Grain and Nut-Free Fudge Brownies

Servings: 9–12
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces 100% cacao
• 6 tablespoons grass-fed butter (or 5 tablespoons coconut oil)
• 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk*
• 3 pastured eggs
  
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour/starch (Arrowroot should work, and tapioca tends to be a tad bit sweeter.)
• 1/3 cup cacao or cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated cane sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the chocolate, butter, and coconut milk in a double boiler.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the tapioca flour, cacao powder, sugar, and salt. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir a couple times. This doesn’t need to be combined well.

Once the chocolate is melted, pour it over the egg and flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour batter into an 8×8-inch greased baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25–30 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Quick Notes:

*For the freshest coconut milk, make homemade coconut milk. (See video at this link.)

You can also use chocolate chips or any high cacao chocolate bar in place of the 100% cacao. I wanted to make these dairy-free and sugar-free, or I would have used my favorite chocolate chips. You may need to reduce the amount of sweetener.

Kate from Highlands Ranch, CO, just won $50 for this recipe and photo! Submit yours here.

I honestly don’t know what exactly I was expecting when I baked these, but they weren’t what I thought they’d be. They totally surprised me.

The texture is light, almost creamy, very coconutty, and moist. The “bite” and overall texture is like a wheat brownie. The appearance, even, is just like a wheat brownie. Even the top baked up shiny and flakey. What’s more, they popped right out of the glass pan without any fuss. I like that.

The batter will mix and come together easily if you soften the Coconut Cream Concentrate to peanut butter consistency first. It also helps to bring the eggs to room temperature as well. Depending on how warm your CCC is, you may or may not end up with stubborn little lumps that will refuse to totally mix in. Don’t let it get to you. They’ll still be delicious.

Mine have little lumps. And they’re delicious.

I haven’t tried the blondie version yet, but I can assure you it’s just as delicious as the brownies.

Which one will you make?

Sarah 🙂

Gluten-Free Coconut Brownies (or Blondies)

Servings: 18 squares
Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Coconut Cream Concentrate
• 2–3 eggs*
• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup**
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan Salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup organic cocoa***
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips, optional
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (300 for convection oven). Grease a 9 x 9 or 12 x 8-inch pan.

In a large bowl, measure out all ingredients and mix until combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake 20–25 minutes. Try not to overbake; the top will be slightly crispy and the middle is fudgy.

*I usually use 2 eggs to achieve a silky, ribbony look, but sometimes I have to use 3 eggs to completely emulsify the batter.

**I prefer a less sweet brownie, especially since I always put chocolate chips into my brownies. I actually only use 1/3 cup of honey, but I find that when I bake for others, they are used to a sweeter baked good.

***For blondies, omit cocoa. They will have a stronger coconut flavor than the brownies.

Recipe submitted by Marisa, San Jose, CA.

Recipe prepared by Sarah Shilhavy and photographed by Jeremiah Shilhavy.

Submit your recipe here!