Mini Cupcake Brownies Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free)

Back in 2007, it was a big deal for the allergy community when Erin McKenna appeared on Martha Stewart. She had recently opened her bakery, BabyCakes, which was gluten-free and allergy-friendly. To promote, she shared her popular recipe for mini cupcake brownies. Erin has come a long ways since then. Her bakery is now called Erin McKenna’s Bakery, and she has a smattering of locations in New York, California, and at Disney Springs. It’s a full-service bakery, with all types of vegan and gluten-free goodies, but she still makes these beloved brownie bites.

Mini Cupcake Brownies are Allergy-Friendly Bites by Erin McKenna

Back in 2006, Erin McKenna shared her original Brownie Bites recipe, which we posted at that time. But after some more tests, she decided to update that recipe before appearing on Martha Stewart. The recipe below is the second version of Erin’s famed brownie bites. But I wanted to make sure her original recipe wasn’t lost, so I have the differences outlined here.

The Original Version: Her original recipe used the classic Bob’s Red Mill Flour Blend (made with garbanzo bean flour) instead of the separate flour and starches, 1 cup applesauce and no coffee or hot water, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum. All other ingredients and steps were the same. We’ve removed her prior version from our site, so I wanted to keep record of it here, just in case some of your prefer her first recipe!

Special Diet Notes: Mini Cupcake Brownies

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. Just be sure to choose the chocolate chips that suit your dietary needs. Erin uses Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips, which are allergy-friendly.

Mini Cupcake Brownies

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

This is the updated version of Erin McKenna's famed brownie bites, which she shared on Martha Stewart. See the post above for notes on her original recipe.

Author: Erin McKenna

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 36 mini muffins

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons garbanzo fava bean flour
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup potato starch
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch (can sub tapioca starch)
2¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ cup oil
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ cup brewed coffee or hot water
1½ to 2 cups dairy-free mini chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F, and grease or line 3 dozen mini-muffin cups.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, potato starch, arrowroot starch, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and xanthan gum.
In a large bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, stirring to combine. Stir in coffee or hot water until it forms a batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Place 1 tablespoon batter into each prepared muffin cup.
Bake the cupcakes brownies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
Let them cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding.

Notes

Sweetener Alternative: You can substitute ⅔ cup agave nectar for the sugar. Add it with the wet ingredients.

Flour Blend Alternative: You can substitute 1¼ cups of your favorite gluten-free all-purpose baking blend for the garbanzo fava flour, potato starch, and arrowroot starch. If your blend contains gum, you can also omit the xanthan gum.