Almond Flour Brownies

It doesn't get anymore delicious than these gluten-free almond flour brownies. They're moist, chewy and perfectly chocolatey! Just without the gluten! These brownies are gluten-free and grain-free and so simple to make!
An overhead image showing a close up of 9 almond flour brownies sliced in squares topped with flaky salt.
A stack of three almond flour brownies on a table.

These almond flour brownies are ooey, gooey, and chewy – exacty what you want in a brownie recipe! While I have a love for all brownies, I much prefer the chewy ones to the cakey kind.

The best part? No flour or gluten required for these easy gluten-free brownies! Almond flour does the trick here making them grain-free, too! What results is a rich and chewy brownie… with just 10 simple ingredients!

I love these almond flour brownies because they are so reminiscent of the brownies I grew up with, just without the flour! They’re loaded with chocolate chips for some extra chocolate flavor.

You can eat them as is, top with a dusting of powdered sugar, spread some icing on top, or serve with a scoop of ice cream. No matter which way you choose to serve these easy gluten-free brownies, you can’t go wrong! They’re all delicious!

Here’s What You’ll Need

Ingredients: almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, espresso powder, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, chocolate chips, fleur de sel

Equipment:

  • mixing bowl
  • hand mixer
  • 8×8-inch baking dish
  • parchment paper
An overhead image showing a close up of 9 almond flour brownies sliced in squares topped with flaky salt.

Almond Flour Vs. Almond Meal

Though they are very similar, there are slight difference between almond flour and almond meal.

Almond flour is made from blanched almonds that have had the skin removed. It’s also typically ground finer than almond meal.

Almond meal is made from almonds that still have the skin on and the grind is typically coarser than almond flour.

I’ve only tested this recipe with almond flour, but I think it would also work with almond meal in a pinch.

Melted Chocolate vs. Cocoa Powder Brownies

These gluten-free brownies use cocoa powder as the source of chocolate. There are some recipes that use melted chocolate but I wanted this recipe to be quick and easy, with no melting of chocolate required!

Cocoa powder typically creates chewy brownies, whereas melted chocolate will create a very fudgy brownie.

I also find that brownies made with cocoa powder tend to be moister than brownies made with melted chocolate, due to the fact that cocoa powder brownies tend to call for more butter than melted chocolate varieties.

While there’s no wrong way to do it – cocoa powder or melted chocolate – I think you’ll find this recipe with cocoa powder to be chewy, moist and fudgy! The best of all the brownie worlds!

Tips for the perfect almond flour brownies

Use the spoon and level method. I always use the spoon and level method of measuring ingredients, especially flour and almond flour. This means that you use a spoon to pour the ingredients into your measuring cup and then level it off with something flat.

If you stick your measuring cup right into the bag of ingredients, your measurements will probably be too heavy and you could have very dense baked goods.

Do NOT overbake! The key to gooey, chewy brownies is to not overbake them. You want the edges to be set but the middle may still look a little underdone.

The brownies will continue to cook in the pan for a bit and once cooled they would be chewy and fudgy! Yum!

Insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies – if some moist crumbs still cling to the toothpick, the brownies are ready to be taken out. If the batter is still very wet… keep baking for a few minutes! Bake time will vary on what kind of pan you use, your oven temperature, etc.

Use parchment paper. I like to place parchment paper in my baking dish for brownies so that it’s really easy to remove them from the pan. Just let the parchment paper overhang on two sides of the baking dish and you can grab onto those and lift them out! Easy peasy!

Clean your knife in between cuts. If you want really clean squares, you MUST clean your knife in between cuts. These are fudgy brownies, so some will come off on the knife. In between every cut, just quickly clean it off. Perfect cuts!

A straight on photo of a gluten-free almond flour brownie topped with a scoop of ice cream.

FAQs for making gluten-free almond flour brownies

Can I used salted butter instead of unsalted butter?

