Search Results for: Brownies

3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies | Naturally Gluten Free

By Nicole Hunn | Published: March 1, 2019 | Posted In: Bars, Brownies

These chewy, rich Nutella brownies are naturally gluten free and are truly made with just 3 simple ingredients: Nutella hazelnut spread, eggs, and almond flour.

What makes these 3 ingredient Nutella brownies so special

These amazingly chewy, chocolate hazelnut brownies are made without any rice flour at all. They're not Paleo since Nutella most certainly has refined sugar and milk, but I don't like to put that kind of pressure on my brownies anyway.

If you love to make your own Paleo-friendly chocolate hazelnut spread, maybe that would work in this recipe (but I'm honestly not sure!).

That really seems like a lot of work just to avoid refined sugar, but I won't judge if you want to put in the effort. Baking can be its own form of peaceful meditation.

How to get a crackle top on these 3 ingredient Nutella brownies

That glossy crackle on top, like we get in our chewy gluten free brownies, seems to be created when the beaten eggs mix with the sugar during baking to create a thin meringue on top of the brownies. Since successful gluten free baking has meant that I've had to learn quite a bit about food science, I'm dying to know if that's true. I guess it doesn't really matter, but I still wish I knew for sure.

Perhaps because there are so many eggs in this recipe, and the Nutella spread has enough sugar that we don't need one granule more to make brownies, the shiny crackle on these brownies is strong. In fact, the crackle develops not only the top but also along the sides of the brownies as they bake.

To ensure the best crackle, beat the Nutella and eggs very well. I like using a hand mixer for this task, instead of a stand mixer (or mixing by hand) because it's easier to aerate the mixture with a hand mixer. Try pumping the beaters of the hand mixer a bit as you work the eggs and Nutella for the best results.

Is Nutella gluten free?

Yes! Nutella brand chocolate hazelnut spread is gluten free, according to the manufacturer. It is free of all gluten-containing grains, and there is also no risk of cross-contamination from gluten-containing grains. It's also peanut-free, which makes it a very popular alternative to peanut butter especially for peanut-free schools.

If you're a fan of Nutella, you are going to love these brownies—even if you're not much of a “brownie” person. My son doesn't like anything with deep, rich chocolate flavor, and he's said that these are his go-to brownies. He loves the crazy hazelnut flavor of the spread and the chocolate flavor is distinctly milk chocolate based.

I was dead set on this remaining a 3-ingredient recipe (like my favorite vanilla no-churn ice cream and our 3-ingredient oatmeal cookies). Nutella has all the sugar you could need, and even the salt that all baked goods need.

Keeping this to a true 3-ingredient recipe meant that I had to resist the urge to add chopped, toasted hazelnuts to the brownie batter. But the next time I make them if I have (admittedly spendy) hazelnuts on hand, I'm going to add them. And maybe scatter a few semi-sweet chocolate chips on top.

3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies: Ingredients and substitutions

There are only three ingredients in this super simple recipe. They all contain potential allergens, though. The news isn't great, but here goes nothing…

Gluten free dairy free Nutealla brownies

There is dairy in Nutella, but there is a dairy-free version of the beloved chocolate hazelnut spread. The brand is Nicciolata and they have a dairy free variety of their hazelnut cocoa spread. Be careful, though, because they have a dairy-containing variety, too.

Nutella itself has a thinner consistency than the Nicciolata spread, though, at room temperature. I think it would work in this recipe, but I'm not entirely sure. It's definitely worth a try.

Gluten free Nutella brownies without eggs?

For every half cup of Nutella and one-third cup of blanched almond flour this recipe calls for one egg. I'm not overly optimistic that you could replace the egg with an egg replacement like a “chia egg,” since the recipe is so simple and does rely quite heavily on eggs.

Gluten free Nutella brownies nut-free?

No, you can't make this recipe nut-free, I'm afraid. Not only does it have hazelnut spread, which is unique in taste and texture, but it has blanched almond flour. For a 3-ingredient recipe, that is way too much to substitute and still expect results.

