You’ll love these decadent flourless brownies! Made with absolutely no flour of any kind, they are brimming with intense chocolate flavor and fudginess.
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Decadent Flourless Brownies
Are flourless brownies gluten free? If they contain only gluten-free ingredients, yes.
In this flourless brownies recipe, not only is there absolutely no flour of any kind in this brownie, but what substitutes for flour is pure cocoa powder.
I came up with this idea after looking at Rachel Ray’s recipe for one pot brownies. I figured if Rachel’s brownies were quite good with 1/3 cup of flour in them, they’d be even better with more cocoa powder instead.
This level of chocolate is not for the faint of heart. If you do not love chocolate, back away from your screen and try to forget you ever saw this. You have been warned.
(If you’re really afraid of dark chocolate, I suggest you try these Incredible White Chocolate Brownies instead.)
For brownies, I like to use natural cocoa powder because of its robust and fruity flavor. You’ll find Ghirardelli cocoa in my kitchen most of the time.
But if you prefer a Dutch process cocoa, Valrhona makes one of the best. (I actually prefer Dutch cocoa over natural cocoa for making ice cream.)
Since these flourless brownies are so decadent and sophisticated, I thought they would go perfectly with this week’s Sunday Supper Movement theme, Red Carpet Party Recipes. That’s the kind of food that goes well with flashbulbs, haute couture, and shiny little statuettes.
If these brownies were a celebrity, they’d be Angelina Jolie when she was hanging out with Billy Bob Thorton: intense, dark, and just a bit dangerous.
Have you ever had a dessert you can describe like a celebrity? Tell me about it!
If you enjoyed this post, please give it a share on your favorite social media- and don’t forget to check out all the other #SundaySupper Red Carpet Party recipes located below this recipe!
I hope you like these gluten free, flourless brownies! They’re one of my most popular recipes.
Tips for Making Flourless Brownies
- So much of the flavor relies on the cocoa that it’s essential to choose a good one. See my recommendations above.
- Measuring when brownies are done is not the same as measuring when a cake is done. Use this brownie doneness test to get it right every time.
- Similar to the cocoa, the butter influences the flavor, too. I like Land O’Lakes butter for its reliability. You can also give these brownies an interesting twist by using a more strongly flavored butter, such as Plugra, for a European touch.
- I always line my brownie pans with parchment paper. Over time, I’ve gotten the knack of tucking a whole piece of paper in the pan so that it comes up the sides perfectly, but if you just want to cover the bottom of the pan without dealing with trying to make it come up the sides, there’s a simple solution. Place your pan on the paper. Use a pencil to trace the bottom, then cut out your tracing. Voila! Place it in the pan and it will fit perfectly.
Be sure to check out my guide to gluten free chocolate candy, too!
Decadent Flourless Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare an 8 inch square pan by lining it with parchment paper or foil.
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Place the sugar and the melted butter in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition. Stir in the salt and the vanilla extract, then set aside the whisk.
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Add the cocoa powder and stir in gently with a spoon or spatula, making sure to scrape down the bowl as you go so that the mixture is fully incorporated.
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Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter attached. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes on a rack, then use the liner to lift out the brownies and set them on the rack to finish cooling.
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Nominees for Best Supporting Appetizers:
- Beef Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Bleu Cheese and Bacon by Crazy Foodie Stunts
- Black and White Olive Cheese Puffs by Peaceful Cooking
- Cheddar Olives by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Chicken Boursin by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Citrus Avocado Shrimp Cocktail by Seduction in the Kitchen
- French Onion Sliders by Momma’s Meals
- Herbed Butter and Cheese Popcorn by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
- Italian Guacamole with Pesto by Food Done Light
- Lobster Bruschetta by The Texan New Yorker
- Melon and Prosciutto Skewers by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Mini Cheese Balls by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
- Moroccan Beef Kefta Briouat by Manu’s Menu
- Mushroom Pate by Lifestyle Food Artistry
- Oysters Rockfeller by Noshing With The Nolands
- Pea Pesto Crostini by Ruffles & Truffes
- Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp by Casa de Crews
- Raspberry Brie Bites by Love and Confections
- Roasted Red Pepper Pinwheels by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Smoked Trout Stuffed Baby New Potatoes by Food Lust People Love
- Spinach Bites by Shockingly Delicious
- Sweet Chili Chicken Skewers by Nosh My Way
Nominees for Best Course in a Leading Role:
- Broccoli Calzones by eating in instead
- Bow Ties and Tails Galore by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Chicken Oscar by Palatable Pastime
- Indulgent Lobster-Champagne Risotto by The Weekend Gourmet
- Oscar Worthy Cantonese Lobster with Coconut-Ginger Rice by Confessions of a Culinary Diva
Nominees for Best Supporting Sips:
- Apple Ginger Martini by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Blood Orange Rosemary Spritzer by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Cherry Almond Sparklers by Magnolia Days
- Iced Espresso Martini by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Mixed Berry Martini by The Messy Baker
- Oscartini by Family Foodie
- Red Carpet Sparkler by Rhubarb and Honey
- Thank You Peary Much by Sew You Think You Can Cook
Nominees for Best Delectable Desserts:
- 7-Layer Bark by Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Caramel-Almond Latte Ricotta Cookies by What Smells So Good?
