Coconut Flour Brownies
Rich and fudge-y, these Coconut Flour Brownies might be the perfect choice for you if you are following a specific exclusion diet or, if you are like me and, just want to try something a little better-for-you than traditional brownies. Rich in fiber and gluten free because they are brownies made with coconut flour.
Stepping a little away from my comfort zone here with these Coconut Flour Brownies! I normally don't post recipes that are specific to any kind of exclusion diet unless the recipe naturally fits that category, however, when I saw these Coconut Flour Brownies on my friend Katrina's blog I felt compelled to give them a try. I'm really glad I did!
I had purchased coconut flour some time ago, when it was on sale at Target with really no specific use in mind. I read that coconut flour was a good high fiber, lower carbohydrate substitute for all purpose flour in baked goods and thought I'd give it a try sometime.
I stumbled across this brownie recipe a few weeks ago and I knew this was the recipe I was going to make to break in that bag of coconut flour.
Katrina is a baker at heart and I trust her judgement when it comes to baked goods, healthy or not...and Katrina's brownies certainly looked delicious, so why not?
I decided to replace the butter in Katrina's recipe with coconut oil to make them dairy free as well. I have nothing against dairy, except that coconut oil is an excellent swap for butter in most baking recipes, and well, I had some I needed to use up anyway!
I was not disappointed in these brownies. They are full of chocolate flavor and the texture is very acceptable. They are moist, on the dense side, and not too cake-y, but not too fudge-y either! Not quite a real deal brownie, but if you need to follow a specific diet or are looking for something a little different from the traditional brownie, this is a good option!
They are not too sweet (I used Agave as the sweetener in my version, but you can use honey as well) and they can be eaten room temperature or cold. They are a little crumbly at room temperature, but I think I liked them best that way.
I didn't do it, but a little sprinkle of powdered sugar would be an awesome addition to these babies! (however, this might make them not grain free)
I'll be experimenting more with my bag of coconut flour and share any success stories.
In the meantime, my family gobbled up these brownies and if you decide to make them, you will too!
If you do give them a try, make sure you let me know what you think!
Renee's Notes: This brownie recipe is not meant to be low calorie, but it is full of better-for-you ingredients that combine to make a pretty tasty chocolate treat! I'm looking forward to doing more experimentation with my bag of coconut flour. It does have a bit of a gritty texture to it, and that really is the only negative thing I found. I hope you give these brownies a try and let me know what you think!
Coconut Flour Brownies
Published 05/13/2015
A great better-for-you alternative to the traditional brownie. Made with coconut flour, coconut oil and cocoa. Moist, chocolate-y and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 2 TBS. organic Coconut oil
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plus 2 TBS. agave nectar OR honey
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup minus 1 TBS. (50 g) coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/3 cup chopped raw walnuts
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (use gluten free ones to keep recipe gluten free)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line an 8"x8" glass baking pan with parchment so two edges hang over the side of the pan.(for easy removal and cutting) Spray lightly with cooking spray.
- In glass measuring cup, melt coconut oil in microwave. In a large bowl, combine the cocoa powder and the melted coconut oil, and eggs with an electric mixer until combined. Add in the agave (or honey) and vanilla extract. Mix again until combined. Add in the coconut flour and salt and mix again until the batter is thoroughly combined.
- Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips. Spread into prepared pan evenly.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack and once cooled to room temperature, remove from pan and cut into 16 squares. You can either refrigerate the brownies or leave them at room temperature in an airtight container.
Yield: 16 servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Total time: 40 mins.
Tags: chocolate, brownies, gluten free, cocoa, walnuts, dessert
Adapted from Baking and Boys!
