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Flourless Brown Butter Pumpkin Brownies | Sugar-Free & Fudgy

Annie, Healthy Food by Annie
Rich, deeply chocolatey and incredibly fudgy, these flourless pumpkin brownies are made with brown butter, pumpkin purée, 100% natural peanut butter and plenty of sugar-free chocolate chips. Pumpkin keeps the center beautifully moist and soft, while brown butter adds a warm, toasted, nutty richness. Naturally gluten-free and grain-free, with sugar-free and refined sugar-free options, they’re an easy healthier chocolate treat that still tastes wonderfully indulgent.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert, Healthy Snacks
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Refined Sugar-Free Option, Sugar-Free, Vegetarian
Servings 16
Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients
  

Wet Ingredients

  • 1½ cups pumpkin purée about 360 g, homemade or 100% pure canned pumpkin
  • ¾ cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar-free sweetener about 150 g, or coconut sugar for a refined sugar-free option
  • ¼ cup 100% natural peanut butter 64 g
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter 57 g, for browning
  • 3 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup or pure maple syrup for a refined sugar-free option
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 1¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder about 105 g
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt

Add-Ins

  • ¾ cup sugar-free chocolate chips about 125 g, dark, semi-sweet or a mixture

Optional Sugar-Free Chocolate Sauce

  • ¾ cup heavy cream 180 g
  • 1 tbsp sugar-free dark chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar-free sweetener or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the Oven and Pan
    Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 20 cm (8-inch) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  •  Make the Brown Butter
    Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, then continue cooking while stirring or gently swirling the pan frequently.
    The butter will begin to foam, then the milk solids at the bottom will gradually turn golden brown and develop a toasted, nutty aroma.
    As soon as the butter is beautifully golden and fragrant, remove it from the heat so it doesn’t burn.
    Let the brown butter cool for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, start preparing the brownie batter.
  • Mix the Wet Ingredients
    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar-free sweetener, 100% natural peanut butter, sugar-free maple syrup, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
    Slowly pour in the slightly cooled brown butter and whisk again until the mixture is smooth.
    Homemade Pumpkin Purée: I love using my homemade pumpkin purée for baking because it’s thick, creamy and made with just pumpkin. You can find my Homemade Pumpkin Purée, 2 Easy Ways recipe here.
  • Sift the Dry Ingredients
    Sift the cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt over the wet mixture.
    Gently fold everything together until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to help keep the brownies soft and fudgy.
  •  Add the Chocolate Chips
    Fold in most of the sugar-free chocolate chips, reserving a small amount for the top.
  • Fill the Pan
    Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
    Smooth the top, then sprinkle over the remaining sugar-free chocolate chips.
  • Bake
    Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is just cooked through.
    Insert a toothpick into the center, avoiding a melted chocolate chip. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, not completely clean.
    Do not overbake. The brownies will continue to set as they cool, and this helps preserve their rich, soft and fudgy texture.
  • Cool
    Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan.
    While the brownies are cooling, prepare the optional chocolate sauce if serving.
    Once completely cooled, lift the brownies from the pan using the parchment paper and slice to your desired size.
  • Optional Sugar-Free Chocolate Sauce
    While the brownies are cooling, add the heavy cream, cocoa powder and brown sugar-free sweetener to a small saucepan over low to medium heat.
    Whisk until smooth and warmed through.
    Add the sugar-free dark chocolate chips and continue stirring until completely melted and the sauce is smooth and silky.
    Taste and adjust the sweetness if desired.
    Serve the warm chocolate sauce over the cooled brownies, with a scoop of homemade sugar-free vanilla ice cream if you like.

Notes

  1. Pumpkin Purée: Use homemade pumpkin purée or 100% pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. A thick purée works best for maintaining the rich, fudgy brownie texture.
  2. Natural Peanut Butter: I use homemade 100% natural peanut butter made only from peanuts, with no added sugar or oil. Stir well before measuring.
  3. Sugar-Free Version: Use brown sugar-free sweetener, sugar-free maple syrup and sugar-free chocolate chips.
  4. Refined Sugar-Free Option: Use coconut sugar, pure maple syrup and refined sugar-free chocolate.
  5. Brown Butter: Watch the butter closely once the milk solids begin turning golden. It can change from beautifully browned to burnt quite quickly.
  6. For Fudgy Brownies: Do not overbake. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs rather than completely clean.
  7. Serving Size: Slice the brownies to your desired size. Nutrition information is calculated based on 16 standard servings, even if you prefer to cut larger brownie squares.
  8. Storage: Store completely cooled brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’re also freezer-friendly and great for making ahead.