- Champagne Truffles by Brunch with Joy
- Chocolate Covered Cherries by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Decadent Flourless Brownies by Recipe for Perfection
- Edible Oscars Envelopes by Sunday Supper Movement
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Crumble Peanut Butter Mousse Parfait Cups by Wallflour Girl
- Imitation Game Guinness Brownies by NinjaBaker.com
- Mini Strawberry Galette by Basic N Delicious
- Mini Strawberry & Chocolate Cheesecakes by Happy Baking Days
- No-Bake Nutella Cheesecake Shooters by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Popcorn Puppy Chow by Pies and Plots
- Sweet and Salty Popcorn Ball Bites by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Tuxedo Cake by The Redhead Baker
Nominees for Best Dressed Table:
- DIY Glitter Vases by Sunday Supper Movement
Remember the old pictures of this brownie? I do!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Who need flour to get in the way of all of that chocolaty goodness!
Katie
Exactly! Flour = an obstacle to pure chocolate.
Lisa * Sweet and Savory Breads
I do love a thick, fudgy brownie and these flourless ones look to fit the bill perfectly! Can’t wait to try them. Thank you for sharing!
Katie
Thank you for stopping by! They really are very fudgy!
Liz
These would be a huge hit at my house! Dark and fudgy and totally irresistible. I had to giggle at your comparison to Angelina Jolie 🙂
Katie
That’s why my bio says, “…and sometimes I get quite silly.” 😉
Tara Noland
So rich and wonderful, this one is a winner!!
Katie
Hooray! Do I get a gold statuette?
Laura Talley
Wow!!!! Made these today… Sad thing is I over cooked them a tad, I will do 25 minutes next time. I tried the toothpick trick, but they looked very uncooked at 25 minutes. Should have taken them out 🙁
Changed the recipe a tad b/c I had to. Used 1 cup of monk fruit sweetener and 6T butter and 6 T Coconut oil, the rest of the recipe I followed. YUM…just wish I had Ice Cream, thank you. 🙂
DB, Foodie Stuntman | Crazy Foodie Stunts
We should always sub in chocolate for flour, eh? Great idea.
Katie
I talked by e-mail with Alice Medrich about this last year- how chocolate has a drying effect like flour- and that’s what gave me the idea to use it instead of flour.
CakeSpy
And the Oscar goes to…THESE BROWNIES! Looks awesome.
Katie
Thank you! Thank you! I’d like to thank all the little people out there… 😉
The Ninja Baker
If we’ve got flourless cake why not flourless brownies, indeed =) The only backing way I would do from your brownie would be to make sure that I don’t eat the whole pan! P.s. Valrhona and Ghirardelli are the best sorts of chocolate on planet Earth!
Sarah
The fudgier the better, I say!
Katie
Amen to that!
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm
I am drooling all over my computer here!!!!
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook
Wowwwww. Hello, Chocolate! Don’t mind if I do.
Valerie Cathell Clark
These are absolutely mouth watering! Your photo has me drooling!! xo
Shaina
Oh my, these look SO fudgy and delicious. In another month or so I’m going to need to be baking some flourless desserts during Passover…these brownies might just have to make an appearance!
Choclette
Wow Katie, these sound seriously rich and chocolatey – my kind of brownies 🙂
Renee
Wow! Decadent for sure and definitely for chocoholics.
Julie @ Texan New Yorker
More brownie perfection from you! I can’t get over how fudgy these look, which is exactly how I prefer my brownies. Awesome!!
Katie
SUPER fudgy! And all that’s holding ’em together is pure cocoa!
