Fudgy Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies
These Fudgy Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies are the best homemade brownies you’ll ever eat! So much better than a box mix, a batch of almond flour brownies are perfect for any dessert-lover. You’d never know that these double-chocolate brownies are actually gluten free!
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Attention, attention, please! If you’re looking for a dry, cakey brownie recipe, please “x” out and go find another blog. THIS gluten-free chocolate brownies recipe is for lovers of fudgy, intense chocolatey brownies only.
You guys. This brownie recipe is so dang good. It’s the best gluten-free brownies recipe you’ll ever eat/make/devour.
And I’m laying down a truth bomb for you all right here and now. This will be the best brownie recipe you’ve ever made. Nobody will be able to tell they’re gluten-free. NOBODY!
We’re not gluten-free by any means, but my husband and oldest son do better with limited gluten. Multiple family members prefer to avoid grains, so I developed this recipe, based on the Espresso Brownies from Real Simple to have an easy gluten-free dessert.
If you love rich, chocolately desserts, you should definitely check out my Strawberry Truffles. They taste like pure sin, but are vegan, dairy-free, and paleo! And for something ready in a flash, whip up a Gluten-Free Mug Cake for dessert or even a quick chocolately breakfast.
Why These Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies are so good
- Gaaaaaaah, they’re so moist (<—-groooooooooooss, but I had to say it)
- There are two kinds of chocolate, making these intense and rich.
- The (optional) addition of a touch of coffee brings out the chocolate flavor even more.
- They’re so perfectly perfect that you can bring them to any gathering and everyone will be happy!
What is In This Gluten-Free Brownie Recipe?
- Butter. Lots of it – 1.5 sticks! Because you’re worth it. 1994 called and they said you can put away those gross low fat treats. Haven’t you heard? Fat is ok again! :confetti:
- Chocolate – cocoa powder (the darkest you can find, but not Dutch processed) and chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- Sugar – both brown (related: how to make brown sugar) and regular (or coconut sugar to make them paleo)
- Eggs
- Almond flour
- Coffee – just a touch to intensify the chocolate flavor. You can skip. But you shouldn’t.
- Vanilla (try your hand at making homemade vanilla extract)
- Cinnamon
- Baking powder
If you want to take these brownies to the next level, top them with some Mocha Frosting. You won’t be sorry.
What Is The Difference Between Almond Meal and Almond Flour?
Nothing – they’re essentially the same thing! Both almond meal and almond flour are terms that might be used interchangeably. You’ll find that products listed as “almond flour” are almost always made with blanched almonds.
Can You Substitute Gluten-Free Flour For Regular Flour?
In most cases, no you can’t. Gluten-free flours have different chemical properties and reactions compared with traditional flours.
I used almond flour in this dish because it works really well in this gluten-free brownie recipe. It incorporates easily, doesn’t make the brownies taste gritty, and there is no distracting almond taste.
These almond flour brownies have not been tested with other gluten-free flours. Any gluten-free flour substitutions may impact the outcome of the recipe. Most gluten-free cup for cup replacements will result in a cakey brownie. And cakey brownies are evil.
But, guess what? If you’re not gluten-free you can totally use all-purpose flour for this recipe. It’s true!
Here’s How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies
*A detailed (i.e., measurements and bake time) and printable recipe card is available at the bottom of this post.
(photos 1-3) You’re going to start by melting the chocolate and butter. You can do this in a double-boiler, but honestly, I use the microwave! Melt butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl (you’ve seen my favorite mixing bowl, you know I love it) for 30 seconds. Wait, 30 seconds, and then microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir, set aside, and let it cool 5-10 minutes.
Take an 8×8 baking pan (I used glass) and place a piece of parchment in, with some excess hanging over the sides. Pro tip: if you use a ceramic baking dish, you may need to increase cooking time by 1-2 minutes. If you use metal, check the brownies at 33 minutes for “doneness”.
While your delicious melted chocolate is cooling down, combine the almond flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. If you want to make these into one-bowl brownies, you can skip this step, BUT it could result in overmixed brownies. Too much mixing = cakey brownies. Cakey brownies = you may as well not make brownies at all.
(photo 4) Add the sugar to the butter/chocolate mixture. Stir. Pro tip: if you want crinkly top brownies, use a hand or stand mixer and beat the sugar and butter mixture for 1 minute.
(photo 5) Add in the eggs, coffee, and vanilla. Stir.
(photo 6 & 7) Fold in the flour mixture until it is about 50% combined. Add in the chocolate chips and gently stir until just combined.
Pour into your parchment-lined baking dish. Bake! See the printable recipe card below for baking temps and times.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- To make these almond flour brownies dairy-free, sub in your favorite non-dairy fat (vegan butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.), and make sure to use non-dairy chocolate chips like Enjoy Life.
- This recipe has not been tested with egg replacer products.