I do think that blanched, finely ground hazelnut flour would work well in place of the almond flour. Please be sure to use finely ground blanched almond flour (or hazelnut flour), like the kind that Honeyville and Nuts.com sell.

Almond meal or coarsely ground flour of any kind will not work in this recipe.

How to make naturally gluten free Nutella brownies with only 3 ingredients

Print Pin Save

3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies

These 3 ingredient Nutella brownies are super chewy, rich in chocolate flavor, and even have that crinkly top. Naturally gluten free, they're made so easily with only almond flour, Nutella hazelnut spread, and eggs!

Course: Bars, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Chilling time (for easy slicing): 20

Yield: 9 brownies

Author: Nicole Hunn

Equipment

Handheld mixer

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (450 g) Nutella hazelnut spread
3 (150 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature
1 cup (120 g) finely ground blanched almond flour

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
In a large, heat-safe bowl, place the Nutella and warm it in the microwave or over a simmering pot of water just until it thins out a bit. This will make it easier to beat.
Add the eggs, and using a handheld mixer, beat until smooth and fluffy. Add the almond flour and beat again until well-combined. The mixture will be very thickly pourable and very sticky.
Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking pan and, using a small offset spatula, spread into an even layer. Smack the bottom of the pan a few times on the counter to break any large air bubbles.
Place the baking pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center of the pan of brownies is firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature in the pan.
To make the brownies easier to slice, chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Remove the brownies from the pan and use a sharp knife to slice into 9 or 12 equal squares.
Store any leftover brownies in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Two Bite Brownies

By Nicole Hunn | Published: July 13, 2018 | Posted In: Brownies, Desserts

These two bite brownies are a cross between a rich chocolate cake and a brownie, and gone in just two bites! They're your new go-to GF brownie recipe.

A box with white paper and two bite brownies

What sort of gluten free brownies are these?

I used to pine for that deep plastic tub of two-bite brownies that you could find at Whole Foods. Do you know the one? Before going gluten free, I never ever left that store without at least one tub of them.

I wasn't sure if they were brownies or rich cupcakes, but I didn't care. They were perfect in every way: size, taste, and texture. We were eating gluten free in my house for nearly 10 years before I developed this recipe for two bite gluten free brownies.

These are not the super fudgy gluten free brownies we've made before. If you try to bake a traditional brownie in the wells of a miniature muffin tin, no matter how fudgy, it will burn. Ask me how I know that!

A miniature muffin tin with two bite brownies

Better than a brownie mix

Whether you're gluten free or not, most likely your history of making brownies involved a brownie mix of some sort. But we can do so much better than that.

I'm always happy to when food manufacturers make things available gluten free that they've always made available in conventional form. I'm thrilled that tons of companies make packaged gluten free bread and gluten free pasta.

And much as I used to love the brownies that are made with a regular boxed mix, I have never tried a boxed mix of gluten free brownies that were even deserving of the name. They're often gritty, rarely chocolatey enough and just don't taste, well, like brownies at all.

Since there's no melted chocolate in the batter for this recipe, you could easily combine all the dry ingredients (including the sugars) into a mix. Store it in a sealed container in a cool, dry pantry, then just add the wet ingredients (melted butter, yogurt, eggs and vanilla) and bake.

Now, everyone knows how much I bake, so I'm often asked to make brownies for a gathering. Since they come in all shapes, sizes, textures and tastes, I'll ask what kind of brownies. When no one can choose whether they want cakey brownies, fudgy brownies, blonde brownies or peanut butter brownies, I usually make these two bite brownies.

These might look kind of like chocolate muffins. But I promise they're so much more. If you're still interested in the boxed mixed type of brownies, I do have a recipe for chewy gluten free brownies that even have that crackly top.

Raw and baked two bite brownies in miniature muffin tins

A word about miniature muffin tins

I've found over the years that not all miniature muffin tins are created equal. Many of them have very shallow wells, which means they'll never produce a beautiful shaped baked good. You want sloped (not entirely vertical) sides and a relatively deep well.

