Being on the Paleo/ Whole 30 diet you know how hard it is to put away those sweets! And if you’re anything like me you die a little inside because you LOVE baking and eating all the chocolate, but alas all sugars are off limits on Whole 30 especially. Well my dear friends, I’ve FINALLY figured out a delicious brownie recipe that satisfies all the crazy diet restrictions (gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, sugary-sweetners-free, Paleo, Whole 30, AIP diet, Candida diet friendly!) but still keeps your chocolate addition at bay. You’re welcome.

Whole 30 & Paleo Friendly Brownie Recipe

Ingredients

• 4oz baking 100% cocoa
• 3 Tbsp palm shortening
• 3 Tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
• ⅔ cup pure apple sauce
• 2 eggs (you could try substituting flax eggs but I haven’t tested this out)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ⅔ cup cashew flour
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda (if paleo) or baking powder
• 3/4 tsp pure monk fruit extract (Julian Bakery makes the kinds that fit the Paleo/Whole 30 because it doesn’t have dextrose in it, but if you’re desperate you could use Monk Fruit in the Raw, which does have dextrose. I purchased mine here.)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/3c walnuts or other notes of your choice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or spray with coconut oil or olive oil cooking spray.
2. In a medium sized saucepan, carefully melt chocolate over low heat. Continue to stir, do not let chocolate boil.
3. Add in palm shortening, and olive oil. Remove from heat and stir until everything is melted well.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together apple sauce and eggs until fully incorporated.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together  all the dry ingredients–cinnamon, cashew flour, cocoa powder, monk fruit extract, and salt.
6. Going slowly, whisk the egg/sugar mixture into the saucepan of melted chocolate. Whisk until completely smooth.
7. Stir in the dry ingredients and fold until just mixed. Batter may start to get fluffy and lumpy this is totally normal, don’t over mix!
8. Pour batter into your prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with walnuts.
9. Bake at 350 degrees 20-24 minutes, or until center. Place a tooth pick in the center, if it comes out clean (no dough sticking to the stick) remove from oven. Let cool.
10. Best kept in sealed container for 2-3 days.
11. Enjoy!

*Alternatives:

• Flours: You can sub cashew flour for coconut flour, almond flour or any nut flour but I prefer the texture of cashew flour
• Sweetener: if you don’t have access to monk fruit you could try stevia instead, although I am not sure on the ratios of that.
• Walnuts: you could top this with roasted cocoa nibs, any other nut you like or leave out!