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!
51 comments are awaiting moderation!
Hi do you measure out the coconut oil before melting it or after as it is melted already?
Sorry for the slow reply! I’m 6 hours ahead of ET so your comment came in while I was already sleeping. The measurement is the same pre and post melting so you can either measure it in solid or liquid form. :)
I had really high hopes for this recipe, but they came out dry. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF baking flour and butter. I baked them for 30 minutes. I don’t know what went wrong :(
Hi there! Like I said in a previous comment, I haven’t tried using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF baking flour in this recipe but someone else did (you can see her comment here) and she seemed to have loved them. :) 30 minutes sounds way too long. Were they still very liquid up until then? The baking time for teff is 20-22 minutes but for buckwheat and whole wheat (which the Bob’s mix is a sub for) it’s only 15-20 minutes. I hope we can find out what went wrong!
Over baking is such a common problem. If you leave your baked goods on the sheet for 5 minutes after removing from the oven, they continue to bake. What looks like slightly underdone is perfect to let them finish outside the oven.
I definitely agree! I think a lot of people have problems with this and especially with brownies. They think a toothpick should come out clean but if that happens, they’re already overbaked!
Absolutely delicious. Baked a batch for my husband’s bday. Used buckwheat GF flour, coconut oil, couldn’t find the cocoa powder as described…so used Sprouts store brand. Half the batch was gone within the first 30min. Thank you for such a great recipe. Will make again :)❤❤❤❤❤
30 minutes sounds totally reasonable. ;) I’m happy that you enjoyed the brownies and I hope that your husband had a great birthday! Thanks a bunch for your comment. :)
Hi there, Just wondering how long these stay good for? And whether they mihght freeze? Need to make some for an event x
Hi there! Cover and store at room temperature for up to 4 days (but fresher is better). They chill and freeze well, too.
I love your recipe! I used Pillsbury Gluten Free multi-purpose flour because I couldn’t find teff or buckwheat. They took longer to bake, close to 28 minutes. I made them for my brother-in-law & sister who are both on a gluten free diet, and they loved them!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them! And it’s great to know that that baking mix worked well. Thanks a bunch for your comment (and sorry for my slow reply!). :)
I used the All Purpose GF Pillsbury flour as well and LOVE them! I froze them and when I want one just eat it out of the freezer. Better than the Pillsbury GF box mix and those were great.
Awesome! That’s great to know. Thanks a bunch for the tip! :)
Hi Erin, would Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour work as a sub for the teff or buckwheat flour in this recipe?
Hello! I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but that would be my choice flour if you wanted to use a 1 to 1 GF flour. I’ve had great luck with it in place of whole wheat flour, which also works in this recipe, so I’m guessing it’d work here. If you try it out, I’d love to hear how it goes! Hope you’ll enjoy them. :)
I’ll let you know! My last cookie sheet of your Best Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies just came out of the oven. Oh. My. Gosh!
Haha. Yay! I love those. So happy you like them, too! :)
I used Bob’s mix in a batch yesterday. I doubled the recipe for a 9×13-inch pan. Oh my, did we swoon! These were delish!!! No problems whatsoever w that substitution. I also used coconut oil and dairy-free choc chips.
Thank you for a FANTASTIC and a keeper of a recipe!!! My search for the perfect allergen-free Brownie recipe is over.
That’s great! I’m very happy to hear that the mix worked out well. :) You used the one in a blue bag, right? Thanks a ton for your feedback! I’m so glad that your search is over. :)
Happy Holidays! I am making these today with the same alterations you did and was wondering if you changed the baking time at all? Cheers!
I doubt the other person will see your comment so I thought I’d answer. You’d probably need to increase the baking time a little but not by much. Happy holidays! :)
Hi! I need these to be gluten free but I only have coconut flour and chickpea flour, how do you suggest I mix them for the brownies to end un being good??
Hi there! I’m sorry but those two flours won’t work as a substitute for any of the flour options I’ve given in the recipe. :( Sorry about that! I recommend finding a recipe that specifically calls for coconut flour or chickpea flour.
Awesome!!!!
Thanks! :)
I used a paleo flour blend that works in a lot of recipes. It’s a ratio recipe 1-2-3 (coconut flour, tapioca flour, fine almond flour). In this case I mixed up a ratio of 1/3c coconut, 2/3c tapioca and 3/3c (1c) of fine almond. That made me 2c total and 1c measured to exactly 120g. I always use your recipes by measuring by weight, it gives me the best chance of success!
I didn’t bother with any extra choc chips. I used about 50g of butter and subbed the rest with mild olive oil (by weight) and a teaspoon of psyllium husk. Sounds weird I know, but the husk gives the thickness that the oil was lacking. I ran out of butter, doh! I use white sugar. I made 6 in a large silicon cupcake mold and 6 in small silicon muffin mold. I preferred the small ones. I LOVE THESE!!! They are superb, you are an awesome chef, thanks for all your hard work. I know it sounds like a lot of subs but it wasn’t really :)
Haha. Well it does sound like a lot of subs. ;) But they sound interesting! I definitely want to try your paleo blend. I’ve made these brownies with coconut flour (a different amount than called for) but I want to try your way, too! Do you have the gram measurements for your mix? Thanks for your comment and sorry for the super slow reply! I’m in the process of moving and haven’t had internet for a while.
Hi Erin,
I’m making these for a co-worker, but they need to be sugarfree as well. Do you reckon I could substitute the sugar for liquid Stevia? How many drops would I need? Love your recipes! Greetings from Rotterdam, the Netherlands!
