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    Home • Recipes • Gluten Free Recipes

    Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

    Published: Jun 19, 2016 · Modified: May 9, 2023 by Jill Colonna10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    An easy gluten free recipe for chocolate brownies using rice flour inspired by Chambelland GF bakery in Paris. Extra fudgy with intense bittersweet chocolate and topped with pistachio nuts that toast while baking.

    gluten-free chocolate pistachio brownies

    Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies

    These may be labelled as Brownies, but they're rather more like squares of moist, fudgy dark chocolate cake.

    Best quality Sicilian pistachios are scattered on top, almost as an after-thought, as they're not mixed in the batter. As a result, this lazy addition means they come out of the oven extra nutty and toasted.

    These brownies are inspired by the 100% Gluten-free bakery in Paris, Chambelland as they're one of  the best I've tasted in Paris. Moreover, the recipe is so quick and easy to follow. As I don't follow a gluten-free diet myself, I couldn't resist tasting a few of their breads for research purposes and, if you follow me on social media, you'll see I tasted my research seriously for an Bonjour Paris article on the Top Gluten-Free Pastries in Paris.

    How do you Make Gluten Free Brownies?

    Chambelland's Brownies are healthy and made with rice flour. It's hard to tell they're gluten free! Here I've adapted their recipe by slightly reducing the sugar, replacing the mixed nuts with pistachios, and making a bigger quantity fit for a birthday or Father's Day cake.

    Gluten-free chocolate cake recipe

    • Melt the chocolate/butter together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (bain-marie). Add to eggs and sugar, then mix in rice flour.

    easy gluten-free chocolate cake recipe

    • Once batter is smooth, pour into a lined brownie tin

    gluten free chocolate brownies

    How long do you Bake Gluten Free Brownies for?

    • Sprinkle with pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts or walnuts. Bake the brownies for 35-40 minutes.
    • Leave to cool on a wire rack then cut into squares.

    How Long Can I Store them?

    They can be kept in an airtight container or cookie tin for up to 5 days (although it's difficult to test that one).
    As they taste just as good (if not better) next day, it's a handy chocolate recipe that can be made the day before. As a result, they're perfect for school fêtes, taking them into the office for teatime, or just being organised in advance for children's parties.

    a tin of fudgy brownie squares topped with toasted green pistachio nuts

    a tin of fudgy brownie squares topped with toasted green pistachio nuts

    Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

    Jill Colonna
    An easy gluten free recipe for chocolate brownies using rice flour inspired by Chambelland GF bakery in Paris. Extra fudgy with intense bittersweet chocolate and topped with pistachio nuts that toast while baking.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, teatime
    Cuisine French
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 335 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 400 g (14oz) Dark cooking chocolate / bittersweet chocolate (Min. 50% cacao)
    • 190 g (7oz) Unsalted butter
    • 130 g (4.5oz) Pure cane sugar
    • 4 Organic eggs
    • 90 g (3.5oz) Rice flour
    • 100 g (3.5oz) Pistachios (or pecans/walnuts/hazelnuts)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F/160°C fan (Gas 4). Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (bain-marie), ensuring that the water doesn't touch the chocolate.
    • In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and eggs lightly.
    • Add the melted chocolate/butter to the eggs, add the rice flour and mix together using a spatula.
    • Line a square brownie tin (25cm) with baking/parchment paper and pour in the batter.
    • Smooth the batter, even out the surface with the spatula, and scatter over the pistachios.
    • Bake for 35-40 minutes.
    • Leave to cool and cut into squares.

    Notes

    Baking in advance: Ideal for baking the day before, they're just as good next day.
    Storage: Can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freezes well too.
    To serve: Remove 30 minutes beforehand to taste them at their best at room temperature.
    NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: 335 Calories per portion (serves 12), 6g protein, 23g lipids.
    Keyword gluten free brownies, how to make gluten free chocolate brownies from scratch

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    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

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    1. William Cleek

      March 10, 2018 at 12:54 am

      Hi Jill,
      In your recipe you call for dark cooking chocolate. Is this unsweetened chocolate?

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        March 10, 2018 at 2:33 pm

        Hi William,
        Unsweetened chocolate is 100% cacao - this is using a dark chocolate for cooking that's at least 50% so in American terms it will be Bittersweet chocolate. Thanks for pointing this out - have updated the recipe for you over the pond!

        Reply
    2. David

      July 03, 2016 at 1:23 pm

      These look fantastic, Jill, will be making them even though I have no one GF in my life now!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 06, 2016 at 3:28 pm

        You're like me, David. No need for GF right now but these are really so worth making! Thanks for popping by.

        Reply
    3. Christina | Christina's Cucina

      July 02, 2016 at 9:21 am

      I will have to make these for my 2 friends and neighbors who are both on a GF diet! They look absolutely, lush, Jill! We'll see how they go, but I think I should probably just make a double batch and save myself some time! 😉

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 02, 2016 at 4:26 pm

        Great that you can have this recipe handy for your gluten-free friends. And yes, the double quantity may be good, especially if the neighbours start to talk about them!

        Reply
    4. Jill Colonna

      June 26, 2016 at 3:44 pm

      Hi Tonio - let's just say we made a few batches of it the past week, as it's completely addictive!

      Reply
    5. tonio

      June 22, 2016 at 7:28 pm

      And on top of that it must be absolutely yummy !

      Reply
    6. Jill Colonna

      June 20, 2016 at 11:37 am

      Hi Jackie, let me know how you get on. They're pretty addictive...

      Reply
    7. Jackie Brown

      June 19, 2016 at 3:10 pm

      Omg I have to make these! I've been searching for a good gluten free cake. Thank you so much for sharing this 🙂

      Reply

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