A delicious one minute chocolate brownie in a mug cake that bakes up in your microwave. Enjoy this simple, gluten free, low carb keto brownie recipe for a quick snack.
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Pretty much everyone loves chocolate, right? You do, too, which is why you’re here.
That’s why this single serving microwave baked birthday cake is so popular. And why grabbing a few Lily’s bars at your local grocery store is always a good idea.
But sometimes you just need a perfectly decadent, gooey brownie to satisfy your chocolate craving. If you have the time and someone to share it with, make up a batch of these low carb zucchini brownies. But what if you don’t?
After all, sometimes you just want a chocolatey treat in a
“now” kind of a way…and you don’t want to have to worry about sharing…or having sugar. That’s how this low carb one minute chocolate brownie you can make in the microwave came to be.
You can find a gluten free, keto friendly brownies recipe that will feed a crowd…but when you don’t want to eat the whole pan and you’re home alone, this single serve keto brownie in a mug is the best recipe to make.
Ingredients For Your Gluten Free Keto Brownie Mug Recipe
What do you need to make this simple keto brownie in a mug recipe? Only 7 ingredients!
- Coconut oil
- Sukrin Gold Fiber Syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Coconut flour
- Baking powder
- Heavy cream
As you can see, there’s no almond flour or almond meal in this low carb brownie, which makes it perfect for those who want a nut free recipe. And because the ‘flours’ used are coconut and cocoa powder, it’s completely gluten free.
While this recipe uses Sukrin Fiber Syrup Gold, granular Sukrin:1 can be used and work just as well.
A quick note: making your brownie with syrup isn’t as crumbly as using a sugar free sugar alternative. However, if you add an egg, the brownie will hold together better. It’s really however you’d prefer to do it.
How To Make A Single Serve 1-Minute Keto Mug Brownie
Making this quick little low carb one minute chocolate brownie in a mug cake is very simple.
To start out, melt a little coconut oil with the fiber syrup or granular sweetener in your mug.
It only takes about 15 seconds or less for the coconut oil to melt into a liquid. Then, you add the rest of the ingredients to make the brownie batter thick.
I found that it works best if you combine the dry ingredients together in a separate cup first. However, if you’re like some people (ahem), and you don’t want to have to wash that extra cup, you can just mix them all in the same continer.
This recipe was made with Hershey’s Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder, but you can use whatever sugar free cocoa you prefer.
If you like a really moist fudgy brownie, you’ll want to undercook it just a bit…and maybe add some sugar free chocolate chips to the batter.
Fully cooking the one minute chocolate brownie batter in the microwave for about a minute or more results in more of a mug cake texture, so it’s all up to you. What’s your favorite way to indulge in an easy brownie?
Serving And Storing Your 1-Minute Brownie In A Mug
This ends up being a rather large one minute keto brownie in a mug, perfect to share. It’s just a tad too much for one serving if you’re having it with a meal (but you could always have it as a meal!).
If you’re not wanting to share (and who would blame you?), you can easily eat half and save the other half for later, too. And just think of the possibilities!
You can enjoy this one minute chocolate brownie plain right out of the microwave (mmm, hot brownie!) and simply let the half you don’t eat cool completely and store it in an airtight container.
Or, if you’d like to treat yourself or you want to have this as an extra special dessert, you can top your freshly baked hot brownie with a little sugar free whipped cream from your whipped cream dispenser. And maybe add some sugar free vanilla ice cream, too.
This easy brownie in a mug cake is a low carb treat that you can easily whip up any time a snack craving hits you; that’s one of the best things about recipes like this.
It’s so easy that it’s almost as simple as ripping open an unhealthy Little Debbie snack cake, but now you can stay on track with your low carb or keto lifestyle. 1-minute mug cakes are a great way to stay on track even when the cravings hit.
Which Sweetener Is Best For This Low Carb Recipe?
The net carbs are about same regardless of whether you use a fiber syrup or erythritol based granular sweetener, so that’s good news.
Some people have reported that they are sensitive to the carbs in the Isomaltooligosaccharides (IMO) based fiber syrups. If you’re concerned about this you can just use a granulated sweetener. Also, you may want to test your blood glucose levels to make sure this sweetener doesn’t cause insulin spikes for you.
Even though these fiber carbs are said to be negligible, I don’t like taking in more than I have to. That’s why swapping out the granulated sweetener can be a good choice.
