The best gluten-free brownies (and the reviewers agree with me)! So fudgy, gooey, and incredibly easy to make. If you’re looking for a truly delicious gluten-free brownie recipe, look no further. They can also be made with all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour for a non-GF version. With a dairy-free option.
There are some bloggers who pretty much label every recipe of theirs as the best (The Best Cheesecake! The Best Chocolate Cake! The Best Everything!) which gets a mega eye roll from me, but here I am doing it.
I apologize for being a hypocrite but… yeah. I’m not changing my title. :D These really are the best brownies ever!
Simple, quick, no-fuss, super fudgy gluten-free dairy-free brownies. They’re also 100% whole grain (if you choose one of the two whole-grain options)!
By the way, if you’re very sensitive to gluten, check out my post on Are Chocolate Chips Gluten-free? to see which brands are safe for celiacs.
Different flour options
You’ve got several flour choices for these GF brownies. One that’s not listed below is coconut flour. If you want to use that, you’re in luck because I have a version of these gluten-free brownies that uses just coconut flour!
Check out these coconut flour brownies for that. Their texture is just as amazing as these. :)
I also have a version with all almond flour. These almond flour brownies are super gooey and hard to resist. Both the coconut and almond flour versions are paleo. If you love almond flour, also take a look at my almond flour chocolate chip cookies!
Your flour options for this recipe are:
- A gluten-free baking flour that’s a 1:1 sub for all-purpose flour
- Teff flour
- Buckwheat flour
- For a non-gluten-free version: all-purpose flour, whole spelt flour, white whole wheat or regular whole wheat flour
GF Baking Flour
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So for that first option, make sure it’s meant as a 1-to-1 sub for all-purpose flour. The one I always use is Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour. It’s the one in the blue bag.
Commenters have said that they’ve used the gluten-free flour blends from Pillsbury, King Arthur Flour, Namaste with success.
Teff flour
Up next are the two healthier and whole-grain options. Teff comes in different varieties like white / ivory or dark and it’s said that the dark kind is earthier tasting (read: it tastes like dirt, like buckwheat).
I’ve used both white and dark teff flour in these gluten and dairy-free brownies and you really can’t detect any difference – all that Dutch-process cocoa powder does a great job of covering up any earthy / healthy flavors!
I think teff isn’t the easiest flour to find but the dark kind is available on Amazon.
Buckwheat Flour
Buckwheat is also awesome in these brownies. You can’t taste it at all. If you have some of that on hand, also check out my kladdkaka (Swedish sticky chocolate cake) for an amazingly gooey cake that’s like a cross between cake and brownies.
Don’t need a GF version? No problem.
And because I know some people don’t need these to be gluten-free, I’ve also tried them with several wheat flours. They all worked equally as well!
Do they all taste the same?
The cool thing is that all of the different versions taste the same. They’re all just as gooey and there’s no grittiness!
That can be said of all of my gluten-free recipes. I don’t sacrifice on taste or texture!
If you try these gluten-free brownies while warm, the buckwheat and teff versions do have something a little texturally weird going on but once they cool, it’s a thing of the past!
It’s a really flexible recipe. Just don’t go halving the sugar and then complain that they came out cakey. ;)
I’ve made these brownies (seriously the best gluten-free brownie recipe ever!) so many times to bring to picnics and other get-togethers. Nobody ever even knows they’re gluten-free! The same with my gluten-free chocolate cupcakes.
Seriously. You can’t go wrong with this recipe. :)
Need convincing? Check out the reviews below!
Want a smaller batch?
If you’re like me and have portion-control issues, then these Air Fryer Brownies are a great option! They’re a scaled down version of the recipe below.
And my Air Fryer Paleo Brownies are a scaled down version of the almond flour brownies, which I mentioned above. Also adapted from the below recipe. I do love this recipe. 😄
Questions about these gluten-free chocolate brownies?
- Can I use something instead of the listed flours?
I link to my coconut flour and almond flour versions in the post. Commenters have used different brands of gluten-free baking flours with success. Off the top of my head, I can remember people saying Pillsbury, King Arthur and Namaste have worked.
- Do I have to use Dutch-process cocoa powder?
No, but they might not be as chocolaty or they might be more cakey. But I will say that nobody has had any complaints about these brownies and I know people have used regular cocoa powder. So I’m guessing they’re fine with whatever cocoa powder you want to use.
- Are all cocoa powders gluten-free?
Cocoa powder is naturally gluten-free, but if you’re really sensitive to it, you might want to read Is Cocoa Powder Gluten-free? for more info on brands that are tested and labeled as gluten-free. You can read more specifically about Hershey’s here → Is Hershey’s Gluten-free?
- Can I use something instead of the listed fats?
Those are the only ones that I’ve tried. I’m guessing anything would work, though, given that liquid oil like canola oil and olive oil work as well as butter and ghee.
- Do they taste like coconut if I use coconut oil?
Not if you use refined coconut oil. They taste 100% like regular, super gooey traditional brownies.
