Sometimes, you just need a brownie. But many brands and recipes contain dairy, not to mention gluten, eggs, and nuts – for those with additional food concerns. These allergy-friendly brownie bites are the perfect solution. They are perfectly portioned, moist, and tender sweets that nearly everyone can eat.
These Brownie Bites are Vegan, Gluten-Free & Nut-Free Treats
This allergy-friendly brownie bites recipe was a sample from the cookbook, Cookies for Everyone. I originally shared this recipe when the book launched in 2009, but have given this post a big update!
I’ve baked a few treats from this collection, and they’ve each turned out deliciously. I’m not surprised, since it’s by the baking team at Enjoy Life Foods – the allergy-friendly experts! Here’s a brief excerpt about the book.
Enjoy Life’s Cookies for Everyone cookbook is loaded with over 150 delicious gluten-free and allergy-friendly recipes that are safe for most everyone with food allergies, intolerances or sensitivities. You can rest assured each recipe contains NO: gluten, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, dairy or soy!
Choose from allergy-friendly versions of family favorites or new treats that will quickly earn top-of-the-cookie-jar status. This includes Especially Expresso Brownies, Bananas & Cream Tartlets, Lemon-licious Shortbread and People’s Choice Chocolate Chip Cookies. Everyone is bound to enjoy!
For some other delicious previews from this cookbook, try out these gluten-free and top allergen-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Baked Granola Bites, or the Brownie Bites recipe below!
Special Diet Notes: Allergy-Friendly Brownie Bites
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian, and top food allergen-free.
- 1 cup superfine sugar (can sub regular sugar)
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1⅓ cups white rice flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups dairy-free chocolate chips (like Enjoy Life Minis or Mega Chunks)
- Dairy-free chocolate frosting or powdered sugar, for topping (optional)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) and grease 24 mini muffin tins.
- In a a medium mixing bowl, beat the sugar, cocoa powder, applesauce, water, oil, and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and and mix until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared mini muffin tins. Do not over-fill.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the brownies are firm around the edges, but your finger still leaves an indentation when you poke one in the middle.
- Let the brownie bites cool completely in the tins, then remove them with a small knife or spatula.
- Frost or dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
This recipe is reprinted with permissions from Cookies for Everyone by Leslie Hammond and Betsy Laakso. But it is slightly adapted.
More Top Allergen-Free Treats
Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Cinnamon Toasties
Dairy-Free Cheesecake Dip
26 Comments
Any recommendations for cuttting the sugar 1 cup is a lot can it be split with maple syrup or honey
No tips per say. Reducing the sugar will obviously make the brownies less sweet, but will also affect the texture. They’ll be cakier and a little less cohesive. Sugar gives brownies their texture. 1 cup is pretty normal, and even a touch low for this amount of flour in a brownie recipe.
Would I be able to freeze these brownies?
Yes, you can freeze them like you would with any baked good.
What kind of oil works here for someone also soy allergic? Would coconut oil be a good choice?
You can use your favorite baking oil. Any medium to high heat oil should work just fine. I personally use extra-light (not extra virgin) olive oil or grapeseed oil most often, but coconut oil should work fine. If using coconut oil, make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. Any cool ingredients can cause the coconut oil to bead up (little bits solidify).
Hi, I might be brining this to class for a class treat. But it is for healthy class and I was wondering in you have a calorie amount for each mini brownie or all together so I can do the math?
I’ve added the nutrition facts.
Hi there! I saw your notes about subbing all purpose flour for the rice flour. I am currently wheat/gluten and rice free. Do you think I could use something like buckwheat flour, teff flour, or cassava flour?
Hmm, each of the flours you mention perform quite differently and are rarely used as a single flour (more often in blends) so I would hesitate to recommend without testing. Sorghum flour and oat flour tend to sub well 1:1 for rice flour, or you can try this recipe instead -> https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/dairy-free-desserts/mini-cupcake-brownies-vegan-gluten-free-soy-free
Hi I was wondering if this recipe is also soy free I have a friend who is gluten dairy egg and soy free and I was wondering if I would be able to make this for them.
Hi Lila, yes, it is also soy-free. Just be sure to use a soy-free oil. Vegetable oil is often made with soy oil, but most other types of baking oil, aside from soybean oil, are soy-free. You will also want to use chocolate chips that are soy-free, like the Enjoy Life brand I mention. Those are top allergen free and sold in stores and online. In a pinch, you could omit the chocolate chips, but I’m sure your friend would love that extra hit of chocolate!
Phenomenal! I’m dairy, egg, nut, and gluten free! So hard to find a recipe that taste like regular brownie bites with all the subs I need to make-I’m thrilled!!! Only substitute I made was using simple truth gluten free flour in place of white rice flour plus mine only baked for 15 minutes. These things were a huge hit among my entire family.
That’s wonderful! So Glad you all enjoyed them Elizabeth.
Any idea if using Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour would work for the flour?
We haven’t tested it, but in theory, it should probably work.
this is such a good recipe and it turned out so well however i’m diabetic and i don’t know how many carbs to dose for. About how many carbs are in this recipe?
I couldn’t tell you without going through a calculator on the whole recipe, but it’s safe to say this is a high-carb recipe.
I’d love to make these! Do you by any chance know of a cocoa powder brand that is guaranteed nut-free? The ones I can find in the grocery store say “may contain nuts/peanuts”, which my son is allergic to :(. Thanks!
I’ve heard from several people in the allergen community that Hershey’s cocoa powder in the standard-size container (not all sizes due to packaging) is top allergen free. And I’ve never seen any shared equipment warnings on that one. I’m not sure off hand on other brands though!
I used nestle. It does not say it is produced in a factory with nuts etc. ❤️
Yum! I had a chocolate attack last night and didn’t know what I could eat to take care of it. I am gluten free and lactose intolerant, so these sound perfect, and easy. I assume I could pop them in the freezer and eat one when the craving hits. Thanks for a perfect recipe!
Yes, they should freeze quite well!
I just have a question – can you substitute the rice flour for almond flour? Thank you!
Hi Samantha, almond flour is ground nuts, which is much denser than grain flours. It doesn’t substitute 1:1 for grain flours with the same result. If you opt to sub almond flour, you might need to make more modifications to the recipe, and the results will not be the same.
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