After trying so many brands, the only one I reach for consistently is USA Pans. I have a mini muffin pan made by USA Pans, but it isn't the one that Amazon.com carries. USA Pans also makes pans for Sur La Table and Williams Sonoma, so you might find it there as well.

A close up two bite brownies baked in a muffin tin

Ingredients and substitutions

Dairy-free two bite brownies

Part of the reason that I wanted to create a video for this post and republish it was because I was determined to make it dairy free. And I succeeded!

I used vegan butter (I've made the recipe using both Melt brand vegan butter and Miyoko's Kitchen cultured vegan butter (now available at my local Trader Joe's!)) in place of the butter. In place of the yogurt, I used plain So Delicious brand yogurt. Both substitutes worked great, but to get the proper thick, glossy consistency in the batter, I had to add 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water.

Egg free two bite brownies

I haven't made this recipe egg-free, but you could try replacing the 2 eggs with 2 “chia eggs.” To make a “chia egg,” just combine 1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds with 1 tablespoon lukewarm water and allow it to sit. It should gel as it stands.

Sugar free two bite brownies

There are two types of granulated sugars in this recipe: granulated and light brown. They can't be replaced with liquid sugars, but you should be able to replace each with its own specific sugar-free substitute.

I've generally had success with Swerve brand. Keep in mind that sugar substitutes tend to be drying, so you'll likely need to add some lukewarm water to the batter to create the proper consistency. Take a close look at the video to see the type of batter you need to achieve.

Print Pin Save

Two Bite Brownies

These two bite brownies are a cross between a rich chocolate cake and a brownie, and gone in just two bites!

Course: Brownies

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 12

Yield: 24 mini brownies

Author: Nicole Hunn

Ingredients

1 cup (140 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
½ cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (I prefer Dutch-processed, but natural works as well)
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
2 tablespoons (28 g) plain yogurt at room temperature
2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease a 24-cup miniature muffin pan and set it aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt and baking soda, and whisk to combine well.
Break up any lumps in the brown sugar, and create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
Into the well, place the melted butter, yogurt, eggs and vanilla, and mix to combine. The batter will be thick and glossy.
Divide the batter evenly among the 24 prepared muffin cups.
Shake the muffin tin back and forth vigorously until the batter in each cup is smooth and even on top.
Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven and bake until puffed and round, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 12 minutes).
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Nutrition information is approximate and per individual two-bite brownie. It is approximate and not to be relied upon.

Nutrition

These two bite gluten free brownies are a cross between a rich chocolate cake and a brownie, and gone in just two bites! They're your new go-to GF brownie recipe. #glutenfree #gf #brownies

Fudgy Coconut Flour Brownies

By Nicole Hunn | Published: March 23, 2018 | Posted In: Bars, Brownies, Paleo

These coconut flour brownies are made with coconut sugar, unsweetened chocolate and plenty of cocoa powder for a rich, fudgy brownie—without too many eggs. They'll never guess it's actually healthy!

Baking with coconut flour

If you've been reading this blog for a little while, you know that I've embraced the “substitution question” that can be the bane of a food blogger's existence. Just scroll down to the bottom of this email and you'll find a laundry list of information about how you can change this recipe to suit your needs and tastes.

But if you're hoping to replace the coconut flour in these coconut flour brownies with quite literally anything else at all in the universe, you're going to end up very unhappy! Baking with coconut flour is a tricky business since coconut flour is a tricky flour.

Coconut flour is made from the meat of a coconut that has been defatted and dried before being ground. It's super high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. I don't know of any other gluten free flour at all that has those qualities.

For those reasons, it's often necessary to pair coconut flour with a starch like tapioca flour, which is still Paleo-legal. That at least means that the Paleo police won't come after me for my light and fluffy coconut flour pancakes.

