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Flourless White Chocolate Cake

By Nicole Hunn | Published: August 22, 2018 | Posted In: Cakes, Flourless Baking

This flourless white chocolate cake is the perfect blond version of the most decadent, easiest dessert you can imagine. And it's even naturally gluten free!

This white flourless chocolate cake is the perfect blond version of the most decadent, easiest dessert you can imagine. And it's even naturally gluten free!

Why I love this flourless white chocolate cake

I find that white chocolate can be sort of a divider, rather than a uniter. The creamy texture is mostly universal, but the flavor tends to be love-it-or-hate-it. Maybe it's the richness or the fact that many commercial white chocolates tend to be rather waxy and overly sweet?

I'm not really a white chocolate lover or a white chocolate hater. I'll eat and enjoy nearly anything, and I find that the way a dessert or food is prepared and the quality of the ingredients can make all the difference. This flourless white chocolate cake, of course, is prepared in just the right way, with just the right ingredients.

How to prepare a flourless chocolate cake

Flourless chocolate cake is traditionally made by melting chocolate and butter, mixing them with granulated sugar and egg yolks and, then folding in whipped egg whites. Sometimes, for a bit more chocolate flavor, the egg whites are beaten with unsweetened cocoa powder.

White chocolate is unique, though, so it tends to behave differently than dark or even milk chocolate in baking. I've tried baking a white flourless chocolate cake by replacing only the dark chocolate with white chocolate in my classic flourless chocolate cake recipe. It was a total flop.

Baking a white chocolate cake using the same sort of ingredients as a dark chocolate flourless cake, I couldn't get the cake to bake properly without burning on the bottom. It didn't matter whether I separated the eggs and whipped the egg whites or not. Everything turned around when I added cream cheese to the mix, though.

White versus dark flourless chocolate cake

Since there's no flour to stabilize a flourless cake as it bakes, often flourless baking recipes contain a nut butter or something like black beans or cooked quinoa. A traditional flourless chocolate cake has little more than chocolate, butter, sugar, and eggs. Ditto with fudgy flourless brownies.

In making a white chocolate cake recipe, I found it even more difficult to make a batter that was fluffy enough to bake into a cake, not a pudding. Adding cream cheese to the batter made all the difference.

This cake is not a cheesecake. I had originally planned to make a dark chocolate flourless cake and just swirl in some cheesecake batter. I do think that would taste amazing. But I was dying to see whether or not I could make a white version of a flourless chocolate cake.

Since there's also a tremendous amount of variation from one white chocolate brand to another, I do have to recommend using the best quality white chocolate you can. In this recipe, I used Ghirardelli's white chocolate baking bar, which I find to be of consistently good quality.

(If you're gluten free, though, please be sure to check the packaging. I understand that there have been times in the past when Ghirardelli's white chocolate baking bar has stated that it may contain wheat.)

Do you need to use a water bath?

A water bath, or “bain marie” is simply a method for baking a cake in a larger pan with hot water that rises about halfway up the sides of the pan with the cake batter in it. It provides moist heat that otherwise isn't possible in a traditional oven. It also maintains a more even, consistent temperature to the cake during baking.

I don't really care for baking anything at all in a springform pan. Add in the trouble of a water bath, and I'm even more annoyed. Happily, although this recipe requires the springform pan, the water bath is entirely optional.

When I baked this cake with a water bath, I found that the cake rose and baked more evenly (no higher, browner “crust” around the edges). The texture was creamier, too.

When I baked the cake without a water bath, I did place a shallow pan of simmering water on the bottom rack of the hot oven during baking. That helps the cake bake more evenly and in a nice, moist environment. But it doesn't slow the baking like submerging the pan in an actual water bath does. I found that the cake didn't rise as evenly, but the texture was more cake-like.

Ingredients and substitutions

If you have other dietary restrictions beyond being gluten free, I'm afraid I don't have very good news for you about this recipe. But here's all the explanation I've got:

Dairy-free: You simply can't successfully make this recipe dairy-free, at least not by making the usual substitutions. I have tried and tried (and tried!), and there just isn't any proper dairy-free substitute for cream cheese. Some of them are able to nail the texture, but none of them has the proper taste.

The closest sub is probably Tofutti, but even that just doesn't cut it for me. Personally, I'd rather have something else entirely than a near-miss. The butter should be able to be replaced with Melt, my favorite vegan butter replacement, but eliminate the salt in the ingredient list as it's already plenty salty.

Dairy-free white chocolate that actually tastes good can be hard to find commercially prepared. But I do have a recipe for vegan white chocolate that I think would work just fine.

Egg-free: There are 4 whole eggs in this recipe, and they do some serious heavy lifting. For that reason, I know of absolutely no egg substitutes that would work.

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Flourless White Chocolate Cake

This flourless white chocolate cake is the perfect blond version of the most decadent, easiest dessert you can imagine.