Servings - 16 Serving Size - 1/16 of recipe Points Plus per Serving - 5 Points+
Calories - 180.7, Total Fat - 12.7g, Carb. - 17.4g, Protein - 1.5g, Fiber - 1.9g
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Ooh, your brownies look great! Thanks for trying them. And I'm glad you tried coconut oil, I ALMOST did but decided to go with butter first. Now I'll make them again with coconut oil. Yes, you're right--exactly like brownie, they are not, but they are a great treat for those who cannot have gluten OR like you who just want to try out something that's a little better for you. Awesome. Thanks for the link love.
ReplyDeleteThank you Katrina! Yes! they are really good!!! I will be making this again sometime soon! Maybe I'll try the butter next time...lol
DeleteI never tried buying coconut flour.. Would be interesting to try.. Brownies looks really great!
ReplyDeleteI'll be experimenting with it more in the future! Thanks Medeja!
DeleteHi Renee,
ReplyDeleteJust testing out how easy it is to leave a comment here without being signed in. And yes, the brownies look awesome!
Thank you!
DeleteHoly moly!! These brownies look so rich and decadent! I have wanted to try coconut oil and flour in baked goods, and this looks like a great place to start!
ReplyDeleteI love a fudgy brownie and one with nuts. This is absolutely perfect for me.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of coconut flour! this sounds SO awesome! thanks for a healthy sweet treat!
ReplyDeleteThese look absolutely delicious Renee and wish I could try one now! Pinned and shared!
ReplyDeleteHey!
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to skip the agave nectar and honey completely? will it turn out as well? :)
I don't think it will be sweet enough and may not have enough moisture.
DeleteIt may be possible to add the same amount of apple puree instead, retaining the moisture and some sweetness
DeleteCan you use sugar in place of the honey?
DeleteHave been looking for a few treat recipes like this. They needed to fill a brief - must have most of the ingredients already in the cupboard!
ReplyDeleteMade these last night. Didn't have GF chic chips so I used chopped dark cooking chocolate. Delicious! saving recipe to make again. Thankyou!
Nicole, Sydney Aus.
Thank you for your review!
DeleteThese are soooo good!!! I was looking for a healthier version of a brownie that still had that fudgy texture and flavor, and my gosh this is perfect! I can barely tell the difference from a regular brownie. I added slightly more flour than the recipe calls for because the batter was really runny, but otherwise I followed it exact. 5 stars!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your review! I do think the brand of coconut flour you use may affect the thickness of the batter. I'm glad you were able to adjust to make it work for you.
DeleteThanks for a great recipe! I've tweaked it slightly and posted on my blog mywholesometable.org and credited you! Check out my blog! Thank you and have a blessed day!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteMy batter was super runny, so I think I should have added some more flour or read the comments first before baking them. My batter was more like pancake batter, so when I baked the brownies the texture was more like pancakes too! Maybe it's because I'm at a lower altitude, or there's more humidity here, or the coconut flour varies from place to place so I would definitely add more flour next time. I also used maple syrup in place of honey because my ayurvedic teacher believes that cooked honey is actually very hard for the body to digest, but it does have a maple undertone. Not bad, but not as good as your pics. I also found the amount of maple syrup I used (same as the recipe suggests for honey) was too sweet for my taste. Will try again some other time.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you had some difficulties with the recipe. It is very possible coconut flour varies. I used Bob's Red Mill and it was a freshly opened package. I live in an area of very low humidity. Maybe if you play around with it you can find a way to make it work. This is actually not my original recipe, Katrina was first to post it, and my brownies came out very similar to hers. Thanks for your candid review!
DeleteThis was truly an amazing recipe!! Thank you..:) Came out perfect..!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your review. I'm so happy it worked well for you!
DeleteHey Renee! These look SO yummy!! Do you think I could use maple syrup in place of honey?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think you could sub maple syrup for honey. Thanks!
DeleteWooow. Very delicios. I´ve made them for a borthday! Thanks :-)))
ReplyDeleteHi Renne, I made the brownies and the batter looked dry. When I baked the brownies, they kinda fell apart and did not look right. I followed the recipe exactly and not sure what I did wrong. Should I have added some water to the mixture?
