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
42 Comments
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I wonder if dates can be used in place of eggs. I am going to try it.
That’s a tricky swap as there wouldn’t be any ingredients that “set up”. Let me know how it works out for you Kathleen.
You make every dairy-free dish look so delicious. This is just so well done. I know a couple people with celiac. This chocolate fudge brownies will make their day.
Thank you!
Color me intrigued by the potato starch. It is my ingredient of choice for making cakes more tender–I definitely want to try it in brownies!
You’d love them Laura!
These look amazing and so chocolate dense!
I’d totally try making these egg-free! Brownies are so easy to adapt with applesauce or a puree since they’re already so ooey and gooy (in a good way!)
I’m confident Tony and I can be very good friends!
These look SO fudgey and perfect- I could go a pan!
Oh wow – these brownies look so fudgy and moist. I feel like I can taste them through the screen – I wish. Saving!!
I’ve had good results replacing eggs with mashed bananas in brownies, I’ll have to try that with this recipe. These look awesome!
I’m not sure if they would set up properly with banana, but please let me know if you do try it!
Enjoyed reading the recipe. I am not a gluten free person but these sound delish all the same.
I’m not gluten-free either, flourless brownies are simply an amazing delight for all! 🙂