Fudgy Protein Brownies
These healthy protein brownies are easy to make, fudgy, moist, grain free and have a rich chocolate flavor. They’re made with almond flour, coconut sugar and protein powder for a healthy gluten free treat!

If you’re a regular around here, you may have noticed I’m on a protein kick. Protein pancakes, protein muffins, vegan cookies, protein energy bites and now fudgy protein brownies.
But seriously, if you think these are going to have a weird, gritty texture and flavor, think again! They’re rich, fudgy, chewy and kind of similar to my almond flour brownies if you’ve ever had those.
They have a rich chocolate flavor from chocolate chips and cocoa powder, protein from the protein powder and eggs and are completely refined sugar free, dairy free, grain free and paleo friendly.
They have about 6-7 grams of protein per brownie with a lot less sugar and fat than a traditional brownie! Try my protein cookies, chickpea blondies or protein chocolate cake next!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Gluten free and paleo
- Keto friendly
- 6 grams protein per serving
- Easy to make
- Rich & fudgy

Key Ingredients & substitutions
Eggs. The eggs are essential to help bind all of the ingredients together and give these brownies some rise and a chewy texture. They also add about 18 grams of total protein which certainly is a win!
Coconut sugar. I opted to use coconut sugar to keep these refined sugar free, but any kind of granulated sugar will work here. If you prefer, you can use a 1:1 sugar replacement to make these keto brownies.
Chocolate chips. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips which will be melted and added to the batter for a rich and fudgy texture.
Coconut oil. Be sure to use refined coconut oil which has no coconut smell or flavor. You can also sub for butter if you prefer.
Protein powder. I opted for a chocolate pea protein, but whey protein will also work if you have that. Just be sure to use chocolate and not vanilla for the best flavor.
Almond flour. We just need a small amount to help absorb some of the excess moisture and create a really chewy texture. If you need these to be nut free, you can try subbing for oat flour instead.

How to make protein brownies
Step 1: Beat together the eggs and sugar until well combined, about 1 full minute.
Step 2: Beat in the vanilla, coconut oil and melted chocolate chips until creamy.
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Step 3: Add in the protein powder, cocoa, salt and almond flour. Use the electric mixer to combine, then fold in the remaining chocolate chips.
Step 4: Transfer to a lined 8×8 aluminum baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 5: Let cool, then slice and enjoy! I like to top mine with a drizzle of melted chocolate and sea salt, but this is totally optional!

How to store
These protein brownies do best stored in a container at room temperature, though you can also store them in the fridge for a few extra days. They will last for about 3 days at room temp, or up to 5 in the fridge.
Can you freeze brownies?
Yes! These brownies can be frozen for up to 1 month. I suggest allowing them to cool completely, then slice and transfer to a freezer safe bag. Keep a little space between each brownie, then place in the freezer.
To reheat, I like to pop them (while still frozen) in the oven at 350 for about 5 minutes or until warm through the center.

Can you add protein powder to brownie mix?
I don’t recommend adding protein powder to a store bought brownie mix as it can thicken the batter too much and lead to dry brownies. It’s best to make them from scratch so the proportions are already all set up!
Can I make these vegan?
This recipe calls for 3 eggs, which is too many to safely omit or sub for an egg replacer, so I don’t recommend that here.
The eggs are a key ingredient for the texture of the final brownie and they do add 18 grams of protein to the whole recipe!
Make them keto friendly!
Yes! You can swap the coconut sugar for a keto friendly 1:1 sugar substitute and use stevia sweetened chocolate chips like Lily’s sweets.

More chocolate recipes you’ll love!
- Healthy Hot Chocolate
- Brownie Bites
- Chocolate Truffles
- Oat Flour Cookies
- Chickpea Cookie Dough
- Vegan Brownies
If you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. As always, tag me on instagram if you make this recipe so I can see your creation!

Fudgy Protein Brownies
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
- ½ cup refined coconut oil 95 grams
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry
- ½ cup chocolate protein powder
- ⅓ cup blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine 1 cup of the chocolate chips (keep the other 1/2 cup aside for now) and coconut oil in a bowl. If you have a scale, please use it! You need 95 grams of coconut oil which is about 1/2 cup and 6.5 ounces of chocolate chips which is about 1 cup. With these two ingredients, accurate measurements are so important.
- Melt in the microwave using 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until fully melted.
- Meanwhile, add the eggs and coconut sugar to a bowl or bowl of a stand mixer and beat together for about 1 minute.
- Beat in the vanilla and the chocolate once melted.
- Add in the remaining dry ingredients and beat until a smooth batter form.
- Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
- Add the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 22-28 minutes, I usually do 25 minutes but all ovens are different.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and let cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
Comments
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What can I use in place of coconut oil? I ran out of coconut oil and wanted to make these tonight lol.
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Butter!
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To cut the sweetness, I swirled dollops of natural peanut butter on the top of the batter before baking! Delicious😋
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I made a small adaption – coconut flour for almond flour, added half a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda and baked for 10mins in gas oven…. Win win
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Love it!
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Fantastic recipe!! Oat flour works great — 1:1 sub and I baked for 21 minutes.
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Perfect, thanks Caitlin!
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Fantastic recipe!! Oat flour works great — 1:1 sub
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So yummy. I did everything bake them by like 3 minutes BUT they were delicious. I poked holes in the top and poured on a protein frosting which added moisture back and I added pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds to the batter and on top. I cut the sugar to just 1/2 cup and they were perfection! So rich and yummy! A definite keeper!
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Love that protein frosting! Thanks, Jennifer!
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Delicious. I topped with walnuts for flavor mostly, but also omega 3’s and a little protein.
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I used casein protein instead of whey or pea protein and omitted the almond flour since it’s thicker and absorbs more water.
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These are DELISH. I made them with Clean Simple Eats Brownie protein. They are just like a regular brownie, completely satisfies the craving. I’ve made them twice this month and they will be a regular staple for when we are craving a treat.
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Thank you, so glad you love them!
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For the butter substitution, do I use 1/2 cup (113 g) of butter or 95g?
If I’m using unflavored whey protein isolate, should I add a little more cocoa powder to give it a more chocolatey taste?
I plan to make these as a protein-rich treat for surgery recovery. 🙂
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I wouldn’t add more cocoa since that could dry things out. I would use 1/2 cup (113 g) butter.
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Could u tell me the protein amount per square please? I’m working it out to be 3 but the comment say it’s more than that if you could clarify? Thank toi
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The number in the recipe card is what my calculations came out to!
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Hi!
Just to check, I noticed that you can change the recipe from US customary to Metric system, so I’m a little confused about the coconut oil measurement.
It says that it is 109 grams but in brackets that it is 95 grams. Which one is the correct measurement?
My other question is that for all the other items, is the measurement in grams correct for the rest of them if I change the recipe to the metric system? 😁
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Use 95 grams for the coconut oil! The change happens automatically, so it’s not always exact. I don’t measure in metric so I can’t guarantee the result.
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This is a great recipe I made it many times is amazing every time. Thank you.
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Thank you, Sally!
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I plugged this into my food tracking app and there is only 2.6g of protein per brownie… you can hardly call these “protein brownies.”
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I have plugged the nutrition into many apps, promise there is way more than 2.6 grams! I would definitely check to make sure it calculated the ingredients properly.
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Best. Brownies. Ever. I’ve made these every day for a week. They are SO good. Thank you!!!
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Makes me so happy, thanks Alexis!
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