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm thinking it may have to do with the brand of coconut flour you used, I'm not sure. I used Bob's Red Mill and it was a freshly opened package.
DeleteHi! Thank you for sharing. When I baked it, it was flat, really didn't rise. I used a metal pan, maybe thats why? I wonder if others had this issue.
ReplyDeleteCould I use applesauce instead of coconut oil for a skinnier version? Would it turn out ok?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I've never subbed applesauce for the coconut oil. If you are feeling adventurous, give it a try and let me know if it worked!
DeleteThese brownies turned out amazing!! Thanks for sharing the recipe. :) It seems to be the best brownie one I've tried so far.
ReplyDeletethank you for your review!
DeleteThese are definitely calling me... :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Can you sub granular sweetener for the agave/honey?
ReplyDeleteI have not tried them with granulated sugar, but it would be worth giving a shot. Let me know if it works out good. It would be another option if it does. Thank you!
DeleteI substituted coconut sugar for the honey/agave and they turned out perfect except for the fact that they didn’t rise at all and we’re quite flat
DeleteTurned out really good! added pecans and dark choc with hazelnuts in and agave syrup yum
ReplyDeleteYUM! Thank you for your review!
DeleteThese are fantastic! My boys couldn't get enough!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your review!
DeleteThank you for this recipe! I've been searching for a clean brownie that still tastes like the fat-filled ones. I had to bake mine a little longer; 35 minutes and they turned out fabulous.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping back and posting your review!
DeleteThanks for this recipe! Just made it and the brownie is delicious!! Getting addict...
ReplyDeleteI followed your recipe exactly & the brownies turned out perfect!! I have tried many other recipes but this is the best by far!!! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteA couple of years late but I have made this twice and everyone (2 adult children and husband) all love. I added some coconut, both in the mix and on top and used a mixture of chocolate chips and cacao nibs (I used cacao instead of cocoa to cut down on sugar and used rice malt instead of honey. It's nice with slivered almonds as well. Thanks for sharing. Joy, Sydney, Australia
ReplyDeleteMy friend made these brownies and they turned out delicious. I want to make them is there any substitutes for the eggs? So they can be diary free as well?
ReplyDeleteCoconut flour needs eggs :) sometimes so many eggs! If you’re cooking for someone with a dairy intolerance, eggs might be ok because they’re not dairy. Usually coconut flour based recipes can’t be made without eggs.
DeleteI'm not gluten free, but I like to try alternatives to fats and sugars in baking, and I found this recipe. I tweaked it based on what I had at home, but I thought I'd share in case others were wondering if certain ingredients would work. These brownies are delicious! I followed the directions but replaced some of the ingredients. I used date syrup as the sweetener, and all purpose flour since I didn't have any coconut flour. I only had two eggs on hand, so made due with them and added 1/4 tsp. Baking powder. My husband loved them and didn't realize that I'd used date syrup instead of sugar. The sweetness was perfect and they were more cake like than gooey. This recipe is a keeper
ReplyDeleteI was afraid to make these because ive tried other brownie recipes and was so disappointed. I really didnt want to waste ingredients again for another fail,but i love brownies and have been craving one but needed a healthier version. So i went ahead i just made them and I do regret it but only because I CAN NOT STOP EATING THEM!!! They are delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe ☺
ReplyDeleteCould I use Sea Salt instead of Kosher salt??
ReplyDeleteMade these last night for friends and they were really good!! I had to cook it for an hour. It may have been because I put too much olive oil on the parchment paper. I didn't add the nuts. After baking I sprinkled them with powdered sugar. Yum!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had taken a photo, but we ate them faster than I had thought to do so! They're so yummy, my whole family loved them. Also, they're exactly as described. Slightly crumbly but oh so good! Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteCould someone help me convert this to almond flour instead of coconut flour?
