gluten-free brownies

We're having a slow start to our week after spending a fun weekend in Pennsylvania.  And by slow, I mean Annabel slept until 6:15 and then got back in bed with some milk until SEVEN AM.  Unheard of.  Especially after the 5:15 wake-up calls I got over the weekend.  I'll take it.  

I'm sharing my new favorite gluten-free brownie recipe here this morning.  They're pretty easy to make, the kids love them, and they're really good.  If you need a sweet treat to help you get going this week, try these.  You won't be sorry you did.


Chocolate Chip Brownies
Recipe by Nicole Hunn from "Gluten-Free on a Shoestring"

8 TBSP butter
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, separated into 8oz and 4oz portions
1 1/4 C sugar
3 extra-large eggs
1 C all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8in square baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper.  

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and 8oz of chocolate chips.  Microwave at 30 second intervals (but not more than 2 minutes total), stirring well after each interval, until the chocolate mixture is smooth.  Allow to cool slightly.

Combine sugar and eggs in a large bowl.  Slowly add the chocolate to the egg mixture one spoonful at a time at first (DO NOT POUR THE ENTIRE BOWL OF CHOCOLATE IN ALL AT ONCE - YOU COULD SCRAMBLE THE EGGS!!).  Once you have a few spoonfuls added and thoroughly mixed in, pour the rest of the chocolate into the bowl.  Next, add the flour reserving 2 TBSP in a small separate bowl, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture begins to become slightly elastic.  Add remaining 4oz of chocolate chips to the reserved 2 TBSP of flour and stir until chips are coated in flour.  Add them to the batter and stir.  

Pour batter into prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spoon or slightly wet hands.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached.  Cool for at least 30 minutes.

Notes:  If you're not gluten-free, you could make this same recipe using an equal amount of regular all-purpose flour and leaving out the xanthan gum.  Be careful not to overcook your butter/chocolate chips in the microwave.  It takes less time than you think - usually 1 minute.  Just keep stirring until the chocolate becomes smooth and shiny.  As the recipe says, if you pour your hot chocolate/butter mixture directly into the eggs and sugar, you will cook the eggs.  Nobody wants brownies with a side of scrambled chocolate eggs.  Go slow.  My oven runs a little cool so they take about 40 minutes to bake completely - check them after 25 minutes and go from there.  I definitely did not wait 30 minutes before diving into these, but if you have that kind of self-control, go for it...and good for you.

Wishing you a lovely week, friends!