There is no doubt that Tony is the chocoholic in our household. Though my husband doesn’t demand the cocoa bean daily, if he spots anything chocolate in the house then I can assure you it won’t survive very long. And these super-rich, fudgy, dairy-free flourless brownies have fallen victim on many occasions. I first baked them about a decade ago, and the recipe has remained a staple. But today I’m giving it an update with new pictures and more information!
Flourless Brownies that are Ultra-Rich, Fudgy, Dairy-Free, and Gluten-Free
Tony was craving a sweet, and I knew that dairy-free and gluten-free brownies would not only hit the spot, but would also be a breeze to whip up. However, rather than sticking with my old tried and true recipe, I decided to adventure something different. I wanted to see how some flourless or near flourless gluten-free brownies would turn out, so I turned to David Lebovitz for inspiration.
Like most flourless brownies, David’s version relies on butter. I modified his recipe quite a bit to get the fudgy gluten-free brownies below, and the end result was still amazing. I even snuck a couple slices away to neighbors to ensure that they would be loved by all. The feedback was “mmm, SO chocolaty!” No one suspected that these were dairy-free, let alone gluten-free brownies.
Aside from those two squares to our neighbors, I got a small brownie for myself. The rest of the pan was polished clean by Tony is less than two days! I think that speaks for itself.
These are fudgy gluten-free brownies; they are not cakey by any means. Though they look quite moist in the photo, they are set up, and not wet. I would call them a cross between your run of the mill brownie and chocolate fudge.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Flourless Brownies
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, and vegetarian. If you confuse eggs with dairy, you’re not alone! See this post: Are Eggs Dairy?
Sugar Options? If you prefer to use less-processed sugars in your baking, coconut sugar should work in place of the brown sugar, but I would run it through a spice grinder to powder it a bit, since coconut sugar doesn’t always melt into baked goods. These gluten-free brownies would be a touch less sweet with coconut sugar, but still rich and fudgy.
- ⅓ cup coconut oil (can substitute your baking oil of choice or dairy-free margarine)
- 4 ounces dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup non-GMO cornstarch or potato starch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper (you can alternatively grease and flour the baking dish if you don't mind a little flour!).
- Melt the oil and two chocolates together in a double broiler, or in the microwave. For the microwave, place them all in a microwave-safe bowl, and cook on high for 30 seconds. Whisk. Cook for 30 seconds more. Vigorously whisk. If it isn't melted, continue to cook and vigorously whisk in 15 second intervals only as needed, until the chocolate is just melted. If you overheat it, it will scorch and seize up.
- Scrape the chocolate mixture into a mixing bowl, and add the sugar, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix or beat with a hand mixer to combine.
- Sift in the starch. Beat the batter with a mixer for at least one minute (this part is essential!) – it will be quite thick.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until set in the center. A toothpick inserted into the brownies should come out relatively clean, with just a few crumbs clinging.
- Now here comes the hard part – let the brownies cool completely before cutting and serving! This doesn’t always happen in our house, but be forewarned that any brownies stolen while still warm will be more crumbly. They will still make an amazing brownie sundae though.
- We store these brownies in the refrigerator, which does cause them to firm up quite a bit.
More Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Brownie Recipes
Gluten-Free Fudgy Vegan Brownies
Allergy-Friendly Brownie Bites
Healthy Instant Pot Brownies
44 Comments
Was just curious.. If you skipped the mixer process who they still turn out, but not so thick and fudge like?
Kelly, this step helps with distributing the binding of the cornstarch. Can’t say that it would be lighter. For cakey brownies, more starch/flour would be needed and leavener.
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Has anyone made these with just cocoa powder and/or 10X sugar? I don’t have access to dairy free chocolate chips. Just unsweetened cocoa.
Melissa, the melted chocolates form some of the structure. If you replaced with cocoa powder and sugar, the result would be drier. It isn’t something I’ve tested for this recipe. Note that this recipe doesn’t use unsweetened cocoa at all, it uses melted unsweetened chocolate (like Baker’s Chocolate).
Can you substitute arrowroot for the corn starch in this recipe? They look wonderful!
Any starch (arrowroot, potato, tapioca) should work okay, though the results may vary slightly. I’ve only tested with cornstarch thus far.
I used coconut sugar as suggested and date syrup instead of maple syrup. They turned out fantastic!
I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing your successful modifications Leslie!
Oh my goodness, these are AMAZING. My lactose intolerant daughter loves this recipe and thanks you for the post. If they survive the trip, a perfect Thansgiving after dinner treat.
Haha, they are addicting! Glad I could share some brownie deliciousness with you and your daughter, Marion. Happy Holidays!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve discovered a few months ago that my health problems were caused by milk and I’ve been struggling to find good baking recipes. Most recipes on the Internet are either tasteless and dry, or call for ingredients that are hard to find and I wouldn’t use every day. YOUR recipe, however, is fantastic! I used only 70g chocolate because I didn’t have enough and compensated with 4 tbsp cocoa powder. It’s rich, chocolatey, and moist and utterly delicious =) My friends didn’t know there was no butter in it and all have asked for the recipe! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe marie!! The sign of a good treat is definitely recipe requests 🙂
EGGS ARE NOT DAIRY!
True, they aren’t!
These brownies are the best!!! Thank you so much. My family is grain-free and dairy free b/c of stomach issues and this recipe is just awesome! My 6 yr old daughter thanks you too.
Om. Nom. I’m a sucker for fudgy brownies.
I’m pretty sure I NEED a batch of these. ASAP.
Wow these do look amazingly rich and simple to make!
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YUM! This coming from a girl who just finished a chocolate bar – dairy-free of course 🙂
Tony knows the good stuff 🙂 Give me chocolate anything and I’m a happy gal. These look delicious, Alisa!
YUM. A cross between a brownie and fudge? Will you marry me?!?
Can agave or honey be subbed for the maple syrup? (I don’t have any on hand and REALLY want to make these, like NOW!☺)
Also, can you use 8 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate chips and eliminate the unsweetened chocolate?
These look SO good. I love how they are “naturally” gluten-free and don’t require any “flour.”
Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem!
I’m with Tony! Instant love for these babies, Alisa! 🙂
Shirley
Yum! Can’t wait to try making this! I will definitely let you know how it turns out!
These brownies definitely look rich and decadent! Your gluten-free AND dairy-free creations are amazing!
Melissa
PS Must share this with all my GF/DF friends. On second thought, must share this with everyone I know! =)