Brownie Blondies

These Brownie Blondie Bars are the best mashup yet. Fudgy brownies with a chewy blondie top with chocolate chips are undeniably one of the tastiest cookie bars you've ever tried! They have a wonderfully chewy texture, they're rich and decadent. This recipe is also totally gluten free, refined sugar free, and low carb with a few simple tweaks! Plus, you don't even need a hand mixer.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you in partnership with our friends at Bob’s Red Mill. Thank you for supporting the brands that make A Full Living possible!

Need a really, really great recipe? We're going to start with a brownie layer base, then top it will a delicious blondie layer stuffed with chocolate chunks. The result is something pretty heavenly. They have a chewy and dense texture, and truthfully they are just one of the best desserts we've ever made.

Both brownie and blondie lovers will rejoice! You'll never have to decide again which flavor you want to go with, now, you can have both!

If you're looking for more delicious chocolatey recipes, be sure to check out these keto chocolate chip cookie bars, these gluten free caramel slice bars with chocolate ganache, or these delicious cakesicles.

Jump to:

• ❤️Why you'll love this
• 🍫Ingredients
• ✏️Ingredient Notes
• 📖Step-by-step instructions
• ✨Tips & tricks
• 💭Frequently asked questions
• 🍪More recipes to try
• 🥣Storage
• 🌟Leave a review!
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Community

❤️Why you'll love this

• Fudgy brownies + chocolate chip blondies: Let's face it - these bars are your new favorite mashup. What could go wrong, seriously?
• Refined sugar free, gluten free, & low carb: Did we mention these are healthy treats that don't taste healthy?! You're going to be amazed at these amazing creations.
• No special equipment needed: No mixer required! All you need is a few bowls, rubber spatulas, and a whisk to make these decadent morsels!
• Made with high quality ingredients & pantry staples: The ingredients used here are very high quality, and they make this blondie brownie recipe irresistible. The best part is, most of these ingredients you already have in your pantry and fridge if you love baking with low sugar, low carb, and gluten free ingredients.

🍫Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need, plus a few extras.

✏️Ingredient Notes

Here is a list of ingredients, you can see the recipe card for quantities, and nutritional information.

Dry ingredients

• Almond flour & coconut flour - Our preferred gluten free and low carb flour. Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour is super finely ground, so you’re not going to get a bunch of grainy bits in your baked goods. We also use a bit of Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour for the perfect balance in texture. Make sure you don’t substitute the almond flour for coconut flour, however. Coconut flour is very drying and is not a 1:1 substitute for almond flour.
• Cocoa powder - We generally opt for Dutch process cocoa powder, because it's so rich tasting, less acidic and it's mild. You can use any cocoa powder you want here.
• Kosher salt - To enhance the flavor and sweetness.
• Xanthan gum- For binding the bars together. Since they're gluten free, the xanthan gum helps maintain the shape of the blondie brownie bars. If you skip this part, just be aware that these blonde brownies might be a little more crumbly in texture.
• Granular erythritol - The best replacement for white sugar, but you can use any sweetener you prefer.
• Brown sugar replacement - Pretty essential, especially for the blondie batter. Traditionally dark brown sugar gives a delicious caramel-like flavor to the blondies.

Wet ingredients

• Melted butter - Unsalted butter is best. We like the butter to be hot when added to the sweeteners, so we can dissolve the sugar replacements in the butters.
• Vanilla extract
• Strong brewed coffee or espresso - Deepens the flavor of the chocolate in the brownie layer, and adds some moisture. You could also use some instant coffee or espresso powder. You will likely just need to add 1-2 tablespoons of room temperature water to the batter to make sure it's moist enough.
• Large eggs- room temperature
• Cream cheese - Makes these treats super rich, moist, and adds structure.
• Chocolate - We use both unsweetened chocolate for the brownie batter, and sugar free (but sweetened) dark chocolate to cut into chunks for the blondie layer.

