- January 15, 2019
- Desserts
Keto Blondies Recipe
These keto blondies are soft, buttery, and packed with rich vanilla flavor and melty chocolate in every bite. Made with almond flour and cream cheese, they bake up tender and slice clean for an easy bar dessert.
Classic blondies are all about balance. They should be rich without being heavy, soft without being crumbly, and sweet without overpowering the buttery vanilla base. This keto blondies recipe checks all of those boxes with a simple, reliable method for any home cook!
Cream cheese adds moisture and structure, while almond flour creates a tender crumb that holds together beautifully once baked and cooled. I think you will find that these naturrally gluten free and sugar-free cookies are the perfect texture and flavor for a keto-friendly alternative.
What Are Keto Blondies?
Keto blondies are a low-sugar version of classic blondie bars, focusing on vanilla and butter rather than cocoa. They’re baked in a pan and cut into squares, making them perfect for sharing, storing, or serving as an easy dessert.
This version keeps the texture soft and bakery-like while still setting firmly enough to slice cleanly.
Why These Keto Blondies Work
Creaming softened butter and cream cheese creates a smooth base that traps air and helps the blondies bake evenly. Almond flour provides structure without dryness, and xanthan gum helps bind everything together so the bars don’t fall apart.
The result is a blondie that stays tender in the center with lightly golden edges.
Ingredients for Keto Blondies
This recipe uses simple baking staples with a focus on texture.
- Butter, softened but not melted
- Cream cheese, softened
- Granulated or brown style sweetener of choice
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Almond flour
- Baking powder
- Xanthan gum
- Sugar-free or dark chocolate chips
- Optional flaky sea salt
How to Make Blondie Batter
Start by creaming your butter and low-carb sweetener together in the bowl with a whisk or a hand mixer if desired. This helps the sweetener to dissolve.
Next, add and whisk in the softened cream cheese. Softened or room temperature works best to prevent lumps and clumps in your blondie batter. Once these three ingredients are fully mixed in, stir in the vanilla.
The final wet ingredient to add is your eggs. Add one egg at a time and whisk each one into the batter. You will notice the batter start to thin out a bit more at this point (that’s good). Whisk in the second egg and repeat this step.
Add your almond flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum to the large bowl of wet batter. I like to switch over to using a rubber spatula to mix and incorporate the remaining ingredients together by folding and stirring until they’re fully combined.
Grease a 9×9-inch pan and layer it with parchment paper. Yes, you can bake these up without the paper (still grease the pan), but it makes such a huge difference in getting the blondie bars out when you’re done. So add the paper!
Fold the sugar-free chocolate chips into your batter, and reserve a handful for the top. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it out evenly across all four corners. Once the batter is in the pan, sprinkle the small handful across the top for a more pronounced and decorative look to your blondies.
These bake for 25 minutes or so and then need to rest for an hour or two before serving. Obviously, they’re great warm out of the oven and served with a giant scoop of keto ice cream over the top, too!
How do I know they’re done?
I’ve gotten a few questions about under-baking and over- baking. Look for the blondies to be slightly golden around the edges and see them come away slightly from the sides of the pan.
The top should look set, but the center may be a little softer (or look less done) than the sides. This is ok! Let it sit and rest and cool. There is always carry over baking with any baked good. You can also test the blondies with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
Can I add cocoa powder?
I’d love to say yes, but it’s not that simple. The cocoa powder is a bit dry and doesn’t always yield the right texture. If you’re looking for the perfect brownie recipe, though, try these Keto Turtle Brownies or these Keto Irish Cream Brownies instead.
General Tips and Techniques:
- Want to amp up the flavor? Mix in a few tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter (or just try this amazing keto peanut butter cookie skillet).
- I love to top mine with flaky Maldon sea salt for a sweet and salty combo, but this is optional.
- To freeze the bars, I like to place them on a plate or small tray and freeze them for about an hour out in the open. Once set, place them in a freezer-safe bag and store for up to three months.
- This recipe yields sixteen servings, and they are two net carbs per bar! This may vary slightly based on the sweetener or chocolate chips you use.
More Recipes To Try
- Gluten Free Funfetti Cookie Bars
- Keto Pumpkin Bread Bars
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Gluten Free Keto Lemon Bars
Keto Blondies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Softened Butter NOT MELTED
- 4 oz. Cream Cheese softened
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups Almond Flour
- 3/4 cup Low Carb Sweetener granulated or brown sugar
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
- 1/2 cup Sugar Free Chocolate or Dark Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease an 9×9 baking pan.
- In a mixing bowl combine the butter, cream cheese, and low carb sweetener together and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla and the eggs.
- Combine the almond flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum into the mixture. Fold in the chocolate.
- Pour the mixture into the 9×9 baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the mixture is set and a toothpick comes out clean. NOTE- Glass baking dishes may need slightly more time to bake vs. a darker non-stick pan.
- Allow the bars to cool before cutting and serve.
Video
Notes
- Glass baking dishes may require a slightly longer bake time
- Blondies will firm up as they cool
- Store tightly covered to maintain softness
If you use another sweetener is it the same amount 3/4 cup?
Hi AJ,
I use Lakanto personally. It’s a blend of erythritol and monk fruit sweetener and is a 1:1 ratio with regular sugar. I often find that people who use low carb sweeteners tend to have different preferences as to which type or brand they like. Sweeteners also differ in intensity so your best bet is to see what the ratio is to regular sugar and go from there. Enjoy!
I tried this recipe last night and it was sooo good! I have found several others you posted that I can’t wait to try! Thank you.
Thank you so much for leaving a comment and letting me know! They’re definitely one of my favorites too!