One Minute Chocolate Brownie in a Mug Cake Recipe
The following video shows how to make the keto chocolate brownie mug cake with egg and granular sweetener:
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One Minute Chocolate Brownie in a Mug Cake
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Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon Sukrin Gold Fiber Syrup see note
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder I used Hershey’s Dark
- 2 teaspoons coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream more or less
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil and sweetener in microwave for about 15 seconds.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Add mixed dry ingredients (cocoa powder, coconut flour, and baking powder)
- Stir in heavy cream until thick brownie batter forms.
- Microwave anywhere from 30-90 seconds to texture desired (less for fudgy brownies, longer time for cake-like)
- Serve warm topped with whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
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Nutrition
Additional Info
Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Unauthorized use of this material without written permission from Lisa MarcAurele is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes.
Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
Lisa MarcAurele has been creating low carb recipes since 2010. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create low sugar foods that taste like high carb favorites!
anna says
My husband just learned he has type 2 diabetes. I decided to make this as a treat but did not have sukrin. I used an egg and one packet of stevia. It isn’t sweet at all. Can I or should I use more stevia next time? Thanks
Lisa MarcAurele says
Sweetness varies greatly from person to person. So definitely add more to taste.
MariLyn says
I just tried this for my husband and autistic grandson. I changed the coconut flour to whey protein, and coconut oil to butter. I added a sprinkle of sugarfree chocolate chips to the batter, and after it was cooked, gave them a dollop of whipped cream . OMG!!! It was so delish and filling. Completely filled the chocolate craving, and is now our absolute favorite! Thanks again for making our low carb journey so delicious!
Jenn says
I love microwave chocolate desserts . I am eager to try this one! Thank you for the recipe. However, one thing that confused is that in the video you say you’re using baking soda but in the written recipe it’s listed as baking powder. Will you please clear this up? Thank you!
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s what’s in the recipe card, not the video (likely a mistake). So use baking powder.
Kim Dunlap says
If you eat the entire brownie it would be 8 net carbs right?
Lisa MarcAurele says
Correct! The whole brownie is 8g net.
Barbara says
Just had a chocolate attack. Having no Sukrin, I made this with 1 T of Splenda and an egg. Microwaved for 70 seconds. I have 900 watt MW. Bad assumption. Came out a little dry and definitely more cake like. And though I find almost everything packaged, bottled and canned sickeningly sweet, this needed a touch more sweetener (or I need to try a different sweetener) for my taste buds. While I love a slightly bittersweet chocolate taste, the combination of dry and barely there sweetness wasn’t quite right. I used the Hershey Dark Cocoa which I love.
Boy, this is going to be fun to experiment with. Probably will reduce cooking time to 50 seconds. And add a touch of Stevia for a little more sweetness. Depending on how that comes out, I have a bottle of pure maple syrup and I may try that instead of egg and sweetener.
This did satisfy. My mistakes and all.
Lisa MarcAurele says
I don’t care for bulk Splenda as it adds maltodextrin for volume. It’s better to use another one-for-one sugar replacement like those made with erythritol.
Yuri Pereira Teixeira says
As a very frustrated lowcarb/keto recipe “research” I gotta say: best baking recipe I tried so far (and so simple at the same time). Thank you very much!
Lisa MarcAurele says
I’m glad this simple chocolate mug cake worked out for you!
Michelle says
The egg was left out of the written recipe.
Lisa MarcAurele says
There’s 2 versions of the recipe. One uses egg and granular sweetener. The other has no egg and uses a syrup sweetener.
Robyn says
Hi Lisa, thanks for your time and effort on this blog, it’s great!
Can I swap out the 1 TBSP of fibre syrup for an equal 1 TBSP erythritol, but just add an egg. I think is what you mean, right?
Lisa says
The egg isn’t needed if using fiber syrup.
Marilyn says
I saw a keto friendly biscotti recipe and thought i saved it but now cant find it. Can you resend
Lisa says
I have a cranberry almond one at https://lowcarbyum.com/cranberry-almond-biscotti-cookies-gluten-free/ and a chocolate one at https://lowcarbyum.com/gluten-free-chocolate-biscotti/
Pat Holmblad says
Can I use almond flour instead?
Same flavor?
Thanks , PAT
Lisa says
You may have to make some other adjustments and the amount would be different.
Angella Kurkova says
I used almond flour still tasted pretty good.
Terri Iverson says
It would be helpful, I think if you mentioned what size mug or ramekin you use.
Lisa says
I’ve made this in various sizes (the timing of the microwave can vary with both ramekin size and microwave). Typically, I use a 3.5 inch diameter ramekin.
Laurie says
Hi! I used baking soda instead of baking powder so gross!! The video says to use baking soda!!!