Course: Cake, Dessert, Flourless

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 45

Chilling time: 1

Yield: 8 slices cake

Author: Nicole Hunn

Equipment

Springform pan
Stand mixer with paddle attachment or handheld mixer

Ingredients

8 ounces white chocolate chopped
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
8 tablespoons (112 g) (112 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
½ cup (100 g) (100 g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (with vanilla seeds if possible)
4 (200 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs (200 g weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Grease a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a 9-inch round of parchment paper. If using a water bath, cover the bottom and sides of the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Set the pan aside.
In a small, heat-safe bowl, place the chopped white chocolate.
Melt either in the microwave (90 seconds at 50% power, and then for 30 seconds at a time at 50% power, stirring in between until melted and smooth) or over a double boiler (position the bowl over barely simmering water and stir occasionally until melted and smooth).
Set the melted chocolate aside to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the cream cheese, butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla.
Whip on medium speed and then on high speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
Lower the speed of the mixer to medium-low, and add the eggs one at a time. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to whip until well-combined (about 2 minutes).
Reduce the speed again to medium-low, and drizzle in the melted white chocolate. Increase the speed to high and continue to whip for at least 5 minutes or until the mixture is smooth, but fluffy. The whisk should leave a visible trail in the batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and smooth into an even layer with an offset spatula.
If using a water bath, place the pan in the center of a large roasting tin and place the pans in the center of the preheated oven.
Pour hot water into the roasting pan while the pan is already in the oven (it’s much easier to move a pan around that doesn’t have hot water in it!) until the water reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake until the top is lightly golden brown and the cake doesn’t jiggle more than very slightly when moved from side to side. That will take about 45 minutes if you’re using a water bath, and about 5 to 10 minutes less without a water bath.
Turn off the oven and prop the door open slightly. Allow the cake to cool in the oven for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour.
Remove the cake from the oven, allow it to cool in the pan to room temperature, and then place in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or up to 3 days.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan to ensure that the edges aren’t sticking before unmolding the chilled cake.
Rinse a large knife under hot water, then dry it off before making each cut in the cake. The knife should glide right through the cake. Garnish with whipped cream and berries, and serve chilled.

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Weight Watchers Bagels | 2-ingredient GF dough

By Nicole Hunn | Published: April 18, 2018 | Posted In: Breads, Shaped Breads, Weight Watchers-Friendly

These simple Weight Watchers gluten free bagels are made with just 5 simple ingredients and have only 3 SmartPoints each. Even if you're not on (or even interested in) WW, you're going to love how easy this dough is—and how it tastes!

What makes this recipe for WW gluten free bagels so special

These bagels have become Internet famous because they're diet friendly, for sure. But the real reasons you'll fall in love with them are the ease and the taste!

The perfect tang of Greek-style plain yogurt takes the place of an aged yeast bread dough and makes them super tender inside. They may not be classic New York-style dense and chewy bagels, but they're in a class by themselves!

What is the 2-ingredient WW dough?

These Weight Watchers-style gluten free bagels are based upon the “2-ingredient Weight Watchers bagels” and pizza recipes that apparently took over Instagram at some point.

Since I'm not active on Instagram at all (and mostly enjoy the photos of puppies and kittens and the occasional lifestyle bloggers whose life I simply cannot relate to but am fascinated by), I didn't hear about these right away.

WW 2 Ingredient bagels raw adding toppings

When they're referred to as 2-ingredient bagels, it's based on the ingredients' being self-rising flour + fat-free Greek-style yogurt. If you're in the U.K. (hello! ??), you most likely do have a self-rising gluten free flour blend in your arsenal, like Dove's brand. If you do have that, try using it in place of the flour blend, baking powder, and salt below.

What's with the Weight Watchers Recipes?

Each of these miniature bagels has about 2 1/2 SmartPoints (without the toppings), which I figure you have to round up to 3 SmartPoints but you can have 2 of them for 5. It's like they're on a two-fer sale! I care about things like that now a bit, and I thought you might, too. Here's why…

When I first wrote my cookbook, Gluten Free Classic Snacks, I was intrigued by copycatting some Weight Watchers-style foods like their brownies. They were so good, but they weren't available as gluten free, so I made them gluten free.

I have 3 children and although I've always been disgustingly naturally thin, I was never really quite the same after the third child—12 years ago. I've always hated it, but sort of chalked it up to early middle age and went on my way.

I also have 2 daughters, who are both rather naturally thin themselves, but I wasn't raised with a healthy attitude toward food or weight or anything else really for that matter. I was terrified of my girls inheriting my somewhat distorted way of thinking, so I never complain about my body or my weight in front of them.

When a dear friend mentioned that she was on Weight Watchers for similar reasons to me (early middle aged, struggling to feel as good in her body as she always had), I thought I'd give it a try for a month. I literally haven't mentioned a word of it my daughters, though. They never read the blog (too boring, I'm sure), so I figure I'm good.

Anyway, it turns out that I really really like it. I feel like I had half-heartedly tried every other “diet” (Paleo! keto! low carb!) over the last 12 years and nothing made a dent. Weight Watchers is not perfect, but I like the loose rules. They do most of the thinking for me. I like that. And it worked. I like that too!

