These Fudgy Paleo Brownies are so simple to make, are not cakey at all, and are the perfect chocolate treat! So delicious and gluten free, dairy free and nut free!
October is Fair Trade Month and I am so honored to be able to not only share a delicious recipe with you, but to also share why buying Fair Trade is so important. What is Fair Trade? Buying Fair Trade ensures that you’re getting quality products and the people who grow, sew and craft them get a fair deal for their hard work. In fact, your everyday purchases can help farmers and factory workers in 70 countries work in safe conditions, earn extra money to invest in their communities and improve the lives of their families. I also want to share a story with you of a lady who worked in a Fair Trade factor in India and how that makes a difference in her life.
Meet Komil Baror
Komil Baror, 24, from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, works as a tailor in Pratibha Syntex, in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, India. A member of the factory's Fair Trade Committee, she has worked at the factory for 5 years. "I'm very happy to work here because there is no inequality amongst workers - the work atmosphere is very positive. I want to thank Fair Trade consumers for supporting us. Over a period of time, our involvement with Fair Trade will only improve the quality of our product because workers will be more invested in their work. Pratibha's product is already considered the best in the region - we want to be 'double best.'" Komil is very active in the Fair Trade committee and proposed improvements for migrant workers like herself, including establishing a community kitchen space, repairs for personal storage lockers, and establishing a designated room for visiting parents of workers, some of whom have traveled from thousands of kilometers away.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Fair Trade and where to find products.
A received an awesome box full of Paleo Fair Trade items so that I could come up with a delicious recipe to share. I used the Nutiva Coconut Oil, Arrowhead Mills Coconut Flour, Lake Champlain Organic Unsweetened Cocoa, and Sunspire Organic Baking Chocolate in my brownies. I'm excited for the other items as well. My husband is a tea lover and is enjoying the Runa loose leaf tea and he has also already eaten those Eating Evolved Coconut Butter Cups. I'm looking forward to cooking with the Frontier CO-OP Black Peppercorns- fresh cracked pepper is so good!
Here is a helpful picture on Fair Trade and why it's important. That label in the middle is what to look for when searching for products in the store. They will have that label on them and it's usually pretty easy to see.
Now, this amazingly delicious recipe! As soon as I received this box, I knew I wanted to make brownies. And these brownies are so good! Thick, fudgy, rich, intense chocolate flavor, and so easy to make! No one will know these are paleo! I wanted to create a recipe that was just like the "regular" version and that's exactly what these are. If you have never used coconut flour to bake, then there is a little learning curve. It is super dry so you don't need a lot. A quarter cup was all I used in this recipe- so a bag lasts a long time.
They are so easy to make. They are mixed in one pan and are in the oven within just a few minutes. These are perfect for those times you need chocolate treat quickly, or those times when you have to bring a dessert somewhere. You will absolutely love these brownies!!
Next time you are shopping, consider buying from a company that is certified Fair Trade. It doesn't cost you any more, but it makes a difference in the life of the farmer where it came from. It is so easy to find Fair Trade products, too. Not only am I seeing them at health food stores, but at big chain stores as well. I love that awareness is being raised and people are caring where their food comes from. And you should definitely pick up the ingredients for these fudgy paleo brownies!
Here are some more brownie recipes to try:
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Fudgy Paleo Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup melted coconut oil, I used Nutiva unrefined
- ½ cup cocoa powder, I used Lake Champlain
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, I used Sunspire Organic Baking Bar
- ¾ cup honey
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup coconut flour, I used Arrowhead Mills
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fair trade espresso powder optional, but recommended
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine coconut oil, cocoa powder, and unsweetened chocolate. Heat oven medium heat, whisking until mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
- Take off the heat and stir in the honey. This should cause the mixture to slightly thicken.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
- Add in the coconut flour, salt, and espresso powder. Mix until no dry pockets remain.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-23 minutes.
- Store in the fridge after the first day to keep fresh.
Emily says
Hi can we use maple syrup instead of the honey if so how much would I use?
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Emily- yes, the measurement is the same. Hope you enjoy!
Karla says
Absolutely delicious! ....can't get over how good these are....I'm actually afraid I'm going to eat the whole pan! Seriously.
