Cocoa Oatmeal Muffins

I make a fresh batch of muffins nearly every week, so when I came across this recipe, it reminded me of my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, but with even more chocolate. And more chocolate is always a good thing, right?! The consensus at our house is that these muffins taste like a brownie. I think we've found a new winner for the muffin rotation!

Cocoa Oatmeal Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats
• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and sour cream; beat until creamy.
3. In separate bowl, stir together oats, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk.
4. Fold chocolate chips into batter.
5. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.
6. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Taste & Tell.

Coconut Flour Brownies

My first foray into baking with coconut flour was a rousing success! These brownies are light and fluffy, yet packed with rich chocolate flavor. You actually can't even taste the coconut! Not only is this dessert gluten free, but it can also be made dairy free. Enjoy!

Coconut Flour Brownies
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup coconut oil
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add coconut flour, baking soda, and salt to bowl; set aside.
3. In small saucepan over low heat, melt coconut oil and semisweet chocolate chips.
4. Once completely melted, turn off heat. Add maple syrup and vanilla; mix well.
5. Pour melted chocolate mixture into dry ingredients. Stir until well combined.
6. Add eggs to brownie batter and mix thoroughly.
7. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
8. Pour half of brownie batter into prepared pan.
9. Sprinkle top of batter with 1 cup milk chocolate chips.
10. Pour remaining batter over chocolate chip layer.
11. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup milk chocolate chips over top of brownie layer.
12. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
13. Let brownies cool before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Feel free to use whichever type of chocolate chips you prefer: semisweet, milk, dark, bittersweet, etc. I like using the combination seen here!
• To make the recipe dairy free, simply use a compliant brand of chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life). Easy, peasy!
• For a decadent treat, warm brownie in the microwave and top with a scoop of dairy free ice cream. It's heavenly!

Recipe adapted from The Coconut Mama.

Easy Chocolate Syrup Brownies

My son had an ice cream party at school last week, and we were asked to provide chocolate syrup for the entire third grade. Of course I bought the giant bottles from Sam's Club because I didn't want these kids to have to skimp on their sundae toppings! We ended up having quite a bit leftover, so I found this recipe on the Hershey's website to help consume some of what remained. They are delish!

Easy Chocolate Syrup Brownies
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Brownies:
 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
 1 cup sugar
 2 eggs
 1 tsp vanilla
 1 1/3 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 1/2 tsp baking soda
 3/4 cup Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting:
 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
 1/2 cup Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well combined.
3. Stir together flour and baking soda; add alternately with chocolate syrup to butter mixture. Beat well.
4. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull away from edges of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
6. Once brownies are cooled, make frosting by beating all ingredients in stand mixer until well blended. Spread on top of cooled brownies.
7. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Hershey's Kitchens.

Gooey Cookies & Cream Double Chocolate Cake Bars

Here is a family favorite dessert that used to be chock full of gluten. The original recipe called for a boxed chocolate cake mix for the base and then crumbled Oreos on top. Obviously this recipe required some serious tweaking to make these bars gluten free!

Through trial and error, I figured out the perfect combination of made-from-scratch ingredients to replace the cake mix. Luckily, a number of different gluten free "Oreo" cookie options exist in the market. My mom sent me this box from Trader Joe's. (Glutino is another brand I've tried. Head over to this post to see what that package looks like.)

Gooey Cookies & Cream Double Chocolate Cake Bars
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk (I use almond milk)
15 gluten free "Oreo" cookies
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (This can be done by hand if you don't have a stand mixer.) Add egg; mix well.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder in bowl. Add dry ingredients to creamed sugar in small batches, alternating with milk. Batter will be very stiff.
4. Press dough into prepared baking pan.
5. Crumble cookies on top of dough.
6. Sprinkle white chocolate chips over cookies.
7. Pour sweetened condensed milk over cookies and white chocolate chips.
8. Top with semisweet chocolate chips.
9. Bake 16-20 minutes, until cooked through. (White chocolate chips will start to brown slightly.)
10. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Recipe adapted from Picky Palate.

Almond Flour Blondies

These blonde brownies are chewy, gooey, and filled with delicious morsels of semisweet and white chocolate!

Because this recipe calls for almond flour, the end product is a bit different than if you used a more traditional baking flour. The bars puff up nicely while baking and then sink as they cool. When you cut into them, they will appear under-cooked, but they are actually ready to eat! I recommend using a fork since they can be a bit crumbly. But, trust me, that first bite will be worth it!

(Before posting this recipe, I made sure to try it out a few times because I was skeptical of the results. I must be doing something right, though, because I've received rave reviews from my family every time!)

Almond Flour Blondies
Yield: 9x13

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease 9x13 baking pan.
3. In bowl of stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix to fully incorporate. Stir in semisweet and white chocolate chips.
5. Pour dough into prepared baking dish. Smooth into an even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden.
6. Allow to cool for at least a few hours or overnight. (They are easier to remove from the pan the longer they cool.)
7. Slice into bars and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Meaningful Eats.

{Classic} Brownies

Like all busy moms, I used to keep a couple boxes of brownie mix in my pantry out of convenience for a quick homemade dessert or dish to pass at a potluck. Once I went gluten free, that got thrown out the window! Because let's be real, I only ever bought them when they were on sale for less than $1 per box and I'm not shelling out the big bucks for a GF version.

Thankfully my mom gave me this recipe that her sister got from a friend (did you follow all that?!) and there's no turning back to the pre-packaged stuff. Once I started making my brownies from scratch, I discovered my kids actually preferred the homemade version to the store-bought ones I used to make. Win!

