Flourless Brownies
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My one-bowl flourless brownies are fudgy and soft, with chewy edges and crinkly tops. They’re easy to make and need only 6 ingredients.
When it comes to flourless desserts, you don’t just go all willy-nilly, getting rid of flour. It takes some practice.
Thankfully, I’ve made more than my fair share of flourless desserts. My favorite? Hard to say, but my brownies are always a hit with my friends and partner. They never last long, and no one even knows they’re made without flour.
I’m experienced with flourless baking, and the trick is to use good-quality chocolate and enough eggs for structure. When testing this recipe, chopped chocolate baked so much better than chocolate chips (they didn’t always get the crackly tops). I also found that a little extra coconut oil or butter added the moisture and richness needed to compensate for the missing flour.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Gluten-free brownies. Because they’re made without flour OR grains.
- Simple ingredients. And none of them are niche, expensive, or hard to find.
- Crinkly tops and chewy edges. So long as you use white and brown sugar, you’ll be rewarded with the perfect chewy, fudgy texture every time.
- One bowl. And we know what that means… clean-up and prep time are a breeze!
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into no flour brownies, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Coconut oil OR butter. Use refined coconut oil for zero coconut flavor. If not strictly dairy-free, I like using unsalted butter.
- Baking chocolate OR chocolate chips. I prefer baker’s chocolate as it melts better than chocolate chips. Be sure to use a good-quality chocolate bar (78% cocoa content) or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Sugar. I use a 50/50 split of white and brown sugar. White sugar gives them crackly tops, brown sugar keeps the middles gooey.
- Eggs. Room-temperature eggs are essential because they mix easily into the batter and don’t cool the batter down.
- Cocoa powder. Be sure to use Dutch-processed, natural cocoa powder. I recommend using a high-quality cocoa powder to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Arrowroot powder. Since there’s no baking powder or baking soda, I need the arrowroot powder to add stability. You can substitute this for cornstarch or tapioca flour.
How to make flourless brownies
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Grease it with cooking spray.
Step 2- Melt chocolate. Melt chocolate and oil in the microwave or a saucepan on the stovetop until smooth.
Step 3- Mix. Add sugar to the chocolate mixture, then whisk in the eggs until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until the batter is smooth.
Step 4- Bake. Pour the brownie batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
Let the brownies cool completely before slicing.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t substitute the ingredients. This is a temperamental recipe, so only use what’s specifically listed. The egg ratio and chocolate type are all tweaked to work together. I’ve tested substitutions extensively, and they consistently produce inferior results.
- For gooey brownies, check them around the 25-minute mark. If the edges have set, they are done.
- For cakey brownies, bake for closer to 30-32 minutes.
- Doubling the recipe. Yes, it works, but I recommend baking in individual 8-inch pans rather than scaling up to a larger pan. I’ve quadrupled this recipe for parties, and it works best in separate batches. If you do want to use a larger pan, spread the batter across two large pans and increase the baking time by 5-6 minutes, or until the top is crackly. Jan in the comments needed 36 servings, and this approach worked well.
Variations
- Enhance the flavor. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, or sprinkle the brownies with sea salt for a salty-sweet flavor. My partner loves the addition of a pinch of salt.
- Add more chocolate. Fold in dark chocolate chips right before baking.
- Low-carb. Use sugar-free chocolate chips, allulose, and tapioca starch in place of arrowroot powder. These swaps keep net carbs around 4 each.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover brownies should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Wrap brownies in foil and freeze for up to 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on which recipe you are making, but this recipe is 100% gluten-free. As it contains no flour or other gluten-containing ingredients, it is a safe dessert for celiacs.
It’s often assumed that flourless brownies, or flourless desserts in general, are healthier than their counterpart. This isn’t always the case. To compensate for the lack of flour, many flourless recipes use extra butter, sugar, oils, and fats instead. My recipe is generally healthier than traditional brownies, without compromising on taste. If you’d like healthier ones, try healthy brownies.
