Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies have a rich chocolate taste made with real cocoa, espresso powder, and chocolate chips mixed in one bowl and ready in less than an hour!

Brownies are a staple in my house because they’re quick and easy to make. We also love these classic Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, Instant Pot Apple Crisp, and this really fast Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie!

Four gluten free brownies stacked on top of each other dusted with powdered sugar.

Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies is my all-time favorite homemade brownie recipe, made with a mixture of cocoa powder and extra chocolate chips for a rich chocolate flavor and texture. My husband is a chocolate lover and swears these don’t even taste gluten free!

My favorite part is that you can make these with minimal prep time in one bowl, so you don’t have to worry about a lot of dishes afterwards. This will be your new go-to brownies recipe for sure!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Individual ingredients for fudgy gluten free brownies on a table.

Unsweetened cocoa powder. I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder here. You can use dark cocoa for this recipe, if you want a richer flavor. There’s sugar in the recipe to balance out the cocoa. 

Butter. I recommend unsalted butter. You can’t count on how much salt butter will contain, so opt for unsalted and add the salt separately. 

You can also substitute vegetable oil for butter. 

Sugar. I use white granulated sugar, but you can also use brown sugar, or a mix of white and brown sugar. 

Eggs. Use large eggs at room temperature. Eggs are an emulsifier, so they’ll help keep everything mixed together. The yolk adds fat to the batter giving the brownies the fudgy texture.

Salt. A small amount of salt helps bring some of the sweetness of the brownies out. 

Gluten free flour. I recommend using a cup-for-cup gluten free flour. There are a lot of different gluten-free flour blends, so the flavor may vary. If you’re not gluten free, you can use regular flour in equal parts. 

Espresso powder. This is the secret ingredient! Espresso powder has a unique flavor that brings out the chocolate in the recipe, without tasting like coffee. I also use espresso powder in this gluten free chocolate cake recipe.

Chocolate chips. Use semi-sweet chocolate chips. If you want more variation, you can try white chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips for a richer chocolate mixture. 

Baking powder. I add a small amount of baking powder, because I don’t want the brownies to be too flat. If you add too much, you’ll get a cake-like texture. If you leave the baking powder out completely, it’s not the end of the world. 

Vanilla extract. You need to up the flavor with gluten free baking, because the flour mixtures can have some taste to them. Add an extra teaspoon vanilla extract if your mixture has a strong flavor. 

Half & Half. You can use regular milk, half and half, or cream. The higher the fat content, the richer the taste. I like half and half because it’s right in the middle. 

How to Make Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies

Step by step photos for how to make fudgy gluten free brownies.
  1. Line a 9×9″ baking dish with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add dry ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well. Leave the chocolate chips aside.  
  2. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk everything together. 
  3. Whisk in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
  4. Pour the brownie batter into the baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is firm. Check out this great guide on How to Tell When Brownies Are Done!

Jacqui’s Tip! Try mixing it up with white chocolate chips, or caramel chips (gluten free varieties). 

How to Make A Dairy Free Version

If you want to make these brownies dairy free, try these substitutions:

Butter – Substitute with a vegan butter or equal parts applesauce, or vegetable oil. 

Chocolate chips – Stay away from milk chocolate and use a dairy-free brand.

Half and half – Replace this with an alternative, like almond milk or coconut milk. If you use coconut milk, try using the one from a can for better texture.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why are my gluten free brownies crumbly?

Over-cooked. If they are overcooked, the brownies may have dried out and will be crumbly. Watch your time closely. We are not using the toothpick method for brownies, because the fudgy chocolate will stick to it, even if it’s technically done cooking. 

Cooling. You need to let the brownies cool completely before cutting into them. If they’re still warm, you’ll have some crumbling. 

Too thin. If the pan is too big, the brownies will spread out too much and overcook. This recipe is for a 9×9″ pan. If your pan is bigger than that, increase the recipe accordingly, or lower the cooking time.

Lining the pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, so the brownies are easy to lift out. You can lift them out after you take them out of the oven around the 10 minute mark, so they’re not super hot but they can now cool faster without the hot pan around them. 

Gluten-free flour mixture. Make sure you’re using a good gluten-free flour mixture. The ratio of starch to protein matters a lot for texture, and the type of flour can really impact the flavor. Some contain gums, while others don’t. I like to stick with well known gluten-free 1:1 baking flour from companies I trust, because I know they have a good balance of ingredients.

What do gluten free brownies taste like?

These gluten free brownies taste like regular brownies! These have a really nice chewy texture. If you want more of a cake-like texture, add another 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. If you want more chewy brownies, eliminate the baking powder completely.

How do you make gluten-free baking more moist?

Don’t skip the fat. The fat helps keep moisture in the brownies. This is from the melted butter, which also offers flavor. You can also substitute the butter with vegetable oil. 
The egg yolks and half and half are also offering some fat. 

Moisture. Gluten free flour absorbs more liquid, so you need to make sure there’s enough in the recipe. Add more or less half and half as needed, depending on your flour blend. 

Storage

Store these brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also refrigerate them for 4-5 days.

Jacqui’s Tip! You can use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, but these are also really easy to whisk together by hand in a medium-sized bowl. 

More Gluten Free Desserts

Cooking Tips

  • You want your brownies to be fudgy on the inside, but not raw! Make sure they’re cooked all the way through.
  • Throw a few additional chocolate chips on the top of the batter right before baking for presentation. I also dusted my baked brownies with powdered sugar after they had completely cooled. You can also use sprinkles or flakey salt. 
  • Usually you’d use semisweet chocolate chips for baking, but you can use dark chocolate chips if you like a darker chocolate flavor. I usually use regular cocoa powder but you can also find dark chocolate cocoa powder, too. 
  • Add a crunch with chopped walnuts or unsalted almonds.
  • This recipe also works with an 8×8 baking dish, you might need slightly more cook time.
A hand holding a fudgy gluten free brownie with the chocolate edge showing.

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

Four gluten free brownies stacked on top of each other dusted with powdered sugar.

Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies

Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies have a rich chocolate taste made with real cocoa, espresso powder, and chocolate chips mixed in one bowl and ready in less than an hour!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Jacqui
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour, cup for cup
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder, double acting
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs , room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Equipment

  • 1 9×9 inch baking dish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9" baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Add dry ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well (except for chocolate chips). Then add all wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk everything together until well combined.
  • Stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Pour the brownie batter into the baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through.

Notes

Click on the time in the instructions to start a timer!
Storage. Store these brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also refrigerate them for 4-5 days.
Cooking Tips
  • Throw a few additional chocolate chips on the top of the batter right before baking for presentation.
  • Dust with powdered sugar after brownies have completely cooled. You can also use sprinkles or flakey salt. 
  • Usually you’d use semisweet chocolate chips for baking, but you can use dark chocolate chips if you like a darker chocolate flavor.
  • This recipe also works with an 8×8 baking dish, you might need slightly more cook time. 
How to Make A Dairy Free Version
Butter – Substitute with a vegan butter or equal parts applesauce, or vegetable oil. 
Chocolate chips – Stay away from milk chocolate and use a dairy-free brand.
Half and half – Replace this with an alternative, like almond milk or coconut milk. If you use coconut milk, try using the one from a can for better texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal (16%)Carbohydrates: 41g (14%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 16g (25%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 56mg (19%)Sodium: 118mg (5%)Potassium: 150mg (4%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 31g (34%)Vitamin A: 325IU (7%)Vitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 49mg (5%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
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