Get this tested, easy-to-follow recipe for gluten free crunch brownies—chewy brownies with chocolate crisp rice treat tops.
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These gluten free crunch brownies are a welcome addition to any cookie plate (or box!), as they're a lovely change of pace from your regular cookie fare. My children always want me to make them Rice Krispies Treats, and since I bake all.the.time anyway I just don't do it for them, like, ever. My recipe with the homemade marshmallows is so super easy, though.
The brownie layer I made has a bit of sour cream in place of some butter I'd normally use in chewy, rich brownies.
I also baked some miniature marshmallows into the brownie batter (not a lot—just a cup), but you can leave them out. It helps tie the brownie layer itself to the rice krispie treat layer.
These really are simple to put together, and you can make them almost as far ahead of time as you'd like (with only 3 days left before Christmas, I see how that isn't a big selling point, but it's a concept—go with it). I drizzled the top lightly with some melted chocolate, but I have to be honest that I'm not even so sure you can taste it. It's more for dramatic effect than anything else.
Ingredients and substitutions
If you don't have sour cream, you can try replacing it with Greek-style yogurt (nondairy should work just fine, too).
To make these dairy-free, I'd try replacing the butter with butter-flavored Spectrum nonhydrogenated shortening, or Earth Balance buttery sticks. Either should work fine, but you'll have to experiment because I haven't tried it.
For gluten free crisp rice cereal, be careful. Not all rice krispies are gluten free.
In the U.S., Kraft Jet-Puffed miniature marshmallows are gluten free, as are Campfire brand.
Gluten Free Crunch Top Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- 6 ounces (170 g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 5 tablespoons (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter chopped
- 3 ounces (85 g) sour cream at room temperature
- ¾ cup (102 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) kosher salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (2) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (50 g) gluten free miniature marshmallows
Crisp Rice Layer
- 3 cups (56 g) gluten free crisp rice cereal
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter chopped
- 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups (150 g) gluten free miniature marshmallows
- 2 ounces (56 ⅔ g) melted bittersweet chocolate for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Grease an 8-inch x 8-inch baking sheet, line with crisscrossed sheets of unbleached parchment paper, both sheets long enough to overhang the sides of the pan and greased in between. These will be the “handles” you use to lift the brownies out of the pan. Set the pan aside.
Make the brownie layer.
- In a small, heat-safe bowl, place the chopped chocolate and butter, and place over a pan of simmering (not boiling) water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl and set it aside to cool briefly. Add the sour cream to the melted chocolate mixture, and mix to combine.
- In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, salt, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. add the eggs and vanilla, and mix to combine.
- Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture, and mix again to combine. The batter should be thick but smooth.
- Stir the (optional) miniature marshmallows into the brownie batter until evenly distributed throughout.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer with a wet spatula. If you’ve added the marshmallows to the batter, they will make it lumpy.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake just until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (about 22 minutes if you haven’t added the marshmallows, and 25 minute if you have). Allow to cool completely in the pan.
Make the crisp rice layer.
- Place the crisp rice cereal and salt in a large bowl, and toss to combine. Set the bowl aside.
- Place the butter and cocoa powder in a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan and melt the butter over medium heat, stirring the mixture occasionally.
- Add the marshmallows and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows are just melted.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly until the marshmallow mixture is no longer hot to the touch (otherwise, the crisp rice layer may taste as if it is stale, even if the cereal is fresh).
- Pour the marshmallow mixture into the bowl of crisp rice cereal and stir to coat the rice cereal completely in the marshmallow mixture without crushing the cereal.
- Transfer the cereal mixture to the pan of cooled brownies and press firmly into an even layer on top of the brownies.
- Allow to sit at room temperature until set (about an hour).
- Drizzle with the (optional) melted chocolate and allow to sit again until set (5 minutes).
- Remove the brownies from the pan using the overhung parchment paper, place on a cutting board and slice into 16 squares before serving.
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Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
