These vegan gluten free brownies are rich yet healthy without any added oil, and they are dense and fudgy and very, very chocolate-y. Cherries are baked in to add more complexity and deliciousness. These are also soy-free.
I love brownies, who doesn't, and I especially love my no-added-oil vegan brownies that so many of you have made too. But because I'm trying to add more gluten-free foods to my diet, I thought it was time to come up with a gf version that would be just as good, if not better.
And that's what I have for you today. It really is the best vegan gluten free brownie you'll ever eat -- I daresay even the best brownie you'll ever eat -- and it is so easy to make, you'll want to whip up a batch every day.
Even better, they are actually good for you. They're made with almond flour, have a total of six tablespoons of sweeteners (turbinado sugar + maple syrup. You can use both or either), have no added oil, and they have real fruit baked in.
Plus you don't need any crazy ingredients or even binders like xanthan gum. Just a fourth of a cup of tapioca starch is all you need to make these hold together.
Try 'em, and I bet when your kids -- or you -- gorge on them, you'll have a smile on your face.
Tips for making the perfect vegan gluten-free brownies:
- Use superfine almond flour. I really prefer this texture for almost all of my gluten-free baking because it binds together so well.
- You will need to cook your cherries before you add them to the brownie batter. I like to use frozen cherries that are already pitted. If you use fresh cherries, make sure you pit them. You will start out with two cups of cherries, stir in two tbsp of sugar, and let the cherries cook down until a very small amount of the juice remains.
- You can use another fruit, but just make sure you end up with just over half a cup of cooked fruit (including some juice) to add to the brownie batter.
- There is a double dose of chocolate in this recipe. I use cocoa powder to make the brownie batter, and then stir in semisweet chocolate chips. You can use bittersweet chocolate too if you'd rather make this a little less sweeter. I find these brownies are just perfectly sweet with the semisweet chips.
- Be sure to line your brownie pan or cake pan with parchment before you bake these. That way you can easily lift your baked brownie out of the pan and cut it up into little ones.
Looking for more tasty vegan chocolate recipes?
- Vegan Double Chocolate Pancakes
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Orange Bundt Cake
- Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, Gluten-Free
- Vegan Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
Vegan Gluten-Free Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 cups cherries (pitted. I used frozen)
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
- 3 cups superfine almond flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups almond milk (or any nondairy milk)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by spraying the bottom and sides with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper to cover the bottom and the sides. Spray cooking spray over the parchment. You should leave an overhang so you can lift the brownie out after it bakes. If using a round tin, you can use a springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment.
- Place the cherries in a small saucepan with the sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the cherries have released their juices. Continue cooking another 10 minutes or so until most of the juice has evaporated. Turn off the heat. You should have just over half a cup of cooked cherries including juices.
- Place the almond flour in a bowl, add the cocoa, tapioca flour, baking powder and baking soda, and mix well. Add the cooked cherries, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond milk, apple cider vinegar and salt to the bowl and mix it all well. Stir in the chocolate chips. You will have a thick batter but you should be able to pour it into the baking pan and smooth it with a spatula.
- Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a rack 30 minutes, then slide a knife along the edges to release. Lift the brownie out of the pan. Let it cool thoroughly before cutting into individual pieces and serving.
Nutrition
The batter is very wet. Like soup. Hm. I used 3 cups almond flour and 1/4 tapioca flour and I boiled my cherries almost down to zero liquid.... am I missing something?
Maybe something's off with your measurements. Also be sure to use superfine flour. Batter should be wet but not like soup.
Maybe a silly question, but do you use sweet, dark cherries or tart, pie cherries?
Sweet dark cherries!
Thank you! Sounds delicious! ?
I’m guessing the tapioca flour goes in with the other dry ingredients?
Yes, in step 3!
Where is the chocolate in the recipe?
Oh no, stupid oversight on my part. Added now.
Hi Vaishali,
I don’t see how much coco powder and semi sweet chocolate is needed.
These look amazing and can’t wait to make them ..
Thanks
Hi Dinna, Oversight on my part --added to the recipe now. Thanks for pointing out!
um no cocoa powder of chocolate chips in the recipe - how much do you use?
Added!
looks like the cocoa powder and chocolate chips are missing from the recipe - how much of each do you use?
1/4 cup cocoa powder and a cup of chocolate chips. Added. Sorry about the oversight.
There is no mention of cocoa , chocolate chips in recipe
Added now -- silly oversight on my part. 🙁
How’ve much cocoa powder and how much chic chips please? And when do I mix in the powder?
1/4 cup cocoa powder and 1 cup chocolate chips. Add the cocoa to the flour and stir in the chocolate chips just before pouring into the pan.
I don't see any chocolate in the ingredients. Is this corect?
Hi Karen, silly oversight on my part -- added now. You need cocoa and semisweet chocolate chips here.