Flourless Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
- 1 cup chocolate chopped * See notes
- 3/4 cup Sugar ** See notes
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon arrowroot powder can substitute for corn starch or tapioca starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper or tin foil, with some overlay for easy removal. Grease it lightly and set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl or stovetop, combine your chopped chocolate with coconut oil and melt together. Once just combined, remove from the heat.
- Add the sugar of choice and whisk into the chocolate mixture. Then, add the eggs one at a time, and whisk in. Add your cocoa powder and arrowroot powder and whisk VERY well, until the batter is no longer grainy and smooth.
- Transfer the brownie batter to the lined baking tray. Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes, or until the centre just comes out clean. Do not over bake.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan completely. Once cool, slice into 9 pieces.
Notes
Nutrition
More easy brownies to try
- Peanut butter brownies– These are my partner’s favorite brownies, and it’s all because of the thick peanut butter layer.
- Nutella brownies– Just 3 ingredients and a jar of chocolate hazelnut spread.
- Air fryer brownies– I was going to gatekeep this recipe for my air fryer cookbook, but that would have been mean.
- Eggless brownies– A special brownie recipe developed for my readers requesting more egg-free baking.
I really love this recipe but I was wondering if you could make it without arrowroot powder
Yes, you can! You can use cornstarch or tapioca starch instead 🙂
Will another type of sugar free sweetener work?
Hi Julies- the only sweetener I’d recommend for these brownies is allulose, as it’s the only sweetener that could remotely replace sugar (and dissolve like it does). Let me know how you go!
Just tried the brownie recipe. No flour and delicious . Low carb but still rich and chocolatey in taste
Diane! So glad you enjoyed this flourless brownie recipe. It’s been my go-to for years, and probably the one brownie recipe I make on repeat! 🙂
Could you use glucomannan as a substitute for the arrowroot?
I do appreciate the opportunity to be able to cook lower carbs in the food. We have diabetes people who eat here healthier because of your post 🙏❤️🙏💕
Thanks so much, Sue!
I made these with semisweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli), I used cornstarch, and I used monk fruit sugar (white, Lakanto). They turned out great! I used a six serving silicone heart muffin type tray. I would take them out sooner next time just for a bit more goo. I got distracted doing dishes…
Thanks for another great recipe!!!
Haha, that has happened many times before, Christine- thank you for your kind words 🙂
So tasty and delicious! I passed on this recipe to several others too
So glad you enjoyed them Patsy! Hopefully your friends will too!
Best gluten free brownie recipe for those of us who don’t have specialty flour at home. I get so many compliments on these brownies and make them over other recipes with normal flour!
Thanks for sharing, it’s such a great recipe!
This recipe is a keeper. One of the best brownies ever. Thank you Arman for the recipe.
Thanks for the kind words Amrita! Glad you liked them 🙂
Enjoy your recipes the ingredients in your recipes are delicious 😋.
Thanks Janice!
Simple and delicious. I used 70% good quality chocolate, topped with 70% chocolate chunks, reduced the sugar by 30-50%, using equal measure of caster and brown sugar and after cooking sprinkled with coconut.
Hi. Is the oven temperature based on a fan oven or convention oven please?
Hi Tasha- Fan forced oven 🙂 Let me know if you have a convection oven- if you do, reduce the oven temperature to 160°F.
These are the best GF flourless Brownies I’ve ever made, and so simple. Thank you…PS.. Used coconut oil and butter, half and half.. Also substituted sugar half and half with date syrup… Turned out great ..
One of my favorite recipes, I used all different types of chocolate for the cup used in the recipe
Also, I was thinking Monkfruit, they come in white and brown? I think I will try that. Thanks
Hi, You mentioned sugar free sweeteners. What would you recommend? I’m per-diabetic and need to watch my carbs. Thank You
Delicious
Are these considered gluten free?
Hey Jackie, yep, they sure are!