Gluten free with paleo and egg free options, these gluten free cocoa powder brownies are everything a brownies should be! Lots of rich chocolate flavor and a lovely, chewy texture.
I had a lot of fun playing with this decadent recipe. Deep, rich, and utterly satisfying to the most fiendish chocoholics.
I already had my nut, egg, and grain free paleo vegan brownies, but I wanted something a bit more traditional.
This recipe is very easy to play with and make it work for almost any special diet or restriction.
I will give you some additional flour options to make them work for YOUR needs!
Can I use different flours for these gluten free cocoa powder brownies?
With so little flour…almost any flour will do!! Each one will change the end product, but every version I tried was delicious.
I think even a gluten free all purpose flour will work here too.
If you want, these almond flour brownies use just the one flour!
Can I use different sweeteners?
You could use all organic cane sugar, all palm sugar, a mixture of the two, or cut it down a bit and use some stevia.
I use one cup, which is plenty sweet for me and all my testers…but YOU taste it and add a bit more if you like.
I do not recommend just a liquid stevia, you need the body from the sugar to make this work.
Can make these vegan brownies?
The fat and egg options are up to personal tastes and preference as well.
I tested the brownies with coconut oil, and palm shortening. Earth Balance would work too….pick your poison!
The eggs can be replaced in this too….albeit it yields a different end result completely addicting and fudgelicious! And while fudgelicious is not a word…the egg free version is just like a decadent piece of real fudge.
Half my taste testers preferred the egg free version in fact (pic below), while half the one with the eggs. But all agreed…both were delicious!
Additional gluten free cocoa powder recipes:
- My paleo chocolate pumpkin cake can almost be considered healthy!
- I adore my best ever paleo chocolate cupcakes, so moist and spongy!
- Why not have some cocoa for breakfast?! My chocolate raspberry smoothie is thick and creamy!
- This chocolate plantain mug cake looks yummy!
Gluten Free Cocoa Powder Brownies Recipe:
If you try these scrumptious brownies, be sure to come back and leave a comment and review!
Gluten Free Cocoa Powder Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter if tolerated
- 1 cup palm sugar or any mix of granulated sugars. See notes above in post.
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder I like Dagoba
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup teff flour* or coconut, or 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour* or cassava flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large eggs** egg free option below
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8 x 8 inch pan with a parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan over low heat (or in a microwave), melt the fat, sugar, and cocoa powder together, stirring vigorously until a glossy, gritty mixture is formed.
- Mixture should be warm, but not scalding hot. Stir in the vanilla and sea salt.
- Stir in the flour. Now stir in the eggs, or the egg alternative.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before attempting to cut. The magic happens in the cooling, I promise!
Notes
Nutrition
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Looks delicious, Tessa and I love the heart shaped strawberry slice! Nice touch. 🙂
Thanks Barb!
Those definitely sound delicious! I’m gonna have to try them out… 😉 Thanks for sharing them at Savoring Saturdays.
Yum! These brownies look great!
Wow Tessa, these look amazing, and I love the applesauce/gelatin egg replacer option. If I made them, do you think lowering the sugar would impact the ‘fudgy-ness’ significantly? I can’t seem to tolerate much added sweetener these days, so I was thinking of just using 1-2 tablespoons plus a bit of stevia? Let me know what you think, thanks!
Hey Lauren! Maybe you could use a puréed banana as an egg replacer and reduce the sweetener. I think it is worth a shot….you might want to reduce some of the cocoa powder too, and replace with additional flour so it is not so bitter with low sweetener. I would be curious how they turn out!
I made these a few nights ago and they were great – super rich and fudgy!!! Thanks Tessa 🙂
-Cassidy
Thanks Cassidy!!
I made these and they were great – super rich and fudgy!!! I used coconut palm sugar, coconut flour, and the egg replacement 🙂
XO,
Cassidy
They look amazingly delicious. Feel like having one now. 😀
I’ve been craving some brownies, and I am gluten free. I may try black bean brownies. They sound weird, but might create a tasty version of your recipe!
Hi ANdie! Black bean are great! Here is my version with them: https://www.tessadomesticdiva.com/2012/04/dark-chocolate-brownies-flourless.html
just double checking for the egg sub that it’s supposed to be 2 teaspoons and not tablespoons? (only going off of other recipes that use gelatin eggs and seem to use much more)
thanks!!!!
yes Lacey…in muffins and quick breads, I use about a tablespoon (generous), but in this, 2 teaspoons did the trick. The fat is another binder.
Sooo fudgy and decadent! These would not last long around me. Yum! 😀
they disappeared ridiculously quick here too Tammy!
ahhh-you have answered all my prayers!!!
before I get to work in the kitchen, two questions…
-how much of the sugar can you reduce and sub with stevia without affecting the texture too much? (assuming you can’t omit it completely and sub all stevia?)
anddd…
-can you subsitute something for the applesauce (perhaps pumpkin purée?) in the egg replacer gelatin version? unfortunately I can’t have apples :-/
thanks you so so much for such a great recipe, regardless!
Hi Kay!! I would use at least half granulated sugar. And pumpkin would great in place of the applesauce, or just water too, or any pureed fruit of vegetable. Just taste for sweetness preference.
O my goodness Tessa, you have THE BEST recipes and this looks divine, I’m pinning it!!!
I’ve been working a very similar recipe (using coconut flour and gelatin) but I’m trying to make more of a cake-like, less sweet bar out of it for snacking on – similar to the Enjoy Life Cocoa Loco bars but I haven’t quite got it perfected yet 🙂 Can’t wait to try this!!!
XO,
Cassidy
Thanks Cass…I hope you try them! I am excited to see what you come up with…gelatin is my new darling for egg free stuff! I bet a homemade coco loco bar will be superior!
Those look amazing! Will have to try.
Let me know what version you try Kim!