My Easy Paleo Brownies are rich, fudgy, and made with simple ingredients like almond flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. They're gluten-free, dairy-free, and ready in just 30 minutes, and they're one of my favorite chocolate fixes right alongside my chocolate zucchini brownies and super fudgy brownies.
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Fudgy Gluten-Free Paleo Brownies
When a chocolate craving hits, these paleo brownies come to the rescue. They mix up in about 10 minutes with ingredients you probably already have, bake in less than 20, and come out with that perfect fudgy center and crackly top. No boxed mix, no refined sugar, and no one will ever guess they're grain-free!
Almond flour keeps them tender and moist, while coconut sugar and maple syrup give them a deep, caramel-y sweetness. A drizzle of melted chocolate on top makes them extra special. If you love a seasonal twist, my pecan pie brownies are a must-try this fall.
They're perfect for parties, lunchbox treats, or a cozy night in with a cup of coffee. And if you need more healthy chocolate desserts like this one, you're going to LOVE my Healthy Pumpkin Brownies or my Paleo Chocolate Cake!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich and fudgy. A dense, chocolatey center with a crackly top, just like a classic brownie.
- Paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Made with almond flour and coconut oil instead of wheat flour and butter.
- No refined sugar. Coconut sugar and maple syrup sweeten them naturally.
- Ready in 30 minutes. About 10 minutes of prep and less than 20 in the oven.
- Simple pantry ingredients. No fancy flours or special equipment needed.
Ingredients Needed To Make These Easy Paleo Brownies
Here's a little bit about everything that goes into these paleo brownies:
- Eggs: Bind the batter and give the brownies structure and that fudgy texture.
- Coconut sugar: A less-refined sweetener with a rich, caramel-like flavor.
- Maple syrup: Adds natural sweetness and keeps the brownies moist.
- Coconut oil: Melted coconut oil replaces butter to keep them dairy-free.
- Almond flour: A grain-free flour that makes the brownies tender and fudgy.
- Cocoa powder: Brings that deep, rich chocolate flavor. Cacao powder works too.
- Chocolate drizzle: Melted chocolate with a little coconut oil for a pretty, extra-chocolatey finish. Use dairy-free chocolate to keep them paleo.
How to Make Easy Paleo Brownies
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Beat together the eggs, coconut sugar, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla, then stir the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until everything is combined, then spread the batter into your pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely, drizzle with melted chocolate, and slice into squares!
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper or grease it with oil. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, stir together the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until fully combined.
- Step 3: Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Step 4: Let cool completely, then drizzle with melted chocolate and slice.
Erin's Expert Tips
From my kitchen to yours
- Line or grease the pan well. These brownies love to stick, so use parchment paper or a generous coat of oil.
- Don't overbake. Check at 15 minutes and pull them as soon as a toothpick comes out clean. A few moist crumbs are perfect.
- Let them cool completely. They firm up as they cool and slice much cleaner.
- Use room-temperature eggs. Cold eggs can make the melted coconut oil seize up and turn the batter clumpy.
- Add mix-ins. Fold in chopped walnuts or dairy-free chocolate chips for extra texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common questions about these easy paleo brownies.
They're made without grains, dairy, or refined sugar. Almond flour replaces wheat flour, coconut oil replaces butter, and coconut sugar and maple syrup are used instead of white sugar.
Yes, you can swap it 1:1, but the brownies will no longer be paleo.
Yes! Honey works, but it's sweeter than maple syrup, so start with a little less and add to taste.
They likely need a few more minutes in the oven or more time to cool. Paleo brownies firm up a lot as they cool, so let them sit completely before slicing.
Almond flour is best here. Coconut flour absorbs much more liquid and isn't a 1:1 swap, so it will make the brownies dry.
Yes! Swap each egg for a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, rested for 5 minutes). The brownies will be a little softer and more fudgy, so let them cool completely before slicing.
Storing leftovers
Store paleo brownies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. To freeze, wrap individual brownies and store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the counter, or warm one in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for a gooey treat.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
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Easy Paleo Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cups almond flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Chocolate for drizzling melted with 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and prepare an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper or oil.
- In a large bowl, beat together eggs, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together almond flour, cacao powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until fully combined.
- Pour batter into prepared dish and bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before serving and store on counter or in fridge.
- Use parchment paper or oil generously to prep the dish. These brownies love to stick.
- Don't overbake. Check at 15 minutes and pull them as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let them cool completely before cutting. They firm up as they cool and slice much cleaner.
Nutrition
Per serving. Nutrition is an estimate.
Leave a star rating below and tag me on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Rate This RecipeRecipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Antoinette says
These are delicious! Thank You!
Erin says
Hi Antoinette, so glad you loved them!