Weight Watchers gluten free bagels: Ingredients and substitutions

There are so few ingredients in this recipe that substitutions mostly come down to the flour blend used and the yogurt. The egg white and egg wash are really optional. Here are my tips:

What gluten free flour blend to use in this recipe

I have only tried this recipe using Better Batter (the same as my mock Better Batter) and my Better Than Cup4Cup all purpose gluten free flour recipes. I'm planning to try variations on this dough made with Paleo flours, but I'm not there quite yet! I will be sure to keep you posted.

As always, I recommend you only use one of my recommended all purpose gluten free flour blends, either commercially available or homemade according to my DIY recipes. If you use a gritty rice flour blend or an unbalanced blend, the recipe just won't likely turn out. All gluten free flour blends are not created equal.

Gluten free dairy free Weight Watchers bagels

I am happy to report that I have made this recipe successfully with dairy-free plain coconut milk yogurt. So Delicious makes a really great one, and I find it at my local natural foods store.

Since the dairy-free variety was not a Greek-style yogurt, I found that I had to use 1 1/4 cups (175 g) of the all purpose gluten free flour blend, and did not add the egg white. The bagels browned a bit less (a function of the dairy-free yogurt, I believe), and the dough was a bit harder to handle (a function of the extra moisture).

But the taste and overall texture were great. In addition, since the dairy-free plain yogurt was not fat-free, you'd have to recalculate the SmartPoints value.

If you can only use a plain yogurt of any kind that isn't Greek-style, you can either add 1/4 cup (35 g) more all purpose gluten free flour or strain the yogurt until it's thick enough to be Greek-style. Then, measure out 1 cup (245 grams) of the thicker yogurt and 1 cup (140 grams) of the flour blend.

Gluten free 2 ingredient bagels

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Weight Watchers Gluten Free Bagels | GF 2 Ingredient Dough

Made with the famous gluten free 2 ingredient dough, these gluten free Weight Watchers-style gluten free bagels have only 3 WW points per serving, and are delightfully chewy and yeasty tasting—without any yeast.

Course: Bagels, Bread, Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 22

Yield: 6 small bagels

Author: Nicole Hunn

Ingredients

1 cup (140 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I recommend Better Batter (or my mock blend) or Better Than Cup4Cup—both recipes in the link), plus about 1 tablespoon more (9 g) for sprinkling
½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (245 g) nonfat Greek-style plain yogurt chilled
1 (25 g) egg white chilled
Egg wash 1 egg + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, beaten (optional)
Toppings optional like sesame seeds, poppy seeds or Everything But the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine. Add the yogurt, and mix until combined.
Depending on the moisture content in your yogurt, the dough may still not hold together fully. If necessary to bring the dough together, add the egg white (or a bit more yogurt) by the teaspoonful.
Mix to combine until the dough holds together well.
Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and knead it with clean hands until it’s a bit smoother. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions (each a bit more than 2 ounces in weight).
Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll each into a ball between your cupped palms and/or by rolling on the lightly floured surface. Add a bit more flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Even when shaped, the dough will seem somewhat uneven.
Press each round of dough into a disk about 1/2-inch tall and, with a floured forefinger, create a hole in the center and rotate the dough to increase the size to about 1-inch. Reshape the dough around the hole if necessary.
Place the shaped pieces of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush generously with the optional egg wash and top with the optional toppings.
Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake, rotating once during baking, until the bagels are puffed and golden brown all over, about 22 minutes.
Allow to cool briefly on the baking sheet before slicing and serving.
Leftovers can be sliced and stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days (to maintain moisture, add a moistened paper towel to the bag) or sealed in a freezer-safe container for longer storage.

Notes

Adapted from allllll over the Internet. Like Mess For Less.

Nutritional information is approximate and should not be relied upon for complete accuracy. It excludes the egg wash and any toppings.

Nutrition

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image of miniature bagel baked on a plate and raw bagel on baking tray

Fudgy Flourless Black Bean Cookies

By Nicole Hunn | Published: August 11, 2017 | Posted In: Cookies, Desserts, Flourless Baking

Incredibly fudgy, rich chocolate black bean cookies have absolutely no flour of any kind. They'll never know about the beans if you don't tell them!

Incredibly fudgy, rich chocolate black bean cookies have absolutely no flour of any kind. They'll never about the beans if you don't tell them!

If you had told me a couple of years ago that I'd be baking with black beans, I'd almost certainly be rolling my eyes at you. I have been on a crusade since my son went gluten free in 2004 to kill the phrase “good, for gluten free”—for good.

So believe me when I tell you that these amazingly fudgy black bean cookies taste nothing like black beans. It all started when I made perfect black bean brownies and found out that they're good for more than, say, burritos and black bean burgers.

These cookies are not overly sweet at all, but you can increase the sugar to 3/4 of a cup from 1/2 if you'd like a sweeter cookie. I like them just like this—and why bake with beans if you're just going to load it up with sugar, right?

