I shared this recipe a couple of years ago as
my first gluten free success. My gluten free cooking has come a long way since
then but this recipe is still a favorite. It was Cecily’s first birthday cake
and then I made it again for Kathleen’s first birthday. I am sharing it again
with my tweaks that I have done to it since then. It has simple, healthy
ingredients and is quick to make. By using almond flour/meal and honey, it is
totally gluten, grain, and refined sugar free. I use coconut oil or butter as
the oil, making it a dairy free option; I’ve done both many times and haven’t
noticed a taste or texture difference. These are chocolatey, rich, dense and
chewy, which is just what I like in a brownie. They taste great warm but are even
better chilled. Try them, I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed!
Almond
Meal Brownies
- 1 cup Almond Meal/Flour (this is essentially
just finely ground almonds, which you can do yourself if you have a food
processor) - ¾ cup honey
- 5 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter
- 2 eggs (I use large eggs from our own
chickens) - ¼ tsp
baking soda (optional) - 1 tsp vanilla
Melt the coconut oil/butter on low heat in
a medium size pot, just until melted (don’t let it get too hot or
boil). Remove from heat. Add the honey so that it will soften as well.
Save on dishes and just add everything else to the pot and mix it up. Mix well.
Spread in a lightly greased 8X8 cake
pan.
Bake at 350* for about 25 minutes for fudgier
brownies or until the center is set and doesn’t really jiggle. For more
cake-like bake for 30 minutes. Be sure not to overcook, they are better
undercooked if anything in my opinion.
Cool before removing it from the pan. Chill
in the fridge until serving.
Variation:
Peppermint Brownies:
- Using Peppermint Essential Oil (edible): add 10 drops of oil
to the mix (or to taste.) - Using Peppermint Extract: 1-2 tsp (to taste, I like them
minty.)
Chocolate Chip
Brownies:
- For an even fudgier, chocolatey fix, add a ¼ – ½ c. of dark
or semi sweet chocolate chips.
Notes:
I have found that these rise quite a lot while
cooking so make sure that your pan is at least two inches. It’s never been a
problem for me, but I have had a friend tell me that hers overflowed while
cooking.- Because they rise, if you remove them from the
oven before they are done, they sink and you will get a “valley”. I find that
doesn’t happen if I test them for doneness in the oven.
Joining Your Green Resource: Week 66
Recent Comments