Lisa MarcAurele says
You can, but the amount is slightly different.
Wendy says
Could you please give the SUGAR equivalent so that I can make the calculations for my sweetener? Some are not measured cup for cup or tablespoon for tablespoon. Thanks
Lisa says
The 1 tablespoon fiber syrup or sweetener would be equivalent to 1 tablespoon sugar.
Katerina says
I just made this as a keto chocolate dessert and it was DELICIOUS!
I substituted 1 tbsp of protein powder for the sweetener and added 1tbsp of water.
45 seconds later, some whipped cream with a sprinkle of pumpkin spice mix… mmmmm So good!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing that! I bet the protein powder made it a bit lighter.
Tina says
I just tried this mug cake and it is phenomenal! Super rich. I like my brownies more on the fudgy side so 45 seconds was perfect! Will definitely make this 1000x over again!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe Tina. I’m so glad you enjoyed the brownie!
Karen Aicken says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have been having issues with almond flour so was happy to see there wasn’t any in this recipe. I’d never heard of the syrup before so I appreciate you giving an alternate. I used Swerve and an Egg and it was absolutely delicious. Topped with whipped cream, it was even better. Trying very hard not to eat that second serving right away – but now I have a treat for tomorrow too.
Lisa says
I’m glad you enjoyed this little treat!
Michelle says
I just made these for my non-low-carb daughter and me. We both absolutely loved this! I used the Trim Healthy Momma sweetener with an egg. It’s definitely the closest thing I’ve had to a chocolate cake. Next time I want to make the buttercream frosting to go with it. Thanks for all the great recipes!
Kristen says
I just made this and it was by far the best low carb version a mug brownieI’ve made. More brownie like consistency than any other and better tasting. Thank you!!! It’ll be a go-to for when I need that little chocolate fix.
Leslie says
I added a square of the 85% dark chocolate you buy in bulk from Sprouts and it was very good and a surprise in the center. Poured 2 T heavy cream on top and enjoyed it so much! Thank you!
Rita Dalton says
Just made this using coconut sugar and an egg as substitute for the syrup and single cream rather than double cream as that’s all I had in. OMG it really satisfied a chocolate craving, but wasn’t too sweet. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Natalie says
I really liked this recipe. I used morena cane sugar and an egg. It was great! Made my own whip cream and just loved it!
Christine says
I hate cake. I don’t like muffins either. Never have. I LOVED this.
I didn’t have everything on hand, so I made the following substitutions: I used almond flour in place of coconut, and added a bit extra because I wanted generous portions for two.. I used sola sweetener. I reduced the amount to about a tsp. I added an egg, and I used butter in place of coconut oil. 90 seconds in the microwave.
My husband and I split this on date night. It’s a game changer. I’ve been fighting the urge to eat something carb heavy all day, and this more than satisfied that.
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing your subs! Glad it worked out.
Nicole says
I ran the ingredients in a recipe nutrition calculator and it came out double what your nutrition label indicates. Why is that?
Lisa says
Updated the data with the results from a more accurate calculator.
Alicia says
hi,
I was wondering for someone who doesn’t fancy using microwaves if this could be baked instead..
Lisa says
It can, but I don’t have the baking time. I’d suggest setting the oven for 325-350F and testing for doneness.
Joanne says
This was amazing! I used an egg and sweetener, and butter instead of coconut oil. I Cooked it for one minute and the texture was perfect.
I wonder if I can make it X6 or so into a cake that I can bake in the oven for a birthday. Any ideas on how I would adapt it?
Thanks!
Lisa says
It should work in a larger size, but you’d have to adjust the baking time.
CARolina says
I just made a mug cake with 2 tablespoons coconut flour ,three tablespoons of xylitol , 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder , 2 teaspoons of raw cacao powder , 2 table spoons of heavy cream and one egg. 90 seconds in microwave and whooped cream on top after it cooled . Amazing!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing!
Lunchie says
Literally, the *best* low carb mug brownie I have had to date! I’ve tried it with three different variations, but the most functional variation was to substitute sugar free maple syrup(I used ‘Nature’s Hollow’ brand) for the fiber syrup. It appears to need a ‘syrup-like’ addition to make the mix come together better. I also tripled the coconut oil, as I both wanted to up the fats and make it richer. The texture was like an under-done brownie(which I wanted), and souffle-like on top after 30 seconds in my microwave.