You just can't believe how intensely chocolatey they are until you try them. And what are the chances you don't have these basic ingredients already in your pantry? If you don't have unsweetened chocolate, just use the darkest chocolate you have and don't sweat the small stuff.

Why Black Beans?

If you're wondering why we're using black beans, in particular, I blame it on the Internet. I don't know who the first person was to start this experiment, but suddenly black bean brownies were everywhere.

When you drain and rinse a can of black beans really really well, the beans taste very neutral. And I first decided to give black bean brownies a try when the quality of a beloved brand of black beans went downhill and every can was suddenly mushy and pitiful.

I haven't tried these cookies (or my black bean brownies) with another type of bean, but I have to imagine that most beans would work. Speaking of other ingredients that I haven't tried…

Ingredients and Substitutions

If you're dying to make this recipe, but wondering (you know you are!) how to make it suit your family's particular dietary needs, here's what I can offer you:

Dairy-Free: Easy peasy. Just use softened Earth Balance buttery sticks in place of the unsalted butter, and omit the salt from the ingredient list. Those sticks are plenty salty!

Egg-Free: Eggs are always a little tricky to replace in baking, but since there is only one egg in this recipe, a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel) should work. The only problem here is that, since there's no flour, the egg provides most of the structure. You'll have to experiment!

Sugar: You definitely cannot replace the granulated sugar with a liquid sugar (I seem to get that question a lot these days), but you might be able to replace it with coconut palm sugar. But since granulated coconut sugar is quite coarsely ground, I'd recommend pulsing it alone in a food processor before adding it to the cookie dough.

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Fudgy Flourless Black Bean Cookies

Incredibly fudgy, rich chocolate black bean cookies have absolutely no flour of any kind. Let's keep the beans our secret!

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 18

Chilling time: 10

Yield: 12 cookies

Author: Nicole Hunn

Equipment

food processor

Ingredients

1 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled briefly
6 tablespoons (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, place the black beans, butter and egg and pulse until mostly smooth.
Add the vanilla, sugar, baking soda, salt and melted chocolate, and pulse again until smooth.
The cookie dough at this point should be the consistency of hummus.
Add the cocoa powder and pulse until the mixture is well-combined. The consistency should be more like fudge.
Add most of the chocolate chips (about 3 ounces) and mix by hand until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
Using a spring-loaded cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop portions of the dough about 2 tablespoons each and place about 2 inches apart from one another on the prepared baking sheet.
Using the back of a moistened spoon, spread each portion of cookie dough into a round about 1/2-inch thick.
Sprinkle the top of each piece of dough with a few more chocolate chips.
Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill for about 10 minutes or until mostly firm to the touch.
Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the cookies have taken on a crackled appearance and are mostly firm to the touch, about 18 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. They’ll be quite fragile when they’re warm.

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Gluten Free Chocolate Recipes To Satisfy Everyone!

By Nicole Hunn | Published: February 10, 2017 | Posted In: Quick Breads

These 15 gluten free chocolate recipes have something for absolutely everyone, from dark chocolate lovers to white-chocolate-only people. They're desserts made with “normal” ingredients, and they're sure to win over your toughest critic!

15 gluten free chocolate recipes have something for absolutely everyone, from dark chocolate lovers to those who prefer white chocolate. They're desserts made with "normal" ingredients, and they're sure to win over the toughest critic!

If you tell me that you don't like chocolate, I'm going to do everything within my power to prove you wrong. But it's not just chocolate. If you tell me you don't like pretty much anything, that's my cue to get to work.

Now, I've watched my own son develop right before my eyes into a young man who truly doesn't love chocolate. He'll take a few bites of a rich brownie, and push it away. A flourless chocolate cake is just not his jam after bite one.

But there is a chocolate recipe in this list of 15 of the very best gluten free chocolate recipes for everyone. Including my son.

For the true deep-as-you-dare chocolate lovers, go for the flourless chocolate cake, chocolate lava cakes, chocolate cakes for one, or the chocolate mousse cake (personal fave).

For the other end of the spectrum, you and my son will love the red velvet cake, chocolate mug cake (a great last minute for your Valentine!), or the devil's food cake.

And really and truly for everyone, the crazy cake (seriously everyone's favorite, including the cook!). Also, the one bowl chocolate cake, chocolate pound cake, black bean or avocado brownies (for the healthiest!).

The vegan white chocolate is just in a class by itself. That is the recipe for people who swear they don't like white chocolate.

This crazy cake is a gluten free chocolate cake made with no eggs, no butter and no chopped chocolate—but it's still super moist and tender. Find out just how this simple cake is done!

This crazy cake is a gluten free chocolate cake made with no eggs, no butter and no chopped chocolate—but it’s still super moist and tender. It's so simple, and it's consistently one of the most popular recipes on this blog. For good reason!

This gluten free chocolate cake is rich, dense and fudgy, and it's all made in just one bowl. Make a double layer or single, with the simplest chocolate ganache frosting.

