Chewy Gooey Paleo Cassava Flour Fudge Brownies

Ingredients

For the Fudgy Brownie Batter:

• 0.66 cup pure whole-root cassava flour (such as Otto's Naturals)
• 0.5 cup raw organic cacao powder or dark cocoa powder
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (70%+ cacao), dairy-free / soy-free (divided)
• 0.5 cup unrefined coconut oil or grass-fed ghee, melted
• 1 cup organic coconut sugar
• 3 large pasture-raised eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure Madagascar vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp coarse Himalayan pink salt
• Flaky Maldon sea salt (for finishing garnish)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep Pan & Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
2. Melt Chocolate & Fat: In a heatproof bowl set over a small pot of simmering water (or in the microwave in 30-second bursts), melt 0.5 cup of the dark chocolate chips together with the melted coconut oil (or grass-fed ghee). Stir until glossy and smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.
3. The “Crackly Top” Secret (Whip Eggs & Sugar): In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the room-temperature eggs, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract on HIGH speed for a full 2 to 3 minutes until pale, frothy, and slightly thickened. (This dissolves the sugar and creates the shiny, paper-thin crinkly crust!).
4. Combine Wet Mixtures: Gently pour the melted chocolate-oil mixture into the whipped egg mixture, folding with a silicone spatula until uniformly incorporated.
5. Fold in Dry Ingredients: Sift in the cassava flour, raw cacao powder, and sea salt. Fold gently with the spatula just until no dry flour streaks remain. Fold in the remaining 0.5 cup of whole dark chocolate chips.
6. Bake: Pour the thick, glossy batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread evenly to the corners with an offset spatula. Bake at 350°F for 22 to 25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist fudgy crumbs (not wet batter). Do not over-bake!
7. Garnish & Chill to Slice: Immediately sprinkle flaky Maldon sea salt across the warm top. Let the brownies cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes before slicing. Chilling allows the healthy fats to firm into dense, clean, fudge-like squares.

Nutritional Breakdown (Per Serving - 1 Square)

Chef's Paleo Nutritional Science

Cassava flour is made from whole peeled yuca root—a resistant starch prebiotic that nourishes beneficial colonic flora (such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii) without gluten, grain proteins, or nut allergens. Dark cacao polyphenols enhance endothelial flow-mediated vasodilation and mood through endogenous anandamide release.

Frequently Asked Questions