In case anyone wants to try this the way I made it,(tripling the coconut oil and substituting the sweetener with Sugar Free Maple Syrup and several drops of liquid Stevia) here are the macros for my version:
6.75carbs, 16 fat, 1.3 protein
Thank you so, so much for this recipe!! I plan on making it again and again!
Lisa says
Thanks for the notes on the recipe. I’ve seen the Nature’s Hollow syrup, but haven’t given it a try. But, I’m definitely going to try tripling the coconut oil next time.
Heather says
I want to make this for a conworker, can I mix all the ongedeants together put a lid on it (have it in a lunch paid w ice) and the. Microwave it when it’s ready?
Lisa says
You might want to separate the coconut flour and add it in just before cooking. Otherwise, it should be fine.
Brynne Edwards says
I was just tearing my kitchen apart looking for something BAD! Not sure where this craving came from but I stopped, googled this and YES! Omg! Just what I needed. Followed recipe as directed with the sweetener and an egg, 90 seconds in a large Ramekin and…. perfection! Thank you so much!
Lisa says
Glad you were able to satisfy the craving without eating something really bad!
Connor says
I replaced the syrup with organic honey so there are about 17 more carbs but it still tastes great!
Lisa says
Honey is very similar to the syrup so it should be just about the same other than the added carbs.
Rachel says
This was so great! I doubled the vanilla and used an egg with one tbls of granulated sweetner and omitted the baking powder (because I don’t have any right now!) I really wanted a chocolate treat and this hit the spot. Thank you!!!
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing how it worked out for you!
Barbara says
I love this recipe!! Turns out perfect everytime! We use 1 egg & sweetener making it now,LOL
Thank you!
Lisa says
It does come out much better with the added egg.
SIUE Teacher says
How much Swerve should I use? I tablespoon? Please help thanks
Lisa says
It would be the same, 1 tablespoon. And, it helps to add in an egg if not using the syrup.
Alissa says
Does this recipe taste like a regular mug cake or no? Terrified of making more chocolate dessert because of my epic failure brownies. We couldn’t even swollen them they were that awful!
Lisa says
I found it more like a brownie. You may want to add a bit more oil if you don’t want to use the syrup.
Jacob says
No mine turned out horrible. Will not use this recipe again. I had to keep cooking it to try and get it solid. It over ran out of my large coffee mugs and then left about 1/2 of the mug with the brownie in it. It was still wet and runny after 3.5 mins of microwave and my microwave was filthy from the over run. Next time I will throw an egg in my re iOS so I know it will turn into a
Good solid treat.
Lisa says
This recipe works best with an egg if you aren’t using the fiber syrup sweetener. I’ve never had an issue with it cooking. There must be a difference in ingredients.
Frances says
I have looked for a mug cake or brownie that would taste real and I tried this but it was bitter so I changed a few things and it came out wonderful every time. It taste same as brownie and turn out same every time I have made it which is a lot. I put (1) teaspoon coconut oil ,1/2 teaspoon butter and (1) tablespoon Sukrin gold fiber syrup in mug and heated in microwave 17 seconds to melt. I then added 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and more sweetener to your taste ( I added 7 Splenda packets) and mixed well. I then added my 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, 1 1/2 tablespoon cocoa, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda ,2 teaspoons almond flour and mixed really good. I put in microwave 67 seconds and then let cool for a few mins. Very very good.
Lisa says
Thanks for sharing! I may add something in the notes to check out the comments so others don’t miss this. I’ll give it a try too!
Janet says
I made this Mug cake without the syrup because I didn’t have any and with 2 TBSP whole milk instead of the cream. I cooked it about 70 seconds – It only rose about 2 inches but was moist and delicious. Just what I needed to fix that craving. I ate the whole thing.
Lisa says
I like the moist and delicious part!
Lisa says
Hi Lisa,
I made this mug cake today and it was great! I have tried quite a few and they were close to horrible. I did use the coconut flour and I used 1 tablespoon of Swerve (Erythitol). It was not crumbly at all. I may use a little bit more coconut oil next time, but we will see if that makes any difference in texture. I put a bit of whipped cream on top. Very happy!
Lisa says
I find Swerve does work a bit better than the stevia based bulk sweeteners.
Cara says
I have swerve confectioners. Mine was not very sweet at all but the texture was good. Would this make a difference
Lisa says
I find sweetness to be a personal preference. You can always add a little more next time.
Kelly says
Made this exactly as you outlined. I didn’t have the syrup you used so used some sugar free maple flavoured syrup instead. It was so good, my perfect mug cake search is finally over. I cooked for 45 seconds. Thank you for your effort to share your recipes. Much appreciated!
