Gluten-free brownie: my healthy recipe, true to the original

I spent a long time looking for a gluten-free brownie that really resembles a “classic” brownie: a slightly crunchy crust, a dense and melting center, and that clear chocolate taste that lingers in the mouth.

After a few attempts (and a few batches that were a little too dry), I set myself a simple rule: you don't compensate for the absence of gluten with ten strange flours… You aim for simplicity, like in a traditional brownie.

Here, I'm starting with a very classic base: dark chocolate + butter, sugar, eggs, and a tiny amount of flour… but in a gluten-free version. Rice flour does the job without weighing it down, and a touch of cocoa enhances the flavor. The little trick that makes all the difference is whisking the eggs and sugar just enough to help create that thin, shiny crust on top.

To keep with the season (and because I love it), I add walnuts and some chopped cooked chestnuts. It's not a "chestnut brownie": the chocolate is still the star, but you occasionally get a bit of sweet chestnut and a crunchy walnut, and it works incredibly well.

As for the texture: you can adjust the baking time to your liking. If you prefer it very gooey, stop baking as soon as the center barely jiggles. If you prefer it more like a cake, bake for another 2-3 minutes. In any case, let it cool completely before cutting: that's when the texture really comes together!

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Gluten-free brownie

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: dessertKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: easy

Portions

4

people

Preparation

17

minutes

Cooking

32

minutes

Calories

709

kcal

Total time

49

minutes

A rich, fudgy , gluten-free chocolate brownie with a thin, shiny crust. Rice flour keeps it moist, and walnuts provide just the right amount of crunch.

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Ingredients

• 150g of dark chocolate (70%)

• 110g of semi-salted butter

• 120 g of sugar

• 2 eggs

• 45g of rice flour (gluten-free)

• 15g of unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

• 60g walnuts (or Grenoble walnuts), roughly chopped

• 80g of cooked chestnuts, cut into pieces

• 1 pinch of salt (optional if using semi-salted butter)

Preparation steps

• Preheat the oven to 175°C. Line a square baking tin of about 20 cm with baking paper (it really helps with unmolding).
• Gently melt the chocolate and butter together (in a double boiler or in the microwave in 20-second intervals). Mix until smooth.
• In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar for 1 to 2 minutes: you want a thickened and slightly frothy mixture, not whipped cream. Add the vanilla.
• Pour the melted chocolate-butter into the bowl and mix calmly with a spatula.
• Add the rice flour, cocoa (and a pinch of salt if needed). Mix just enough so that no traces of powder remain: no more, otherwise you'll lose the melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Incorporate the crushed walnuts and chestnut pieces.
• Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the surface, then bake for 30 to 34 minutes. The right indicator: the edges are set, the center is still slightly soft, and a point emerges with moist crumbs (no runny batter).
• Let it cool for 20 minutes in the mold, then unmold and let it finish cooling before cutting into squares (otherwise it will get crushed).

📊 Nutritional Information

1 serving (approx. 165g)

* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

📝 Notes

If you're making this gluten-free brownie ahead of time, keep it well wrapped at room temperature: it's even more fudgy the next day. For a really dense center, refrigerate it for an hour before serving—it's incredibly effective!

💡 Chef's Tips

For a perfectly thin and shiny crust, the winning combination is: sugar well dissolved in the eggs + smooth chocolate/butter mixture. And for clean slices, cut the cooled brownie with a wiped knife between each slice.

🔄 Variations

• Brownie without chestnuts: replace them with 80g of extra nuts or leave it plain, it will still be completely gluten-free, just 100% chocolate-nut.
• For a richer flavor: replace 20g of sugar with 20g of brown sugar for a more caramelized note.

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.