These almond flour brownies were AMAZING (although maybe not too entirely healthy). I used a mix of almond flour and all-purpose wheat flour, but these brownies can easily be made gluten-free by swapping the wheat flour with rice flour or any type of gluten free baking mix.
Most people don’t eat enough nuts, so almond flour is always a good way to get some extra nuts in. Nuts are full of heart healthy oils, vitamin and fiber, and these brownies are much more filling than regular brownies!
You’ll notice that I’ve converted from butter to soft tub margarine for the moment. I hate palm oil due to the environmental destruction, and I suppose butter wrecks the environment too. Soft tub margarine contains significantly less saturated fat than butter does, but it also usually contains some added salt, which is why I omitted the salt from this recipe. I’ve taste-tested a bunch of brands and I’ve decided that “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” is my favorite.
The frosting is 100% optional. I wanted the brownies to be “festive for Valentine’s day,” which is why I put the icing and sprinkles on. Honestly, these brownies are sweet enough on their own and I thought the frosting made them a little “too” sweet.
You may also enjoy my recipe for low fat buckwheat brownies, although they’re a bit more cake-like these brownies. These brownies are not low in fat, because I specifically wanted “fudgy/chewy.”
Fudgy Almond Flour Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup turbinado cane sugar (I like Florida Crystals or Sugar In The Raw)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour or any gluten-free substitute
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup soft tub margarine
- ¼ cup skim milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing is optional
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 tablespoon soft tub margarine
- 1 tablespoon skim milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- a few drops of food coloring (if desired)
- festive sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, and spray the parchment and pan with nonstick spray.
- You can use store-bought almond flour, or you can grind almonds in a food processor to get 1 cup of ground almonds.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sugar, flour, cocoa powder, flaxseed meal and baking powder.
- Put the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Microwave for 15 seconds, and give it a stir with a spatula. Repeat the process, microwaving for 10 to 15 seconds at a time and stirring until the chocolate chips are nearly melted.
- Add the margarine and microwave for a final 15 seconds. Stir the melted margarine into the melted chocolate chips until completely combined.
- Stir the skim milk and vanilla extract into the chocolate chip/butter mixture.
- Pour the melted chocolate chips and butter into the bowl with the flour. Stir together with a spatula until well-mixed.
- It's gonna be a thick batter. Spread the batter in the prepared baking dish. You can use a spatula or the palm of your hand to smooth and flatten the batter.
- Bake the brownie batter for 25 minutes at 350 °F
- Meanwhile, make the icing by whisking together the margarine and confectioner's sugar (you can use an electric mixer for this, too)
- Beat in the skim milk, vanilla extract and food coloring until icing reaches the desired consistency. If the icing is too stiff, add more milk. If the icing is too runny, add more confectioner's sugar.
- When the brownies come out of the oven, use the edges of the parchment paper like a "handle" to pull the brownies out of the baking dish (you might need to use a dull knife to loosen the edges of the brownies from the dish.) Let the brownies cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes before trying to ice the brownies.
- Spread icing and sprinkles all over the brownies, and let the brownies sit for another hour or so, to give the icing some time to firm up.
- When the icing is firm and dry to the touch, you can use a sharp knife to slice the brownies into 16 squares.
Notes
