Mennonite Girls Can Cook is a collection of recipes which were posted daily for a period of ten years from 2008 to 2018. We have over 3,000 delicious recipes that we invite you to try. The recipes can be accessed in our recipe file by category or you can use the search engine.

Recipe Search

Coconut Flour Brownies - Gluten-free


Have you ever wished that dessert was healthy ?

Well, I have a recipe that is so healthy it is guilt free !! AND it is Gluten-free as well.

My granddaughter already asked me .... "Nanna, for my birthday cake I want your brownies."

My husband who doesn't even like brownies... will ask for another piece of these brownies.

They are made with lots of eggs... healthy protein !! I'm glad the 'dietary powers' have declared that their earlier warnings against eating eggs have been reconsidered !

And the secret ingredient is coconut flour which has virtually no carbs and is loaded with health benefits. It is a fairly recent addition to healthy alternatives available, so if it is new to you just google 'coconut flour' and read all about it !


Brownies Made with Coconut Flour

1/3 cup coconut oil (or butter)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

6 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sifted coconut flour

1 cup nuts chopped


In a saucepan at low heat, melt butter and blend in cocoa powder.

Remove from heat and let cool .

In a bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla .

Stir in cocoa mixture.

Add well sifted coconut flour and whisk the batter well until there are no lumps.

Fold in the nuts.

Pour batter into a greased 8" or 9" square baking pan.

Bake at 350' for 30-35 minutes.

Since this brownie is soo healthy , make sure you don't leave off icing it with chocolate icing !

****NOTE... Coconut flour very quickly absorbs so the batter may look thin at first ! 1/4 cup of coconut flour is equal to 1 cup of regular flour.

(credits... recipe taken from Cooking with Coconut Flour by Bruce Fife, N.D.)

from the kitchen of
recipe file

41 comments:

  1. TrishSeptember 16, 2008 at 4:46 PM

    Oh Julie! this is terrific....I am most certainly going to make a batch for my colleague at work! YOu are delightful and insightful and helpful! Thanks...and guilt free for me?! Yep!.. I'll take it

    ReplyDelete
  2. BettySeptember 16, 2008 at 4:58 PM

    I sure hope my friend is reading this..brownies she can enjoy! Thank you Julie!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jeanine - The Baking BeautiesSeptember 17, 2008 at 4:53 AM

    Ohhh...these look YUMMY!! I've seen the coconut flour, but haven't tried it. Next time I see it, I'll be sure to get some just for this recipe! :) Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovella ♥September 17, 2008 at 7:26 AM

    Oh I know someone who will love these. . thanks Julie.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnnelieseSeptember 17, 2008 at 9:35 AM

    I took a cake over to our neighbor very recently and found out that the husband has celiacs. Next time I'll know where to check for a recipe! I'll be looking for coconut flour.

    ReplyDelete
  6. charlotte mgccSeptember 17, 2008 at 10:30 AM

    julie, i'm so glad that you are contributing gluten free recipes. i have several people in our life that can not have gluten and i have some recipes but this is another resource for recipes. i don't think that i have noticed coconut flour, now i will have to keep my eyes open.

    ReplyDelete
  7. ellen b.September 17, 2008 at 12:13 PM

    hi Julie,
    I forwarded this recipe to my niece who can't have gluten. She's very excited to try it! Thanks...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Natalie PetersSeptember 19, 2008 at 10:49 AM

    You are great!!! I can't wait to get my hands on some coconut flour! I've never heard of it, and I'm sure it tastes much better in sweet recipes than rice flour.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousApril 24, 2009 at 6:28 PM

    You mentioned that you should use 1/4 of the quantity of coconut flour as regular flour. Is this true in converting other recipes to coconut flour recipes?

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  10. JulieApril 25, 2009 at 8:58 AM

    dear Anonymous... thanks for your question !
    I would never substitude coconut flour completely for the flour called for in a recipe... but if the recipe called for 2 cups of flour .. then to get the health benefits of substiting coconut flour you would change the recipe something like this...
    1 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup coconut and 1/4 cup added liquid.
    Coconut flour is much more absorbant as regular flour and without adding the extra liquid you end up with a cement block! smile..
    In gluten-free baking I have been a little disapointed in the coconut flour recipes I have used...so except for this brownie recipe I prefer to use coconut flour only as part of the flour mix -- just make sure you always add extra eggs or liquid to make up for the absorbancy of the coconut flour.
    hope that helps !!

    ReplyDelete
  11. MichelleMay 5, 2009 at 2:06 PM

    Can i get your recipe for the frosting? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  12. AlanaJanuary 26, 2010 at 5:57 AM

    I'm on a carbohydrate restricted diet, so I substituted splenda for the sugar, and the brownies still turned out fantastically delicious. (I know...splenda's on the most healthy...but it was a nice treat).

