Sea Salt Brownies
These Sea Salt Brownies are rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey, with flaky sea salt on top that makes every bite delicious! They start with brown butter cooked until golden and nutty, which adds a toffee-like depth to the batter. These homemade brownies are rich, gooey, fudgy, and indulgent!
Almond flour replaces wheat flour entirely, producing a denser, more truffle-like crumb. Coconut sugar rounds out the flavor with its natural caramel undertone. The result is a brownie that tastes genuinely complex with very little extra effort!
What Makes These Sea Salt Brownies Different?
These Sea Salt Brownies use almond flour for a denser, fudgier crumb, brown butter for nutty caramel depth, and coconut sugar for a natural sweetness with its own caramel undertone. Together, these three ingredients produce a brownie that tastes genuinely complex and indulgent while also being naturally grain free.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups coconut sugar, or granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 13 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour, see note
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
What Each Ingredient Does
Brown butter
When butter cooks past the melting point, the water evaporates and the milk solids caramelize through the Maillard reaction, forming nutty, toasty flavor compounds that plain melted butter never contains. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat and scrape every bit of the brown sediment from the bottom of the skillet into the batter. Those brown bits carry the most concentrated flavor.
Almond flour
Almond flour contains no gluten and is naturally high in fat, which produces a denser, moister, more truffle-like crumb than wheat flour. The batter will look slightly thicker than traditional brownie batter, and that is correct. For substitutions: use ¾ cup of a 1:1 gluten free flour blend or ⅓ cup of all-purpose flour at the same time and temperature.
Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar sweetens these brownies while adding subtle caramel and molasses notes that pair naturally with the brown butter. Granulated sugar works as a direct 1:1 substitute for a more neutral sweetness.
Cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and sea salt
Two-thirds of a cup of cocoa powder builds the deep, dark base flavor, while chocolate chips create melted pockets of chocolate throughout the bar. The teaspoon of sea salt baked in suppresses bitterness and amplifies sweetness.
The flaky sea salt on top adds texture and a concentrated burst that makes the chocolate and caramel flavors taste more intense and satisfying. Use a coarse, flaky variety like Maldon for the topping rather than fine table salt, which dissolves and disappears.
How to make Sea Salt Brownies, step by step
First, preheat your 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. Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Allow brownies to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Why Sea Salt Amplifies Chocolate Flavor
Salt suppresses bitter taste receptors on the palate, making cocoa flavor read as less harsh and more rounded. At the same time, salt enhances the perception of sweet and aromatic flavor compounds, so the chocolate tastes more intensely chocolatey and the brown butter notes become more pronounced.
The flaky sea salt on top delivers this effect in concentrated bursts with every bite, which is why it transforms the eating experience rather than just adding a salty note.
Tips for the Best Result
Scrape the brown bits from the skillet
The dark specks at the bottom of the skillet are caramelized milk solids with the most concentrated flavor. Scrape every bit into the batter.
Do not overbake
Pull the brownies when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. The almond flour batter sets as the brownies cool, and a completely clean toothpick means dry brownies. The gooey center firms into a fudgy texture as it cools.
Use flaky sea salt for the topping
Fine salt dissolves on contact with the warm surface and disappears. Flaky sea salt stays intact, adding both a visual garnish and a satisfying crunch. Maldon is the best widely available option.
Cool completely before slicing
Almond flour brownies are softer and more delicate than wheat flour versions while warm. Give them at least an hour at room temperature, or speed it up with 30 minutes at room temperature followed by 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
Flour Substitution Options
| Flour option | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Almond flour (this recipe) | 1 ¼ cups | Grain free, densest and fudgiest result |
| 1:1 gluten free flour blend | ¾ cup | Similar texture, slightly less dense |
| All-purpose flour | ⅓ cup | Most classic brownie texture |
Storage
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Almond flour keeps these brownies moist longer because of its higher fat content.
Freezer: Wrap individual brownies tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Plain melted butter works as a direct substitute. The brownies will still be rich and delicious, though browning adds significant nutty depth that is worth the extra five minutes.
Almond flour does not absorb liquid the same way wheat flour does. The result is a thicker, denser batter than traditional brownie batter. This is expected. Spread it evenly and bake as directed.
Yes. White granulated sugar works 1:1. The caramel undertone from coconut sugar will be absent. Light brown sugar also works and adds a hint of molasses depth.
Look for set edges, a center with a slight give, and a toothpick with a few moist crumbs. Almond flour brownies can look underdone even when fully baked. Trust the toothpick and pull on the earlier side.
You May Also Like
- Paleo Brownies
- Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Brownies with Salted Caramel Frosting
- Brown Butter Banana Cookies
- Almond Flour Oatmeal Cookies
If you make this Sea Salt Brownies recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Join my exclusive Facebook Group for a behind the scenes look. I would love for you to follow along! For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes.
Get the Recipe: Sea Salt Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups coconut sugar, or granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 13 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour, see note
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- First, preheat your 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. Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Allow brownies to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Feel free to replace the 1 ¼ cups almond flour with ¾ cup gluten free flour or ⅓ cup all purpose flour.
- 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.