Dense, Fudgy Brownies – Gluten Free and as Easy as Box Mix!
This one bowl, quick, easy brownie recipe is perfect for those who love a super dense, fudgy, rich brownie. And this recipe is very friendly to substitutions! Use gluten-free or regular flour at a 1:1 ratio. Same with regular sugar vs coconut sugar!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 large or 16 small brownies 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
10 TBS (142g) butter (I personally use salted grassfed butter, but unsalted is fine too)
1 1/4 cup (192.5g) coconut sugar (can use 265g regular refined sugar if that is okay for you)
3/4 cup (79g) plus 2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (I highly recommend Dutch processed cocoa)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (78 g) gluten free blend (either DIY or commercially made)
Instructions
- Line the bottom and sides of an 8”x8” square baking pan with parchment paper. Leave enough hanging over the edge that you can use the parchment paper to pull the brownies up out of the pan to cool.
- Combine butter, coconut sugar, cocoa, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the ingredients in 1-minute intervals, stirring after each minute. It usually takes me 2 intervals for the butter to fully melt. Once the butter is fully melted and the ingredients are mixed, the batter will look a bit gritty. Don’t worry; it gets better soon! Set the mixture aside until it cools a bit (it will be warm but not hot to the touch).
- Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see the flour any longer. At this point, beat the mixture vigorously for 40-50 strokes with the spoon/spatula. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, and let the batter rest in the pan while the oven preheats. This gives the GF flours time to hydrate. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, usually about 25 minutes. Let the brownies cool in the pan a bit, and then lift out of the pan with the parchment paper and move to a cooling rack. After the brownies are quite cool, I like to put them back into the pan and move them to the fridge to chill. They get the best fudgy texture, and they become easier to cut.
Notes
- You can add ½ cup pecans or walnuts to the batter and then top with another ½ cup. I LOVE nuts in my brownies.
- If you want these extra chocolatey, mix 1/3 cup chocolate chips in the batter before you pour into the pan.
- You can also top the cooled brownies with a chocolate ganache. Warm ½ cup of heavy cream and pour over ½ dark chocolate. The cream needs to be hot enough to melt the chocolate. Stir until they are all melted together, and then let cool down. The longer it cools, the thicker the mixture. If you refrigerate for quite some time, it will set up very thick. You can beat with a hand mixer to soften at that point. Spread over the brownies and enjoy your fudgy, chocolate decadence!