Gabriella
Wow. They look so good.
I love chocolate and this flourless Brownie looks perfect.
But i have a question, do you think I can substitute the cocoa for melted dark chocolate chips ?
Thank you.
Katie
Sadly, no, probably not. The chocolate chips have a much larger percentage of fat in them, so the brownies would probably be a very thick liquid instead of solidifying into brownies. I’d stick with cocoa powder- either natural or Dutch process will work.
On the other hand, if you want just want add some chocolate chips into the batter, that will work just fine.
Let me know if you have any more questions. 🙂
zoe kolat
These brownies look amazing!
I just out them in the oven and I cannot wait to get them out and shove them right into my mouth!
Thanks Katie! 🙂
Katie
How awesome! I was just sitting here at my computer, typing up a post about pumpkin bread pudding, when I saw your comment pop up. I hope you like them! 🙂 Have a wonderful day and please come back soon. 🙂
Higg275
This brownie recipe is sheer perfection. I have tried so many brownies in my life. I have even won blue ribbons for my brownies at our local Agricultural Fair. But this brownie recipe tops them all. Perfectly crunchy on top. Perfectly moist in the middle. Not too dry. Not too fudgy. Pure perfection! My search for the holy brownie is over. I can’t thank you enough.
Katie
That means so much to me! I just walked in from being out for the evening, and I saw your comment as soon as I opened my laptop. It made my day. Thanks for the kind words!
Susan Parker
Would it work to sub Splenda or a similar 1:1 ratio of a sugar substitute for those of us not eating sugar? Thanks, Susan
Katie
Hi Susan! I have never tried a sugar substitute baking blend with this particular recipe. The flavor and texture might come out differently, because sugar has particular effects in baking that substitutes don’t duplicate. However, brownies (like these) are more likely to be successful than, say, a cake, because there’s no leaveners like baking soda or baking powder required. You’re still going to get lots of flavor from the cocoa and butter, so it may come out. If you do give it a try, let me know. I’d love to hear if it worked.
Leticia
Made these yesterday with a sugar substitute containing Stevia and they turned out to be the best low carb brownies I’ve ever had! The top came out a just little crusty and the rest was fudgy and amazing, so much like “real” brownies I could barely tell the difference. Thanks a lot!
Katie
That is awesome! What kind of stevia did you use? Was it a baking blend? I’d love to know in case anyone comes looking for a sugar substitute option.
Leticia
Yes, it was a baking blend 1:1 sugar substitute with (but not only) stevia. Not worth mentioning the brand since i live in Brazil and you probably won’t find the exact same one. I’ve tried other brownies with substitute flours such as coconut and almond, but yours turned out to be the best and the cheapest to make. Congrats!
Katie
Wonderful. I will make a note of that. I get a lot of requests for sugar substitutes in my full-sugar recipes, so I will try it out and recommend it to other readers! 🙂
Phoenix Kobylka
I made these and forgot a cup of sugar because of my phone but they were saved and turned out amazing by adding a Coconut glaze to them
Katie
I’m so glad they worked out! This is one of my most popular recipes. I love to hear about variations!
Bethany
I used coconut oil instead of butter, and light brown sugar instead of white. I also omitted the vanilla, I figured the coconut would overpower it anyways. They turned out amazing! They do have a strong coconut taste too, so I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone that dislikes coconut. Thanks for the recipe, my kids loved them. Makes a great gluten free, dairy free brownie.
Katie
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m so glad you liked them. 🙂
Julie Thompson
Good morning Katie I Googled flourless brownies and here I am 1st hit????My niece is going off to college and I am planning care packages. She is gluten free by choice, tests better, clearer thought processes. Soo I wanted to know if I could make these in those little mini muffin tins and if they freeze well. Oh and approximately how long to bake them. Awesome aunties must know these things! This recipe sounds so good, I’m 1 and done! Not going to look for more recipies. Thank you for making my morning.
Aunt Julie
Katie
Definitely yes to the mini muffin tins. I haven’t made them in mini muffin tins, so I can’t tell you the exact length of time, but it will be a lot faster than usual. Somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes. They are done when you have very moist crumbs sticking to a toothpick stuck in the middle, but no gooey wet batter. I would imagine that they freeze just fine as long as they are very, very well wrapped. Thanks for stopping by, and good luck! 🙂
sarah
holy chocolate. I made these tonight – I ran out of flour and was dying for a brownie. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to normal brownies, these are amazing. I cut the sugar down to just one cup though, they tasted amazing. Super fudgy and crusty around the outside. Good job, lady!