Lisa says
I was wondering if it would work with low carb pancake syrup. I’ll have to try that as it would be lower in carbs if using Walden Farms maple flavored syrup or a homemade version.
Cathyo says
I doubled coconut oil to 1 tsp, cut Special Dark Hershey’s to 1 Tbsp, , used 1Tbsp Stevia in the Raw, and a couple drops of liquid sucralose. Cooked for 50 seconds and it was crumbly, but the flavor was divine….especially with a bit of whipped cream. I’ll try 40 seconds next time. Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa says
Thanks for the info!
Machelle says
I doubled the coconut oil, vanilla and splenda. It was great. Best tasting mug cake. It was crumbly. I may add 1/4 to 1/2 egg next time. I love the taste.
Lisa says
Thanks for letting us know how you made the recipe and how it turned out!
judy says
can another type of oil be substituted for the coconut oil such as olive oil or canola oil. also can another type of flour be substituted such as almond flour or oat flour
Lisa says
You can use another oil, but other changes may be needed if you sub the flour.
Rachel says
I subbed the coconut flour for almond flour because that was all I had. Measure for measure it was 8 tbsp of almond flour and it turned out great!
Lisa says
Good to know!
Marcia Wilcox says
Hey, Lisa, thanks for all the awesome recipes! I love this site! However, you may want to look at this study: http://easacademy.org/trainer-resources/article/isomalto-oligosaccharides
It says in a nutshell that IMO’s do indeed get digested like carbs, so if a low-carb dieter uses Sukrin a lot, they might want to know that. I’ve had good luck with erythritol, the main drawbacks being that it needs a sweetness-boost (I use stevia) and it has that sort of cooling effect which doesn’t bother me but might bother some. At least it doesn’t cause me gastric distress like some low-carb sweeteners!
Lisa says
I have known about the IMO carb issue. That’s why I only use very small amounts now. It’s too bad because I used to love Quest bars but rarely eat them now.
Kaylyn says
Wow! I just found a new favorite mug cake recipe! I used 2 tbsp of Swerve for the sweetener (which might have been a little too much, but I have a big sweet tooth). I threw in some Lily’s sugar free chocolate chips and topped it with a cream cheese frosting. So good! Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa says
The addition of chocolate chips certainly helps with any dryness issues. Great idea!
Denise Sowles says
We couldn’t eat this either despite several attempts. Didn’t have that syrup so used a couple different sweetners and added more coconut oil. I used regular cocoa the second time and it was still very bitter and every batch was dry and gritty. It sounds so good I’m willing to do some more experimenting – that’s another benefit to mug cake recipes. If it fails you aren’t wasting a ton of ingredients.
Lisa says
I need to rework this one with more common ingredients. It was great with the syrup. You can drop a piece of low carb chocolate in it for a molten treat. That may help.
Chanell says
Mine turned out with perfect texture, but it is not edible 🙁 Any idea why it would be super bitter?
Lisa says
You may just prefer it a little sweeter. I’d add a few drops of stevia liquid or a little more of your preferred sweetener.
Linda says
I had the same problem as Stef. Perhaps an egg needs to be added?
Lisa says
Are you using the fiber syrup or granular sweetener? I’ve made this several times with the syrup and it’s very good. With the granular, it more crumbly. I’m going to work on this recipe a little more and post an update with how to get better results. I’ll try an egg, but I’m thinking a little glycerin may also help since the syrup works better.
Sara says
Hi, I made your recipe. I used granular erythritol and it was just all crumbly so I added 1 large egg and whipped everything up together. I microwaved for 1 minute and it was perfect. I put a little cream on top to cool it down. Probably would have been fine at 45 minutes too.
Lisa says
Egg will hold it together if you don’t use the fiber syrup.
LE Beatty says
Brownie in a Mug Cake is great
Stef says
I decided to make this to bring to work for my afternoon snack. I followed the recipe exactly, however, the final mixture was VERY dry, and even after adding more cream, it was still crumbly dry. I stopped at about 2.5T cream thinking that perhaps I just needed to cook it, but it came out all crumbly. I didn’t use the fiber syrup, but instead used 1.5t of an erythritol/stevia mixture, and hershey’s dark cocoa. It’s still yummy and I’m still going to eat it, but wonder if I should have continued adding cream until the mix was more gooey?
Lisa says
The batter should be very thick. You don’t want to add too much cream. Since you used a smaller amount of sweetener, it would be better to add a little more coconut oil or butter to the batter rather than cream for bulk. Also, cooking time is a factor. The shorter time, the denser it should be.