Grain-free Cake Brownies
gluten-free | grain-free | dairy-free | nut free | refined sugar free
by Alexa Lehr | The Pioneer Chicks | April 27, 2023
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There’s nothing quite like a thick, chocolatey slice of brownie topped with creamy dairy-free ice cream… because we know that brownies and ice cream go together like peanut butter and jelly. Well, these grain-free cake brownies take care of at least half of that delicious combination! These brownies cover all the essential brownie-bases: thick, chocolatey, fluffy, moist, and allergy-friendly. They are guaranteed to be a hit with modern pioneers of all ages on your homestead!

Modern Pioneer Recipe

These chocolatey grain-free brownies are a modern pioneer recipe! From my research, I haven’t found that the early pioneers had brownies as one of their baking staples, but when you’re a modern pioneer, you can take some liberties. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not a huge chocolate fan. Give me peanut butter or mint any day over chocolate.

But don’t get me wrong, I still like chocolate, it just takes a special kind of recipe for me to love chocolate. These brownies happen to be one of those special recipes. I was pleasantly surprised when I made up these fluffy, thick brownies and they turned out to be a popular treat for my family! One thing that I might try doing to make it more of a pioneer recipe is to make these brownies in a cast iron skillet. I love baking in cast iron and I think these brownies would bake perfectly in a nicely seasoned cast iron skillet. Not to mention you could even consider it to be a brownie skillet cookie and dive right in with a spoon!

Another thing that makes these brownies a perfect modern pioneer recipe is the fact that they are allergy-friendly! I tried to make this brownie recipe as allergy-friendly as possible, so these brownies are….

• grain-free
• gluten-free 
• dairy-free
• nut free
• corn free
• refined sugar free 

I haven’t tried making an egg free brownie yet since they seem to give the brownies some loft, prevent them from being too crumbly, and help give the brownies a fudgy texture. Aside from being allergy-friendly, these brownies also use simple ingredients! They can be made completely from scratch and they even use some homestead ingredients, like homemade canned applesauce and fresh eggs. 

Gluten-free Brownie Recipe Ideas

I have tried homemade recipes ranging from peanut butter brownies, to fudge brownies, to more cake-like brownies. And then there’s the different brands of gluten-free brownie mixes, like Pamela’s gluten-free brownies and King Arthur gluten-free brownies.

I based this grain-free cake brownie recipe off of a homemade recipe that my aunt makes. I had her brownies at a family birthday party and knew I had to come up with a grain-free version. This recipe is as close as it gets and I was able to use grain-free flours, a more natural sugar, and simplify some of the ingredients.

I will warn you, these cake brownies do not have a fudge-like consistency. They are still moist and chocolatey, but they have more of a cake-like texture. If you wanted to give them a little fudginess, just bake them for less time. You can also check out these grain-free brownies that definitely have a fudgey texture! 

While I enjoy baking my own brownies, sometimes I’m a little crunched for time or just need a quick chocolate dessert to bring to a family outing, that’s when I break out the gluten-free store bought mixes. I have tried Pamela’s gluten-free brownie mix and King Arthur gluten-free brownie mix, and found both to be very comparable. As far as ingredients go, the mixes are similar in the fact that they use gluten-free flours and cane sugar as their sweetener.

However, my favorite mix of them all is probably the King Arthur brownies. The mix makes a hefty brownie that is fudgey but not too sweet. I also can make the King Arthur brownies in a 7×11” pan and still get a fairly thick brownie but get more out of a batch. 

Serving Brownies

Maybe one reason why I like brownies so much is because I can sweeten them up with toppings and there are so many different ways that I can serve them! Brownies come in handy for a lot of other desserts as well. A couple of brownie based desserts that you can use these brownies for include:

• grain-free brownie pie
• buckeye brownies
• grain-free Mississippi mud pie or cake
• dairy-free brownie ice cream pie 

I also enjoy topping my brownies with fun and ‘healthier’ toppings. It’s kind of like an ice cream sundae with a brownie base! Now, I don’t do this too often, and these brownies are delicious in and of themselves, but when you want to throw a brownie-bar party or just celebrate with brownie bowls, you have to have a couple topping options.