    ReplyDelete
  13. julMarch 9, 2010 at 8:09 AM

    I LOVE these brownies, have the coconut flour cookbook. Just a small tip, if you beat any of the recipes for baked good very well ( I use a kitchen aid) you get much better results. A very noticable difference in things like muffins especially.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousJune 24, 2010 at 7:19 PM

    I made this recipe for a nutrition class project so here are some fun facts about the ingredients:

    Coconut flour:
    58 percent Fiber: helps with weight loss, regular digestion and cleaning out colon.
    No Phytic Acid: Phytic acid gets in the way of mineral absorption, inhibiting the body's ability to use nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc.
    Good source of iron, protien, low glycemic index

    Coconut Oil:
    Does not go rancid readily, may have antioxidant properties, stimulate thyroid, lower cholesterol, promote lean muscle, protect against cancer. Contains Medium chain fatty acids: lauric (C-12), caprylic (C-10) and myristic (C-14) acids. 40% lauric acid, which has anti-viral activity

    Cocoa powder : Protein, Riboflavin and Zinc, Dietary Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. -High in Saturated Fat.

    Eggs: Choline (23% Daily Value): normal functioning of all cells, metabolism, brain and nerve function, memory and the transportation of nutrients, birth defect prevention, brain development in children, Selenium (23% Daily Value): antioxidant, Riboflavin (14% Daily Value): energy production in cells, Vitamin B12 (11% Daily Value): digestion, nervous support, Phosphorus (10% Daily Value): bones, teeth, cell membranes, energy production. Pantothenic Acid (7% Daily Value), Folate (6% Daily Value), Iron (5% Daily Value), Vitamin A (5% Daily Value), Vitamin D (5% Daily Value), Zinc (4% Daily Value), Vitamin B6 (3.5% Daily Value), Calcium (3% Daily Value): Lutein, Zeaxanthin, yolk: Monosaturated and Polyunsaturated fats

    Sugar: Not healthy. Who knew? Might try it with pure maple syrup, which has more nutritional value.

    P.S. they were delicious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJune 5, 2013 at 4:52 PM

      I'm trying this tonight, and they're in the oven as I type this. I substituted the cup of sugar with 1/2 cup coconut sugar and 1/2 cup erythritol. Fingers crossed.

      Delete
  15. AnonymousOctober 22, 2010 at 8:27 PM

    I made these and added a tin of beans instead of 5 of the eggs...great! Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousOctober 27, 2010 at 7:27 AM

    These look good, I'm just wondering where do you find coconut flour? I've never seen it before. I'm from Abbotsford if that helps.

    ReplyDelete
  17. UnknownJanuary 13, 2011 at 1:11 PM

    coconut flour in Calgary at community Natural foods and planet organic....most of the whole/health foods stores sell it.'hope that helps....in toronto Whole foods.

    ReplyDelete
  18. amanda.aveyJanuary 21, 2011 at 4:58 PM

    These brownies are amazing! I'm going to add GF dark chocolate chips next time. Do you have a coconut butter frosting recipe??

    ReplyDelete
  19. KellyApril 8, 2011 at 1:57 PM

    I was looking for a recipe exactly like this. I adore coconut oil and flour, and use them daily. I am trying this tonight... I'm so excited!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. AshaApril 17, 2011 at 12:58 AM

    This recipe makes a the brownie you want it to be. I used coconut sugar- it has zero calories. It was perfect. The icing i used was
    3 tbsp butter
    3 tbsp cocoa
    3-4 tbsp maple syrup (really just until right consistency is found)
    1 tsp vanilla
    It was amazing. All of it. This has been by far my most successful coconut flour recipe yet. Thank you!! I was a hit at my paleo dinner party tonight!

    ReplyDelete
  21. JulieApril 17, 2011 at 7:42 AM

    Hi Asha ... thank you for your comment and recipe sharing !
    But I'm sorry to burst your bubble about the 'no-calorie' coconut sugar .. While it may have some benefits that white sugar does not have it's calories are exactly the same as white sugar.

    Here is a good report on it ... http://summertomato.com/is-coconut-palm-sugar-a-healthy-sugar-substitute/

    ReplyDelete
  22. RMMay 5, 2011 at 11:20 AM

    My son with food allergies and autism loved this!!Instead of sugar I used honey and stevia. He rejected my black bean brownies yesterday (and they did not taste at all like beans), so I am going to make this again for him today.

    ReplyDelete
  23. SuzanneMay 7, 2011 at 7:24 PM

    I've experimented with my favorite brownie recipe using coconut flour and brown rice flour, but I love the results of your recipe much more. I didn't use 6 eggs, just 2 and replaced the 4 with soaked chia seeds and ground flax seed. Delicious and yes, I did frost them. I used the last of my cocoa for the brownies so improvised with a creme bruele (sp)packet (Dr. Oetker) and raw cacao. Delicious.
    This is my new favorite brownie recipe. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  24. RachealMay 16, 2011 at 8:44 PM

    Can you tell me your icing recipe?

