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We have a lot of friends on a variety of restrictive diets right now, and as someone who loves to entertain, I wanted to make sure I had a treat that everyone could eat. But first and foremost, it had to be something everyone would actually want to eat.
I began scheming up a super fudgy, no-frills brownie that could be gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free — and still leave us all reaching for more. Mission accomplished.
Coconut Oil Instead of Butter
First, I like using coconut oil when baking with chocolate because the flavors compliment each other so well, but you could use any oil you’d like here: a neutral-flavored oil like canola or safflower oil would be just fine. The coconut oil, however, isn’t terribly pronounced.
“Flax Eggs” as an Egg Replacer
Second, a “flax egg” gives you the benefit of eggs in baked goods—acting as an emulsifier and helping give your baked good some structure—without actually using an egg. It’s a great go-to for much of the vegan baking I do at home. Here’s a whole post about them.
If flax eggs are new to you, never fear: simply stir together 1 tablespoon of flax meal and 1 1/2 tablespoons of water. Don’t worry. There won’t be any overly earthy flavors or oils imparted to your baked goods; it’s likely no one will ever know you used a substitute!
Use a Gluten-Free Flour with Xanthan Gum
In this recipe, I use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour Blend). The xanthan gum acts as a binder in baking recipes, helping give structure to your gluten free baked goods.
Check the ingredients in your flour blend, and if it doesn’t contain xanthan gum (or another binding ingredient like guar gum or psyllium husks), I recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to ensure success.
Finding Vegan, Allergy-Friendly Chocolate
When it comes to the chocolate, this recipe uses both cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. Most cocoa powders will be naturally vegan; they rarely contain any dairy or egg-based ingredients, but it never hurts to double check. I always keep Trader Joe’s unsweetened cocoa powder in stock at home and used it for these brownies.
As for bittersweet chocolate, you’ll definitely need to read the labels here since bar chocolate often has added dairy. (A quick note: If you see “cocoa butter” on your label, that’s not dairy butter. It’s dairy free!)
I used Pascha Organic 70% chocolate, which is vegan and also free of many allergens like nuts, eggs, dairy, wheat, and gluten. If you have kiddos or friends with very serious allergies, you can feel safe that the chocolate wasn’t produced near any such ingredients. Added bonus: it just tastes delicious—pure and dark, but not at all bitter.
How to Make Great Gluten-Free Brownies
When it comes to method, if you’ve made brownies from scratch before, this will look familiar, although there are a few things to note. Often, brownie recipes will tell you to stick a toothpick in the center and make sure it comes out clean before pulling them from the oven. That trick doesn’t work here.
These brownies are darn fudgy and they’ll feel quite soft to the touch throughout the entire baking process, so just set a timer and trust me on this one. The tops will be slightly bubbly and will feel wet to the touch when the brownies are ready, although the sides will start to pull away from the pan ever so slightly.
Let the Brownies Cool!
Last but not least, note that these brownies are much easier to slice if you allow them to cool completely, at least two hours, so plan accordingly. It can feel like a long time to wait, but I promise it’s worth it: You’re about to meet your new favorite brownie.
How to Store Gluten-Free Brownies
These brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these brownies for up to three months.
More Gluten-Free Treats!
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookies
- Microwave Chocolate Pudding from Scratch
- Almond Flour Waffles
- Cocoa Coconut Macaroons
Fudgy Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies Recipe
If you've never baked gluten-free before, we highly recommend using Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour Blend for this recipe.
If you're using a different blend, double check the ingredients. If it doesn’t contain xanthan gum (or another binding ingredient like guar gum or psyllium husks), we recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum to ensure success.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ground flax
- 1 cup (148 grams) gluten-free flour blend, like Bob's Red Mill
- 1/2 cup (40 grams) dairy-free cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 5 ounces (140g) bittersweet dairy-free chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Method
1 Heat the oven to 350°F and prepare the pan: Line an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper, and grease the parchment paper and pan with a little coconut oil.
2 Prepare the flax "egg": Combine the flax with 8 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Let stand for 7 to 10 minutes to thicken. (This will be used as an egg replacer in this recipe.)