I recommend using unsalted butter because you can control how much salt goes into your brownies. Nothing is worse than a brownie that is too salty. However, if you only have unsalted butter, go ahead and use that – just remove the salt from the recipe.

Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?

This recipe works best with finely ground almond flour. Almond meal is coarser than almond meal.

I don’t have instant espresso powder. Is it necessary?

The instant espresso powder just brings out the chocolate flavor even more. If you don’t have any on hand you can omit it from the recipe.

What is fleur de sel?

Fleur de sel is a flakey finishing salt. It provides the perfect sweet and salty bite and brings out the chocolate flavors in these brownies. If you have Maldon salt you can use that, too! You can also omit the fleur de sel from the recipe if you wish!

Can this recipe be doubled?

It sure can! You can double the recipe and use a 9×13-inch baking dish.

How long do these brownies stay fresh?

These brownies stay fresh covered at room temperature for about 3 days. For longer storage, you can store the in the freezer.

A photo showing two almond flour brownies stacked on top of each other with a glass of milk in the background.

Love chocolate? Try these other gluten-free chocolate recipes!

An overhead image showing a close up of 9 almond flour brownies sliced in squares topped with flaky salt.

Almond Flour Brownies

It doesn't get anymore delicious than these gluten-free almond flour brownies. They're moist, chewy and perfectly chocolatey! Just without the gluten! These brownies are gluten-free and grain-free and so simple to make!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Calories: 401kcal
Author: Megan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips (divided)
  • 1/8 tsp fleur de sel (or other flakey salt – optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Cover the bottom of a 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, allowing the parchment paper to overhand on two sides. Grease the sides and bottom of the pan with butter or cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, add almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and instant espresso powder and whisk until combined. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add melted butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix together for 1-2 minutes, until light.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly until combined.
  • Gradually add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined and no streaks of the almond flour mixture remain.
  • Reserve one tablespoon of the chocolate chips. Stir the remaining chocolate chips into the brownie batter.
  • Pour brownie mixture until prepared baking pan. Top with remaining one tablespoon of chocolate chips and the fleur de sel.
  • Bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Bake until the edges of the brownies are set. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out relatively clean, but some wet crumbs are okay. Do not over bake.
  • Allow to cool completely before lifting the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper. Slice into squares.

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 402IU | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ADashofMegnut or tag #adashofmegnut!

This recipe was originally posted on June 11, 2011 and updated on May 4, 2020 with new photos, tips and tricks to help you make these easy almond flour brownies perfectly every time!

about megan

I’m Megan

A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…

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10 Comments

  1. One of my favorite things about baking is sharing with friends! I’m glad you (and Jeff!) liked the brownies!

  2. I’m looking forward to more of Jeff’s taste testing insights. Haha!

  3. Head Taste Tester says:

    I’m no blogger and just a simple guy. No verbose descriptions. Just some good adjectives get the point across. By the way Megnut… Dinner soon?

  4. “Verbose.” Good word. I have yet to try one of these brownies, but I’ll tell you if Meg’s lying about how good they are later.

  5. This post made me smile and reminded me how grateful I am for all my wonderful taste testers in my life!

  6. Hahaha I love the story preceding the recipe. Hilarious. By the way, I’d be more than happy to sign up as “taste tester” as well 😉

    I love moist brownies and those look especially gooey. Seriously, sign me up!

  7. Love on a plate says:

    your brownies look ridiculously good, I have to try this recipe =D Nice pictures too!

  8. 5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely phenomenal. The brownies are very easy to put together and the end result is incredibly fudgy and delicious. You really cannot tell they are gluten-free unless you eat several pieces at once (at which point the almond flavor will come through, but barely). This may become my standard brownie recipe for everyone and not just my gluten-free friends.

    1. So glad you loved these, May! Thanks so much for coming back and sharing! It always makes my day!

    2. I also followed all of your tips – they were so helpful! Thanks so much for coming back to update the recipe with those hints. I’m still figuring out how GF baking works and having resources like your website is invaluable.