If you prefer viewing the brownie blondies instructions in a different format, be sure to check out the Google web story.

📖Step-by-step instructions

🔪Prep work

• Bring the cream cheese and eggs out of the fridge 2 hours before baking so they can become room temperature.
• Grease and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, with the paper hanging over the sides to help pull the bars out when they are done baking. You can also use binder clips to hold the parchment in place.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Make the espresso or strong brewed coffee, and allow it to sit out for about 30 minutes before adding it to the batter so it can cool off a bit. If you add it in while it's too hot, it will scramble the egg.

🍫Make the brownie layer

Start by melting the unsweetened chocolate in the microwave in 15-second intervals at 50% power, mixing with a rubber spatula between each interval. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the granular erythritol, and ¼ cup of the brown sugar replacement, followed by 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Whisk together until combined.

Mix in the melted chocolate, cream cheese, espresso, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined, then add in the egg & whisk together. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is incorporated.

Now, sift in almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, kosher salt, and xanthan gum, and use a rubber spatula to combine. Set aside.

🍪Make the blondie layer

In a separate bowl, add the remaining brown sugar and melted butter. Whisk to combine and dissolve the sweetener, then add in the vanilla extract and cream cheese.

Whisk everything together, then add in the egg and whisk again to combine.

Now, sift in the remaining almond flour, coconut flour, kosher salt, and xanthan gum, then combine with a rubber spatula.

Add in the optional chopped chocolate, and gently fold to combine.

✨Bake!

Add brownie batter to the bottom of the baking pan and use an angled spatula to spread it. Top with big globs of the brownie batter, leaving some spaces to show the brownie underneath.

Bake for 35 minutes uncovered, then cover with aluminum foil if the blondies begin to brown too much. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs on it.

Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Allow to cool in the baking pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling before cutting in.

Cut into 9 - 12 pieces (your choice) and enjoy!

✨Tips & tricks

Here's our top tips to make sure your brownie blondies turn out perfectly every time.

• If the tops of the bars begin to brown too quickly, cover in aluminum foil and continue baking until they are set in the middle. This will ensure the brownie batter layer gets cooked through, without burning the top. Almond flour tends to brown more quickly than regular all-purpose flour, and we obviously want to make sure everything cooks through properly.

• Make sure to use a square baking pan, 8x8 inch size to achieve those thick, chewy layers. If you use a different baking pan, just be aware that the bake time will be altered.

• Make sure to allow the bars to cool in the hot baking pan before removing them and allowing them to cool for about 10-15 minutes more on a wire rack. One of the most important things to do in gluten free baking is to allow things to set up properly and cool so they don't fall apart as easily when cut. Plus, we like to underbake these brownie blondie bars slightly, so allowing them to cool in the pan helps finish cooking them.

• Grease and prepare the baking pan with parchment paper hanging off all sides of the pan to prevent any sticking and then remove the bars from the pan easily. We also like to use binder clips to help hold the parchment in place. This will help prevent strange shapes from occurring on the corner pieces of the bars since the parchment can't fold.

• Sea salt is optional, but highly recommended.

💭Frequently asked questions

🍪More recipes to try

Need a new dessert recipe? Here are a few more gluten free, low carb recipes you'll love, made in partnership with Bob's Red Mill!

• White chocolate raspberry cookies - Big, chewy cookies with fresh raspberries and white chocolate chips!
• Blood orange chocolate cupcakes - Chocolatey, rich, citrusy, moist, and beautiful!
• Keto plum crumble bars - Can you tell we're into fruit? Jammy, gooey, and yummy. You'll love these fruity bars.

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🥣Storage

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days, then transfer to the fridge where they will keep for an additional 3-4 days.

These bars can also be frozen if individually wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, then stored in a freezer storage bag for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge.

If stored cold, make sure to allow them to sit out at room temperature before digging in for best results.

🌟Leave a review!

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📖 Recipe