These rich and decadent Keto Brownie Cookies take two of the best things in the world and combine them into one tidy package. They are low carb, gluten-free, chewy, chocolatey, and fudgy with plenty of chocolate chips in each and every cookie. These are nut-free using an inexpensive substitute for almond flour and have only 6 ingredients!
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My sweet 7-year-old daughter is allergic to pistachios and cashews and avoids all the other nuts as a precaution. One of my goals for this fall was to make more healthy treats that she can eat too. Almond flour is a staple for low carb baking and I use it a lot but that means my daughter can't have those goodies. Many she wouldn't even want (anything pumpkin for instance) but occasionally she stares longingly at a brownie or cake I've made for the blog and feel a little left out. There is always an alternative for her but it's still hard to be an allergy kid no matter what.
A few weeks ago I dedicated an entire day to yummy nut-free treats and these brownie cookies are the first of this new batch I have to share.
Nut-Free Substitute for Almond Flour
How do you substitute for almond flour that is a standard in SO many healthy baked goods?
Coconut flour is not an easy substitute even though it too is found in many low carb baked goods. Coconut flour is much drier than almond flour and has a different texture, not to mention the overwhelming coconut taste.
Other nut flours can be used if there isn't a nut flour but when you can't have nuts, what then?
Sunflower Seed Flour
The BEST substitute for almond flour I have found is sunflower seed flour. It acts much like almond flour in baked goods so you can sub it in 1:1. And, it's an awful lot cheaper. You can buy raw sunflower seeds and grind your own sunflower seed flour.
I'm slowly testing sunflower seed flour in my other baked goods and so far it is working perfectly as a substitute for almond flour.
How to Make Brownie Cookies
To make my nut-free brownie cookies I simply ground the sunflower seeds, added in the other ingredients, scooped, and baked. It's even easier than making brownies because I bake them on parchment paper so there is no cleanup.
Need some other delicious healthy Brownie Recipes to try?
Little Debbie Fudge Healthy Brownies
Caramel Macchiato Keto Brownies
Hannah's Fabulous Low Carb Brownie Recipe
Make sure to try these nut-free chocolate chip cookies and nut-free keto chocolate cookies too!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup raw sunflower seed kernels
- ½ cup xylitol (or ¼ cup of my sweetener)
- 4 tablespoon butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup sugar-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Finely chop the sunflower seed kernels in a food processor. Add the xylitol, butter, eggs, and cocoa powder. Pulse until a dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Drop 8 scoops onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until firm to the touch in the center. Cool for 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Mandi says
Nut-free here and I am SO excited to find this. Thank you!
Pam Machan says
THANK YOU! While doing THM I find I am allergic to all thing almond.
Sharon says
Do you have any other recipes that are Nut Free as in Ontario, Canada our school children's lunches need to be nut free
Would love to find a cracker recipe that is Nut & Dairy Free. Thanks
Taryn says
I've been playing around with the sunflower seed flour and it does work in place of almond. I think it would work in this recipe: https://joyfilledeats.com/cheese-crackers/
Tonya says
If you want to sub almond flour would it be 1 cup?
Taryn says
Yes, I think that will work.
Samarac says
I did like the nut free sub for the almond flour. You don't have to dry it out it first? My sunflower meal comes out more wet?
Taryn says
If you wanted to grind sunflower seeds ahead of time to store as flour you probably would need to dry it. To use immediately it works as is.
anitab says
These look wonderful - I am so excited to try this recipe! I just ordered my sunflower kernels, and I will have them by Monday - just in time to make special treats for Thanksgiving! I appreciate that there are only six ingredients in this recipe, and this is the only one I don't have on hand. After Monday, the next time I want to make these, I'll have everything I need! 🙂