This easy gluten free chocolate cake is rich, dense and fudgy, and it’s all made in just one bowl. Make a double layer or single, with the simplest chocolate ganache frosting. A perennial favorite.

Gluten free chocolate mug cake is made in 1 minute in the microwave. Learn the secrets to making it moist and tender every time. This is what you make when you just want a little something, or you promised something chocolatey—and plum forgot until the last minute.

This moist and fudgy double chocolate gluten free zucchini bread will have you wondering how it’s possible that there are 2 cups of grated vegetables hidden inside.

It's worth buying zucchini in the middle of the winter for this gem, and you'll making it all summer long when you can't get rid of that pushy veg fast enough!

Learn to make homemade vegan white chocolate with this easy recipe. Just 6 simple ingredients. Prove, once and for all, that real white chocolate is, indeed, real chocolate.

Restaurant-style gluten free chocolate lava cakes with a warm, gooey center. For your Valentine, or any time!

Gluten free chocolate lava cake is for maximum impact with minimum effort! Restaurant-style gluten cakes with a warm, gooey center. I won't tell how easy it is if you don't.

These quick and easy gluten free chocolate cake donuts are the perfect way to satisfy your donut cravings. Make them in a donut pan or a muffin tin. And don't forget the rich chocolate glaze!

Rich chocolate gluten free chocolate donuts with a thick chocolate glaze. Enough said!

Flourless gluten free chocolate cake for one. 3 ingredients. 1 cake. 20 minutes max. This little cake is for you, when you want something with chocolate. If you really want to impress guests, make everyone their own in minutes, right before serving. Mmmmm….

Black bean brownies are a special kind of flourless gluten free brownie, and this amazing recipe doesn’t taste at ALL like beans. Really! Tasting is believing.

These fudgy avocado brownies are actually good for you. So easy to make, they’re gluten free, and guilt-free! Give your Valentine some love from the heart—that's good for their heart! (see what I did there?)

Rich, but not too rich; sweet but not too sweet. This moist and tender gluten free devil's food cake can easily be made into cupcakes or a layer cake. It might just be your new go-to chocolate cake recipe! Be sure to watch the short video that proves just how easy it is.

Rich, but not too rich; sweet but not too sweet. This moist and tender gluten free devil’s food cake can easily be made into cupcakes or a layer cake. Look at those moist crumbs! This cake will make a chocolate lover out of a.n.y.o.n.e.

Moist and dense with a deep, rich chocolate flavor, this gluten free chocolate pound cake is a chocolate-lover's dream. Eggs are the only thing that gives it lift, so it's nice and dense, but never dry.

This classic gluten free red velvet cake is everything you remember red velvet to be. Moist and tender, lightly chocolate cake that is my go-to recipe whenever I want to please chocolate and non-chocolate lovers alike!

This classic gluten free red velvet cake is everything you remember red velvet to be—with or without eeeevvvvviiiillll food coloring.

Moist and tender, lightly chocolate cake that is my go-to recipe whenever I want to please chocolate and non-chocolate lovers alike. My son loves this cake—and so do my chocolate-loving girls and husband.

A flourless chocolate cake is one of those restaurant-style desserts that it's tempting to think is too fussy to make at home. It's naturally gluten free, and you can whip one up at home any time!

Finally, last but not least, a classic flourless chocolate cake. This is one of those restaurant-style desserts that it’s tempting to think is too fussy to make at home. It’s naturally gluten free, you know. But let's be real: only true chocolate lovers need apply.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

By Nicole Hunn | Published: June 22, 2016 | Posted In: Cakes, Desserts, Quick Breads

This moist and fudgy double chocolate zucchini bread will have you wondering how it’s possible that there are 2 cups of grated vegetables hidden inside!

Overhead view of 2 slices of chocolate zucchini bread

If you were thinking of giving me a gift (aw, shucks), keep your zucchini to yourself, brother. And I say that with l-o-v-e. I love you enough to tell you that I don't want your zucchini. I'm fully expecting to have my own problems all.summer.long.

I have heard of people who try to grow zucchini … and can't. We have never, ever had that problem. Our problem has always been that, no matter how many we plant, we have a bumper crop. If you are anything like me, this chocolate gluten free zucchini bread is just the salvation you're looking for.

Zucchini isn't my absolute favorite vegetable for just plain eating, no sir. I don't care for it grilled, and I'd rather not eat it raw. But for baking? It's a wonder.

Summer's pushiest vegetable stores moisture like nobody's business, waiting to release that moisture at just the right moment during baking. The final baked result is just as rich and fudgy as it looks.

And in case you were worrying over whether your vegetable-hating family and friends might turn it away, zucchini-packed baked goods taste nothing like zucchini. Our gluten free zucchini bread with chocolate chips has already proved that point, but today we're going even further.