Next time I make them, I am going to try it with a 1/2 cup honey instead. I didn't think they were too sweet at all, but just want to see if I can get away with still loving them as much with a bit less sweetener. Thanks for the chocolate fix I so needed:)
Jessica DeMay says
You're welcome, Karla! Thanks for trying them and for the great feedback. I'm glad you love them!
Lindsay says
This was my first time baking these brownies (first ever paleo recipe I've tried, too) and they were perfect! I was looking for a refined-sugar free brownie that still tasted chocolatey and fudgy and these definitely met my expectations! They tasted absolutely delicious and totally took care of my sugar cravings! I followed the recipe exactly, other than using an 8x8 pan as I didn't have a 9x9 pan. I'm interested to see how they taste after they've been refrigerated. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Jessica DeMay says
You're welcome, Lindsay! Thanks for trying my recipe and for the great feedback! I'm so glad they lived up to your expectations 🙂
Becky says
Did you have to change your baking time?
Lindsay says
No I didn't - I baked them I believe for about 23-24 minutes and that was perfect.
Jonny Ho says
Thanks for this recipe.
Only change I made, after reading comments was using semi sweet chocolate. Doubled the batch and didn’t find it overly sweet as others stated.
Will for sure be making this again!!
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks for trying my recipe, Jonny! I'm so glad you like them!
Victoria Samways says
I made them for the first time and they taste delicious but they're extremely flat! Does the recipe not require baking soda?
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Victoria- I explain in the text that I don't use baking soda or powder so they turn out extra fudgy. Using those would make them cakey. Hope that helps! Thanks for trying them!
Shannon Hepburn says
Hi Jessica! This was my first ever paleo brownie attempt and I couldn't be happier. I subbed the honey for maple syrup (I live in Vermont!) and I did a combo of coconut oil and olive oil. I may have over baked them - they fell apart right out of the oven. But after cooling, slicing and refrigerating overnight they are flipping fudgey and fantastic! Thanks so much for taking the time to play with food and post good recipes for us all to try.
Jessica DeMay says
You're welcome, Shannon! Thanks for trying my recipe and for the great feedback! I'm glad they still turned out with your substitutions- that's great to know!
JULIANA says
I MADE THESE TWICE I LOVE THE FLAVOUR BUT BOTH TIMES THEY ARE VERY CRUMBLY AND THEY BREAK EASILY . NOT SURE WHERE IM FOING WRONG BOTH TIMES I REPLACED COCONUT OIL WITH VEGAN BUTTER 1 TO 1 .. AND THE SECOND TIME IBUSED CHIA INSTEAD OF EGGS BOTH TIMES THE TEXTURE IS THE SAME.. I DIDN'T USE EXPRESSO POWDER BOTH TIMES.. HOW CAN I MAKE THIS MORE STABLE ?
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Juliana- thanks for trying my recipe! The replacement of the eggs will definitely make the texture different. If you use a vegan butter it contains water which is not ideal. Using a complete fat like coconut oil will help them hold their shape better. If you don't like the coconut oil taste then you can use refined coconut oil. I hope that helps and you try them again!
Angela says
Have you ever tried to make these brownies into cupcakes????
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Angela- I have not, but I don't see why that wouldn't work. They won't be fluffy and cakey, but they will be brownies in cupcake liners. If that makes sense. If you're looking for a chocolate cake recipe that can be made into cupcakes, here is my recipe: https://www.jaysbakingmecrazy.com/2017/10/24/easy-paleo-chocolate-cake/
Liz says
These were a hit! I used 365's organic chocolate (sweetened with cane sugar) and eucalyptus honey. They were almost too fudgy to cut neatly (which is the sign of a good brownie!). I brought them to a party, and nobody could tell that they were dairy-free and refined sugar-free. I'm sure that they would taste great with unsweetened chocolate, but I wasn't willing to take the chance of them tasting "healthy" to others. I will definitely try more of your recipes, thank you!
Jessica DeMay says
You're welcome, Liz! Thanks for trying my recipe and for the great feedback! That sounds like they came out amazing! Yum!
maisarah says
Hi... These sounds delicuous and right up my alley... Just wondering if I could use bittersweet chocolate insted of unsweetened...?
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Maisarah- Yes, that will work great. Hope you love them!