Katie
Sarah, that is so thrilling to read! I was just sitting here at my laptop, getting a little work done for tomorrow’s post, when I saw your comment pop up. I’m so glad you liked them, and it’s great to know that the sugar can be reduced a bit. I’ll have to try that! 🙂
Jacklyn
Amazing Brownies! I just had my first bite and couldn’t wait to review. I’m skeptical about new recipes, especially flourless brownies…sounded too good to be true. But, these turned out amazing!!! And, the parchment paper makes clean up so much easier. I had a ton of stuff left over after making different holiday cookies and the only thing missing was flour so I found your recipe and thought I’d give it a shot. I don’t think I’ll ever make different brownies now. Can’t wait to share. Thanks!
Katie Moseman
Hi Jacklyn! Thank you so much for your kind words! There’s nothing more thrilling for me as a food blogger than to see when someone enjoyed one of my recipes. You’ve made my day!
All the best,
Katie
Jacklyn
Awesome! My husband loved them too and he’s not much for sweets…they are definitely wonderful. Thanks for sharing. I’ll let you know if I try any other recipes. Merry Christmas!
jan
i tried this recipe. IT WORKS!!!! im just in awe at the fact theyre flourless and theyre so fluffy and chocolatey!!! thank you!!!
i made 2 batches… the first one i left in oven for 30 minutes, and they were a tiny bit dry on thr inside, (not that gooey texture)…, the second batch i left in for 25 minutes, and got better..im gonna try next time for 20 minutes and might get them gooeyer on the inside…
amazing flavours!!!
Katie Moseman
Thank you, Jan, for your kind words and ringing endorsement! 🙂
-Katie
Shawnie
Best. Brownies. Ever.
Katie Moseman
Thank you so much, Shawnie! I’m so glad you liked them! 🙂
Katie
Dorothy
Very good and super moist. Will definitely make them again ❤
Katie Moseman
Yay! So glad you liked them! I made a batch just the other day. 🙂
Best,
Katie
Thurcia
Even better the next day! This recipe is perfect as is, but I added some crumbled dark chocolate on top before baking and it made it even more chocolatey and gooey! Oh my gosh! I had to bring some to my friends so I didn’t eat the whole pan and they thought I bought them from a bakery they look so professional and pretty! Thanks so much for such a great recipe!
Katie Moseman
Thank you so much for the kind words! This is one of my absolute favorite recipes and it’s very close to my heart. I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the brownies!
Katie
Sue
These brownies are outstanding. I made them today and they turned out perfectly.
Katie Moseman
Hi Sue! I’m so glad you liked them. They’re one of my most popular recipes, and a personal favorite of mine.
chris
These are the best brownies I’ve made! I topped them with condensed milk caramel for extra decadence.
Katie Moseman
Chris, that’s awesome! I bet that condensed milk caramel was so delicious.
Katie
Dianne
Just made these delicious, fudgy brownies. Made them in muffin tins. Came out great. I’m gluten free so these are my first to brownies from now on! ❤
Katie Moseman
Thanks Dianne! If you liked this one, you might also like my gluten free apple crisp recipe. It can be used to make any kind of fruit crisp, like blackberry or blueberry, in addition to apple.
https://recipeforperfection.com/gluten-free-apple-crisp/
Best,
Katie
Brenda J Brunner
Perfect Brownies! I want to try using pure maple syrup instead of sugar, but, my husband and I love these and I’m afraid of wasting a batch. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Have you thought about converting it to make single serve mug brownie, microwave recipe?
Katie Moseman
Maple syrup is interesting- it adds water, which can make brownies go a bit cakey, but it’s also quite sticky… so I can’t predict how the recipe would perform. It would certainly be an interesting experiment. I really should convert this to a mug brownie recipe, because I often want to eat these without having a big pan of leftovers, tempting me to eat the rest. 🙂
Brenda J Brunner
I TOTALLY understand! My husband told me to double the recipe and make a 9×13 last night. .lol.. I’ll let you know if I try the maple syrup idea. Also, I figure if you take your recipe and kinda do a 1/3.. ..until you come up with a single serve mug version, the 1/3 would probably make 3-6 of those silicone cupcake sized brownies, depending on how full you make them. 1 egg, 1/2 stick butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1/2 tsp vanilla, pinch salt..? Thanks again!
