Best Gluten Free Brownies (Fudgy, Chewy & Only 1 Bowl!)

Fudgy, chewy gluten free brownies

These gluten free brownies are thick, fudgy in the middle, chewy at the edges, and they bake up with that shiny, crackly top everyone fights over. Everything gets mixed in one bowl. No mixer needed!

This is my mom’s brownie recipe. She made these for me growing up, and they’re still the brownies I crave. The only thing I changed is the flour. Instead of regular flour, I toast oats in the oven, blend them into a fine flour, and use that. It gives the brownies a slightly nutty, toasty flavor that goes really well with the chocolate.

So you get a fudgy brownie recipe you can trust, made with a gluten free flour you can make at home in about 15 minutes. I’ll show you exactly how below.

My gluten free flour: homemade toasted oat flour

You don’t need a special flour blend for these brownies. Here’s how I make mine:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread about 1 1/3 cups (120 g) of certified gluten-free rolled oats on a baking sheet.
2. Toast for 5 to 10 minutes, until they smell nutty and look lightly golden. Keep an eye on them after 5 minutes, because they go from golden to burnt fast.
3. Let the oats cool completely. Warm oats turn a bit pasty in the blender.
4. Blend for 30 to 60 seconds, until it looks like a fine, soft powder with no big flakes left.
5. Weigh out 115 g for the recipe. (Keep the oven on for the brownies!)

Toasting does two things. It dries the oats so they grind finer, and it adds a toasty flavor you just don’t get from raw oat flour.

Are oats gluten free?

Oats don’t contain gluten on their own, but regular oats are often grown and processed next to wheat, barley, and rye. That’s why you need oats labeled gluten free. The Celiac Disease Foundation includes oats in its list of foods that are easily contaminated and recommends buying ones specifically labeled gluten free.

One more thing if you’re baking for someone with celiac disease: most people with celiac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but a small number still react to them. Celiac Canada’s statement on oats explains this well. If you’re not sure, ask first, or use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead (see the FAQ).

Ingredients for this gluten free brownie recipe

• Homemade oat flour: 115 g, from toasted gluten-free oats (see above). Weigh it if you can. Oat flour is light and fluffy, so cups can be off by a lot depending on how you scoop.
• Salted butter: 10 tablespoons. Butter gives these their rich flavor and fudgy middle. If you only have unsalted, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: 1/2 cup gets melted with the butter, and another cup goes into the batter at the end. The melted chocolate is a big part of the shiny top. Check the bag says gluten free, since some brands are made on shared lines.
• Brown sugar and white sugar: Brown sugar keeps them chewy and moist. White sugar helps create that crackly, paper-thin top.
• Eggs plus 1 extra yolk: The extra yolk is the secret to a fudgy center. Room temperature eggs mix in more smoothly.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch-process gives a darker, deeper chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa tastes more like a classic brownie. Both work.
• Vanilla and kosher salt: Small amounts, big difference.
• Espresso powder (optional): Just 1/2 teaspoon. You won’t taste coffee, but the chocolate tastes stronger.

Equipment

An 8×8-inch baking pan (metal if you have one), parchment paper, one large microwave-safe bowl, a whisk, a rubber spatula, and a blender for the oats.

How to make gluten free brownies

Get the pan ready. Line your 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over two sides. Those flaps make it so easy to lift the whole slab out later.

Melt the butter and chocolate. Put the butter and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then keep going in 15-second bursts until it’s smooth and glossy. (A saucepan on low heat works too.)

Whisk in the sugar while it’s warm. Add both sugars and whisk hard for a full minute. You want the mixture warm, even a little hot, so the sugar starts to dissolve. This is what gives you the shiny top, so don’t rush it.

Add the eggs. Add the eggs and the yolk one at a time, whisking about 20 seconds after each. The batter will turn thick, glossy, and a little lighter in color. Then whisk in the vanilla, espresso powder, and salt.

Fold in the dry ingredients. Switch to a spatula and stir in the cocoa and oat flour until you can’t see any dry streaks. Then fold in the last cup of chocolate chips. The batter will be thick, almost like frosting.

Bake. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes. They’re done when the edges look set and pull away from the pan a little, and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

Let them cool. I know, this is the hardest part! Give them at least 30 minutes, or a full hour if you want clean squares. Warm gluten free brownies are soft and fall apart when you cut them, but they firm up as they cool.

Tips for fudgy, chewy brownies

Don’t overbake. This is the number one reason brownies turn dry and cakey. Start checking at 35 minutes. They keep cooking a little in the hot pan after you take them out, so a slightly soft center is exactly what you want.

Whisk the sugar long enough. That full minute of whisking into the warm chocolate is what makes the thin, crackly, shiny top. If your mixture cooled down too much, the sugar won’t dissolve as well and the top will look matte. Still delicious, just not as pretty.

Use a metal pan if you can. Metal heats up faster and more evenly than glass, so the edges get chewy without the middle overbaking. A glass pan works fine, just start checking a few minutes later.

Measure the oat flour by weight. Too much flour is the fastest way to get a dry, crumbly brownie, and oat flour is really easy to over-measure with cups.

Wait to cut them. Gluten free brownies need time to set. Cut them warm and they’ll crumble. For the cleanest squares, use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts.

Why are my gluten free brownies dry or crumbly?