    ReplyDelete
  25. JulieMay 17, 2011 at 11:29 AM

    Dear Rachael ... You could use any chocolate icing of your choice but I mix about 2 rounded tbsp of cocoa powder, 1/4 cup of sugar, add 2 tbsp butter and a little vanilla, mix well then add about 1/8 cup of milk .. Mix in enough icing sugar to make spreadable consistency ..

    ReplyDelete
  26. AnonymousJune 17, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    Very tasty and happy to have a GF alternative to rice flour! I only baked for 25 minutes and should have shortened that to 15 or 20. They were a bit dry. I'm wondering if adding yogurt or applesauce might make them more moist. Again, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  27. JulieJune 18, 2011 at 7:54 AM

    Dear Anonymous... I have never found them to be dry .. maybe size of eggs would make a difference? I always use large... but yes..I would think a little yogurt could help.

    ReplyDelete
  28. YooliJune 19, 2011 at 5:32 PM

    Julie, I LOVED this recipe. I used 3/4 cup palm sugar and 1/4 maple syrup and it was so delicious. Today, I made this recipe again, but doubled the vanilla, replaced the cocoa powder with tapioca starch and added 1/2 tsp of baking powder to make a WONDERFUL vanilla cake. It was like a delicious poundcake. I think it would make a fantastic sheetcake with chocolate frosting!

    ReplyDelete
  29. JulieJune 20, 2011 at 10:10 AM

    Yooli , I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe and your variation sounds wonderful!
    I'm going to try that. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Juniper Hill AntiquesAugust 20, 2011 at 1:29 PM

    I used only two eggs and substituted with 1/2 cup of pumpkin.....moist and delish!

    ReplyDelete
  31. KitsCatApril 3, 2012 at 11:54 AM

    This looks good - any advice for sugar free as well? Stevia? Splenda?

    ReplyDelete
  32. KitsCatApril 3, 2012 at 11:55 AM

    Any advice to make this recipe sugar free as well? Stevia? Splenda?

    ReplyDelete
  33. JulieApril 4, 2012 at 1:28 PM

    I think any substitute sugar .. Stevia or splenda would work well... whichever one your prefer. The Stevia would be healthier but some people have trouble with the 'flavor'.

    ReplyDelete
  34. AnonymousMay 14, 2012 at 3:23 PM

    I tried makeing these, and followed the recipe exactly as written. usuing 1/2 cup coconut flour. not sure what went wrong. they were terrible very dry. I also used stevia, and disliked the taste. so, I need advice how to fix this problem. I don't want to give up.karen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JulieMay 14, 2012 at 8:25 PM

      Karen .. I can't think what could have gone wrong ... I have considered this recipe fool proof... mine has never turned out dry. I don't know if the stevia made the difference ? I don't care for the flavor of Stevia myself and have not tried this recipe with artificial sugar substitute. I don't worry so much about the sugar in these brownies because they have so much protein and good stuff in the eggs and coconut flour to balance it out.
      Why not try the recipe with regular sugar and see if that makes the difference ? and then maybe you could try half reg. sugar and half splenda.
      I hope next time you try them they are perfect -- everyone I have served these to loved them.

      Delete
  35. AnonymousJuly 16, 2012 at 5:44 AM

    I made these tonight and also added some goji berries, raisins, and fresh coconut meat that I put in the food processor first. I used coconut sugar and a tablespoon of Manuka honey. These came out fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  36. BelladuneAugust 22, 2012 at 8:18 AM

    My kids and I made these this morning. We put it into mini mufin tins, giving us 3 dozen two bite brownies! (350 for 15 minutes, give or take) I used palm sugar, and added 1/2 a tsp of GF baking powder, so they would be slightly cakey, and less fudgy. They are great! thank you for sharing the recipe. It might be a go too from now on!

    ReplyDelete
  37. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2012 at 4:59 PM

    :( I wish I had found your recipe 20 minutes ago! I just substituted coconut flour for white flour, cup-for-cup! LOL! Oh well, I did adjust the liquids because it looked dry. I will make your recipe this weekend as it looks alot like my "guilty" wheat flour brownie recipe. But ... instead of icing, I plan on adding chocolate chips AND cacao nibs! mmmmmm..... Thank you for the recipe! I have bookmarked your site! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  38. AnonymousMarch 27, 2013 at 5:18 PM

    I Love your guy's (or should I say girls:) recipies they are really amazing!Home cooked meals or deserts are way better than the gross stuff you buy at the store.

    ReplyDelete
  39. AnonymousMarch 15, 2014 at 1:03 PM

    FYI, Coconut flour isn't carb free. You can see the nutritional info on the label.

    ReplyDelete

New comments are not allowed.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)