Where are my fudgy brownie lovers at?! I love an ooey-gooey fudgy brownie! You know, the kind that you’re not quite sure are even done. There’s just something so good about warm, melt-in-your-mouth brownies.

These Orange Brownies are by far one of my favorite recipes. They’re made with low GI coconut sugar (and also a cup and a half of chocolate chips!), coconut oil, and arrowroot starch in place of any flour. So they’re gluten/grain-free and dairy-free. And seriously delicious! I adapted this recipe from Amanda at Running with Spoons, and it’s one of the best “healthier” brownie recipes!

For this recipe, you’ll use the double boiler method to melt the chocolate and oil together, whip up the sugar and eggs, and zest a few oranges. As long as you follow the recipe and instructions exactly as-is, then you’ll end up with ultra-fudgy, perfectly crinkle-topped brownies that rival any other traditional brownie. For real.

I baked this recipe up three times and found that it’s vital to use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate in order to get that beautiful, shiny top. I used chopped dark chocolate for one batch, and the brownies came out dull and smooth – not crinkly at all! So I suggest only using chocolate chips!

Some of the ingredients I love for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is a low GI, unrefined sugar. This means that it places lower on the glycemic index scale than cane sugar, honey, and maple syrup, so it has less of an effect on blood sugar levels. It tastes nothing like coconut, and, in my opinion, tastes less sweet than regular white sugar.

Coconut oil is a great dairy-free alternative to butter (and it’s better for you!). These brownies are so rich I don’t taste the coconut, but if you prefer a dessert with no trace of coconut then I recommend making these with refined coconut oil.

Arrowroot starch is a gluten-free, corn-free starch that can work with any recipe that calls for corn starch. It lends to a softer, lighter texture in baked goods.

Instant coffee (as well as espresso powder) is great for adding to chocolate baked goods, because it enhances and intensifies the chocolate flavor. So your brownies will taste more chocolate-y!

Yield: 16

Grain-Free Orange Brownies

Name: Grain-Free Orange Brownies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 1/2 cup coconut oil, solid; 1 1/2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips; 2 tsp instant coffee granules; 6 Tbsp cocoa powder; 3 large eggs, room temp; 1 cup coconut sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (2-3 medium oranges); 4 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot starch; 1/2 tsp salt

Ultra-fudgy chocolate brownies flavored with freshly grated orange zest. These rich brownies are loaded with delicious chocolate and made with no dairy or grain!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
1 1/2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips
2 tsp instant coffee granules
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
3 large eggs, room temp
1 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (2-3 medium oranges)
4 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray (I like to use olive oil spray) and parchment paper. Cut your parchment paper long enough that it hangs over the sides of your dish for easy brownie removal. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a heatproof bowl, add the chocolate chips, coconut oil, instant coffee, and cocoa powder. Place on top of a pot of simmering water (making sure it's not touching the water), stirring the mixture frequently until everything is melted. Set bowl aside to cool off.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add your eggs and coconut sugar. Set to medium speed and add in the vanilla extract. Whisk for 5-10 minutes or until mixture has thickened and is light brown in color.
Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together until totally combined - move slowly so you don't deflate the mixture. This will take a couple of minutes. Stir in the orange zest and then the arrowroot starch and salt.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until the center looks set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a little batter. You want to under-bake these brownies a bit so that they stay fudgy.
Allow brownies to cool in the baking dish on top of a cooling rack (or dig in while they're warm!). Once cool, use the parchment paper to lift the whole dish of brownies up and onto the cooling rack. Slice into 16 squares, wiping the knife clean between each slice. For serving, use a fork or small spatula to gently lift each brownie onto a serving dish. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

For a richer chocolate flavor, you can use dutch-process cocoa powder instead of regular, natural cocoa powder

I only recommend using chocolate chips for this recipe as my test with chopped chocolate came out with a dull, smooth surface instead of a shiny, crinkly one

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 brownie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 210 Total Fat: 13g Saturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 35mg Sodium: 89mg Carbohydrates: 24g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 21g Protein: 2g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

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Other recipes you may like:

Grain-Free Almond Butter Brownies

Dairy-Free Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Recipe adapted from Running with Spoons

There’s just something so good about sinking my teeth into an ultra chewy, fudgy brownie. I’ve always liked my brownies a bit underdone as this guarantees the ultimate fudgy texture. With these Almond Butter Brownies, there’s no need for under-baking because they are perfectly soft and fudgy as-is! I decided to use melted chopped chocolate – the kind in a bar – instead of cocoa powder to get as far away from a cakey texture as I could (the first ones I baked were literal chocolate cake). I also added an extra egg yolk for chewiness.

These brownies are super moist without being overly sweet, and they’re so easy to throw together! I feel like I say that about everything, but it’s true! I love an easy dessert. I topped mine with a drizzle of melted chocolate – one of the fancier bars I had saved – to add an extra layer of chocolatey goodness. This step is optional, of course, and you could even add chocolate chips to your batter pre-bake or top your brownies with an almond butter drizzle. Get crazy and happy baking!

Grain-Free Almond Butter Brownies
Serves 9-16, depending on brownie size

1 cup almond butter
2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
6oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 Tbsp coconut flour
1/2 tsp fine sea salt or table salt

1.) Crack eggs and egg yolk into a small bowl; set aside.

2.) Melt chopped chocolate using the double boiler method – place in a heat-safe bowl over a pot with about an inch of simmering water, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool down a bit.

3.) Preheat your oven to 350℉. Prepare an 8×8″ baking dish with parchment paper. I like to cut two long, thin strips to allow for the paper to hang over each edge. Then I’ll spray olive oil into each exposed corner. This makes it easy to pull the entire dish of brownies out at once.

4.) Mix coconut sugar and maple syrup (or honey) in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and egg yolk into the sugar mixture. Add almond butter and mix until combined. Mix in the cooled chocolate. Then the coconut oil. And finally, stir in the coconut flour and salt.

5.) Bake at 350℉ for 15-20 minutes* or until toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs. Place on cooling rack or in the refrigerator to totally cool before removing from the dish. Slice into 9 or 16 brownies and enjoy!

*this is for a glass baking dish. If you’re using metal, I suggest checking the brownies at 10 minutes and going from there.

Brownies