Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies with Almond Flour

Three brownies swirled with peanut butter and flake salt on a white plate.

5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies with Almond Flour

These gluten-free peanut butter brownies made with almond flour are a fudgy brownie with swirly, creamy bands of sweetened peanut butter. Low-carb brownies are just as delicious and rich as brownies made with regular flour – maybe even better!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Method: Oven

Special Diet: Keto, Low-Carb, Low-FODMAP, Paleo

Servings: brownies

Calories: 133kcal

Author: Tracey Hatch-Rizzi

Ingredients

Brownie batter

1 cup almond flour
1 cup monk fruit sweetener or sweetener of choice
3 eggs large eggs
½ cup butter can replace this coconut oil, avocado oil or olive oil
½ cup raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder optional for cakier brownies
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum optional

Peanut butter swirl

¼ cup creamy peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 drops liquid monk fruit drops optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. I like to add a few dabs of butter to help hold it in place. Be sure to leave an overhang of parchment paper so you can easily lift the brownies out of the pan.

Prepare the brownie batter

In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum (if using) and mix to combine.
In a large bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. This usually takes only about 20 seconds.
Add the sweetener and whisk. Then add the vanilla and eggs with the butter and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Add the cacao (or cocoa) powder to the egg mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Reserve about 2 tablespoons to add on top of the PB dollops later. It adds more definition to the swirl.

Prepare the PB swirl

In a small bowl, add the peanut butter and microwave until soft, about 20 seconds.
Add the vanilla and sweetener drops (if using) and whisk together.

Swirl the PB mixture with the brownie batter

Spoon the PB mixture on the top of the batter in small dollops. If the mixture has cooled, microwave for a few seconds until it’s soft enough to spoon easily.
Add reserved batter on top of the PB dollops.
Using a knife or chopstick, swirl the PB over the surface of the batter.
Bake for 20 minutes or until no longer jiggly in the center.
Let cool before cutting (see post on the best way to cut brownies).

Notes

Expert tips

Drag the knife or chopstick across the surface of the batter to swirl the PB in, being careful to not press the utensil all the way down to the bottom of the pan. This can cause cracks that go all the way through the brownies when cooling and they may fall apart. If you do swirl through the entire thickness of the batter, tap the pan on the counter a few times and the batter should fill in any gaps.
If you find your cacao or cocoa powder has lumps, try sifting through a hand strainer before using to avoid lumps in the batter
The more the eggs and the batter are whisked, the cakier the brownies will be. If you prefer very cakey brownies, you can use an electric hand mixer to provide more lift to the batter.

How to serve

Serve warm – these are wonderful served at room temperature, but are even better slightly warmed
Add a sprinkle of flake salt – it looks delicious and is a delightful contrast to the sweet, rich chocolate
Add a scoop of ice cream – make a sundae with dairy free chocolate sauce
Try a dollop of fresh sugar-free whipped cream – for some added decadence
Serve with fresh berries – and maybe some of that whipped cream for good measure
Peanut butter and jelly brownies – spoon a dollop of your favorite jelly for a PB&J brownie dessert or snack

How to store

Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or consider freezing.

To freeze, it’s best to wrap brownies tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap them in a layer of foil to avoid freezer burn.

Variations

Use your favorite nut butter – replace PB with another nut butter, such as cashew, almond or hazelnut butter
Make paleo brownies – make these with the dairy-free variation and use a peanut butter substitute
Make dairy-free brownies – replace the butter with coconut or olive oil. Either one will give them a delightful flavor. If you love chocolate olive oil cake, you'll love this variation.
Add chocolate or peanut butter chips to the batter – chocolate chunks work well, too
Crushed peanuts – add a fun crunch
Add toppings – after baking the brownies, top with chocolate, peanuts and marshmallows and bake for another 5 minutes. It’s the brownie version of a loaded baked potato.
Make peanut butter and jelly brownies – add a swirl of your favorite jelly
Add coffee granules – add 1 tablespoon of coffee granules to the batter for a touch of coffee flavor

Nutrition