I hesitated in naming these as gluten-free brownies. For many of us who do not have that dietary restriction, the idea of a gluten-free (GF) baked good that people more commonly associate with a wheat flour version often suggests that the GF version isn’t quite the real thing. I’m no different: while I love the GF version that I developed along with my wheat flour-based Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, I confess that I love the wheat flour version more.
But if you, like me, adore a fudgy brownie with a delicately thin crust and dotted throughout with chocolate chips, then this is the gluten-free baked good recipe that redefines the original for the better.
And if you, like my wife, do eat only gluten-free and love chocolate, these gluten-free brownies may become your favorite dessert ever.
It’s extremely easy to make, especially with a stand mixer. You can whisk it all together by hand, but it does start to get more difficult to whisk with each successive egg. But the results are the same whichever way you mix the batter.
Checking for doneness: The trickiest part to this recipe is knowing when it’s ready. It’s done baking when a toothpick comes out mostly clean and the middle is still a little jiggly. Start checking at 20 minutes, but the recipe will most likely take 25-30 minutes. (It’s also fine if you wait a little too long and the toothpick comes out clean; you’ll just end up with slightly chewier brownies.)
Plan ahead: These brownies need time and thorough chilling to set up correctly. Best to make them a day or even two days ahead and store tightly covered in the refrigerator.
Special equipment: I always recommend King Arthur Baking’s Half-Sheet Baking Parchment Paper. At 13″ wide, it’s perfect for a 9″ x 13″ cake pan; you only need to make one cut to get it to fit the bottom of the pan.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 9 oz semisweet baking chocolate
- 2 1/4 cups white sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp potato starch
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Butter the sides of a 9×13 cake pan. Cut a sheet of parchment or wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan and place in the pan.
- In a double boiler or a bowl set over a pot of simmering water, add the butter and baking chocolate (reserve the chocolate chips for later). Stir occasionally with a whisk until melted, about 2-4 minutes. (This step could also be done in the microwave on low power; careful not to burn the chocolate or butter.)
- When the butter and chocolate have melted, transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and add the white sugar. Turn the mixer on low speed to combine thoroughly.
- Add one egg to the mixer and allow it to incorporate completely before adding the next egg. Repeat for remaining eggs.
- Add the salt and potato starch to the mixer and incorporate thoroughly.
- Stir in one cup of the chocolate chips and transfer the brownie batter to the cake pan. Sprinkle the remaining half cup of chocolate chips over the top of the batter, all the way to the edges.
- Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out almost clean and the brownies jiggle only slightly when you gently shake the pan.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 30 minutes on top of a wire rack.
- Loosen the rim of the brownie sheet from the pan with a butter knife. Place a large cutting board or sheet pan bottom over the cake pan and flip the two over together. The brownie sheet should easily release from the pan. Lift the pan off and set aside. Peel off the parchment and discard.
- Flip the wire rack over and place on top of the brownie bottom, then flip all three (wire rack, brownie, and cutting board over together and remove the cutting board. You should end up with the brownies right side up on top of the cooling rack.
- Let cool fully at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight to set completely. For the cleanest slices, use a long slicing knife or serrated bread knife, wiping the blade between slices. Serve chilled or room temperature.