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.
BakingTray
June 18, 2012Yum! I love brownies and these look extra fudgy!!! =D its great that they are gluten free so everyone can enjoy them 🙂 thanks for sharing~
Erin
June 19, 2012My gluten-free friend would love these! Actually they look like anyone would love them.
Melaina from Rudi's Gluten Free Bakery
June 20, 2012Yum! We love brownies and love that this is a gluten free recipe free of flours! The picture is great and makes this recipe irresistible! Thanks for sharing!
marge
June 21, 2012Yummy! I love sweets but this is perfect sweets i serve for my family. Thanks for sharing your recipe on how to make a Gluten Free Brownies. And for sure they will enjoy it because of the chocolates.
Yatee
June 21, 2012I have a GF friend who loves chocolate, she would love this. I really like how do-able this recipe is – no hard-to-get flours or xanthan gum!
Shawna
July 2, 2012Hi, Nicole,
I just made these with lots of walnuts and a mixture of regular cocoa and King Arthur Flour’s black cocoa. I love that they aren’t too sweet. Next time, though, I think I’d whir up an additional 1/2 c walnuts in the food processor to make a walnut flour, in addition to the cornstarch and cocoa, so that they are a little less gummy. Thanks for the recipe!
Dawn
August 13, 2012new to the GF world and these brownies are the best ever. Now we don’t need to fiddle with our old recipe. Had to omit the walnuts as we have multiple allergies and the brownies still turned out so this is a lucky find.
Rebecca
October 12, 2012We tried these this afternoon and they were delicious. But the stuck to my pan, even using cooking spray. My fault though, I tried to use a molded pan without the aluminum foil that was required. USE the foil or parchment paper! So gooey and yummy. Thanks
Penny
May 29, 2013We have dairy allergies and avoid vegan butters because of the additives. Also, we no longer use sugar. Do you have any tips to sub coconut oil for the butter and a liquid sweetener such as maple syrup for the sugar?
Thanks!
Emily
December 21, 2013YUMMY! Great recipe. Everyone loved these brownies I left out the nuts and made them in mini muffin tins. Fantastic and GLUTEN FREE don’t usually go together. Thanks!
Dawn S
January 20, 2014I have been making these brownies for a few months now and everyone wants the recipe. Never mind that they are gluten free they are the best brownie ever.
I always remove the nuts due to allergies and have found dairy free chocolate so using Becel I can make a dairy free version. Perfect recipe for many allergies and those with no allergies love them also.