Almond Butter Brownies are rich and fudgy, and you don’t need any flour to make them. I love that they’re naturally gluten-free, and they’re vegan-friendly when you make them with flax eggs.
Why Use Almond Butter?
Almond butter contains a magical combination of fiber and fat, so you can use it as a replacement for both the oil and flour and this brownie recipe. The key is using a mild-flavored almond butter, though, so you don’t taste it too much.
I recommend using a “raw” store-bought almond butter, or try making homemade almond butter. You want the consistency to be runny and drippy, for best results, so be sure to check the label to see that the only ingredient is almonds.
How to Make Them
This recipe is easy to stir together in one bowl! If you’re using flax eggs, you’ll mix those together first so they have a chance to thicken up, then add in the other ingredients. (If you’re using eggs, just mix it all together right away.)
The batter will be MUCH thicker than a traditional brownie recipe, so don’t be alarmed. It’s almost like a stiff play-doh, and that’s what you want.
You won’t be able to pour the batter into the pan. It’s more like pressing a chocolate clay into the bottom of your pan. Be sure to spray the dish with oil and line it with parchment paper for easy brownie removal later.
I like to press a few chocolate chips into the tops of these brownies before baking, but that’s optional. Bake until the top puffs up, which takes about 20 minutes.
You definitely want to err on the side of under-baking these brownies, rather than over-baking, if you like brownies with a rich, fudgy middle.
Note: I tested baking these brownies for 30 minutes, too, because I was worried about the middle looking jiggly, and the brownies were too dry in the middle in that case. So, definitely aim for 20 minutes if you like fudgy brownie middles.
Let these brownies cool completely in the pan, as they will be very fragile when warm. I like to serve them at room temperature, or even straight from the fridge for the best taste and texture.
Substitutions
Have different ingredients on hand? These tips may help.
Almond Butter. You can replace the almond butter with cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version, but you might need to use a little extra sweetener in that case, because some sunflower brands don’t include sugar and can be bitter. Peanut butter can also be used, but it results in drier baked goods, so you might want to use only 3/4 cup in that case.
Coconut sugar. This sugar provides a lot of the structure in this recipe, but you can replace it with another granulated sugar if you have something else (like white or brown sugar) on hand. You may be able to replace it with 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup if you’re using real eggs, but the result will be a lot softer and more gooey, rather than chewy like a brownie. I also think honey has a strong flavor, so it might hinder some of the rich chocolate taste. If you’re making the vegan version, I imagine this recipe might not set up without a granulated sugar.
Eggs. Use ground flax seeds or ground chia seeds to make a vegan “egg” substitute. The brownies are more gooey this way, but that’s not a bad thing, if you ask me.
More Brownie Recipes
If you have another flour you want to use, try one of these other tested & perfected recipes instead!
- Almond Flour Brownies
- Coconut Flour Brownies
- Date-Sweetened Brownies
- Gluten-free & Vegan Brownies (uses GF flour blend)
- Black Bean Brownies
- Sweet Potato Brownies
- Avocado Brownies
- Instant Pot Brownies
I can’t wait to hear which ones you try!
Almond Butter Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy almond butter (270 grams)
- 1/2 cup cacao powder (47 grams)
- 1 cup coconut sugar (157 grams)
- 2 large eggs (95-100 grams; or flax eggs)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (3 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (2 grams)
- 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (25 grams; optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine the almond butter, cacao powder, coconut sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and sea salt. Stir until the batter is very thick and uniform looking.
- Lightly grease an 8-inch square dish and line it with parchment paper for easy removal later. Spread the thick brownie batter into the bottom of the pan. It will be very thick, so you'll need to press it firmly with the spatula. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips, and lightly press them into the top of the batter, if desired.
- Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. It's okay if the brownies don't look totally firm to the touch in the center, because they will firm up as they cool. In my experience, baking for 30 minutes will dry them out too much, so I err on the side of under-baking for a fudgy middle. Let them cool completely before slicing.
- These brownies can be served at room temperature or chilled straight from the fridge. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try these Almond Butter Brownies, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like them! And if you make any other modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too.
