Sugar-Free Brown Butter Brookies

Can’t choose between a brownie and a cookie? A brookie is both: fudgy brownie on the bottom and golden cookie on top. These sugar-free brown butter brookies add one more layer of flavor by browning the butter first.

Both layers are made with almond flour, eggs and Greek yogurt, sweetened with allulose and studded with chopped Baker’s unsweetened chocolate. Each of the 9 squares has about 127 calories and 3g net carbs.

The brown butter is split between the two layers, so the nutty flavor runs all the way through. The cookie dough is dropped on top in irregular pieces, leaving patches of brownie showing.

Why You’ll Love These Sugar-Free Brown Butter Brookies

• Two desserts in one. Fudgy brownie base, golden cookie top.
• Nutty brown butter. Browned butter and its toasted milk solids flavor both layers.
• 3g net carbs per square. Each of the 9 squares has about 127 calories and 5g protein.
• Big chocolate chunks. Roughly chopped chocolate melts into glossy pockets on top.

Ingredient Notes

Brown butter. Two tablespoons of unsalted butter are browned until golden and nutty, then weighed and divided equally between the two layers. Keep the browned milk solids in; they carry most of the flavor.

Brownie base. About ⅓ cup of Bob’s Red Mill almond flour, 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa, one egg, ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt and a tablespoon of almond milk make a moist, fudgy base.

Cookie topping. Another ⅓ cup of almond flour and 2 tablespoons of coconut flour, with one egg, 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt and baking powder, make the golden cookie layer.

Chocolate. Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate is chopped for both layers. It contains no sugar, so the allulose in each layer does all the sweetening.

Allulose. Allulose is a rare sugar that the FDA allows to be excluded from the total sugars and added sugars declarations on the Nutrition Facts label.

If you want to check the nutrition of staples like almond flour, cocoa powder and eggs yourself, you can look them up on USDA FoodData Central.

How to Make Sugar-Free Brown Butter Brookies

You need a 5×5-inch square metal pan that is 2 inches deep, parchment, a saucepan, a kitchen scale, bowls, a whisk and a spatula. Prep takes about 25 minutes, the brookies bake for 25 to 30 minutes, and cooling and chilling take about an hour.

Brown the butter

Step 1. Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line the pan with parchment.

Step 2. Brown the butter over medium-low heat until golden and nutty, then transfer it with the browned solids to a bowl.

Step 3. Cool for 5 to 8 minutes, then weigh and divide the browned butter equally.

Make the brownie base

Step 4. Whisk one egg, 70g of yogurt, 38g of allulose and the almond milk, then mix in half the browned butter.

Step 5. Fold in 35g of almond flour, the cocoa and 12g of chocolate, then spread into the pan.

Add the cookie topping

Step 6. Whisk the remaining egg, 30g of yogurt, 37g of allulose and the remaining butter.

Step 7. Add the remaining almond flour, the coconut flour and the baking powder.

Step 8. Fold in 16g of chocolate and rest the dough for 5 minutes.

Step 9. Drop irregular pieces of cookie dough over the brownie batter, leaving chocolate patches visible.

Step 10. Press the remaining 8g of chocolate chunks into the topping.

Bake, chill and cut

Step 11. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cookie edges are golden and the brownie has moist crumbs, not raw batter.

Step 12. Cool for 45 minutes, refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes, then cut the sugar-free brown butter brookies into 9 squares.

Success Tips for Sugar-Free Brown Butter Brookies

Keep the browned solids. Scrape the toasted milk solids into the bowl with the butter. They are what give brown butter its nutty flavor.

Weigh the butter. Splitting the browned butter equally by weight keeps both layers balanced.

Do not overbake. A toothpick should show moist crumbs, not raw batter. Overbaking dries out the fudgy base.

Chill before cutting. A short chill after cooling gives cleaner squares.

More Sugar-Free Brownies

For a classic nutty brownie, try my sugar-free pecan brownies. If you like layered brownies, the sugar-free chocolate mousse brownies have a creamy top.

And when you want just the cookie part, bake a batch of sugar-free chocolate chip cookies.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.

Sugar-Free Brown Butter Brookies FAQ

What is a brookie?

A brookie is half brownie and half cookie, baked together in one pan. Here the brownie is on the bottom and the cookie dough is dropped on top.

Why brown the butter?

Browning toasts the milk solids in the butter and gives both layers a nutty, deeper flavor.

How do I know they are done?

After 25 to 30 minutes the cookie edges should be golden and a toothpick in the brownie should show moist crumbs, not raw batter.

How many sugar-free brown butter brookies does this make?

One 5×5-inch pan makes 9 squares of sugar-free brown butter brookies.

Can I skip browning the butter?

Browning is what gives sugar-free brown butter brookies their nutty flavor, so the recipe calls for it in both layers.

Is allulose a sugar alcohol?

No, allulose is a rare sugar, not a sugar alcohol.

Fudgy underneath, golden on top and nutty all the way through, these sugar-free brown butter brookies settle the brownie-or-cookie debate for good.

Sugar-Free Brown Butter Brookies

A fudgy chocolate brownie base topped with irregular golden brown butter cookie dough pieces and large melted chocolate chunks. 9 squares, about 127 calories and 3 g net carbs each.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Chill/Rest Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Servings: 9 squares

Calories: 127

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Base

• ⅓ cup Bob’s Red Mill almond flour 35g
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 20g
• 1 large egg 50g
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp FAGE Total 0% Greek yogurt 70g
• Half the prepared browned butter
• 3 tablespoons granulated pure allulose 38g
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk 15g
• About ½ oz Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped 12g

Golden Brown Butter Cookie Topping

• ⅓ cup Bob’s Red Mill almond flour 35g
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour 12g
• 1 large egg 50g
• 2 tablespoons FAGE Total 0% Greek yogurt 30g
• Remaining half of browned butter
• 3 tablespoons granulated pure allulose 37g
• ½ teaspoon baking powder 2g
• About ¾ oz Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate, roughly chopped 24g

Brown Butter

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 28g starting weight

Equipment

• 5×5-inch square metal pan 2 inches deep
• Parchment
• Saucepan
• Kitchen scale
• bowls
• Whisk
• Spatula

Method

 

1. Heat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line pan with parchment.
2. Brown butter over medium-low heat until golden and nutty. Transfer with browned solids to a bowl.
3. Cool 5–8 minutes. Weigh and divide browned butter equally.
4. Whisk one egg, 70g yogurt, 38g allulose and almond milk. Mix in half the browned butter.
5. Fold in 35g almond flour, cocoa and 12g chocolate. Spread into pan.
6. Whisk remaining egg, 30g yogurt, 37g allulose and remaining butter.
7. Add remaining almond flour, coconut flour and baking powder.
8. Fold in 16g chocolate. Rest dough 5 minutes.
9. Drop irregular cookie dough pieces over brownie batter, leaving chocolate patches visible.
10. Press remaining 8g chocolate chunks into topping.
11. Bake 25–30 minutes until cookie edges are golden and brownie has moist crumbs, not raw batter.
12. Cool 45 minutes, then refrigerate 15–30 minutes. Cut into 9 squares.

Notes

Success Notes

• Keep brownie moist and fudgy; avoid overbaking.
• Use irregular cookie pieces and large chocolate chunks.
• Include browned milk solids for nutty flavor.
• Chill before cutting; refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days.

Per serving (1 of 9): about 127 calories, 6 g total carbs, 3 g fiber, 3 g net carbs, 5 g protein and 10 g fat.