Decadent Keto Protein Brownies: The Ultimate Guilt-Free Chocolate Indulgence You Can't Resist!

For those seeking a delectable treat that aligns with a healthy lifestyle, these keto protein brownies offer the perfect solution. Combining rich chocolate flavor with a boost of protein, these brownies satisfy cravings without derailing dietary goals. This recipe gives you the best of both worlds. Plus there is no banana and no avocado or other unusual hidden ingredients.

Why These Brownies Stand Out

Not sure what I love more about this one-bowl brownie recipe. The serving is a good size, the macros are great, they’re quick and easy to make, they’re fudgy when cooled, and David gobbled them up. You could pick one of those or we could just say it’s all of the above! These brownies distinguish themselves through their:

Rich, Fudgy Texture: They’re rich, fudgy, chewy and kind of similar to my almond flour brownies if you’ve ever had those.
Ease of Preparation: These healthy protein brownies are easy to make, fudgy, moist, grain free and have a rich chocolate flavor. These brownies are easy and quick to put together, versatile, and endlessly adaptable.
Nutritional Profile: They have about 6-7 grams of protein per brownie with a lot less sugar and fat than a traditional brownie!
Dietary Inclusivity: Yup, you can enjoy these if you’re gluten-free OR keto. No flour. No grains.
Customization Options: Another perk of this delectable recipe is just how flexible it is. With a few simple tweaks, you can transform this recipe into a dish that perfectly satisfies your individual taste.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here's a breakdown of the key ingredients and potential substitutions to tailor the recipe to your preferences and dietary needs:

Flour: Almond flour works great for keto desserts and is my favorite option and I highly recommend sticking with it. The recipe calls for almond flour or almond meal. I have not tried substituting whole wheat flour, coconut flour, spelt flour, or white or gluten free all purpose flour so cannot recommend those. If you’d prefer to use coconut flour, I suggest substituting 1/4 the amount of almond flour with coconut flour.
Sweetener: To keep things simple and delicious, I like to use Powdered Erythritol Sweetener. It melts well into the batter and adds the perfect amount of sweetness and moisture to the brownies. Keto sweeteners can be tricky and sometimes complicated. The Sweetener: Keto sweeteners can be tricky and sometimes complicated. To keep things simple and delicious, I like to use Powdered Erythritol Sweetener. It melts well into the batter and adds the perfect amount of sweetness and moisture to the brownies. To add sweetness without any calories or sugar, I used my favorite organic stevia blend that’s twice as sweet as sugar with no bitter aftertaste. If your stevia tastes bitter, it’s probably cheap! I generally avoid store brand stevia and stick to either Truvia or Pyure. Feel free to substitute the stevia blend for twice as much (six tablespoons) baking stevia, granulated erythritol, monk fruit blend, or a granulated sugar like coconut sugar (not keto). If you prefer, you can use a 1:1 sugar replacement to make these keto brownies.
Protein Powder: I opted for a chocolate pea protein, but whey protein will also work if you have that. Note that I use WHEY protein. I can't guarantee results if you substitute a different type of protein powder. I did try this with a whey/casein blend, but the same recipe did not turn out. Leftover protein powder? There is hemp protein, whey protein, collagen, pea, casein, brown rice, egg white protein, or pumpkin seed or soy protein. For this simple recipe, I like to use either unsweetened protein powder or vanilla protein powder sweetened with coconut sugar. Whey blends (like Quest) that combine whey isolate, casein, and milk protein work best for baking! Whey concentrate comes in close second. Whey isolates are the absolute worst for baking. This recipe has not been tested with whey protein isolate, collagen, or egg white protein powder. Since I’ve used that protein with success, you can probably use it in this recipe. Plant-based protein will not work for these brownies. Since these protein brownies are flourless, it is lacking the structure needed to use any kind of plant-based protein.
Chocolate: I can’t stress this enough but good quality chocolate is what makes or breaks brownies. For this recipe, we will be using BOTH cocoa powder and chocolate chunks to get the perfect texture. I suggest getting the best kind of chocolate you can get your hands on. For the chocolate chunks, I prefer to use 100% dark BAKING chocolate but anywhere from 85-99% dark baking chocolate should work. I also like to add chopped up chocolate chunks or sugar-free chocolate chips into the batter to make the brownies extra fudgy.
Fat: Coconut oil. Be sure to use refined coconut oil which has no coconut smell or flavor. You can definitely swap another nut butter like almond or cashew butter, though. Or, regular butter would likely work as well.
Eggs: The eggs are essential to help bind all of the ingredients together and give these brownies some rise and a chewy texture. This recipe calls for 3 eggs, which is too many to safely omit or sub for an egg replacer, so I don’t recommend that here. The egg whites can also be substituted for two whole eggs or a vegan egg replacer if you’re allergic to eggs. For vegan protein brownies, use the flax eggs instead of chicken eggs.

Other possible ingredients

Coconut sugar. I opted to use coconut sugar to keep these refined sugar free, but any kind of granulated sugar will work here.
Chocolate chips. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips which will be melted and added to the batter for a rich and fudgy texture.
Oat Fiber: You can add 1/3 cup oat fiber if you’d like.
Pumpkin: To create that fudgey texture, I used a combination of 100% pure pumpkin and no sugar added almond butter. If you must substitute the pumpkin, I would suggest butternut squash puree.

Flavor variations

Mint chocolate - Add one fourth teaspoon of pure peppermint extract.
Chai spice - Use a chai flavored protein powder.
You could also experiment with adding a dash or two of cinnamon, espresso powder, or chili flakes.
Consider flavor boosts like vanilla extract, almond extract, or even orange extract for a unique twist.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line an 8x8 inch or 8x9 pan with parchment paper, aluminum foil or grease with butter.

