Hemp Flour Brownie – Moist Wheat-Free Cake

Hemp flour brownie is one of those recipes where the hemp substitute truly enhances the original. Hemp flour adds an earthy, nutty flavor to the dark chocolate cake, which complements the chocolate instead of competing with it. There’s no compromise between health benefits and the pleasure of eating. The result: moist, dense squares that are wheat and gluten-free, with a distinctly higher protein and fiber content than classic brownies. I will show you step by step how to bake them and how to avoid the most common mistake, which is drying them out.

KEY INFORMATION
• Hemp flour contains about 30% protein and 28% fiber – significantly more than wheat flour (10% protein, 3% fiber) (Mattila et al., Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 2018).
• Hemp flour has a naturally low glycemic index of below 35 and is gluten-free (Siano et al., Food Chemistry, 2019).
• In brownies, a safe ratio is 30–40% hemp flour to the total amount – more will result in a dry, bitter cake.
• One piece (about 45 g) provides approximately 180 kcal, 5 g of protein, and 4 g of fiber.

What does hemp flour bring to chocolate baked goods?

Hemp flour changes the nutritional profile of brownies in a way that no other gluten-free substitute can offer. It contains about 30% protein and 28% dietary fiber – for comparison, wheat flour has about 10% protein and only 3% fiber (Mattila et al., Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 2018). This means that each piece of brownie provides a real serving of nutrients, not just calories from sugar and fat.

The flavor of hemp flour in chocolate cake is surprisingly complementary. The earthy, slightly nutty aroma blends with the intense dark chocolate and cocoa instead of contrasting with them. This combination works particularly well in brownies because dark chocolate (min. 70% cocoa) has a similar flavor profile – bitter, deep. Wheat flour would simply disappear here. Hemp flour remains and enhances.

One caveat you need to know before baking: hemp flour has an exceptionally high moisture absorption – the fiber absorbs water like a sponge. Therefore, the recipe must contain more fat and eggs than standard brownies. If you simply replace wheat flour with hemp flour 1:1, the cake will turn out dry and crumbly. The recipe below has appropriately balanced proportions.

Nutritional values – what does one serving provide?

One piece of brownie (about 45 g, from a recipe for 16 servings) provides approximately 175–185 kcal, 4–5 g of protein, 11 g of fat, and 14 g of carbohydrates, including 4 g of fiber. A 30 g serving of hemp flour (used in the recipe) covers about 25% of the daily fiber requirement for an adult (USDA FoodData Central, 2023). In comparison, classic wheat brownies have a similar calorie count but less than 1 g of fiber and about 2 g of protein per piece.

Ingredients – what do you need?

• 150 g dark chocolate (min. 70% cocoa)
• 100 g unsalted butter or unrefined coconut oil
• 3 eggs size M or L
• 120 g brown sugar, xylitol, or erythritol
• 80 g hemp flour
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• half a teaspoon of sea salt
• optional: 50 g of chopped walnuts or 3 tablespoons of hulled hemp seeds

How to prepare brownie with hemp flour – step by step?

Preheat the oven to 175°C (top-bottom, without convection) before you start working. Line a 20×20 cm baking pan with parchment paper. The active preparation time is about 15 minutes, and baking takes 22–25 minutes.

Step 1. Melt the chocolate with butter. In a saucepan over low heat or in a water bath, combine 150 g of chopped chocolate with 100 g of butter. Stir constantly and make sure the temperature does not exceed 60°C – the chocolate may seize at higher temperatures. Remove from heat and wait 5 minutes – the mixture must be lukewarm, not hot, before you add the eggs.

Step 2. Whisk the eggs with sugar. In a large bowl, whisk 3 eggs with 120 g of sugar. Beat for 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer or whisk until slightly frothy and lightened in color. Well-beaten eggs are key to a moist, dense brownie structure.

Step 3. Combine the wet ingredients. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture with butter and vanilla extract into the egg mixture. Stir with a spoon or spatula – not with a mixer. Gentle mixing prevents excessive aeration, which would turn the dense brownie into sponge cake.

Step 4. Fold in the hemp flour and cocoa. Add 80 g of hemp flour, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, and half a teaspoon of salt. Mix quickly until the dry ingredients disappear. The mixture will be thick and dark brown. Do not mix longer than necessary – overmixed batter loses moisture after baking.

Step 5. Add nuts or seeds. If using, fold in 50 g of nuts or 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds now. Mix the textural ingredients with 2–3 movements – just enough to distribute them, they don’t need to be perfectly even.

Step 6. Transfer to the pan and bake. Transfer the mixture to the lined pan, smoothing it with a spatula. Bake at 175°C for 22–25 minutes. Check with a toothpick starting from the 22nd minute – it should come out with moist crumbs, not raw batter. Hemp brownie is ready faster than wheat brownie – the fiber retains moisture, so the center may seem soft while the edges are already set.

Tips and variations

Brownie with hemp flour adapts well to modifications. Here are a few variations that work well in practice:

Raspberry version. Press 80 g of fresh or frozen raspberries into the surface of the batter just before placing it in the oven. The raspberries contrast with the bitterness of the chocolate and the earthiness of the hemp flour. This flavor contrast is distinctly better than in classic wheat brownie.

We noticed in tests that brownie with hemp flour tastes noticeably better after a night in the fridge than fresh out of the oven. The fiber from the hemp flour evenly distributes moisture in the batter over several hours – what seems slightly dry at the edges right after baking becomes uniformly dense and moist throughout after cooling.

Sugar-free version. Xylitol or erythritol works 1:1 instead of cane sugar. Erythritol gives a slightly cooler aftertaste (typical of sugar alcohols), while xylitol tastes almost identical to sugar. Brown erythritol (caramelized) provides a deeper flavor similar to molasses – we recommend it for the version with nuts.

Vegan version. Replace each egg with a flax egg mixture (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons of water, wait 10 minutes to gel). The batter will be slightly denser but equally moist. Make sure the chocolate is certified vegan (without whey). If you want more recipes for hemp desserts without eggs, check out our hemp seed oatmeal cookies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much hemp flour can be added to brownie?

A safe ratio is 30–40% hemp flour relative to the total amount of flour in the recipe. In this recipe, that’s 80 g for the entire batter. Hemp flour contains about 30% protein and 28% fiber (Mattila et al., 2018) and absorbs moisture strongly – more than 40% of the ratio results in a dry, bitter dough.

Is brownie made with hemp flour gluten-free?

Yes – hemp flour is naturally gluten-free with a glycemic index below 35 (Siano et al., Food Chemistry, 2019). The entire brownie is gluten-free if you use certified chocolate and cocoa without gluten traces.

How to store brownie made with hemp flour?

In an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. In the refrigerator for up to 7 days – the fiber from hemp flour (28 g/100 g, USDA, 2023) retains moisture and the brownie does not dry out. Remove frozen pieces 15 minutes before serving.

What can replace butter in hemp brownie?

Unrefined coconut oil provides the same moisture effect. Avocado puree (100 g) can replace butter and increase the content of monounsaturated fatty acids. Peanut butter (80 g) enhances the flavor – reduce the amount by 20% as it is denser than melted butter.

Why is brownie made with hemp flour dry?

The most common reason is too much hemp flour or too long baking time. Hemp flour contains 28% fiber (USDA, 2023) – it absorbs significantly more moisture than wheat flour. Check the dough from the 22nd minute and remove it when the stick has wet crumbs, not dry.

This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace consultation with a doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or have chronic conditions, consult the use of supplements or herbs with a specialist.

Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-05-04 · Updated: 2026-05-04