I cannot claim any sort of credit for these Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownie Bites aka Flourless Fudge Cookies. Well, maybe the gluten-free part, but that’s it.
A few weeks ago my daughter made these amazing flourless cookies. As a nursing mother, she realized her baby didn’t tolerate any consumption of dairy on her part. Because of this, she has been creating dairy-free recipes which almost always are vegan.
When she told me this particular recipe {dairy-free/vegan} I knew it would easily translate into a gluten-free recipe that I could make.
The recipe for Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownie Bites is below in a printable box, however there are a few things I want to say about making them.
First, I am using coconut flour (affiliate link) in my recipe. Coconut flour is a veerrrrryyyyy different type of flour. I will explain below. But first I wanted to tell you why you should use coconut flour.
- It’s full of protein, fiber, and fat {the good kind that fills you up, gives you energy, and doesn’t pack on the pounds}
- It contains this uber-healthy fat called lauric acid which supports your immune system and thyroid.
- It’s not a grain so it is gluten-free and (virtually) phytate free. That means you don’t need to soak it to make the nutrients available.
Another thing to know about coconut flour is this: A little amount of coconut flour goes a long way. This is because of the way it absorbs liquid. Here are a few things to know when cooking with coconut flour.
- You CANNOT substitute coconut flour with wheat flour at a 1:1 ratio.
- Coconut flour is very absorbent and you only need about 1/4 C. of coconut flour in a recipe that calls for 1 C. of wheat flour. It also requires a ton of eggs (as in 6 eggs to every cup of coconut flour). It is best to follow tested recipes that use coconut flour rather than try to make substitutions in your own recipes.
- There is one exception. If you are frying food, you can dredge your meat/vegetables in coconut flour and it will fry up fine!
Getting the eggs right is very important in this recipe. Because you will be working with coconut flour, it is important to handle the eggs correctly. In a lot of recipes you just drop the eggs into the dry ingredients and blend them into the mixture. Not the case here. You need to beat the eggs separately in a bowl until they are thick and frothy. At that point you will begin adding in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. This will make the egg mixture nice and thick ~ perfect for later adding in the coconut flour.
When working with coconut flour it is very important to have precise measurements. I recommend leveling each tablespoon of coconut flour before adding it to the recipe. Over-adding coconut flour could turn these from Brownie Bites to Brownie Bricks.
The cooking time for these cookies is 10-11 minutes. Just like regular brownies, they will be a little soft. The key is to not over-cook them. Otherwise you will have Brownie Dust.
I prefer this brand of gluten-free chocolate chips by Enjoy Life* They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free chocolate chips. (affiliate link)
I recommend using parchment paper on a baking sheet rather than a silicone mat. The cookies will stick to the silicone, but not the parchment paper. I use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop (affiliate link) like this one to measure out my cookies. That way I get a uniform size.
I recognize that cooking with coconut flour requires some patience. But think about this. A cookie that is good for you, won’t give you a sugar spike, or cause you to gain 5 pounds. I think that makes it totally worth the effort.
- 1 C. Chocolate Chips (see my comments for suggestions)
- 1 T. Organic Butter
- 2 Organic Eggs
- ¾ C. Organic Sugar
- 3-4 T. Coconut Flour
- ¼ t. Baking Powder
- ⅛ t. Salt
- ½ t. Vanilla
- ¾ C. Finely Chopped Pecans
- Melt the butter and chocolate together. I created a double boiler by putting a stainless bowl on top of a pot of boiling water. Keep warm.
- Whip the eggs until they thicken and are frothy.
- Once the eggs are thick and frothy, add in the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. It should continue to thicken.
- Add the baking powder and salt.
- Add the coconut flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. BE SURE TO LEVEL EACH TABLESPOON. If the mixture begins to get doughy after 3 tablespoons, then stop there. If it is still pretty runny, add the fourth tablespoon of coconut flour.
- Gently stir in the chocolate, vanilla, and pecans.
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon of batter onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Give them room to spread.
- Bake at 350-degrees for 10-11 minutes. If over-cooked they will crumble into dust.
They sure look yummy !
I just bought some coconut flour to make biscuits. I will try these, thanks.
Looks like a great adaptation, we’ll have to try it soon!
Very delicious and like the idea their gluten free. Glad to have you share it on your gallery at Simply BeBetsy #simplybebetsy.
See you again soon,
Sharon and Denise
I’m slowly going wheat free and finding sweets the hardest thing to give up. This recipe looks like something I would love. Definitely going to give them a try!
I have a bag of coconut flour in my pantry and I’ve been ignoring it because I didn’t know what to do with it. Very excited to have a recipe to try now!
Oh these look so yummy! I have Celiac and I’m always looking for new recipes! I use cup4cup flour but I’ve always wanted to try Coconut flour so thanks so much for all the great info!
And thanks for linking to Twirl & Take a Bow! Looking forward to seeing what you have coming up too!
xo
Robin
Making these today for my valentine–my hubby who has Celiac’s.
Great tips about using coconut flour. Thanks for the pointers!
Thank you for linking up at Tasty Tuesdays! Your post has been pinned to my Recipes from Tasty Tuesday board. I can’t wait to see what you link up next week!
Have a terrific weekend!
Cathy
Since the co-owner of my website is gluten free, I am going to have to try this one. Maybe surprise her with it, but we have to wait until her egg restriction is lifted. It should be soon. Thanks for sharing. I am always looking for good recipes that are gluten free.
I love your recipe for these brownies. Such healthy ingredients. I will definitely save this recipe to use. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Friday. Have a wonderful healthy day!
These cookies look fabulous!! 2 of my nephews are gluten free and I’d love to make these for them
Can I substitute for rice flour?
I don’t think rice flour will work. The coconut flour is very dense and that is what holds these together. With rice flour they would turn to dust.
We decided to feature you on Tasty Tuesday over at Craft Dictator! Come check it out and link up with us again!
Being vegan, gluten free, corn free and dairy free I was excited to see a post for a cookie that was listed as gluten free, vegan and dairy free. I was then disappointed to see that it was not vegan or dairy free. I will use butter now and then but never eggs. I might try it substituting ground flax seed and water for the eggs.
Pardon the drool on the keyboard! These look SO yummy!!! Thanks SO much for linking up to Hit Me With Your Best Shot! Hope to see you again soon!
Our family just finished taste testing these, and they were a definite hit! Our house is gluten free, but we’ve never used coconut flour before. Thanks for sharing! We will definitely be making these again!
Thanks for sharing these, Leslie! I found you on a link party and am excited to read more of your blog. My mom is gluten-free and it’s always tough for me to bake for her, so I’ll have to give these a try. I’m a new food blogger and love meeting others. I’ve followed your social sites and hope we can connect on those. Becky
I can’t wait to try these! Do you know if cooking time will change for convection oven? I’m not much of a baker:)
Also, do you think that turbinado or raw sugar will work in same parts?
I think the turbinado or raw sugar would substitute perfectly. Because coconut flour is a little fussy, I would not recommend using convection settings. Just use regular oven settings and it will be fine.