Best-Ever Quinoa Brownies

By Kathy C.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (1 stick)*
• 2 tablespoons melted unrefined coconut oil**
• 1/2 cup organic light brown sugar***
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar***
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 eggs****
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2/3 cup quinoa flour
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Details

Servings 16
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 35mins
Adapted from makingthymeforhealth.com

Preparation

Step 1

If you’re looking for a go-to gluten-free brownie recipe that’s easy to make and doesn’t require a ton of ingredients, I have a strong feeling you’re going to love these!

1. Start by preheating the oven to 350°F then line an 8 x 8” baking dish with parchment paper. Lightly spray with oil and set aside.

2. Next melt the butter and the coconut oil together in a large skillet over low-to-medium heat for about 2 minutes. If using real butter, allow it brown over a low boil for about ten minutes while constantly whisking, until the color is a pale golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Using a spatula, stir in the sugar until well combined. Then add the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and continue to stir until smooth. After that, set the skillet aside to cool for a few more minutes.I like to use this time to put away ingredients that I'm no longer using. :)

4. Once the skillet has cooled, add the two eggs and briskly stir with the spatula until the batter is thick and shiny. Then add the quinoa flour and continue to vigorously stir until the batter is smooth, for about 15 strokes.

5. Lastly add 1/2 cup (and maybe a few more for good luck) dark chocolate chips to the batter and fold together. Pour the batter into the lined baking dish, using the spatula to smooth it out along the edges. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until you can prick a fork into the center and have it come out clean. Allow to cool for at least an hour before eating. The longer they cool, the better they will hold together.

6. We liked the texture better on the second day so feel free to make these a day in advance if you want. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in a freezer-safe bag and defrost at room temperature.

NOTES:
*you can use regular butter or 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, if desired
**you can sub extra butter if you don’t have coconut oil on hand
***you can substitute 1 cup coconut sugar in place of the white and brown sugar but I recommend adding 1/4 cup pure maple syrup for sweetness.
****I didn’t not have good results with flax eggs. The texture was very wet, almost like they were uncooked. If you are looking for a vegan and gluten-free brownie, try Ashley’s The Best Chewy Vegan and Gluten-free Brownies.

Recipe adapted from Cookie + Kate, originally adapted from Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts.