Feel clean and lean with these ultra fudgy paleo brownies iced in melting almond butter!
There is something that makes my mouth water like no other and it is a decedent fudgey chocolate dessert treat! WAIT friends, it gets even better… these paleo brownies are one of the best freaking healthy sweets to eat! They sure do not taste like it though!
Normally low fat brownies or fat free brownies are on my list of must haves… kinda like these vegan black bean brownies because they are light, packed chocolate flavor and full of fiber. These paleo brownies are not fat free but the healthy fat in them is from olive oil and almonds which give your body glowing skin and help organs to function properly. Better yet they are grain free and gluten free brownies!
What is so great about (grain-free) paleo brownies?
Glad you asked.
The hubby and I have been reading up on all of the properties about wheat and gluten, traditionally used in most pastries and baked goods. Did you know that gluten in grains has increased 80% in the last 40 years?
Gluten gives baked goods the elasticity it needs to be fluffy but it eats away at the human body's gut allowing more autoimmunity disorders to kick-in, like Celiac Disease. Today there are more than 200,000 more cases of Celiac Disease diagnosed per year. A culprit is that grains are not processed the same way they were when our ancestors were around. And if you go way back to cavemen there were no grains. Cavemen grazed off the land eating only nuts, meat, berries, fruits and vegetables. They were taller, leaner and had more energy than the majority of humans today.
These paleo brownies meet all the essential needs that food should have. Almond meal for protein, olive oil for healthy fat, maple syrup which comes from trees, and cocoa powder and pumpkin grown direct from the earth.
After reading everything about The Paleo Diet I have been doing a cleanse away from grains for a bit to detox and heal my gut. Big confession about this paleo cleanse! I ate these flourless brownies for breakfast the other day and did not even blink because when food is rich in nutrients, plant based and natural it should not matter at all what time of the day you eat it:-) I was heading to the gym prior so I thought I would add nut butter for extra substance. If the brownies are right out of the oven the almond butter melts right on or microwave for about 10 seconds to melt before pouring on top.
What you need for this chocolate paleo brownie recipe:
- cup olive oil
- eggs
- maple syrup
- coconut sugar
- teaspoons vanilla
- pumpkin puree
- almond meal flour
- cocoa powder
- dark chocolate chips (optional)
- almond butter (optional)
Brownie Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Put parchment paper over an 8 x 8 inch pan. Whisk together olive oil, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla and pumpkin puree together until well mixed. Add the dry ingredients of almond meal and cocoa flour and mix well then fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the gluten free brownie mix over the parchment paper that covers the baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes and let cool for 30 minutes to set before handling.
Eat it without the almond butter on top or spread the almond butter over right away. Make sure to let it cool for about 30 minutes before slicing and handling so it sets. If you let the brownies cool first, heat the almond butter in the microwave for 10 seconds then drizzle on top.
Grain free brownies must cool before slicing.
I made a couple of batches and the second batch I was too eager to shoot photos and left out a steady base as the brownies were still hot until something terrible happened. They toppled over on the floor! I was in tears, a lesson learned so do let your brownies cool completely before attempting to slice and serve:-)
No joke these brownies are so moist, grain free, and take only a few minutes to mix the basic brownie ingredients together. Get ready to be addicted to these guys, but it is ok because they are delicious and healthy!
Paleo Brownies Iced in Nutty Almond Butter
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ coconut sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup almond meal flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips optional
- ¼ cup almond butter optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put parchment paper over an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Whisk together olive oil, eggs, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla and pumpkin puree until well mixed. Add the dry ingredients of almond meal and cocoa powder and mix well then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the gluten-free brownie mixture over the parchment paper that covers the baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Serve it without the almond butter on top or spread the almond butter over right away. Make sure to let it cool for about 20-30 minutes before slicing and handling so it sets. If you let the brownies cool first, heat the almond butter in the microwave for 10 seconds then drizzle on top.
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Ailsa @ Food to Feel Good says
Just made these with coconut nectar instead of maple syrup, super yummy! Didn’t come out as thick as yours, but I live at a very high elevation so I’m assuming that’s why. Have been craving a fudgey brownie and this healthy version definitely did the trick 🙂
Danielle @ Delightful Mom Food says
Alisa, so glad you made these paleo brownies! Great idea to swap out maple syrup for coconut nectar and honey would work too.