- Do they taste like olive oil if I use olive oil?
I use extra-virgin olive oil and you can definitely taste it. My husband LOVES this version but I don’t. I recommend a lighter tasting olive oil or something more neutral.
- Can I use something instead of coconut sugar / granulated sugar?
Subbing in a liquid sweetener won’t work. There’s no liquid to reduce to make up for the added liquid, so it’d make the brownies cakey or possibly a liquidy mess. Other granulated sweeteners like maple sugar would probably work.
- Can I reduce the sugar?
One commenter has said that they reduced the sugar to basically nothing and they’re still gooey. But that’s not possible. Or we must have differing opinions of what gooey means.
The less sugar you add, the cakeier and less gooey they are. They might also not hold together as well because sugar is a binder.
You could probably knock off 1/4 cup of sugar but don’t be surprised if they don’t have the perfect texture you see in the photos. - What can I use instead of the eggs?
I’ve tried egg replacements so many times and failed. Please just find an already vegan brownie recipe. :)
One commenter used 3/4 cup pumpkin puree in place of the eggs and I tried that and they were tasty. But the texture wasn’t nearly as good as the egg version so I can’t recommend it. - Do I have to use the chocolate chips?
Nope! They’re sweet enough without. I just like them in my brownies. You could also top them off with my favorite paleo chocolate fudge frosting.
- Can I double this brownie recipe?
Yes! Use a 9″x13″. I unfortunately forgot to write down the baking time. It is not that much more than the single recipe.
If you try these gluten-free brownies, I’d love to hear how they come out!
The Best Gluten-free Fudgy Brownies (dairy-free)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 12 brownies
These gluten-free brownies are the best I've ever had - gluten-free or not! And the reviewers agree with me. They're super fudgy and dairy-free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (158 grams) teff flour, or 1 cup (125 grams) light buckwheat flour1 or 1 cup (138 grams) Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour (or a similar mix)
- 3/4 cup (86 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy (you could also use Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (196 grams) unsalted butter or for dairy-free, use refined coconut oil2 or another neutral oil – melted and cooled slightly
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar, raw sugar, or coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs (50 grams each, out of shell), room temperature
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life Semi-sweet Chocolate Chip for dairy-free) + an additional 1/4 cup (43 grams) to sprinkle on top, if desired (I used mini chocolate chips on top)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line an 8"×8" (20cmx20cm) pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter or coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Once combined, add the eggs one at a time, and stir just until combined.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until almost no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix! Fold in 3/4 cup (128 grams) chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup (43 grams) chocolate chips on top, if desired.
- If using teff or the GF flour blend, bake for 20-22 (some commenters need more) minutes or until the brownies have formed a thin crust and appear set in the middle. If using buckwheat or whole wheat, you may only need 15-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out wet. A toothpick inserted into the sides will come out with some moist crumbs on it, but not totally raw batter. The brownies will continue to bake as they sit in the pan and will firm up as they cool. Note that a lot of commenters have said they needed to bake them longer than what I have listed. I've made these brownies at least 20x since posting and the baking times I have listed are what works for my oven (which is running correctly :))
- Let cool completely and then cover and store at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also refrigerate them to give them a fudgier texture.
Notes
- Buckwheat flour is naturally gluten-free but not all buckwheat flour is processed in a gluten-free facility. If you need these brownies to be gluten-free, make sure to use certified gluten-free buckwheat flour!
- If using coconut oil, I prefer refined coconut oil over unrefined as refined has zero coconut taste to it.
- If you're unsure of what brand of chocolate chips are safe, check out → Are Chocolate Chips Gluten-free?
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621 comments on “Gluten-free Brownies – Super fudgy and dairy-free!” — Add one!
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Breakfast is my favourite meal if the whole day, so breakfast cookies jumped out at me right away, but I could happily eat any of your recipes on a morning!! Can’t wait to try new things:))
I would love to make the lemon curd cupcakes first…and then everything else!! :)
Breakfast cookies! Perfect for busy mummies.
I’d love to try the Lemon Curd Cupcakes first!
I’d love to try the Peach Apricot Oat Bars.
And I have to make the Spelt Peanut Butter Bars again. They were wonderful!
Yum! Can’t wait to make these and love that they are friendly for both me (dairy free) and my brother (gluten free)!! :)
Macadamia nut lime bars. Yum!
Yum, Yum, yummy! I would definitely make No Bake Peanut Butter Coconut chocolate bars. It’s all of my favorite things are rolled into a no bake bar-no brainer, LOL!
Congratulations on your new book! Looks delicious!
Thanks so much, Megan! I hope you’re enjoying the book. :)
That’s an impossible choice, but I would probably make the Walnut Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie!
So excited about your cookbook! Can’t wait to make the Sugar-Free Breakfast Cookies! Exactly what I need to start my day.
Sugar-free Breakfast Cookies look like a yummy way to begin the day!
Barley Honey Nut Bars
These brownies look delicious! I can’t wait to try them. Thanks!