Rachel says
Are these supposed to come out firm like traditional brownies? I've made them twice now and both times they have been like a very crumbly cake and I have to eat them with a fork. The first time I thought it was because I had left out an ingredient but the second time I made sure I didn't forget anything. They are still delicious. But I was really hoping for something easy to put in lunches and backpacks that wouldn't require utensils.
Erin says
Hi Rachel, you could try reducing the baking time, but they shouldn't be too crumbly. Hope this helps for next time!
Nancy Belz says
Would it be possible to replace the almond flour with almond meal I ask because in Australia almond flour is quite pricey in comparison. Thank you so much.
Erin says
Hi Nancy, so sorry but unfortunately, it won't work the same!
Bobbie Jo Davis says
The GOAT. Absolute one of the greatest of all time brownie recipes. Stop searching. Make these. Period. This is a staple in my house aka NYC studio apartment lol. My boyfriend loves, his family loves, my family loves, I LOVE.. you just can’t not smile after eating these. SO GOOD
Erin says
Hi Bobbie Jo, so glad everyone loved them!!
Brooke says
Easy to make, light and fluffy. Added in some extra chocolate chips too! Your recipes are my go to.
Erin says
Hi Brooke, so happy you loved them and great idea!!
marie says
Update: so I just found a 2 oz unsweetened chocolate bar, going to try using that plus the 1/3 c of cocoa powder that I do have. Fingers crossed.
Marie says
I just stirred the wet ingredients together and noticed I only have 1/3 c cocoa powder - could I use that plus melted semisweet chocolate chips? If so, how much do you recommend I use? Thank you
Emily says
These are so good. Honestly the only brownie recipe you need. They came together so fast and are so fudgey and delicious. I used cacao powder and baked them for about 25 mins. Served with coco whip wow!
Erin says
Hi Emily, so happy you loved them!! 🙂
Linda Herland says
So good!! Love these brownies!!
I used Canola oil instead of coconut oil and added Walnuts. I did not do the chocolate drizzle because the brownies are super chocolatety-moist with out it!!
Erin says
Hi Linda, so happy you loved them and made them your own!! 🙂
Sophie says
Hi! Just wondering, how much melted chocolate do you use for drizzling? I made some of your pb cookies and I didn't have enough chocolate lol so when I make this I wanna know how much chocolate I need. Thanks so much!
Erin says
Hi Sophie, I normally melt about 1/2 cup! Let me know how they come out for you!
Jo says
These were so easy to make, so delicious and super fudgy!!
Erin says
Hi Jo, so happy you enjoyed them!! 🙂
Nancy says
I followed the recipe but it was too bitter and was dry🤮😬😔
Erin says
Hi Nancy, I'm sorry that you did not like the recipe! I've heard tons of good things about this one, bummed it didn't work out for you!
Linda Herland says
So good!! Love these brownies!!
I used Canola oil instead of coconut oil and added Walnuts. I did not do the chocolate drizzle because the brownies are super chocolatety-moist with out it!!
Erin says
Hi Linda, yay so glad you loved them and thanks for sharing!!
Arnav says
Great
Erin says
Hi Arnav, so glad you liked them! 🙂
Katie says
Wow these brownies are amazing!! I added some chocolate chips to the batter and ate them with homemade coconut ice cream! 😋 So yummy!
Erin says
Hi Katie, so glad you loved them and great additions! YUM!!
Sofia says
These brownies are DELICIOUS! Do these need to be refrigerated right away?
Erin says
Hi Sofia, so glad you loved them! Nope! they can stay at room temp.
Steph V says
So yummy! I subbed tiger nut flour for the almond and banana for the oil. Also, just used a bit of maple syrup, no other sugar.
Erin says
Hi Steph, so glad you loved them and made them your own!! 🙂
Megan says
Would Tigernut flour work in place of Almond flour
Erin says
Hi Megan, I have never tried it, but feel free to give it a try and check to see if you can see the ratio in case it isn't 1:1. Let me know how they come out!!
Diane Hunter says
These came out so fantastic for a paleo recipe ! I was impressed so thanks so much !
I did follow all the things in recipe except did half of the maple syrup and I will use a little less cocoa powder next time too but not too much less.
Erin says
Hi Diane, so glad you loved them and made them your own!!
Jeannine Cater says
I started to make these and then realized I was out of cocoa powder 😩 BUT I substituted 1/2 cup cassava flour on a whim and made the best coconut flavored blondies! I ate a slice while it was warm with bananas on top... oh man. So good!! Definitely saving your recipe and making them the correct way once I get cocoa powder.
Erin says
Hi Jeannine, I am so happy you were still able to make it and it turned out well! 🙂
Randa Hopkins says
Hello Erin!
How long do I put them in the oven when I double the recipe?
Erin says
Hi Randa, I haven't doubled this one, but I would try 30 minutes and keep checking it for the middle to be done! Let me know how they come out!!