- Mix-ins and topping options: crushed peppermints, nuts (gross, no), sea salt, or whatever else your heart desires.
- While these brownies don’t get puffy, if your brownies stayed totally flat after baking, and you didn’t make any other substitutions, your baking powder might be dead. To test your baking powder’s freshness, add 1 tsp of baking powder to 1/4 cup boiling water. Your water/powder mixture should bubble. If it doesn’t, your baking powder is dead, dead, dead.
- Allow the brownies to fully cool before cutting into them. Lift them out of the pan using the parchment overhang. These are fuuuuuudgy and are impossible to cut when warm.
- If you want perfect cuts (pro tip: get a hobby), chill brownies in the fridge for an hour, and use a plastic knife.
- All ovens are different, so start checking your brownies at 34 minutes. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs sticking to it.
- You can sub in espresso powder for the coffee.
More Gluten-Free Desserts You’ll Love:
- Trail Mix Bars
- Strawberry Fudge Energy Date Balls
- Gluten-Free Blackberry Crisp
- No Churn Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Old-Fashioned Fudge
- Raspberry Lemon Creme Brulee
Fudgy Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter 1.5 sticks
- 3 oz chocolate chopped, dark or semi-sweet
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 tbsp coffee room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 oz chocolate chips dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds. Wait, 30 seconds, and then microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir, set aside, and let it cool 5-10 minutes.
- Take an 8x8 baking pan and place a piece of parchment in, with some excess hanging over the sides.
- While the chocolate/butter is cooling down, combine the almond flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Add the sugar to the butter/chocolate mixture. Stir.
- Add in the eggs, coffee, and vanilla. Stir.
- Fold in the flour mixture until it is about 50% combined. Add in the chocolate chips and gently stir until just combined.
- Bake for 34-38 minutes. Every oven is different! The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs sticking to it.
Notes
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Thank you for taking the time to post a gluten free brownie recipe that is getting great reviews. I have one question though, in the photo at the top, these brownies almost look undercooked. I think there is a fine line between under cooked and fudgy brownies as I prefer mine alittle more baked than shown in the photo (but still fudgy). Or because of the ingredients, is this how they are suppose to come out?
Thanks for any info you care to share.
Dianne, yes they ride that very fine line between undercooked and perfect. It all comes down to finding the right cooking time for your preference (and oven!).
The secret for me is allowing them to fully cool before cutting them. So even though they’re perfectly fudgy they won’t fall apart. You’ll see in the photo where my 10-year-old is reaching for one, they stay together and hold their shape. Gotta let them cool!
Yum! This may be my new go to brownie recipe! I made them for a special treat on Sunday night as the oven had been on from dinner. I figure you might as well get a bunch of use out of a hot oven well that and I like chocolate… They were delicious and easy enough to deal with even though I couldn’t wait to cut into them until they were cool. Warm brownies with ice cream are totally my jam. Ooh maybe next time my oven is hot I should make some to serve warm with ice cream and jam!
So glad you loved them Emily; they’re a favorite of ours! What kind of jam would you serve with them? I love to talk about all things jam. 🙂
Troy likes to take his brownie and microwave it for about 8 seconds before topping it with ice cream.
At the moment I’m swimming in rhubarb as that is our first local crop but that doesn’t sound quite right. Strawberries should be ripe in a few weeks. I am excited to try your low sugar strawberry jam recipe once the local strawberries ripen. That sounds like it would be perfect!
are you going to make strawberry rhubarb jam? Divine!!
“Flax eggs “ – ground flax seeds mixed with water – work as an egg replacer for anything but cookies. It turns slimy just like an egg.
My husband is allergic to eggs and I’ve refused to eat them since the age of 2. The sight and smell makes me gag. So we’re kinda like soul mates?
I’ve made flax and chia eggs before, but I haven’t tested them in this recipe.
The eggs are one of the key components to the fudginess of these brownies, so I don’t know how the texture will play out with changes.
And yes, you and your husband were meant to be!!
Oh these look so good!! The only brownies I’ve ever made are from a ghiradelli box 😉 I have the giant box from Costco sitting in my pantry right now.. every time I open it I want to make them. I’m definitely going to try this recipe though. The fudgyness looks like it would be so good with some vanilla ice cream!
My dad used to buy that mix from Costco. It does make really good brownies!
Yasssss these are amazing. And cakey brownies are for chumps. I always ask people whether they like cakey or fudgy brownies before I decide whether or not to make friends with them. Cakey folks get voted right off the island.
I refuse to make time for cakey brownie people.
These are amazing! The test batch disappeared at a family gathering in minutes. People didn’t believe they were gluten free and were blown away by the subtle almond flavor. I am so excited to make these again now that they are “official”!
Thank you for being the first ever test baker here on the blog!! Your feedback was super valuable. And hey, you got brownies out of it too, so yay!