Monique
Hi Monique! I unfortunately don’t think so. There’s SO much sugar in there that you’d be removing a huge amount of bulk from the recipe. I’ve never used Stevia so I also have no idea how much you’d need to use. Sorry about that! Do you know the blog All Day I Dream About Food? All her recipes are gluten-free (and I think always grain-free) and always sugar-free, too! Here’s a list of all her brownie recipes. I hope that helps! :)
I replaced both the coconut oil AND sugar with just a cup of dates which I soaked in boiling water and then pureed them, together with water. It became soooo amazing! And it wakes you up better than any coffeee. However, I needed some more baking time.
Great moist brownie, just made it with dairyfree margarine (sunflower nuttelex) and standard GF flour, and only half the amount of chocolate. Fantastic – Thank you
Awesome! I’m happy that they came out well with your changes. :) Thanks for your comment!
These look absolutely magical!
Thank you!
Need these to be egg free as well. I usually use flax eggs, but wasn’t sure if another substitute like applesauce might be better? What would you suggest?
I haven’t tried any egg subs in these, sorry! I normally use chia eggs and haven’t had good luck with applesauce as an egg sub in general (though I know others have).
Mmm-while I didn’t go gluten free (used white whole wheat flour), I was in search of a dairy free chocolate treat and this did not disappoint! Instead of doing a pan, I made mini chocolate muffins and they are delightful. They are so rich, all you need is a few bites. Thanks for this amazing recipe!!
Yum! I love the idea of trying them as muffins. I’m so happy that it worked out well for you! Thanks for your comment. :)
Help! I made this with 1 cup of cassava flour and opted to use the coconut oil to make it dairy free. It ended up being a thick blob of tar that was oozing oil. I cooked it for 15 minutes, then added 5 minutes then added 2 minutes then added 3 more minutes. The consistency didn’t change. Then I put the blob in the fridge hoping it would firm up a bit and it ended up being a dense mass with congealed coconut oil at the edges. I really want to make this work with cassava or tapioca flour. Any ideas? Thanks!
Btw, it was unrefined coconut oil (not sure if that makes a difference).
That’s my same exact experience with cassava flour used in chocolate recipes that call for AP or whole wheat. :/ I’m sorry. I don’t think there’s anything you can do to fix them and I don’t recommend trying it again. I tried to rework one of my chocolate recipes 4-5 times to use cassava and each one was a failure. The type of coconut oil doesn’t have anything to do with it. Sorry again!
Awe, bummer. Thanks for the reply.
I know. :( I’m actually on AIP (a special diet, if you’re not familiar with it) and cassava flour is one of the few flours I can use. I would love absolutely love to use cassava in place of whole wheat in some of my recipes but it’s just not working for me.
I ended up finding another brownie recipe online that successfully uses cassava flour. It started off looking like the same black tar blob but ended up with a consistency more like pudding. The key was that this other recipe used more liquids than dry ingredients and a saucepan over low heat and lots of stirring to help blend all the ingredients together.
Sounds great! Do you have a link? I’d love to try!
I made there with rice flour, thank you so so much for sharing this they are the best non dairy brownies yet. I love them so much I’m about to make a batch to take on holiday with me…
I love that you’re bringing them on vacation with you! Did you use white or brown rice flour? Thanks for your tip!
I’ve searched for milk free recipes as I am allergic and finally found one! I am really bad in the kitchen yet somehow I managed to whip up this moist brownie. It required minimal ingredients which is a bonus for a poor student like me and was quick to make for my impatient self. O’boy am I excited for it to cool down!!
Haha. I’m excited for you! I hope you enjoyed them. :) Thanks for your comment!
Hi Erin,
Could coconut flour be used instead? Would it be same ratio? I just bought a huge thing of coconut flour and need to get using it! Lol Thx Just made the chickpea cookies and the cookie dough was amazing havent had one from oven yet! Will let u know.
Hi Phy! Coconut flour is unfortunately not interchangeable with any other flour as it absorbs so much more liquid. Sorry about that! I hope you enjoyed the chickpea cookies. :)
Hi! I actually have been making this recipe using coconut, just only using 1/3 cup total of coconut flour, and me and my family love them. I LOVE this recipe and at one point i thought i had lost the recipe and then i found that i had saved it on pintrest!! yay!
Wow! That’s awesome. And they’re still nice and fudgy? I’m definitely going to give that a try! Thanks a bunch for your tip. :)
Made these for my daughter’s friends to taste test. My daughter has Celiac. Her friends said they were “beautiful.” If you don’t mind, we will share the recipe with the caterer for her upcoming bat mitzvah, as they are working with us to find both kid and celiac friendly kosher desserts!
Please do! I’m happy that you found a recipe your daughter and her friends can enjoy at the bat mitzvah. :) Thanks for your comment!
Amazing! I used buckwheat flour, coconut oil, and Enjoy Life dairy free mini chocolate chips. I’m gluten and dairy free currently and have been jonesing for a real dessert. These brownies really hit the spot–I think they’re better than most “normal” brownies I’ve eaten. And my family (who are not gluten- or dairy-free) devoured them as well. And, although the coconut flavor was kind of strong the first day, it seemed to alleviate day by day so that in the last piece I could barely taste it. But either way, fudgy, super-chocolatey, rich and delicious brownies!
I’m so happy that they hit the spot and that your gluten-eating family loved them, too! And better than most “normal” brownies? Woohoo! Thanks. :) If you don’t like the coconut taste, you could use refined coconut oil which has no coconut taste or smell. Thanks a bunch for your comment!