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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Hi Erin,
I was wondering if i can put all purpose gluten free flour and it will work the same?
Thank you!
I haven’t tried it but I think it’d work since GF all-purpose flour usually works in place of whole wheat flour (which can be used in this recipe). Good luck! I’d love to hear how it goes. :)
Thank you so much for your comment about not all buckwheat flour being produced to be gluten free. I was searching for buckwheat flour recipes and came across yours. I was going to use the buckwheat flour I have for a friend who eats gluten free and dairy free and now I know that would have been a terrible mistake!! I am looking forward to trying these, but I will have to pick up some teff flour. ;)
I think most brands are gluten-free! Just check the bag and it’ll say it clearly if it’s gluten-free. :) I hope your friend will enjoy the teff version! All the versions really taste the same so I’m sure they’ll be happy with whatever flour you use. :) Thanks for your comment!
I loved the recipe. I live in Brazil , I met this site today in my search for healthy recipes and I have become reader. I want to make a suggestion that I use and test , after back here to tell the result. Those who wish to replace butter for containing milk , you can use GHEE butter, and you can prepare this butter without milk at home. It has several recipes on the internet teaching is simple and fast . A hug to everyone .
Hi Gabriela! I’m happy that you liked the brownies and it’s good to know that ghee works in this recipe. Thank you for sharing the tip! I hope you’ll like the other recipes just as much. A hug to you from Germany. :)
Thank you! Just made these for my mother-in-law who has a variety of food allergies. They are sure to be a hit. Delicious!
I hope that your mother-in-law will enjoy them! Thanks for your comment. :)
These brownies are amazing!! I’m thinking about making them again for my wedding, has anyone tried freezing them? Do they freeze well or are they something that should be made the day before?
They freeze well! You could also make them a few days beforehand and keep them refrigerated. Hope you have a fantastic wedding. :)
I froze them……I had them in the freezer for 3 weeks in an airtight container, and used wax paper between the layers as I stacked them….they were awesome and tasted nice and fresh…..I actually prefer eating them frozen.😉
Another great tip! Thanks again. :) I’ll have to try freezing them!
Made these for my class at school (didn’t tell them the secret) …THEY LOVED THEM!!!! I made them with gluten free oat flour (1 cup)…they were moist and delicious! Will be making them again and again!
Aww, yay! I’m thrilled that they were enjoyed at school. And that’s awesome to know that oat flour worked well! Thanks a ton for your feedback. :)
Thank you for the recipe, they’re delicious! :) I made them with certified gluten-free oat flour and baked them for 30 minutes.
Thank you for this recipe, they’re delicious! :) I made them with gluten-free oat flour and bake them for 30 minutes.
It’s great to know that oat flour works! Do you measure out 1 cup or do you go by grams? I’d like to try, too! Thanks so much for your tip and feedback. :)
I have a bag of teff flour in my pantry right now and this recipe is calling my name! They look perfectly fudgy – yum!!!
Do it! They’re SO good. :)
Hi! I would like to know if there is an alternative flour I could use that is paleo friendly? thanks!
Hello! I haven’t tried that yet but it’s on my to-do list! I’m going to try them with almond flour and coconut flour soon. :)
Thanks for this delicious gluten-free brownie recipe, which I have just made for supper tonight. My two teenage daughters demolished half of it the minute it came out of the oven and gave it the thumbs up +++, so that’s got to be good!! I didn’t have any gluten free flour mix so made my own and it was hugely successful, so I would like to share what worked for me. 1/4 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup cornmeal flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/4 cup maize cornflour. I put these all on my scales and made up the weight to 160g with rice flour. I did the rest of the recipe exactly as you said, just left out the choc chips as I didn’t have any in the cupboard. My girls have said I should definitely make this again.
Wow! I’m surprised and very happy that your sub worked. I would have never figured that that’d work out well. :) Awesome that your two daughters approved! And I’m sorry for my slow reply. I just got back from vacation and wasn’t able to access the page from my laptop where I approve and reply to comments. Sorry about that!
I used all purpose GF flour as well, and my gosh these are the best fudgey brownies EVER!! I don’t even miss the real flour in these! Thank you so much for sharing!
Yay! I’m so happy it worked out well for you. What brand of GF flour did you use? Thanks for your feedback! :)
Gave this recipe a try (gluten/dairy version) earlier this week; had to increase the cooking time as the middle took a little longer to cook, but they turned out really well. I also added a bit of milk into the batter as I felt it was a bit thick. All changes aside, they were a hit with both my roommate and my boyfriend. And refrigerating them definitely made them more fudgy! :)
No added milk is necessary. :) The batter gets quite thick because of the coconut oil, which starts to harden once added to the rest of the ingredients. The added milk is likely why you had to increase the cooking time. I’m happy you enjoyed them! Thanks for your feedback. :)
I loved them, everyone at the office loved them and even my husband really liked them. Plus I had substituted honey for sugar, coconut oil for butter and, MY GOSH, they were the best ever. Wish I could send a picture. They looked great too. I had the best in San Jose Del Cabo and didn’t think I would ever make anything better. SCORE.
Yay! I’m so happy that they were such a hit. Did you use the same amount of honey? I’d like to try it! Thanks a ton for your feedback. :)
Have you ever used a 9×13 pan and doubled the recipe? Don’t have an 8×8 and need a batch for a bigger group. =) Can’t wait to try it!
I haven’t tried it but I’m thinking it should work! You’ll have to increase the baking time, but not by much. I hope everyone will enjoy them! :)
This recipe was amazing and quick just what i needed. Let also add that i did not have 3/4cup cocoa so i used 1/2 cup or almost have cup 1 pack swiss miss 2 tbsp milk powder and used 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar so as not to make it too sweet or too liquid for the ingredients i had.it came out lovely not too fudgy not too cakey and very delicious it was gone in 60 secs literally.
Wow! I’m so surprised that it worked with all your changes. Good for you for trying! I wouldn’t have even dared. ;) Thanks a bunch for your feedback!
Buckwheat flour is not gluten free, just FYI.
Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free. The only problem is if it’s produced in a non-GF facility and then cross-contamination becomes a problem. (sources: here and here.
Thank you! Just had so many failures with GF recipes – this was perfect. Even hubby gobbled them up (and he’s not GF!) Needed to bake them for longer, but then I’m currently in Kenya at a moderately high altitude. They were just extremely gooey in the middle, but that didn’t put hubby off!
I’m so happy to hear that they came out well for you and your husband enjoyed them despite their extreme gooiness. :) And how cool that you’re in Kenya! It’s a dream of mine to go to the elephant orphanage in Nairobi. :)
Delicious!!! I could NOT find a simple recipe that was tasty and fudgy (everyone seems to assume if you’re gluten free, you’re also vegan, want zucchini and avocado in your brownie, etc.) and this hit the spot! I used a multipurpose GF flour and only had Hersheys natural unsweetened cocoa and it turned out beautifully. Thank you Erin!!
Haha. I’m happy you enjoyed these less healthy gluten-free brownies! :D And awesome to know that they work with a GF mix and regular cocoa powder. Thanks a bunch for your feedback! :)
These are actually the best brownies I have made in my entire life. I used brown rice flour, coconut oil and coconut sugar. They are fudgey and perfectly sweet.
Wow! What a nice comment. Thank you. :) I’m so happy that they came out well for you and that your subs worked out well. Thanks for your feedback!