I first began making these brownies for my sister and brother-in-law, who recently had a baby. They eat 100% gluten free and follow a plant-based diet aside from the occasional egg in desserts. At first I tried making them gluten free and eggless, and although they tasted like straight up brownie batter, they were way too oily and fell apart. So my journey to making the perfect gluten free and dairy free (instead of vegan to make it easier on myself) brownie began. Months later and after countless testing, here they are!
These brownies are so simple to make, and the results are decadent, velvety, and fudgy. Bergamot oil comes from the fragrant rind of the citrus fruit, and it adds a lovely aromatic, floral note to the richness of the chocolate. If you don’t have earl gray tea on hand, don’t let that stop you from making this brownie recipe. They are still delicious without any added frills. If tea leaves are not added, I do recommend adding 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to give the chocolate flavors more oomph.
You would never guess it, but these brownies are gluten free since almond flour is used. Since it’s higher in fat, almond flour can help make baked items tender, soft, and moist. Even if you don’t follow a gluten free diet, using almond flour for brownies makes total sense, because the best brownies are moist and tender.
The brownies are also dairy free (as long as dairy free chocolate chips are used). Oil is used in this recipe instead of melted butter. The result? Fudgy, chewy brownies. These brownies can be whipped up in a flash. Before you know it, you can be biting into the fudgiest, chewiest brownies ever!
Ingredients for fudgy brownies—
The brownie ingredients list is short and sweet. Here’s what you’ll need to make the most delicious brownies:
— Cocoa powder, instead of melted chocolate, is used to give these brownies a rich chocolate base. If possible, use good quality cocoa powder. I used half “regular” natural cocoa powder and half double dutch dark cocoa. Since this recipe calls for baking powder, either natural cocoa powder or dutch-process coca powder can be used! If the cocoa powder is clumpy, sift it before whisking it with the other dry ingredients.
— Almond flour is used in addition to the cocoa powder. The almond flour creates such a tender, chewy texture that ages well.
— Mini chocolate chips are added to the batter to make the brownies extra chocolatey. Mini chocolate chips are used instead of regular-sized chips or chunks because the mini chips melt more into the batter, creating an addicting texture. If regular chocolate chips are what you have on hand, that is totally fine, and they will still be delicious! The chocolate chips are really optional overall.
— Earl Gray tea, from individual tea bags, is added to the brownie batter. Looseleaf tea can be added, but it should be ground first. If you are sensitive to caffeine, make sure to use decaf earl gray. Earl Gray is black tea with bergamot and typically contains caffeine.
— Oil is used instead of butter. Use a neutral oil, such as sunflower or grapeseed oil. Oil does not have water like butter does, so it makes for a fudgier brownie. It also allows the chocolate and earl gray flavors to shine.
Tips for making brownies—
— Prepare all of your ingredients. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you begin. While the oven is preheating and after the baking pan is greased, prep the ingredients. Sift the cocoa powder if it is clumpy, and then stir or whisk the cocoa powder with the rest of the dry ingredients. Measure the sugar into a bowl—the oil can be measured directly into the bowl. Make sure to have any other ingredients on hand, like the vanilla extract and mini chocolate chips so they aren’t forgotten.
— Mix the brownie batter well. Mix the oil and sugar until the oil is mostly combined with the sugar. It will look similar to body scrub! Once the almond flour mixture has been added, mix well to ensure there aren’t any pockets of dry ingredients. Since almond flour and cocoa powder are gluten free, you don’t have to worry about over-mixing like you would with flour that contains gluten.
— Cooled brownies are easier to cut. If you want brownies warm and fresh right out of the oven, go ahead and cut into them. However, they cut more cleanly if the brownies are completely cooled first.
In the mood for bar recipes without chocolate? Try these:
EARL GRAY BROWNIES
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup (120 g) almond flour
- 3/4 cup (60 g) cocoa powder
- ground tea leaves from 3 Earl Gray teabags (6 g / about a tablespoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (90 mL) neutral oil, such as sunflower or grapeseed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (95 g) mini chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a nonstick 8×8 square pan with nonstick spray. Alternatively, the pan can be lined with parchment paper instead.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder (sifted if clumpy), baking powder, salt, and ground tea leaves. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar and oil for a minute or so. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously for at least 30 seconds each time. Stir in the vanilla. Pour in the flour mixture and stir well until incorporated, then fold in the mini chocolate chips.
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 22-24 minutes. The middle will be set but still a tiny bit wobbly, and the edges will be just starting to shrink from the sides of the pan. Cool completely before cutting the brownies into 9 large squares or 18 small squares.
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