Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies with Walnuts

Few things are as irresistible as a fudgy chocolate brownie. Most brownies contain flour to help give them structure and a nice, chewy texture, but I decided to give one of my favorite brownie recipes a makeover and create a gluten-free variation that is completely flour-free. Brownies are actually a good candidate for a gluten-free makeover because many recipes don’t call for a large amount of flour in the first place. A few small changes to a basic brownie recipe and you’ll never know that you’re eating something that is gluten free.

My recipe includes both cornstarch and cocoa powder (both gluten free) and they help to give the brownies some body, so that each bite has a satisfyingly chewy texture to it without any flour. They are very fudgy and have an intense chocolate flavor to them, even though it might seem that there is only a small amount of chocolate in the brownie recipe. This intensity of flavor comes from the cocoa powder, which adds a strong bittersweet note to the brownies and makes them seem incredibly rich.

I added some chocolate chips for another hit of chocolate and stirred in some chopped walnuts for a little crunch, breaking up the fudgy texture of the brownies. You could use another nut, or leave out the nuts entirely if you want to go all chocolate on these. I recommend cutting them into one or two bite-sized pieces for serving. If you want to go bigger, pair each piece with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The ice cream will balance out all that chocolate and give you an over-the-top ice cream sundae.

Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies
1/2 cup butter
2-oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt together butter and dark chocolate. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch. Add in butter mixture and whisk until well combined. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 30-33 minutes, until brownies are set around the edges. Allow to cool completely in the pan before slicing into small pieces.

Makes 25 small brownie bites; or 16 larger brownies.