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite dessert?
I love your ingredient lists, always feel so good about what you include, and perhaps more importantly, what you avoid! I’m hyperglycemic. Sugar. Brownies with white flour. Sugar. I’m done! They will drop me like a rock and I end up feeling so sick. It’s hard to go through life like that. So you just don’t eat anything bad. But then you feel deprived because you never get a “Brownie” The alternatives you supply are incredible!
What is the purpose of grinding the chia seeds? I don’t in other recipes–should I be?
Oh my are these good!! I used a flax egg instead of a chia egg. I also misread the ingredients and put 6 Tbs maple syrup instead of 2 (yikes). When I noticed that goof up, I put in only 1/2 cup chocolate chips (and probably should’ve put only 1/4). Despite my reading issues (haha), these turned out great. I’ll be making them again – with the correct amount of maple syrup. Thank you Megan! Congrats on your new addition, too. ?
Maple syrup? They don’t call for maple syrup. Did you use that instead of coconut sugar?
This recipe was updated recently– it used to call for maple syrup & coconut sugar combined, but this new version is way better!
Made these last night after dinner to satisfy a chocolate craving. My husband and I “accidentally” polished off the whole pan with a pot of hazelnut tea. THESE ARE SO GOOD! Another excellent, simple to whip up recipe, with great ingredients. Brilliant!
These are amazing. One question I have is whether the ground chia seeds is 1 T. Before grinding or after. Only used 1/2 c. Chips and that was more than enough. making again for the second day, to share with some friends
I always measure after grinding!
I made these last night. I’m not vegan so I used a regular egg instead of a chia egg. I also used peanut butter as I already had a jar open. They turned out sooo delicious. So soft, gooey, and yummy! My husband and I ate 1/2 the pan last night and will probably eat the other 1/2 tonight. 🙂 Thanks so much for your recipes. I have been making them for over 2 years now and have yet to find one I didn’t like. I’m also 26 weeks pregnant and have been loving reading about your pregnancies and “what you ate”. I’m going to try to make a bunch of stuff to freeze before baby comes so love that section on your site. Thanks!!
Wow! I just made these and they are so good. I used cacao instead of cocoa and brown rice syrup instead of maple syrup since I had run out. My boyfriend and I can’t stop eating them.
I’m glad you both enjoyed them!
I am neither paleo or vegan and these were delicious. The bonus is that my three year old son loved them too!
Thanks for the easy, healthy and delicious recipe!
Can one egg be substituted for the chia egg?
Brilliant! I have made them twice, and they carried us through 5 days of skiing. Love!!!
Ok, three words: This. Was. DELICIOUS! I don’t think I’ve ever actually written a comment on a recipe before (I’m one of those foodie-stalkers 🙂 but this one was too good to let slide. I’ve already made it twice in the past 4 days! 🙂
I replaced the ground chia seeds with whole flax seeds (that’s what I had on hand), and used cacao nibs as the add in. I also replaced the coconut sugar and maple syrup with some stevia and pure date syrup (again, just what I had in the pantry). Oh, and I used chunky almond butter. As you can tell, I’m not great at actually listening to a recipe, rather use them as inspiration. These brownies came out fluffy and chewy at the same time, and although I made them to share with friends, I just polished off about a third of it myself 😉
My favorite part of this recipe was the simplicity of the ingredients. No complicated combo of weird flours, multiple steps etc. Just grabbed a few basics and into the oven minutes later 🙂
Thanks Megan. So happy I found my way over to your place. Looking forward to many more FABULOUS recipes!
xx
Shana
Hey everyone!
I don’t have access to coconut sugar. Alternatives???
Thank you!
I honestly ca’t wait to make these
I just made these last night and used 1 cup of date paste I made instead of sugar. They were delicious.
Megan, I just made these and they are so good! Turned out perfectly, even though I had to tweak some of the ingredients too. I’m looking forward to trying the almond pulp crackers, as I also make my own nut milks. Aloha from Hawaii 🙂 I took a picture to send you, but couldn’t make an attachment.
I made these today and they are wonderfully delicious!! I plan to make them again to take on vacation. Thanks for sharing this healthy recipe!