Melt Chocolate and Butter: In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, Melt butter and chocolate for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until just melted.
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, erythritol, and instant coffee. Be sure to whisk out all the clumps from the erythritol.
Combine Wet and Dry: Whisk in the eggs and vanilla then gently whisk in the dry ingredients just until mixed through. Be careful not to over mix the batter or it will become cakey.
Bake: Transfer batter into a baking dish and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out moist. Do not overbake the batter. If the batter looks jiggly, remove it from the oven after 25 minutes and it will set at room temperature.

Alternative Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9” baking pan and set aside.

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Melt the butter in a large glass bowl. Use a whisk or hand mixer to mix in the sweetener until melted.
Add the eggs and mix until frothy.
Measure in the beef protein isolate, cocoa powder, baking powder, instant coffee if using, salt, water, and vanilla extract. Mix until a batter forms.If adding chocolate chips, mix in by hand.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 17-19 minutes. The brownies should be slightly underbaked for a more dense fudge like brownie. Bake slightly longer for cake like brownies, but do not overbake.
Let rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting. The texture will become more dense hours later.

Another way to make it:

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine 1 cup of the chocolate chips (keep the other 1/2 cup aside for now) and coconut oil in a bowl. If you have a scale, please use it! You need 95 grams of coconut oil which is about 1/2 cup and 6.5 ounces of chocolate chips which is about 1 cup. With these two ingredients, accurate measurements are so important.
Melt in the microwave using 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted.
Meanwhile, add the eggs and coconut sugar to a bowl or bowl of a stand mixer and beat together for about 1 minute.
Beat in the vanilla and the chocolate once melted.
Add in the remaining dry ingredients and beat until a smooth batter form.
Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
Add the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 22-28 minutes, I usually do 25 minutes but all ovens are different.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and let cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Simple Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan, or line it with parchment.

Stir all ingredients well.
Spread into the pan, using a second sheet of parchment if needed to press down evenly.
Bake 20 minutes, then let cool. They continue to firm up as they cool and also firm up even more if you very loosely cover and refrigerate overnight.

Even Simpler Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F

Using a hand mixer, mix together your eggs, vanilla extract, brown sugar, peanut butter, maple syrup, and canned pumpkin. If you don’t have an electric mixer, use a whisk and make sure everything is mixed well.
In a separate bowl, mix together your dry ingredients. Combine the cocoa powder, chocolate whey protein, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and mix well.
Slowly add your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients a little bit at a time while mixing until you have a nice smooth batter.
In a small bowl, at your chocolate chips. Microwave for about a minute, or long enough to melt the chocolate. Mine was still slightly chunky, which I was okay with because I like the added texture to the brownies!
Add the melted chocolate to your batter and mix it in.
Generously spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray and pour your batter in. I sprinkled a little bit of salt on top of the brownies before baking, but that is optional.
Add to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Let cool for about 20-30 minutes to allow the brownies to fully set (they continue cooking once pulled from the oven)
Slice into 9 brownies and enjoy!

Tips for Baking

I like to add a second sheet of parchment paper over the top because it helps with evenly smoothing the mix into the pan.
Bake the brownies on the oven’s middle rack for twenty minutes, then carefully remove them from the oven.
When you first pull the brownies out of the oven, they will have a slight “poof” to them.
If adding chocolate chips, mix in by hand.
Nobody ever complained about TOO MUCH chocolate. Feel free to add some extra chocolate chips to your batter! You can play around with the type of chocolate chips you used, too. I used Espresso Chocolate Chips in one version and it was amazing.

Serving and Storage

Let the brownie pan cool on the counter. It is fine to leave the brownies out for a few hours on the counter if serving at a party or transporting them to an event.

Brownies can be stored at room temp for up to 48 hours. If kept longer than that, refrigerate for up to five days. For freshness, I recommend refrigerating leftovers in a covered container for up to five days.
Leftovers can be frozen for up to three months.
The chocolate protein brownies can also be slices and frozen in an airtight container for about two to three months.
These protein brownies do best stored in a container at room temperature, though you can also store them in the fridge for a few extra days. They will last for about 3 days at room temp, or up to 5 in the fridge.
Yes! These brownies can be frozen for up to 1 month. I suggest allowing them to cool completely, then slice and transfer to a freezer safe bag. Keep a little space between each brownie, then place in the freezer. To reheat, I like to pop them (while still frozen) in the oven at 350 for about 5 minutes or until warm through the center.
Store these in an airtight container at room temperature and they will keep very well.
You can store these protein brownies in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy them throughout the week!

Toppings

If using the easy peanut butter frosting, as shown in the video above, each frosted bodybuilding brownie will have an additional three grams protein, for a total of fifteen grams of protein per brownie.
I like to top mine with a drizzle of melted chocolate and sea salt, but this is totally optional!
Consider flavor boosts like vanilla extract, almond extract, or even orange extract for a unique twist.
Want to make these brownies feel even more indulgent? Drizzle sugar-free chocolate or a light peanut butter glaze over your brownies after they’ve cooled.
And if you’re on the hunt for some mix-in suggestions, I’ve got you covered! Chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or freeze-dried berries would all work great as additions to this recipe.
The first option is to sprinkle them with mini chocolate chips right before baking.

The Keto Advantage

Did you know? Carbs are our bodies “preferred” fuel source, due to their energy-efficiency and suitability for moderate-high intensity activities. In the absence of carbs, your body can manufacture “ketones” out of fats and certain amino acids to fuel the brain and replace carbs for fuel. It’s not an energy-efficient process - it’s energy consuming - which is exactly why people do it: to burn more calories, specifically, fat calories. Keto can be effective short-term, but not something I would recommend long-term (i.e., months on end), since vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains are rich in micronutrients and fiber, and are a superior fuel for high-intensity activities, such as weight training.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

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