Ice cream is a must. My favorite dairy-free ice cream brand is NadaMoo! They make the creamiest, most flavorful dairy-free ice cream I have ever had. When I can’t get my hands on some NadaMoo! I opt for SoDelicious coconut milk ice cream or occasionally Cosmic Bliss ice cream.

Aside from ice cream, here are a few other favorite brownie toppings of mine:

• UnReal chocolate gems
• organic sprinkles
• gluten-free white chocolate chips
• homemade caramel sauce
• dairy-free chocolate syrup
• Lily’s salted caramel chocolate bar (chopped)

Storing Brownies

You don’t often think of storing brownies, and it’s probably because they are so delicious that they don’t last long enough for you to have to worry about them going bad (at least I know in my house we have never had a problem with brownies going bad!). But there are still some brownie saving tips and tricks that help keep the brownies fresh and delicious in case you do have to save a batch or two. 

These grain-free cake brownies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Brownies that have a more fudge like consistency should be stored in the fridge to keep them fresh for longer. Sometimes my family likes to take brownies on special trips or vacations, that’s when freezing them comes in handy! Yes, you can freeze these brownies!

I recommend freezing brownies that have a more cake-like texture since they will un-thaw better than fudge brownies. Like with any frozen food, letting the brownies un-thaw slowly will help preserve the taste and texture. 

For transporting brownies out of their original baking pan, I recommend a few options. The eco-friendly silicon Stashers have been a big hit in my house and work well for transporting baked goods in an airtight container. You can also store the brownies in an airtight glass container, like Pyrex food storage containers.

Recipe Tips

Honestly, I don’t know how these brownies could be any simpler, other than if they came out of a box! The ingredients are wholesome and should be ones that you have on hand in your homestead pantry. The process of putting these brownies together is fast and fairly mess free too!

Here are a few recipe tips to ensure your brownies turn out fantastic!

• Melted Oil– Make sure your coconut oil is completely melted to ensure the proper consistency.
• Non-DF Options– If you’re not dairy-free, you can substitute in melted butter or ghee instead of the coconut oil. You can also use avocado oil in place of the coconut oil.
• Room Temp Ingredients– Room temperature eggs and room temperature applesauce works best in this recipe and help all the ingredients combine better.
• Cocoa or Cacao– You can use cocoa powder instead of the cacao powder in this recipe.
• Sugar Options– You can substitute in maple sugar instead of coconut sugar, but I have not tried any other liquid sweeteners as a substitute yet.
• Applesauce Alternatives– If you don’t have any canned applesauce on hand, some suitable substitutes that would only change the consistency slightly would include butter, pumpkin purée, or mashed banana.
• Fudge Brownies– Want more fudge-like brownies? Only bake them for 10-12 minutes!

These grain-free brownies are the perfect allergy-friendly, modern pioneer dessert! These brownies are a crowd (or family) pleaser, plus they are super easy to make. With a cake-like texture and a rich chocolate flavor, they are delicious served with ice cream or eaten by themselves! 

Where to Find the Ingredients

• Nutiva coconut oil
• Navitas cacao powder
• Anthony’s coconut sugar
• Simply Organic vanilla extract
• Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
• Otto’s Naturals cassava flour
• Supplies: 8×8″ glass baking dish

These grain-free cake brownies are a favorite dessert of mine, and I’m not even a chocolate lover! Topped with dairy-free ice cream, not many other desserts can compare to these brownies! Whether fudgey and gooey or fluffy and cake-like, these brownies can satisfy a variety of preferences and fit into many low-inflammation, allergy-free diets! Who would not want to become a modern pioneer when you get to bake and eat recipes like this one!? 

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