Brown Butter Brownies
There’s something magical about the smell of brown butter wafting through the kitchen — nutty, caramelized, and impossibly rich. Now imagine that flavor baked right into a batch of fudgy, gooey brownies. These Brown Butter Brownies take your classic treat to the next level, with deep toffee notes, a crackly top, and the perfect balance of chewy edges and soft centers.
These homemade brownies are made with simple, wholesome ingredients and are completely gluten-free, so you can indulge without compromise. Trust me — once you’ve tried brownies with brown butter, you’ll never go back!
Why Brown Butter and Almond Flour
Browning the butter, also known as beurre noisette, transforms the milk solids as they caramelize. This creates a nutty, toffee like flavor that makes brownies taste more complex. Regular melted butter tastes rich, but browned butter adds depth and warmth.
Almond flour is made from finely ground blanched almonds. It gives a moist and tender texture, but because it contains more fat and no gluten, it behaves differently than wheat flour. The result is a softer, more delicate crumb that stays moist for days.
Coconut sugar adds a subtle caramel flavor and makes the recipe refined sugar free. It blends beautifully with the brown butter and cocoa for an earthy chocolate flavor.
For more almond flour recipes, try my Almond Flour Brownies or my Almond Flour Cookies!
Ingredients You’ll Need
| Ingredient | Purpose and Notes |
|---|---|
| 1 1/4 cups coconut sugar or granulated sugar | Sweetness and structure |
| 3 eggs | Provide structure and moisture |
| 13 tablespoons unsalted butter | Browning creates a nutty flavor |
| 1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour | For best texture, use finely ground almond flour |
| 2/3 cup cocoa powder | Adds deep chocolate flavor |
| 1/2 teaspoon sea salt | Enhances sweetness and balances flavor |
| 1 teaspoon vanilla extract | Rounds out the chocolate taste |
| 1 cup dark chocolate chips | For extra richness and texture |
Notes
Use blanched almond flour instead of almond meal for a smoother texture.
For darker brownies, use black cocoa powder.
Be sure to scrape all brown bits from the skillet after browning butter.
Instructions
Step 1. Preheat and Prepare the Pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper and leave an overhang for easy lifting.
Step 2. Brown the Butter
Add butter to a skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. After about 5 to 7 minutes, the butter will foam, then turn golden with small brown flecks. It should smell nutty and aromatic. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl, scraping all the brown bits from the pan.
Step 3. Whisk Sugar and Eggs
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together vigorously for 2 minutes until light and frothy. This helps create the shiny brownie top.
Step 4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Pour the brown butter into the sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Add almond flour, cocoa powder, sea salt, and vanilla extract. Stir gently until fully incorporated. Batter will be thick.
Step 5. Add Chocolate Chips
Fold in the chocolate chips. For an extra chocolatey top, sprinkle additional chips before baking.
Step 6. Bake
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs. The center should look slightly soft when you remove it from the oven.
Step 7. Cool and Slice
Cool the brown butter brownies completely in the pan before slicing. Lift out using the parchment paper and cut into squares with a sharp knife.
Variations and Adaptations
- Double the recipe for a 9 by 13 inch pan and increase bake time by 5 to 7 minutes
- Add a swirl of nut butter or caramel before baking like these Peanut Butter Brownies or these Reese’s Brownies
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving these brown butter brownies
- Add espresso powder for more chocolate intensity
- Replace almond flour with finely ground sunflower seed flour for a nut free option
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
They were probably overbaked or overmixed. Brownies continue to cook as they cool, so remove them when the center still looks a little underdone.
Use medium heat and stir often. Remove it from the stove as soon as it turns golden brown and smells nutty.
Whisk the eggs and sugar long enough for the sugar to dissolve. This creates the glossy surface when baked.
Let the brownies cool completely. They will set as they rest. If still too soft, bake an extra 3 to 5 minutes next time.
Use vegan butter or browned coconut oil, though the flavor will differ slightly.
Serving and Storing
Serve brown butter brownies warm with ice cream or a drizzle of melted chocolate. They also pair beautifully with coffee or fresh fruit.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, or refrigerate for up to a week. Reheat briefly before serving to bring back the fudgy texture.
Nutrition Information
| Serving | Calories | Fat | Protein | Carbohydrates | Fiber |
|---|
| 1 square (out of 9) | 380 to 390 | 32 g | 7 g | 38 g | 5 g |
Key Tips for Perfect Brown Butter Brownies
- Do not rush the browning process, patience adds flavor
- Always use fine almond flour for smooth texture
- Whisk the eggs and sugar vigorously for a glossy top
- Avoid overbaking so the center stays fudgy
- Let brownies cool completely before cutting
You May Also Like
- Gluten Free Dairy Free Brownies
- Chocolate Cherry Brownies
- Matcha Brownies
- Lactation Brownies
- Dark Chocolate Brownies
If you make these brown butter brownies, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along! For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes.
Get the Recipe: Brown Butter Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups coconut sugar, or granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 13 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Make the brown butter. Add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Cook until the butter becomes golden brown. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add the coconut sugar and eggs. Whisk vigorously for 2 minutes, until light and frothy.
- Then, add in all remaining ingredients except chocolate chips. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet of brown butter. Stir to combine.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Batter may be slightly thicker than traditional brownie batter.
- Pour the brownie batter into lined pan. Add extra chocolate chips on top if desired.
- Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
- Finally, remove from oven. Allow brownies to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use blanched almond flour for the best texture. Do not use homemade almond flour or almond meal.
- For dark chocolate brownies like in the photos, use black cocoa powder.
- Stir the brown butter occasionally to prevent burning.
- Be sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet to get those tasty brown bits!
- The brownies should look a little gooey when they first come out of the oven.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Check out all of my kitchen favorites!
2 Comments on “Brown Butter Brownies”
Can I use brown sugar?
Yes, that will work!