In baking, coconut flour absorbs a ton of moisture, which means it has a tendency to make baked goods dry and unappetizing. The batter tends to thicken as it stands and gets mixed, too, which means that the photo above is of the raw brownies, but almost looks like it's already been baked.

The “usual” way of handling all the fiber of coconut flour is to add tons of eggs to the batter or dough, since eggs add moisture. But that also means that those baked goods have a tendency to taste “eggy”, like an omelet. And only an omelet should taste like, well, like an omelet.

I've been baking a lot with applesauce recently both because of some new vegan recipes and also because of some Weight Watchers-friendly recipes. Applesauce is a great way to deliver moisture to recipes and, in some measure, can stand in for fat in a recipe as well as for eggs a bit.

I've found that applesauce can be a great way to reduce the tendency to add too many eggs to coconut flour recipes. That means that this recipe has less fat than other brownie recipes, like my almond flour brownies recipe.

It also means that it has fewer eggs, making the brownies super fudgy and rich. I tried using an extra egg in the recipe, especially when baking these with a sugar substitute, but the texture was cakey. There's nothing wrong with a cakey brownie, but that just wasn't the goal here.

Remind me to try replacing some of the egg in my Paleo blueberry muffins recipe with applesauce. I think that improve the texture and make them less souffle-like…

Pay special attention to the texture of the batter (which really looks more like dough) if you're making any substitutions as described in the “ingredients and substitutions” section below.

Ingredients and substitutions

Coconut flour: You absolutely cannot replace the coconut flour with any other flour at all. Coconut flour is a tricky, unique flour. Nothing behaves like it, and it behaves like nothing else.

If you can't have coconut flour, try my almond flour brownies and just omit the 1 tablespoon of coconut flour. The brownies will be a bit more fragile, but they'll still taste great.

Virgin coconut oil: You can replace the coconut oil with an equal amount, by weight, of nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening or Melt brand VeganButter replacement. If you can have dairy, try using unsalted butter!

Coconut sugar: You can replace the coconut sugar with another granulated sugar, like light brown sugar (which of course is a refined sugar and not Paleo). I'm afraid you can't replace it with a liquid sweetener, like honey or maple syrup, though.

I did test the recipe with Lankato Monkfruit Sweetener (Classic White) (that's an affiliate link, but please feel free to shop around), which is a granulated blend of erythritol and monkfruit. It's a zero calorie sweetener, so it's a great way to make this recipe much lower carb.

The recipe did work quite well with the Lankato, but I had to add 2 more tablespoons (36 g) unsweetened applesauce to the batter. In my experience, these granulated sugar substitutes have a drying effect.

Eggs: A coconut flour recipe will always call for eggs (unless it's vegan—but that's hard to imagine) as coconut flour absorbs a ton of moisture and eggs help to keep baked goods moist and prevent the batter from becoming too stiff.

There are 3 eggs in this recipe, which is too many to be replaced by a “chia egg” or even a boiled flax egg here. Coconut flour is not an easy bedfellow, I'm afraid! I avoided using even more eggs by including unsweetened applesauce in the recipe, which also added some sweetness so we could keep the sugar relatively low.

Applesauce: The applesauce adds moisture, sweetness and some structure. It's really there primarily to add moisture without adding more eggs, which tends to make a spongy, “eggy” brownie (ew). If you were to replace it with mashed bananas, the brownies would taste … like bananas. I'm afraid I can't think of any proper substitute!

Xanthan gum: You can leave the xanthan gum out of the recipe if you prefer. It helps create the perfect dense, fudgy texture, and helps these brownies stay fresh longer.

Cocoa powder/chocolate: These are brownies! You need both the cocoa powder and the unsweetened chocolate in this recipe or it will have absolutely no richness. No substitutes allowed—except that you can use semi-sweet chocolate if you don't care about the extra (refined) sugar.

You don't have to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. If you use natural cocoa powder, though, add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to the recipe.

Chocolate chips: You can leave out the chips, add a few more (not too many!) or substitute in another sort of chip or chopped nut.

Print Pin Save