3 Whisk dry ingredients: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
4 Melt the coconut oil and chocolate: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the coconut oil and chopped chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted, about 2 minutes.
5 Add the sugar and vanilla: Whisk the sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture, stirring vigorously until combined. The mixture will be a little grainy at this point, which is perfectly okay.
6 Make the batter: Pour the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl, scraping everything from the pan. Fold in the flax eggs.
Add the dry ingredients and stir well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well combined. The batter will be quite thick and will gather into a ball—it won’t be loose and thin like many traditional brownie batters.
7 Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, and use a rubber spatula or the palm of your hand to press it into the pan in an even layer.
8 Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are set and no longer jiggly. The tops of the brownies will still feel very soft and may even be bubbling a little; they’ll firm up as they cool.
9 Cool: Let the brownies cool completely before slicing, at least 2 to 3 hours. Because these are so fudgy, they really will slice best if you allow them to fully cool.
10 Slice, serve, and store: Using the parchment paper as a handle, lift the cooled brownies up out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into a 4x4 grid (making 16 small squares). Leftover brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
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Megan Gordon is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Simply Recipes. She's the author of Whole Grain Mornings and her blog, A Sweet Spoonful, focuses on healthy seasonal cooking and baking.
Fudgy Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies
Also… Forgot to ask if you think Better Batter All Purpose GF Flour will work in this recipe??
Thanks again!
Hello Noel,
I’m not familiar with that product, so you’ll just have to try it and see for yourself. Good luck!
Did you see my other questions …
If using a 12 cavity brownie pan would work with this recipe.
And if making the brownies taller/thicker would mess up the brownie recipe in any way?
Thanks
Hi Megan…
Before I try these out… A couple questions so I don’t waste more ingredients & since I’ve had about 5 vegan GF brownie failures so far with other seemingly good recipes. I came close on my last recipe attempt, but still not the right texture.
1. Will this recipe of yours work in a 12 cavity Wilton brownie pan that makes individual brownies?
I can’t imagine it’s the pan causing all these problems with recipes, but I’m just checking.
2. I’m trying to make these brownies half plain and half with peanut butter / powdered sugar balls inside. I know the balls will not melt because I have had success with them already a few times, but my question is whether the brownies will still work if I have to make them thicker or taller then the thinner version that they are written as by putting them in a larger pan???
Thanks so much!!
Hi Noel,
What sort of problems are you having on this epic quest to bake the perfect GF brownie? Please tell us more. It’ll be hard to diagnose if the 12-cavity brownie pan is an issue or not otherwise.
But I figure the pan shouldn’t be the issue, and like you say, as long as you keep an eye on the baking time, it should work okay. Do you like your brownies fudgy? It’s very very easy to overbake them in smaller pans/cavities.
Chocolate and cookie guru Alice Medrich recommends freezing the entire pan of brownies straight out of the oven to “shock” them so they stay fudgy. I do this trick, including with GF brownies, and am always happy with the results. Pop it in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes. This also makes the finished brownies easier to cut. They do taste a lot better when they are at room temp, though.
Oh, and as for the peanut butter balls–thicker or thinner brownies are all a matter of baking time. People make brownies with Oreos, peppermint patties, candy bars, and all kinds of wacky add-ins and have success, so hopefully you can, too. Making sure the add-in is fully enveloped/covered in the brownie batter is key, I think. So look at your pan and act accordingly.
These are so rich and yummy! I did omit the oil and replace with unsweetened applesauce 1:1 and they came out perfect. I cooked for the full 35 minutes and let them cool for 2.5 hours. Even better the next day. Thank you!
I followed the recipe fully and i think it was just too much coconut oil. It was bubbling while baking and after it cooled oil has seeped into the bottom and formed a waxy complex on the bottom. Not my favorite.
xxxxxyyyyy
I replaced the oil with unsweetened applesauce and they were great!
Hi(: can I use chia seeds instead flax?
Hi Gabrielle! Thanks for your question. I assume you mean in the “egg,” right? This recipe wasn’t tested with that, so I encourage you to give it a shot. It’s not inconceivable that it would work, given the way chia seeds expand. If you do it, please let us know how it goes!