Bree Edwards
Can I use salted butter instead?
Katie Moseman
Yes, definitely. You can omit the salt or just use a little sprinkle.
Holly
These brownies are delicious! I used Swerve and it is 1:1. They turned out great!
Louise
Just made these brownies and they are perfect! I lined my glass pan with aluminum foil that I greased with butter and dusted with cocoa powder, and baked them for 30 minutes. Love how simple the recipe is — most gluten-free recipes are very fussy.
Katie Moseman
Yay! So glad you like them. They are my signature brownies and I’m very proud of them! 🙂
Victoria
These are fantastic! I added a double shot of espresso to them, and they came out slightly more cakey but still very decadent. I think the espresso intensified the chocolate flavour if anything. Thankyou so much!
Katie Moseman
Yay! I’m so glad you like the recipe. It’s my favorite brownie recipe of all time. I loooove espresso (I actually have an espresso machine that I use every day… twice a day really!) and will have to throw in a shot some time. 🙂
Chrissy @aplantoprosper.com
The perfect flourless brownie. I did a modification and used a stick of butter + 2 Tbsp of Crisco butter, used only 1 c. sugar, 1 c. unsweetened coca and added chocolate chips to the batter. It was decadent and moist. Great recipe!
Ruth
Hi, I made these brownies for my sister who is gluten intolerant and they were wonderful! I then decided to tweak things for those of us who are calorie conscious and replaced the sugar with sucrose based sweetener and the butter for Apple Sauce using the same quantities. I am happy to say my little experiment worked out and they still tasted fantastic at only 145 Calories each. Thank you so much for your original recipe which inspired me!!
Katie Moseman
Hooray! I love it when substitutions work out. 🙂 If she is gluten intolerant, she may also enjoy my sorghum flour pancakes- they’re a family favorite!
jane
what’st he best way to store these how long do they stay fresh?
Katie Moseman
Sealed in an airtight container at room temperature is best. They stay fresh for days.
Sarah
Mine came out as a dry batter like a sticky dough. Made cookies out of it and it was terrible. Really dry, bitter. Realised I didn’t understand the tablespoon of butter, so my butter was too little. I also swapped with brown sugar and used 1/2 cup lesses to be healthy (bad idea). I wasted my whole bag of cocoa 🙁
Katie Moseman
It’s 1 and a half sticks of butter, but I measure with tablespoons because many folks don’t know what a “stick” of butter is. Sorry yours didn’t turn out! I hope you get to try them again some time- they really are my most popular and requested brownies.
Barbara Tocco
These are the Ultimate Brownies ever made!! Shared with others and they raved over these as well!!!!
Before baking I topped with coarse sea salt!!!! Outrageously ridiculous!!!!!!!
Will definitely make again. Wondering how sugar could be reduced though… any suggestions????
Katie Moseman
You can reduce the sugar 1/4 cup at a time and see how it goes. That’s what I do when I’m testing how low I can go with sugar in a recipe.
Emily M
These are my go-to brownie recipe and I’m not even GF. I usually make them with coconut oil in place of the butter just to pretend they’re healthier (and make them dairy-free). I always add chocolate chips and have successfully made them as mini muffin brownie bites! Be warned: they are VERY chocolate, but fix my chocolate craving every time!
Laurie
These brownies are amazing and I have made many brownie recipes over the years. They are also the easiest and a true pleasure to make. They are indeed very rich and chocolaty but if that’s not to your liking then you should probably not be making brownies anyway! The crackle top is also tops. This is my new go-to recipe.
Terri
I have a question. I have a cheesecake recipe that calls for a boxed brownie mix as the crust which you bake according to the box directions. After brownies are done you put the cheesecake mixture on top and put back in the oven (believe it or not this does not further cook the brownies). Do you think this would work as a base for Passover since I can’t use regular boxed brownie mixes and the Passover ones are horrible?
Katie Moseman
I’ll admit I’m surprised it doesn’t further cook the brownies, but this recipe should work just as well as the box mix. Good luck!
Terri
I was surprised too. It was a Pinterest recipe and a big hit in my house
Here’s the link:
https://www.simplystacie.net/brownie-bottom-cheesecake/
Sarah
This is now my go-to brownie recipe! SO good! I am going to make a batch for a crowd-can I double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 pan? Thank you!
Katie Moseman
Yes, you can! 🙂