Usually they were baked a few minutes too long, or there was too much flour. Next time, pull them out when the toothpick still has moist crumbs, and weigh your oat flour. If a batch does come out a little dry, store them in an airtight container overnight. They soften up by the next day.

And if they’re gooey and falling apart? They probably needed a few more minutes in the oven, or more time to cool. Chilling them in the fridge for 30 minutes helps them firm up.

Can you make gluten free dairy free brownies?

I make this recipe with real butter, and that’s how I’ve tested it. Butter is a big part of the flavor and the fudgy texture, so to be honest, a dairy-free version won’t taste exactly the same.

If you need gluten free dairy free brownies, here’s what I’d try:

• Dairy-free butter: Use a stick-style plant butter, not a soft spread from a tub. Tub spreads have more water, and the brownies come out cakey and greasy.
• Dairy-free chocolate chips: Swap both the melted chips and the mix-in chips. Look for a bag labeled dairy free and gluten free.
• Salt: Most plant butters are salted, so keep the salt as written.

If you try it, please tell me how it went in the comments! And if you’d like a recipe that’s dairy free from the start, my gluten free dairy free cookies are chewy, chocolatey, and dairy free from the start.

Add-ins and variations

The base recipe already has a full cup of chocolate chips folded in, but I’ve tried these brownies a few different ways and they’re all good:

• Nuts: Swap half the mix-in chips for 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. Toast them for a few minutes with the oats while the oven’s on.
• Peanut butter swirl: Warm 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter for about 15 seconds, drop small spoonfuls over the batter in the pan, and drag a knife through it in a zigzag. Don’t overdo it, or the swirl disappears.
• Extra chocolate: Use a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips, or scatter a few extra chips on top right before baking so they look melty in photos.
• Flaky salt: A pinch of flaky sea salt over the top as soon as they come out of the oven.

How to store gluten free brownies

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I like to leave the slab whole and cut pieces as I go, because the edges stay softer that way.

To freeze, wrap each brownie in plastic wrap, then put them all in a freezer bag. They keep for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for about an hour, or warm one in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds if you want it gooey again.

You can also toast and blend a big batch of oat flour ahead of time. Store it in a sealed jar in a cool, dry spot and use it within about a month, since the natural oils in oats can go stale.

Gluten free brownies FAQ

Are regular brownies gluten free?

No. Most brownie recipes and boxed mixes use wheat flour, which contains gluten. To make them gluten free, you swap in a gluten free flour, like the toasted oat flour in this recipe, and check that your chocolate chips and cocoa are labeled gluten free too.

Can I use a store-bought gluten free flour instead of oat flour?

Yes. Use 115 g (about 3/4 cup) of a 1:1 gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The brownies will be a little less nutty, but just as fudgy.

Can I use store-bought oat flour?

Sure, as long as it’s labeled gluten free. You’ll skip the toasting, so you miss that toasty flavor, but it saves time on a busy day.

Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?

Yes, quick oats blend into flour just fine. Steel-cut oats won’t work, though. They’re too hard to grind into a soft, fine flour in a regular blender.

Can I double this recipe?

You can double everything and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan. Start checking at 35 minutes, but a thicker pan may need up to 45. Use the toothpick test with moist crumbs, not the clock.

More gluten free chocolate recipes

If you’re on a chocolate kick, try my gluten-free chocolate cake for birthdays, or the 4-layer gluten-free chocolate delight when you need a big dessert for a crowd. For something with peanut butter, my gluten free peanut butter cookies are soft and chewy, and they go great with the peanut butter swirl version of these brownies. You’ll find the rest in my gluten-free desserts collection.

If you make these gluten free brownies, I’d really love to hear how they turned out. Leave a star rating in the recipe card, and tell me in the comments which add-in you tried. My mom would be happy to know her recipe is getting baked in other kitchens!

Recipe card: Gluten Free Brownies

Ingredients

For the oat flour

• 1 1/3 cups (120 g) certified gluten-free rolled oats

For the brownies

• 10 tablespoons (140 g) salted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, for melting
• 1/2 cup (105 g) packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 115 g homemade toasted oat flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 cup (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, for mixing in

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the oats on a baking sheet and toast for 5 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Cool completely.
2. Blend the cooled oats for 30 to 60 seconds into a fine flour. Weigh out 115 g.
3. Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
4. Melt the butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl, 30 seconds first, then 15-second bursts, stirring until smooth.
5. While the mixture is still warm, add both sugars and whisk hard for 1 minute.
6. Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, whisking 20 seconds after each. Whisk in the vanilla, espresso powder, and salt.
7. With a spatula, stir in the cocoa and oat flour until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips.
8. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
9. Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes (1 hour for the cleanest cuts), then lift out and cut into 16 squares.

Notes

• Total time includes 30 minutes of cooling.
• Use oats labeled gluten free. Regular oats are often contaminated with wheat.
• Swap: 115 g (about 3/4 cup) of a 1:1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum can replace the oat flour.
• Unsalted butter: add an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Dairy free: try stick-style plant butter and dairy-free chocolate chips (not tested by me).
• Add-ins: swap half the mix-in chips for 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, or swirl in 1/3 cup warmed peanut butter.
• Storage: airtight at room temperature up to 4 days, or frozen up to 3 months.
• Calories are an estimate per brownie with the chocolate chip version, based on 16 squares.