is automatically calculated using a generic database of ingredients, so it’s just an estimate and not a guarantee. 
Egg-Free Note: I have not tested an egg-free version of this recipe yet. Coconut flour works best with real eggs, so experiment at your own risk. Do not make substitutions for the flour, as they will not work out well. For more brownie recipes, be sure to search my website! There are plenty of egg-free and gluten-free brownies already tested and perfected for you here.

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 67IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Author: Megan Gilmore
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: paleo
Keyword: coconut flour brownies
Get your FREE 7-Day Kick Start!
Sign up for my weekly email newsletter and receive a 7-day kick-start guide. You’ll get meal ideas & new recipes in your inbox every week! (You can unsubscribe at any time.)

More Coconut Flour Recipes

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it works out for you. Please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know. I appreciate it!

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. As a Certified Nutritionist Consultant (CNC), I love to make healthier food using simple ingredients. I test these recipes multiple times in my kitchen to make sure they will turn out perfectly for you.

Read More

You May Also LIke

Leave a Review!

I love hearing from you! Submit your question or review below. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Did I miss something? Because it doesn’t say what size pan to use. Obviously if you use a pan, that’s too big they will burn and be disgusting. 😔 but we just crumbled them up and put ice cream on top of them. 🤣

    Reply

    1. Hi Renee! You can find the size of the pan in Step 1 of the printable recipe card. It calls for preparing an 8-inch square pan.

      Reply

  2. These Brownies are amazing!! My 8 year old and 4 year old, loved them. They didn’t notice the coconut flour. I feel so relieved they eat a healthy delicious dessert. Thank you so much for your healthy recipes.

    Reply

  3. So good! I used half coconut sugar and half bourbon aged maple syrup and topped with melted just 2/7th of Dr bronner organic chocolate bar and some grass fed butter and sprinkled cinnamon and coconut sugar!

    Reply

  4. I followed the recipe except for a small reduction in sugar and finally I was able to enjoy a tasty brownie without gluten. A real delight!

    Reply

  6. I love this recipe but I adjust it for health reasons and use 50% less sugar and don’t use coconut oil, it’s still yummy.

    Reply

    1. Was really looking forward to making it but the brownie came out a mess though I followed the instructions. What confused me were the metrics- 6 tablespoons of coconut flour is not 42 grams.. So my dough came out very grainy and dry 🙁 I measured 6 tablespoons of coconut flour which was roughly 142 grams.. So disappointed and confused 🙁

      Reply

      1. I’m sorry to hear that this didn’t work out for you, Annie. I just measured 6 level tablespoons of coconut flour from my pantry and I got 42 grams exactly in weight. So if you used 142 grams of coconut flour, that would make a huge difference since it’s over triple the amount. Let me know if I can help troubleshoot anything else!

        Reply

      2. US tablespoon is 15ml
        Metric tablespoon is 20ml
        …easiest to weigh US recipes / follow grams measurements

        Reply

  8. I bought coconut flour from Costco even though I’ve never cooked with it before so I’ve been looking for recipes to try with it. My finished brownies look just like pictures here but this recipe isn’t for me. They don’t really taste like a fudge brownie. They’re cakey with an odd texture and flavour. All the reviews are so good that I was kind of shocked how these taste. That being said I’m not gluten intolerant so maybe my hopes were just too high.

    Reply