Overhead view of chocolate zucchini bread dough in a bowl and in a loaf pan, chocolate zucchini bread in a loaf pan, and a side view of chocolate zucchini bread in a loaf pan

Since the eggs are blended with the oil and some of the zucchini, this chocolate zucchini quick bread even gets that lovely crackly crust that the very best brownies have. According to The Kitchn, that crackly crust on brownies is actually a meringue, made from beaten egg whites and sugar, and it happens when you beat your eggs quite a lot. So blend away!

Close top of chocolate zucchini bread on a white surface

I first published this recipe on the blog in 2012 (!), and it was rather a different recipe. It made two loaves, since my old, old pre-GF recipes for zucchini breads always made two loaves. And it relied mostly upon melted chocolate, almost to the complete exclusion of cocoa powder. It was a lovely loaf, but this recipe is, well, better. Now, the deep chocolate flavor comes mostly from cocoa powder, there is considerably less oil in the loaf, and … one loaf at a time.

P.S. Here's my more traditional recipe for gluten free zucchini bread, hold the chocolate.

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Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

The moist and fudgy double chocolate zucchini bread that will have you wondering how 2 cups of grated vegetables are hidden inside!

Course: Quick bread

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 50

Yield: 10 slices quick bread

Author: Nicole Hunn

Equipment

Blender or food processor

Ingredients

2 ounces dark chocolate chopped
1 ½ cups (210 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)
¼ cup (20 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups (200 g) grated fresh zucchini
2 (100 g) eggs at room temperature, beaten
6 tablespoons (84 g) neutral oil (canola, vegetable, grapeseed or peanut oil all work)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F.
Grease and line a standard 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, place the chopped chocolate and microwave in 30-second bursts at 60% power, stirring in between, until smooth.
Set the chocolate aside to cool briefly.
In a large bowl, place flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine.
Place the chocolate chips in a separate small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of the dry ingredients to the chips and toss to combine. Set the chips aside.
Add 1 1/2 cups (150 g) of the grated zucchini to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, breaking up any clumps of grated zucchini.
In a blender or food processor, place the remaining 1/2 cup (50 g) grated zucchini, eggs, oil and vanilla, and blend or process until smooth.
Add the melted chocolate, and blend once more to combine.
Create a well in the center of the bowl of dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients and mix to combine. The batter will be soft.
Add all but a few of the chocolate chips and reserved dry ingredients to the batter, and stir until the chips are evenly distributed throughout.
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and smooth the top with a wet spatula.
Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly on top and press gently to help them adhere.
Place the loaf pan in the center of the preheated oven, and bake, rotating once, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean (about 50 minutes).
Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes in the loaf pan before transferring a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice and serve.

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3 slices of chocolate zucchini bread on white surface and chocolate zucchini bread in a loaf pan

Gluten Free Chicken Fried Chicken

By Nicole Hunn | Published: January 9, 2015 | Posted In: Chicken, Dinner

Fried chicken with white sauce and herbs on a white plate

In these final stages of prep of my next cookbook, Gluten Free Classic Snacks (it's going to print in just 10 days!!), I've been doing what I always do before a book launch: baking my way through it, of course! It calms my nerves (the recipes really do work perfectly!) and allows me to tweak the recipes a teeny tiny bit here and there (shouldn't the Little Debbie-style Cosmic Brownies have, like, 1/8 teaspoon more salt, to bring out the rich chocolate flavor?). It's a good thing that, at this late date, it's mostly out of my hands since I'm probably about 2 tweaks away from total insanity—and my publisher would kill me if I made any changes now. But I'm still baking from the book here and there, as I can't seem to help myself when I go through the proofs and ooooh and ahhhhh over all the gorgeous photos of every imaginable packaged snack under the sun. This book has got to be The Best Thing that ever happened to my children. They're in snack heaven! As you know, Chapter 4 of the book is crackers and other savory, crunchy snacks. When I found myself staring at a nice, big batch of Gluten Free Keebler Town House-Style crackers (page 175), I knew the time had finally come to make gluten free chicken fried chicken. Tender, moist and buttery, and honestly so ridiculously easy (and not even messy!), this is the chicken your family wants this weekend.

Shallow-frying isn't the healthiest thing in the world to do (actually, deep frying is more healthful, since the food absorbs less oil), but it's just so easy and not nearly as much of an undertaking as a deep fry (not that I don't adore a good deep fry).

Fried chicken with herbs in a white dish

I've got all sorts of tips and tricks for how to keep the gorgeous cracker coating firmly in place on your chicken breasts. You want that nice, thick crust, don't you??

How to make Gluten Free Chicken Fried Chicken—Step by Step

The step by steps are mostly for show here. It's just easy peasy. They're also a way to show off those homemade Keebler Town House style crackers, too. Keebler elves are so right. They are uncommonly good!

A close up of fried chicken in beige surface

Slice through that crispy, crunchy, buttery crust to find the most tender white chicken breast you've ever tasted. The cream gravy is a nice, authentic touch of southern cuisine, but really? You don't need it. You can see for yourself that it's perfect—just the way it is. Like you! ;)

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Gluten Free Chicken Fried Chicken

This gluten free chicken fried chicken is moist, tender and full of flavor. With gluten free cream gravy recipe!