ReplyDeleteCould also use coconut sugar or coconut nectar for sweetener. Also to add a little more moistness could use some avocado. Coconut flour makes things a little more crumbly.
ReplyDeletethe brownies were extremely oily, so i would suggest using only 1/3 cup of coconut oil
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear this recipe didn't quite work out for you. It seems that it may have a lot to do with the brand of coconut flour you use.
DeleteDidn’t have any problems with to thin of batter. Everything went great. Went good. Perfect texture.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear you had success and enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your review!
DeleteI made these today with my 5 and 7 year old boys and they came out fantastic!! I substituted sucanat sugar for the maple syrup and added 2 Tbls water to compensate for the moisture loss. Seriously they are so good and perfect for my 7yo who is sensitive to wheat. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteHi Kristin, I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your review!
DeleteMade this recipe despite a lack
ReplyDeleteIf success with coconut flour recipes. Turned out better than I expected but not quite like your pics. They didn’t rise at all and we’re not fudgy. Not a winning recipe but not a fail either. I did substitute the agave/honey with coconut sugar which could have contributed to the lack of fudginess but still doesn’t acvount for the lack of height.
Hi Mel! Thanks for your comment. As you have mentioned, baking with coconut flour can be tricky. I'm not an expert but I feel like there isn't a lot of consistency from brand to brand and that could account for some error. Also important to note is when storing coconut flour, it's best to keep it in an airtight container and in the freezer it absorbs moisture. I don't know if any of this has to do with how much this recipe will rise, but you could try adding a 1/2 tsp. baking soda to help if you decide to make them again.
DeleteI made this today. I tweaked the recipe a bit, using half maple syrup and half coconut sugar. After 40 minutes at 300 they had not set up so I upped the temp to 350 and they finally got done. They are on the dry side and not fudgy like the picture but after months of no desserts I decided they were fine. I will continue to work with this recipe because overall the taste is good. I will start them out at 350 next time so they don't have to be in the oven so long. I can't have honey or agave on my diet that's why the change. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHI! Glad you experimented a little with this to meet your needs. Keep tweaking to get it to where you like it. It's difficult to sub out ingredients sometimes when working with coconut flour, I have found.
DeleteI made these this morning and was a bit disappointed. I followed the recipe exactly as stated - even used Bob's Red Mill coconut flour. They taste more like a chocolate cake and were wet in the middle, so I cooked them for 5 minutes longer, but still wet in the middle, then another 5 minutes. The sides now seem cooked but very crumbly and cake like. They certainly aren't dense and moist like a brownie. Not bad tasting, but they just don't taste like a good ole' chocolate brownie.
DeleteHi! Thanks for your review! I agree, baking with alternate flours can be challenging and often won't yield an end product that's exactly like what we are used to with traditional wheat flour.
DeleteHi Renee. I just wanted to give you an update. I had left a response a few days ago regarding your coconut flour brownies recipe. In that communication I had mentioned that I followed your recipe exactly, but the brownies seemed wet in the middle and cake like near the edges of the glass pan, so I cooked them for a total of 10 more minutes more. Still, the tooth pick would come out wet. I didn't want to cook them anymore, since I thought that would really dry them out.
ReplyDeleteLater, after they had thoroughly cooled, I noticed that the wet middle section was now firm and fudgy like. I cut a bite sized chunk out and tasted it. OMG! These brownies are so darned delicious! We absolutely loved them! I think what happened is the coconut oil within the mixture just needed time to cool and harden. Right? I will definitely be saving and making this recipe again and again, Renee. Many thanks for sharing your healthy brownies recipe. ~ Debbie
Hi! I'm so glad it worked out for you in the end. Baking with these odd flours is always a challenge. We often expect them to act like the wheat flour we are used to, but they don't always do that. Thanks so much for your helpful review. I'm sure it will help others too!
DeleteI love this recipe but I make mine with zucchini flour.
ReplyDelete