Completely mouth-watering! Oh my gosh…these brownies can’t look more delicious, fudgy and decadent! <3
I would love to try the Peanut Butter Coconut Chocolate Bars.
i want to try lemon meringue pie
These do look perfect! I can tell they are the best!
The texture on these looks perfect! Isn’t it weird how alternate grains sometimes taste weird when they’re warm, but then are totally delicious once cooled? I experienced that a few times recently and thought I was going nuts! haha
Spelt Peanut Butter and Jelly Crumble Bars sound great. I have just lost 45 lbs and now need to retrain myself in cooking and baking. LOVE your website!
Congratulations on the weight loss! And thanks so much for your comment. :)
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies. Hands down.
the chocolate chip cheesecake bars sound amazing but so does the ultra-fudgy brownies. Maybe I’ll let the kids decide??
So many yummy things, I would love to make those Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies!
Those brownies look so good and decadent! I have never used teff flour, but will have to search it and make this beautiful recipe! Congratulations on this gorgeous book!
Thank you, Natalia! :) And if you don’t have teff, you could use buckwheat or whole wheat flour. I hope you’ll enjoy them if you try it out!
Cinnamon Bun Cheesecake bars! Cannot wait to get this book into my hot little gf baking hands! Thanks for the chance to win! Congratulations BTW :)
Those would work well for you if you use some GF graham crackers! And thanks so much. :)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars! It’s like you’re looking into my soul… :)
Fudgy brownies are basically my favorite dessert in the entire world. These look like they deserve to be labeled the best…I can’t believe they’re gluten free!
Nothing beats a gooey, chocolatey borwnie!
I would love to make cinnamon bun cheesecake bars yummy!!!
Hard to know which one to make first. Since I tested 5 of them for you I will try something different. Lots of good looking recipes.
I would love to win this for a gift for someone.
Thanks again for your help, Charlotte! :)
They look so fudgey and delicious
I can see why you call these the best! Love how rich and fudgy they look!
The Macadamia Lime Bars recipe is the first one I’d make.
So hard to choose! I narrowed it down to three. Walnut Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, Peanut Butter Pie and German Apple cake. The cookie sounds intriguing, the pie luscious and the idea of the cake made my mouth water! Guess I need to do some baking. love your stuff and recommend you to anyone who will listen!
I’m happy you found so much to try! Thanks a bunch for your kind comment and for sharing my recipes with others. :)
I’d like to make the cinnamon apple blondies.
Gingerbread blondies sound delicious!
turtle bars!
cinnamon bun cheesecake bars whoaaaa
Hi Erin,
I’ve been following you for while and these brownies look just awesome and chewy and gooey and just yum… Planning on trying them today!!
I’m GF and your new cookbook has got quite a few options, awesome! :D I’d love to make the Buckwheat Kladdkaka, totally intrigued by that! :D Also love the idea of the Quinoa Molten Lava Cakes, yum!!
Hi, Kati! I hope you enjoyed the brownies if you tried them. :) The kladdkaka recipe is the only other recipe I’ll be posting from the book so you’re in luck with that one! The lava cakes are also a great choice. :) Thanks for your comment!
Great, I’m looking forward to that blog post, Erin!! :D
I made the brownies on Friday last week and they were SUPER DELICIOUS, oh my goodness, YUM YUM YUM!!! I made them with buckwheat flour since I haven’t teff on hand, and they turned out so gooey and moist and just delicious. And unlike other GF cakes and sweet things, they didn’t go stale or dry within a day, perfect!! Will be making them again for sure!
Oh, yay! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the brownies! And stale brownies?! That sounds terribly unpleasant. I load my treats so full of fat that that’s just not possible with my recipes. ;) Thanks so much for the feedback – I was thrilled to read your comment!
Congrats on your book – if all the recipes are like this – it’s going to be a winner!
These brownies look SO super fudgey and absolutely amazing. I preordered the book because I’m looking to change up my baking habits and I got it yesterday. It is gorgeous! Truly!
Thank you so much, Samantha! I hope you’ll enjoy the recipes and thanks for ordering. :)
I can tell by just looking at these brownies that you are totally justified with calling them the best! They look perfect and chocolatey and isn’t that all we need from a brownie anyway?
I came up with a 3-way tie: ultra fudgy brownies, peach-apricot oat bars and the raspberry custard pie. I know eventually I’d have to choose, but I’d do that after reading the recipes. :-)
I would love to make the lemon curd cupcakes! Thank you!
I would make the Cinnamon Bun Cheesecake Bars…they sound amazing!
I would like to try the Lemon Meringue Pie :)
The Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies sound great!
I know who’ll appreaciate these gluten free brownies, thanks for sharing ;)
I hope you’ll enjoy them, too! ;)
I’m sure that anything with peanut butter frosting is going to be AMAZING! Can’t wait to try those banana cupcakes!
These look amazing! And in your new cookbook? I’d love to make the cinnamon apple blondies!
Oh yum, what a great prize :)