Fudgy. Gooey. Moist. All the words you’d associate with an incredible brownie and these almond butter brownies are all three. They’re blissful and there’s nothing that could go wrong if you decide to bake these!
The almond butter in the batter adds a beautifully nutty, sweet flavour to the brownies. Then more almond butter is swirled on top which not only adds a nice decoration, but also thickens in the oven to create a lovely bite when eaten.
These brownies are also loaded with melted chocolate and contain a dash of cocoa which results in a smooth, rich and just overall DELICIOUS BROWNIE!
Why Makes These Almond Butter Brownies?
The high-fat content in almond butter means that these brownies are extremely moist without the need for any additional oil or butter. They also contain lots of chocolate which makes them extra fudgy and that also means that they hold their shape without the need for eggs or any other binding agent.
These are what I like to call unhealthily healthy desserts. They taste as close to the real thing as you’re gonna get. Absolutely no one will guess that these brownies are vegan and for the most part – contain healthy ingredients. And let’s be honest… Nobody should! Healthy shouldn’t taste bad and I love making sure that any “healthy” recipe I make tastes as unhealthy (or as delicious) as you could possibly imagine.
Another point is that its very easy to substitute ingredients in this recipe. As long as you don’t completely alter the amount of liquids, fats and sugars, then you should be fine.
The Ingredients
You can essentially use any dark chocolate that you like for this. I recommend chocolate that contains around 50% cocoa solids. I usually find chocolate with 70% slightly too bitter for recipes like this but if you enjoy the richer depth of flavour then definitely go for a darker chocolate.
The almond butter, almond milk, brown sugar and plain flour can easily be substituted with little to no effects on the outcome of these brownies. They’ll still be just as delicious. You can use peanut butter instead of almond butter. Any low-fat milk will work fine. Coconut sugar is the perfect substitute for brown sugar. GF flour (with a dash of xanthan gum) can also be used in place of plain flour.
If you do substitute the plain flour for gluten-free flour then I recommend resting the batter for 15 minutes before baking. This will help to reduce the graininess that is oftentimes present in gluten-free flours.
5 Tips For Making The Perfect Vegan Almond Butter Brownies
- The consistency of almond butter can vary depending on the brand. For this recipe, I made homemade almond butter which I blended until it was runny at room temperature. If your almond butter is thick and scoop-able then add a couple of tablespoons of oil and whisk until it reaches a smooth, runny consistency.
- Don’t skip on the quality. Use a brand flour and decent chocolate. If quality almond butter is too pricey then you can also use peanut butter (which is my favourite sub for almond butter recipes). Just make sure that it doesn’t contain any additives such as sugar and palm oil.
- Don’t overbake. Use a toothpick to check that the centre of the brownies is baked. The toothpick should have a few moist crumbs remaining on it.
- Last but not least, make sure your brownies are cooled completely before you start cutting them. For the perfect slices, run your knife under a splash of hot water then cut. Wipe the knife clean between each slice and repeat the process until you have 12 perfect squares.
- Although these brownies hold together pretty well, they are slightly more fragile than the average brownie. Handle them with care.
How To Store These Brownies
You can store these at room temperature for 1 – 2 days. If you plan on snacking on these throughout the week then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Allow the brownies to return to room temperature for 1 hour before eating.
Don’t forget to let me know if you decide to make these. I’d love to hear how it goes!
Almond Butter Brownies
Almond Butter Brownies that are gooey, moist and topped with a deliciously nutty swirl. Did I mention that they're also vegan?!
Ingredients
- 160 g (5.6 oz) Dairy-free dark chocolate chips or chunks
- 120 g (½ Cup) Smooth almond butter, plus 4 Tbsps for the swirls on top
- 180 ml (¾ Cup) Almond milk
- 1 ½ Tsp Vanilla extract
- 115 g (¾ Cup) Plain flour
- 150 g (¾ Cup) Light brown sugar
- 30 g (4 Tbsp) Cocoa powder, sifted
- ¼ Tsp Baking powder
- ½ Tsp Salt
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a 9 x 9-inch baking tray.
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Add the dark chocolate to a small bowl and microwave for 1 – 2 minutes. Check every 20 seconds and whisk until the chocolate has melted. Quickly add almond butter, milk and vanilla extract to the chocolate then whisk until completely combined.
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Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt to the wet ingredients then fold again until a batter forms. Transfer the batter to your baking tray.
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For the swirls, spoon the remaining 60 g of almond butter horizontally across one end of the brownie batter to another. Repeat this until you have 4 horizontal lines across the brownie tin. Draw a knife in a vertical motion 4 times.
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Bake brownies in the oven for 18 – 25 minutes. Place a toothpick in the middle. The brownies will be complete when a few moist crumbs remain on the toothpick.
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Allow the brownies to cool for 1 hour then dig in.
Recipe Notes
SUBSTITUTES replace:-
Almond butter with any smooth nut butter such as peanut butter.
Plain flour with gluten-free flour + 1/4 tsp xanthan gum. Rest the batter for 15 minutes before baking.
Light brown sugar with caster sugar or coconut sugar.
I love these! Best recipe by far.