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Yield: 5 servings

Author: Nicole Hunn

Ingredients

For the chicken

1 ½ pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts (5 thinly-cut breasts)
¼ cup (36 g) superfine gluten free sweet rice flour or superfine rice flour
2 large eggs at room temperature, beaten
2 tablespoons milk at room temperature
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups gluten free crackers
Oil for frying (I used a combination of canola oil and nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening)

For the cream gravy

1 ½ tablespoons oil for frying (or rendered bacon fat or other flavorful fat)
2 ½ tablespoons (21 g) gluten free gum-free flour blend (14 g superfine white rice flour + 5 g potato starch + 2 g tapioca starch/flour) or superfine gluten free sweet rice flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon mustard powder plus more to taste
1 cup milk plus more by the tablespoonful

Instructions

Prep the chicken.

Place the chicken breasts in a large, zip-top bag, add the sweet rice flour and close the top securely. Shake the bag to coat all sides of every chicken breast in the flour. Set the bag aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the baking sheet aside.

Coat the chicken.

In a medium-size shallow bowl or pan, place the eggs, milk, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper, and beat to combine well. Into a separate, medium-size bowl or pan, crush the crackers with your hands so that there are only a few slightly larger pieces.
Set up a dipping station by placing the chicken breasts, then the egg mixture, and finally the crushed crackers, all right next to one another. Place a large piece of bleached parchment paper on top of a cutting board or other flat surface next to the crushed crackers.
Open the plastic zip-top bag and, using a fork, remove one piece of flour-coated chicken and dip it in the egg mixture on both sides. Remove the chicken from the egg mixture with the fork, and allow any excess to drip off before placing it in on top of the crushed crackers. Using a separate fork, press the chicken down firmly into the crackers so that the crumbs adhere to the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken from the crackers with the fork, and place on the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken. Allow the chicken to sit for at least 10 minutes so the coating begins to form a thicker paste on the breasts.

Fry the chicken.

Place about 1/2-inch of oil in a large, heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers. The oil is ready when a large cracker crumb placed in it bubbles up gently and browns slowly and evenly. If the cracker burns, the oil is too hot. If it doesn’t bubble, it’s too cold. Once the oil has reached the proper temperature (about 350°F, but it is difficult to determine the temperature of oil that is that shallow), place as many pieces of chicken as can fit in the skillet without crowding at all (in a 12-inch skillet, I fit 3 pieces). Fry for 4 minutes completely undisturbed before carefully flipping the breasts over. Fry for another 4 minutes or until evenly golden brown all over. Remove the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate, and repeat with the remaining chicken. Transfer the pieces of chicken to the prepared baking sheet, at least 1-inch apart from one another.

Finish the chicken in the oven.

Place the chicken in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the chicken is opaque throughout.

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The Best Gluten Free Black Bean Burgers

By Nicole Hunn | Published: June 23, 2014 | Posted In: Dinner, Holidays, Vegetarian

Summer's best gluten free black bean burgers are perfect for grilling or cooking on the stovetop. The search for the perfect veggie burger is over!

As soon as summer hits, I renew my search for the truly perfect veggie burger. I have come up with recipes for a few in my time, but the quest continues summer after summer all the same.

I don't think that a veggie burger should try to taste like meat, since, well, it isn't meat. Whatever you do, though, you're gonna need a real gluten free bun. I love these Pretzel Rolls from page 153 of Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread here. The smooth texture of the burger with the chew of a pretzel roll is just too perfect for me to deny. But they'd also be great with our gluten free Hawaiian rolls.

It does take some doing to get the texture of a veggie burger just right, though. It had to be moist but not crumbly, and sturdy enough to stand up to being grilled, if that's your thing. I like to sauté these burgers in virgin coconut oil in a hot cast iron pan, but they would also do great on the grill.

I like to sauté these burgers in virgin coconut oil in a hot cast iron pan, but they would also do great on the grill. They're sturdy enough to hold up to the grates.

black bean burgers before and after being cooked

Now I know you. You're going to want to know if these can be made without eggs (I don't know! maybe try chia seed egg replacements?), without goat cheese (see my suggestions in the recipe!) and without black beans (just kidding—they're black bean burgers, silly).

You do need all the elements, though, for the burgers to turn out dense enough but still moist, with the creaminess of the goat cheese, the flavor of the onions, garlic and chipotle sauce.

If you just can't get enough black beans, or just have some left over after this recipe, try my recipe for Flourless Black Bean Brownies. I was so skeptical for so long that you could make delicious brownies using black beans in place of flour, but they are nothing short of amazing—and taste nothing like beans at all!

A close up of a black bean burger on a pretzel bun

So if you aren't into any of the elements, as always feel free to experiment! And if you try something that works a treat, do let us know in the comments. You're the expert on how to make this recipe perfect for yourself and your family.