 

 

Nutrition Facts per Serving, Brownie Only

 
Nutrition per serving: 1 of 16 brownies, Calories: 150 kcal, Protein: 5 g, Carbohydrate: 14 g, Net Carb: 7 g, Sugars:3 g, Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Fiber: 7 g, Sodium: 100 mg, Calcium: 45 mg, Potassium: 250 mg, Magnesium: 65 mg, Iron: 2 mg
Nutrition Note:Nutrition information is for the brownie only and does not include the optional chocolate sauce, ice cream or other toppings.

 

 

 

Nutrition Facts Notes:

✔️ No Added Sugar: Sweetened with monk fruit, sugar-free maple syrup and sugar-free chocolate chips, with no conventional sugar, honey or regular maple syrup added. The small amount of sugar present occurs naturally in ingredients such as pumpkin and peanuts. 
✔️ Flourless: These fudgy pumpkin brownies contain no wheat flour, oat flour or nut flour. Pumpkin purée, cocoa powder, eggs and natural peanut butter help create their dense, moist and fudgy texture.
✔️ Naturally Gluten-Free: The core ingredients are naturally gluten-free. If making these brownies for someone with coeliac disease or following a strict gluten-free diet, check that ingredients such as cocoa powder, baking powder, sweetener and chocolate chips are labelled gluten-free and protected from cross-contact.
✔️ Made with Pure Pumpkin Purée: I use homemade pumpkin purée made with100% pumpkin, with no added sugar, oil or preservatives. Pumpkin naturally contains beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A. 
✔️ Made with 100% Natural Peanut Butter: My homemade peanut butter is made from roasted peanuts only, with no added sugar or oils. Peanuts naturally provide protein, fibre, predominantly unsaturated fats, magnesium and vitamin E. 
✔️ Rich in Cocoa: A generous 1¼ cups of unsweetened cocoa powder gives these brownies their deep chocolate flavour while naturally contributing fibre, magnesium, iron and cocoa polyphenols. 
✔️ Good Source of Fibre: Each standard serving provides approximately 7 g of fibre, mainly from cocoa, pumpkin and peanuts, with the exact amount also depending on the sugar-free chocolate used. 
✔️ Contains Protein: Each brownie provides approximately 5 g of protein, with eggs, natural peanut butter and cocoa contributing to the total. Under FSANZ criteria, 5 g of protein per serving meets the minimum amount required for a protein nutrition-content claim. 
✔️ 7 g Net Carbs per Standard Serving: Using monk fruit, sugar-free maple syrup and sugar-free chocolate keeps the recipe at approximately 7 g net carbs per 1 of 16 brownies.
✔️ Unsaturated Fats from Peanuts: Natural peanut butter contributes mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These brownies also contain brown butter, so they still provide saturated fat. (Source: National Library of Medicine)
✔️ Made with Nutrient-Rich Ingredients: Pumpkin, eggs, peanuts and cocoa contribute a mixture of protein, fibre, fats, vitamins, minerals and naturally occurring plant compounds.
✔️ Rich & Satisfying: Peanut butter, eggs, cocoa and pumpkin create a rich, fudgy brownie with protein, fibre and fat. Nutrition is calculated using 16 standard servings from a 20 × 20 cm pan.
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutrition values are estimates based on 16 brownies from a 20 × 20 cm (8 × 8 inch) pan and include the brownies only, not the optional chocolate sauce, cream, ice cream or other toppings. Exact values will vary depending on the brands and formulations of the monk fruit and stevia sweetener, sugar-free maple syrup and sugar-free chocolate chips used.
Keyword Brown Butter, brownies, Flourless, Fudgy, Pumpkin Brownies
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