Best Flourless Brownies (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
Posted Feb 10, 2019, Updated May 14, 2024
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These fudgy flourless brownies are easy to make with 8 ingredients in 25 minutes! They are truly the best gluten-free brownies and can easily be made paleo & dairy-free!
Hi, My name is Laura, and I am a brownie addict.
Brownies are my favorite dessert, and these flourless brownies are the best if you’re looking for a gluten-free brownie that doesn’t taste healthy at all (not in the slightest).
In my opinion, a spectacular brownie needs to be insanely fudgy and irresistibly chocolatey (cakey brownies need not apply). These flourless brownies are all that and more. Plus they have a beautifully crunchy crinkly top!
Flourless Brownies: Ingredients & Substitutions
As always, let’s chat about the ingredients in this flourless brownie recipe, as well as possible substitutions!
- Salted Butter. coconut oil is a great dairy-free substitute, unsalted butter also works well.
- Granulated sugar: White sugar, organic cane sugar, and coconut sugar (paleo) are great choices.
- Cornstarch. arrowroot and tapioca starch are great (paleo) substitutes.
- Chocolate chips: choose your favorite variety. Here are some paleo options:
Paleo Chocolate Chips & Bars
- Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems.
- Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate Bars. or use chopped chocolate bars.
- Lily’s Dark Chocolate. They make chips and bars that are stevia sweetened, low carb, keto, etc.
- Enjoy Life Foods Dark Chocolate Chips are a good option that are vegan, dairy-free but not fully paleo.
How to Make Flourless Brownies
As with all brownie recipes, the method really matters. Don’t forget to watch the video.
The first step in making these flourless brownies is to melt the butter (or coconut oil) and chocolate together – either in the microwave or on the stovetop. . It’s important to do this first because the mixture needs to cool slightly before adding it to the batter.
The important thing about this step is that the final melted mixture should be shiny and glossy.
An important factor in achieving that perfect crinkly top is to beat the eggs on high speed for 60 seconds until they are frothy and a little bit thick. I recommend using a standing mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment or a hand-held mixer to make this flourless brownie recipe.
Next, add the coconut sugar (or granulated sugar) and beat on high for an additional 60 seconds. The mixture will be slightly thick and frothy.
Once the eggs and sugar are combined, add the rest of the wet ingredients. At this point beat the mixture until everything is just combined (about 15 seconds). Scrape the sides and beat again if necessary!
Next, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Then, beat on low speed (to avoid any ingredients spilling out of the mixer), until the batter is smooth.
Then, stir in the chocolate chips by hand. The batter should be thick.
Adding chocolate chips is optional, you can omit them and still make delicious brownies.
Bake
Pour the flourless brownie batter into an 8×8″ baking pan and bake for 18-25 minutes.
I like to add a few extra chocolate chips to the top of the flourless brownie batter, just for good measure (and for looks)!
You will know the flourless brownies have finished baking when the top and sides are barely set and the brownies are just slightly “jiggly.” The top will be crackly and shiny as well.
Cool & Serve
Let the brownies cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, cut and serve.
For easier removal, line the baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Then after the paleo brownies have cooled slightly, you can easily lift them out of the pan and cut them on a cutting board!
Store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To return the fresh-from-the-oven taste simply reheat in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Freeze
Individually wrap the flourless brownies, then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Flourless Brownies Recipe FAQs
Yes! As long as you choose gluten-free chocolate (which most varieties are), and follow the recipe, these flourless brownies are gluten-free!
A cakey brownie usually has leavening agents and a higher flour : fat ratio. Fudgy brownies (like these flourless brownies) have a higher ratio of fat : dry ingredients and no leavening agents.
Using a mixer. The recipe calls for mixing everything in a standing mixer or a hand-held mixer. I truly believe this is important if you care about shiny, crackly brownie tops!
Mixing by hand. However, you can also mix everything by hand! I recommend whipping the eggs by hand with a wire whisk, and then whipping them again after you add the sugar.
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Best Flourless Brownies (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter (or coconut oil)
- ¾ cup chocolate chips (unsweetened baking chocolate)*
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted***
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch (or tapioca/arrowroot starch)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips (mix-in, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease an 8×8” square pan and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
- Melt ¾ cup chocolate chips and butter (or coconut oil) together either on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave, until smooth and glossy.
- Add eggs, to the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, and beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute. The eggs will be pale yellow, thicker and frothy. (You can also beat for 60 seconds with a hand-held mixer)
- Add the melted butter/chocolate mixture and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Then, add the dry mixture and beat until smooth and there are no lumps.
- Stir in ½ cup chocolate chips (if desired).
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-25 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with wet crumbs.
- Cool for at least 15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before cutting and serving. I recommend cooling completely for easier cutting.
Video
Notes
- Salted Butter. coconut oil is a great dairy-free substitute, unsalted butter also works well.
- Granulated sugar: White sugar, organic cane sugar, and coconut sugar (paleo) are great choices.
- Cornstarch. arrowroot and tapioca starch are great (paleo) substitutes.
- Chocolate chips: choose your favorite variety. Here are some paleo options:
- Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems.
- Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate Bars. or use chopped chocolate bars.
- Lily’s Dark Chocolate. They make chips and bars that are stevia sweetened, low carb, keto, etc.
- Enjoy Life Foods Dark Chocolate Chips are a good option that are vegan, dairy-free but not fully paleo.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
AMAZING! It is so incredible that these turn out so good! Made these for a friend who usually doesn’t prefer chocolate…she said she could eat the whole pan!! FIVE STARS!
Woo Hoo!! I’m so glad you and your friend love them!
They taste just like the box brownies I grew up with! I add a drizzle of peanut butter on top!
A drizzle of peanut butter is a great idea!
I don’t think I’ll ever go back to brownies that include flour again. I love this recipe because it leaves them so chocolatey, soft, and chewy. There’s absolutely zero chance for these brownies to accidentally come out too “cakey”. I love it!
Thank you Daphne! These are my favorites (just made a double batch on New Year’s Eve)! It always makes me so happy when other people enjoy them too!
Wow, these are amazing! I made the black bean brownies last week and thought those were delicious, but I made these ones for thanksgiving and ended up having to make two batches because they were such a hit! I’ve been on a gluten free/nut free/grain free diet for four years now and recipes that taste like “normal” food are so hard to come by. This one blew it out of the water! I also liked being able to substitute the coconut oil to make it dairy free for others in my family. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Thank you so much Jill! this is my favorite brownie recipe for all the reasons you shared! I am so glad you love them as much as we do! <3