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The Best Gluten Free Black Bean Veggie Burgers

These gluten free black bean burgers are packed with flavor, and perfect for grilling or cooking on the stovetop.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Chilling time: 1

Yield: 6 burgers

Author: Nicole Hunn

Ingredients

3 tablespoons (42 g) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (64 g) mayonnaise
¼ cup (64 g) sour cream
1 chipotle chili in adobo seeds removed
½ cup (70 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend plus more for dredging
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1 cup (120 g) gluten free oat flour
½ cup (50 g) gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cans (30 ounces) black beans drained and rinsed (or an equivalent amount of fresh cooked dried black beans, drained)
5 ounces goat cheese crumbled (can try substituting an equal amount of feta cheese, farmer’s cheese or drained ricotta cheese)
2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs beaten
5 tablespoons (70 g) virgin coconut oil

Instructions

In a medium-size, heavy bottom saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the diced onion, stirring occasionally, until translucent (about 5 minutes).
Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant (about another 2 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside to cool briefly.
Place the mayonnaise, sour cream and chipotle chili in a blender, and blend until smooth. Set the sauce aside.
In a large bowl, place the all purpose flour, xanthan gum, oat flour and whole oats, and whisk to combine well.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the black beans, goat cheese, eggs, 1/4 cup of the chipotle mayonnaise sauce and the sautéed onions and garlic, mixing to combine after each addition.
Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for the mixture to chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
Once the mixture has chilled, form it into 6 patties of about 3/4-inch thick, pressing to pack the patties firmly.
Dredge each patty in flour to coat both sides in a thin layer and set aside.
Heat 4 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large cast iron (or other heavy-bottom) skillet over medium-high heat until the oil ripples slightly.
Place the patties in the skillet to cook until browned on the underside (about 3 minutes), taking care not to crowd the skillet. Flip the patties and continue to cook until browned on the second side (about another 3 minutes).
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet and continue to cook until the patties feel firm to the touch (about another 4 minutes).
Remove the patties from the skillet and place on a wire rack to drain.
Repeat with the remaining patties, adding more oil as necessary.

Nutrition

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Gluten Free Brookies

By Nicole Hunn | Published: April 24, 2014 | Posted In: Cookies, Desserts

These gluten free brookies are the perfect marriage of soft, chewy cookies with rich, chocolatey brownies. And you won't believe how easy they are.

Overhead view of brookies on brown surface

Not only are these way faster to put together than you might imagine, but they're gonna impress the pants off your friends and family. The chocolate chip cookie ingredients are intentionally so much like the brownie ingredients that the whole recipe is super easy.

To prove it (and to help you recover from the long list of ingredients), I made a table with the ingredients, that are almost exactly the same for both halves.

brookie dough and cookies In brown surface

Not too many chocolate chips, not too few. Not too much chocolate, not too little.

Best enjoyed … with a tall glass of milk. By your favorite hand models (um, I mean children).

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Gluten Free Brookies

These soft and chewy gluten free brookies are half chocolate chip cookie, half brownie, side by side, for the ultimate cookie.

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 12

Yield: 36 cookies

Author: Nicole Hunn

Ingredients

Cookie half

1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
3 tablespoons (27 g) cornstarch (replace with more Cup4Cup if that is your all purpose gluten free flour blend)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (73 g) packed light brown sugar
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten

Brownie half

1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
¾ cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder, but natural or Dutch-processed would work fine, too)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons (28 g) neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten

Instructions

Make the cookie dough.

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients to a small bowl, and toss with the chocolate chips, then set the chips aside.
To the large bowl of dry ingredients, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and whisk to combine well, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar.
Create a well in the center and add the butter, vanilla and eggs, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough should be thick but soft. If your dough isn’t coming together properly, your butter and eggs most likely were too cold.
Allow the dough to sit until the ingredients warm up, and then bring it together.
Add the chocolate chips and reserved dry ingredients, and mix until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator to chill until it is easier to handle (about 10 minutes).

Make the brownie dough.

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well.
Transfer 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients to a small bowl, and toss with the chocolate chips, then set the chips aside.
To the large bowl of dry ingredients, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and whisk to combine well, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar.
Create a well in the center and add the butter, oil, vanilla and eggs, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough should be thick but soft.
Add the chocolate chips and reserved dry ingredients, and mix until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Cover the dough and place it in the refrigerator to chill briefly until it is easier to handle (about 10 minutes).

Shape the brookies.

Once the dough has chilled, divide both types of dough into mounds that are about 1 teaspoonful each (I used a #70 ice cream scoop to do this, and it was the perfect size).
You should get about 36 mounds of each type of dough. If the dough becomes too sticky to handle, try placing the mounds in the freezer briefly.
Pair 1 mound each of chocolate chip cookie dough with 1 mound of brownie dough, side by side.
Roll together into a ball between your palms, press gently into a disk about 1/2-inch thick, and place on a prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining mounds of dough, placing them about 1 1/2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake.

Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes, or until set in the center and just beginning to brown on the underside of the chocolate chip cookie side (you won’t be able to detect the browning on the brownie side).
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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