Almonds are a superfood and highly nutritious. I love baking with almond flour, and wrote the The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook in 2008. Fans often call me the “Queen of Almond Flour.” Still, I sometimes get requests for nut-free paleo dessert recipes and often people need egg-free recipes as well. There are as many food allergies as there are colors in the rainbow. That’s why I created this easy paleo brownie recipe! It’s for all the nut-free, egg-free, refined sugar-free, gluten-free, paleo vegans in my life. You keep me on my toes! And I love it.
This recipe uses sunflower seed butter, which is similar to nut butter, though totally nut-free. Sunflower seed butter is gluten-free, high-protein and made from highly nutritious sunflower seeds. You didn’t think I was going to use rice flour to make these paleo nut-free brownies, did you?! I’m still as grain-free as I’ve ever been since I went on a paleo diet in 2001. All of the recipes on this website are gluten and grain free recipes.
Vegan Nut-Free Gluten-Free Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 small bananas
- 1 cup sunbutter
- 2 tablespoons ground chia seeds, mixed with 3 tablespoons water to form a paste
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
- ¼ cup xylitol
- ⅛ teaspoon stevia
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine bananas, sunbutter, and chia seed mixture
- Pulse in coconut oil, honey, xylitol, stevia, and vanilla until smooth
- Pulse in cacao, salt, and baking soda
- Transfer batter into a well greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish
- Bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes
- Serve
These Vegan Nut-Free Gluten-Free Brownies are based on a gluten-free brownie recipe that was posted on my Facebook page. That recipe used ½ cup of honey which is a little much for where my blood sugar is at these days. So I decreased the amount of honey and added in some xylitol and stevia. I also increased the fat and made a couple of other changes to the recipe. This is a very fudgey brownie –it won’t seem totally cooked through when you pull it from the oven. I took mine out when the edges were just about to burn, that was how I determined it was done.
Now, a word of caution. Do not feed this dessert to your pets. Chocolate and xylitol are highly toxic to animals. Have any of you been feeding my other desserts to your pets? If so, why are you doing this? Please leave a comment and let us know!
If you love these gluten-free, grain-free, egg-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, everything-free brownies, you’ll love these desserts:
Jackie says
If I use ground flax seed instead of chia, would it work? I’ve made this with chia and my son dislikes the chia : p
Elana says
Jackie, I haven’t tried that so not sure, if you do please let us know how it goes!
lori says
can i mix these in my Vitamix vs. a food processor????
Elana says
Lori, I haven’t tried that so not sure, if you do please let us know how it goes!
Carol Schlenger says
I just made your vegan “nut-free” gluten free brownies and they were simply the best brownies I have ever made. However, I did make some substitutions: instead of chia seeds, I used ground, sprouted flax seeds. Instead of sunflower seed butter, I used homemade almond butter (alas, my brownies were not nut-free) and instead of vanilla extract I used 1 tsp ground vanilla bean.
For a delicious “creamy” topping, I soaked chia seeds in coconut milk overnight, with some added stevia and vanilla extract.
These were simply the best brownies with the richest, fudgiest texture I have ever made. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. Hard to believe these are sugar free, dairy free, and gluten free.
Best wishes,
Carol
Elana says
Carol, the best brownies you’ve ever made? Wow, thanks!
Jeanette says
Wow, just made these, AMAZING! Thank you!!!
Elana says
So glad to hear these were amazing Jeanette!
cheryll says
ha ha ha, now what about sunflower seed free? Yep, I’m allergic to that as well as the nuts and sugar. :(
Laura says
Cheryll, have you tried tahini? Mi find it’s amazing in recipes like this. M
Leah says
I just made these! They are incredible!!! The batter was so yummy I was almost hesitant to bake it! I am glad I did….So Good!!! I used mini muffin trays and they worked perfectly. Thank you for an amazing recipe!!!
Elana says
You’re welcome Leah! Thanks for letting me know these are incredible :-)
Mary Ann G. says
I have been making these brownies since I found the recipe and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them. Due to candida issues I have made a few changes, but the basic recipe is the same. I use coconut nectar or yacon syrup in place of the honey/agave. I substitute coconut sugar or yacon powder for the xylitol. I also use a blend of cacoa and carob powder (1/4 cup of each). I have used the stevia if my bananas are small and left it out if the bananas were bigger.
This summer I made these with a TWIST for a BBQ. I made them in a square cookie bar pan, and added, a mini muffin size, homemade nut butter cup to the center of each brownie before baking @ 350F for 15-17 minutes.
“These are the best brownies I have ever had” was what I heard all day. And this is from refinded sugar, gluten eating people. I even had a friend ask for a dozen for his Halloween birthday present. Give these changes a try, you won’t be disappointed. These are addictive so remember… MODERATION!! PS. They freeze well.
Thank you Elana for all your fantastic recipes, this wonderful forum and your encouragement to play around and expand on an already good thing. Always wishing you good health and happiness.
Lori Munn says
Trying your recommendations now but accidentally did it in my VITAMIX….talk about BRUTAL getting it OUT and into the Pan!! I used coconut sugar and cashew butter :) and thanks for your posting!
Stacey says
Did you use Elana’s recipe for the nut butter cup?
Kalyn says
Please clarify? Nut butter cup? Sounds delicious, Mary Ann, but how did you make the nut butter cup? Thanks!
Elana says
Kalyn, here’s my healthy low-carb Nut Butter Cup recipe for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/nut-butter-cups/
Enjoy!
Elana
Val says
Quick Question: Where can you purchase chia seeds? I have tried the normal food store as well as Whole Foods, and I have not seen them! I have made this recipe without the chia seeds, but I am intrigued to try it with them. I saw form online that lots of times they are substituted for flax seeds, but I did not know if that would mess up the taste of the brownies. Anyone have any thoughts or wisdom? :)
Elana says
Val, if you click the green text in the ingredient portion of the recipes that says “chia seeds” you will be taken to a page where you can buy them. Happy baking!
samara says
this batter is so good, who wants to bake it?
Elana says
Samara, thanks so much!
samara says
Elana, I have been wanting this recipe for my egg, almond, and gluten allergic daughter! What a gift! Maybe we can actually *bake* together again now!
And BTW, there is never enough of your other recipes left to give to the dog!!!!!!!
Thank you so much!
Elana says
Thanks Samara!