Insanely rich and fudgey Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge Brownies that have no refined sugar and are Paleo, gluten free, grain free and dairy free! These chocolate fudge brownies have a generous layer of chocolate chip cookie dough fudge to make them even more decadent and addicting!
It’s Friday! And I’m mostly feeling better after a very random, unwelcome bug on Wednesday -Thurs. Adam and I are supposed to be going away this weekend and (knocking as I write this and it’s still Thursday) the kids are not sick, so maybe this will actually happen.
Good thing we all got to enjoy these brownies while still in good health. And, by the way, Adam wants you guys to know that these brownies are actually good, AKA the real deal, don’t taste Paleo, count as a real dessert.
I didn’t take that as an insult because I sort of know what he means. These are 100% the type of Paleo brownies that make some people cringe at the word “Paleo.” Yes, they are grain free, dairy free, soy free, and refined sugar free. No, actual cave people didn’t eat these, and no, even I did not know I had it in me to go this far with a Paleo dessert.
But I do, I did, and here it is! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge Brownies!
So, what’s the story behind these brownies? Besides the obvious of stuffing cookie dough and brownies in my face at the same time? I have to say, it’s mostly that. I wasn’t totally sure how it would all come together, so I looked back on the blog for old recipes to inspire this oh-so-wrong yet oh-so-right union.
The first Paleo fudge I ever made, over a year ago now, was Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge. At the time I remember thinking I was so original with it until I got on Pinterest and realized I was the total opposite of original. Who knew cookie dough fudge was a thing? But whatever – I’m still very much married to my original version, and, tweaked it just a bit to perfectly mix with the brownie layer here.
For the brownies, I turned back to one of my other favorite recipes – raspberry swirl fudge brownies. I tweaked the recipe to give it even more fudgey goodness by replacing an egg with a yolk – something I’m not sure why I wasn’t doing all along. In any case, the result is worth the extra work of making two layers – rich, decadent almost caramel-like chocolate chip cookie dough layered with chewy, fudgey chocolate brownies!
Can we stop talking? It’s time to bake! I’ll be back on Sunday with more chocolate just in case this didn’t fulfill your craving. But it will, trust me – real deal right here!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge Brownies {Grain Free & Paleo}
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge Brownies {Grain Free & Paleo}
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough Layer:
- 2/3 cup very creamy cashew butter
- 1/2 cup unrefined coconut palm sugar
- 3 tbsp coconut cream thick part from a can of full fat coconut milk
- 5 tbsp organic coconut oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
- pinch of fine grain sea salt
- 1/3 cup mini dairy free chocolate chips I love Enjoy Life brand!
For the Brownie Layer
- 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted and cooled to almost room temperature
- 1/2 cup unrefined coconut palm sugar plus one or two more tbsp if you want a sweeter brownie layer
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao
- 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- pinch fine grain sea salt
Instructions
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Prepare an 8 x 8 inch baking dish by lining it with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
First, make the cookie dough layer:
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In a medium bowl, combine the cashew butter, coconut sugar, coconut cream, coconut oil, and vanilla and mix well until smooth.
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Stir in the 1/4 cup of blanched almond flour, the salt, and mini chocolate chips. Set aside.
Then, make the brownie layer:
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In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs, egg yolk, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla. In a smaller bowl, combine the cocoa powder, 3/4 cup almond flour, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined.
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Pour about 2/3 of the brownie mixture into the parchment lined baking dish, then 2/3 of the cookie dough mixture, swirling a bit. Top with remaining brownie mixture, scraping with a rubber spatula to use it all. Follow with the remaining cookie dough mixture and swirl with a toothpick.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the center had just set. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting into squares*
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Store leftovers in the refrigerator to keep firm - enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Due to the coconut oil, these will start to "melt" at about 75 degrees. To speed up cooling, you can cover and refrigerate before serving.
Want more Paleo brownie recipes? Try one of these!
Double Fudge Almond Butter Brownies
Flourless Brownies with Caramel Chocolate Chunk Frosting
Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies
What’s the perfect dessert union for you?
If you could only have cookies or brownies for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Despite the recipe, I think I’d say cookies. Drew agrees 🙂
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I love both chocolate chip cookies and fudgy brownies! really depends on my mood. warm cookies usually come first for me :). I think lol
Hard to choose! But yes, something about those warm chocolate chip cookies..
I think I just got a cavity from looking at these! WORTH IT
Lol yes so worth it!
These look so dreamy!
Thanks Megan!
I think I would have to go with cookies but this combo sounds amazing! For some reason regular brownies give Rob heartburn but he does much better with paleo brownies. I think we would both love these!
That’s interesting, I’m definitely biased but I think Paleo brownies are just as good if not better!
They look so ooey gooey!
That’s a hard one…I eat way more cookies and make way more cookie recipe than brownies, but brownies are delicious…I just never make them :O
Make some! I bet they’ll be amazing 🙂
I’m obsessed with ice cream. It’s the only dessert I want in this crazy humidity! I hope you can go on your trip! You totally deserve it after the week you had!
Went on the trip and it was great! I guess good timing with getting sick after all lol 🙂
Yum! To be honest I was skeptical of fully Paleo desserts for awhile even though I baked gluten free, but once I started trying them I got hooked on the denser, fudgier texture that a lot of non-grain flours provide. I feel like that makes something doughy even more doughy 🙂
I have to say I’m biased but I really do love Paleo desserts for those reasons! And I’m just obsessed with the powers of coconut oil all around 🙂
These look so perfectly dense and fudgy – everything I want in a brownie, plus cookie dough. Perfect!
You’d love them – good stuff all around 🙂
No one could ever put down Paleo after looking at these! WOW!
Lol thanks Emily!
I’m with you on the cookies! I could never live without them, but I’d never say no to brownies either. I love the idea of combining the two!
Have to think of more ways now to get them combined 🙂
I love brownies and chocolate chip cookie anything so this is right up my alley! Lol at thinking you were original. I do the same exact thing…then reality hits you when you Pinterest and Google! Oh well! Pinning this for later!
I know – not just with food but with everything! I guess it’s good to know other people are thinking on the same page 🙂
These look ridiculously good! I can’t wait to make them!
Oh I know you’ll love them! Seriously decadent 🙂
Are you able to substitute almond butter for cashew butter?
Yes that should be fine, make sure it’s nice and smooth and creamy.
Since I’m not Paleo nor married to you, I feel like I would make a better taste tester than Adam. What do you say? I’d be happy to try these and let you know. 🙂
I hope you feel better and go to go away on your trip.
I did! It was really a great weekend – totally got away from everything so the timing actually worked. And I’d happily taste test some of your creations as well!
Holy Moly! These look so dang good! I would probably eat the whole pan all at once!
Thanks! These brownies are no joke, lol 🙂
These look amazing! Is there anything that I could substitute for the almond flour?
Well done. That’s the kind of emotion that belongs in your novels. That’s what we readers relate to.
Any ideas on what to substitute the coconut cream for. These look amazing but she hates the taste of coconut. I can use refined coconut oil but can’t use anything where she can taste the coconut. P.S. Your blondies are the best !