You mentioned in another post ypu made this recipie in your Instapot how did you do that?
I’m still working on the method– you have to keep it covered to help prevent condensation from making them wet and my middles keep sinking, so I haven’t figured out the timing just yet! I’ll share when I can. 🙂
Made these last week and the whole family loved them. Super moist and not too sweet. My new favorite recipe:-)
OMG!!! Delicious! I used all maple syrup instead of coconut sugar, so I reduced the water a bit… also didn’t have any chocolate chips so I left those out, but these were still a chocolatey 10. Loved them.
Just put these in the oven! So excited!
Delicious easy to make big hit in this house
Tried this recipe yesterday.. it makes perfect, fudgy brownies.. the chia seeds add to the crunch and the almond butter maintains the chewiness..
excellent recipe many thanks 😊
Out of the world!! I used chia eggs, 1/2 cup of honey (rather than coconut sugar) and a mix of almond and peanut butters and even without chocolate chips, these brownies were amazing! Just perfect. Thank you so much for awesome recipes I can make for my whole family which is not easy with the dietary restrictions we have between the six of us!
Made these with the revision to the recipe. So very good. Thank you!
Hi Megan – I love the look of these, but really need to limit my sugar.
How do you think these would work if I halved the sugar quantity – will I still get the fudgy gooeyness?
Super yummy and easy to make!
These are the bomb. I made the vegan version because I happened to have a lot of flaxseed meal on hand. Thank you for this recipe! I’ve made it thrice already.
I have made these a couple times now and we love them! I use chia instead of eggs and they work really well. I would like to use even less coconut sugar than called for. What would happen if I just reduce the amount to 1/2 cup? Or 3/4? Do I need to add anything else? I’m wondering what this would do to the consistency. I laugh at how long they can be stored for. The longest these last is the next morning or later the same day! Another delicious recipe!
Holy moly these are so good! Adding them to the dessert rotation. Thanks, Megan!
These have become my go-to brownie!! They are incredibly easy to make with ingredients I usually have in hand, and they are incredibly delicious with the most perfect texture!
Oh my goodness! I made these exactly as the recipe called for and they are amazing! So fudgy and delicious!
These are so good! I used 1/2 cup coconut sugar & 1/4 cup maple syrup and no chocolate chips. Am about to make for the third time!
Thank you!!
They’re so Delicious! Even my Husband who Loves Brownies, went to get his glass of milk to Enjoy them!
This is my first time baking, and the recipe was super-easy and extraordinarily tasty! I highly recommend it!
Yummy!! Made these for the first time – Sunday dinner for the gang. Used eggs, no Choc chips (as I frosted this batch), baked 20 min. Perfect! Next batch will be made chocolate chips! I think I have found my “go to” brownie recipe. 😄
amazing!
I’ve made these several times to take to neighborhood & family gatherings. I always double the recipe & bake them in a 9X13 pan. They are a hit every time and are gone before the night’s over! Great recipe!
The best brownies I have even eaten with these variations: regular sugar and cocoa powder (about 2/3 cup). I also put chocolate chips and walnuts on top. I used plastic wrap to flatten the dough and then sprinkled the chips and nuts on tops and used the same plastic to tamp them into the dough. Now I don’t want to use any other recipe. Everyone loves these!
Omg these brownies were so moist and delicious
Made this with half almond butter and half natural peanut butter. They’re some of the best paleo brownies we’ve ever made! My hubby keeps going on and on! Baked for 23 minutes. This may replace our “go-to” brownie recipe that we’ve been making for years!!! Will definitely help fill that chocolate craving!!!
My favorite brownie recipe…thank you!
This was quick and easy and tasted great. All the kids loved them!
These were great, thank you! I used a mix of peanut butter and sunflower seeds (3/4 c total) and then added 1/4 c sweet potato mashed with a little water. Next time, I think I might go 1/2 and 1/2. This is a really decadent brownie without so many chocolate chips. It really is just as good as some of the chocolate chip-laden ones. I did add a little extra cocoa powder, which I don’t regret. I will make this recipe over and over.