Brownies
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
5 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix all ingredients, except 1 cup chocolate chips, in large bowl.
3. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chocolate chips. Pat down with hand.
4. Bake for 27-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool completely before cutting.

Serving Suggestion: Warm brownie in microwave for 15-20 seconds, then top with scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Zucchini Brownies

Now here's a dessert you can feel good about eating! (Because we all know how decadent so many of the other recipes found on my blog can be!) These healthy brownies are packed with good-for-you zucchini and contain minimal added fat and sugar compared to traditional brownie recipes. The light, airy texture is moist and full of chocolate flavor.

Zucchini Brownies
Yield: 8x8 pan

Ingredients
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups grated zucchini*
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, mix into batter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, sprinkle on top

*If using frozen shredded zucchini, gently squeeze out excess moisture and then measure out 2 cups.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8x8 pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, mix together eggs, vanilla, sugar, and sour cream.
3. In separate medium bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Sift together if lumpy.
4. Add dry mix to wet ingredients; gently stir to combine. Do not over mix!
5. Fold in zucchini and 1 cup chocolate chips.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips on top.
7. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle doesn't come out gooey. It might still be sticky, just not have raw batter on it.
8. Cool completely before cutting.
9. Store in airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to one week in refrigerator. (Recommended to store in refrigerator right from the beginning due to high moisture content.)

Recipe adapted from Texan Erin.

Chocolate Avocado Brownies

I know what you're thinking...the words avocado and chocolate should never appear in the same sentence, let alone the same recipe. Believe me, I thought the same thing! But yesterday my avocado decided it was time for peak ripeness, and I just didn't feel like eating it with my lunch (blasphemy, I know). So a quick Pinterest search revealed this recipe, and my "problem" (of not wanting my ripe avocado to go to waste) was solved!

Don't let the healthy ingredient list turn you away. One bite of these unconventional brownies will have you asking for seconds as the rich chocolate flavor and smooth texture melt in your mouth!

Clearly I was so anxious to satisfy my sweet tooth that I forgot to take a picture first!

Chocolate Avocado Brownies
Yield: 8x8 pan

Ingredients
3/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed smooth
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together egg, avocado, butter, vanilla, and maple syrup; mix well until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture to avocado mixture; blend well. Gently fold in chocolate chips and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
4. Allow to cool completely before cutting.
5. Store refrigerated in airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Skinny Ms.

Fudgy Teff Brownies

If you've browsed through my other recipes, you may have come across this post where I branched out from my usual one-to-one gluten free flour. The tart I made was a rousing success, so I decided to search for other ways to use my teff flour...

And that's when I discovered this gem! I am a lover of all things chocolate, and let me tell you, this recipe does not disappoint. The batter is super quick and easy to stir together, and after 20 minutes in the oven, these brownies are done!

I know you may be ready to dig in as soon as the delicious aroma starts emanating from your oven, but you need to be patient! Let the brownies cool for a few hours so they set up a bit (that will make them easier to cut) because they are super moist. I made them mid-morning and served them to my children for an after-school treat. We all agreed they were heavenly! The fudgy, gooey texture just melts in your mouth. I think I discovered my new stand-by brownie recipe!

Fudgy Teff Brownies
Yield: 8x8 pan

Ingredients
1 cup teff flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
*3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 eggs, room temperature
*3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Update 12/22/18:
*To make dairy free, substitute coconut oil for butter and use dairy free chocolate chips. Brownies turn out a bit drier and less fudgy, but in a good way (more like a traditional brownie). My husband actually prefers the dairy free version to the original formulation of the recipe!

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Once combined, add eggs, one at a time, and stir just until combined. Add flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix! Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. (If desired, sprinkle additional 1/2 cup chocolate chips on top of batter, as shown in photos above, and pat down gently with hand so chocolate chips stick in batter.)
4. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until brownies have formed a thin crust and appear set in the middle. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out wet. A toothpick inserted into the sides will come out with some moist crumbs on it, but not totally raw batter. The brownies will continue to bake as they sit in the pan and will firm up as they cool.
5. Let cool completely and then cover and store at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also refrigerate them to give them a fudgier texture.

Recipe adapted from TexanErin Baking.

Hot Fudge Cheesecake Brownies

If you're looking for a rich, indulgent dessert, then you've come to the right place! The creamy, chocolatey cheesecake sandwiched between two brownie layers sprinkled with chocolate chips on top will leave your sweet-tooth satisfied (and craving more!).

Hot Fudge Cheesecake Brownies
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
For brownies:
 1 cup unsalted butter
 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 2 cups granulated sugar
 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
 1 tsp vanilla
 1/2 tsp salt
 4 eggs
 1 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 1 1/2 cups additional chocolate chips (or chopped peanut butter cups), for topping

For cheesecake:
 8 oz cream cheese, softened
 1 jar hot fudge topping (about 12-16 ounces)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Make brownies: Place butter and 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in large microwave-safe mixing bowl and heat on high power in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Stir in cocoa powder until completely incorporated. Add both sugars, vanilla, and salt, stirring to combine. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until completely mixed through. Gently stir in flour until incorporated and no more flour is visible. Batter will be thick.
3. Spread 2/3 of brownie batter in prepared pan. Set the rest aside.
4. Make cheesecake: In stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and hot fudge until smooth and no lumps remain. Gently spread over bottom brownie layer.
5. Carefully layer remaining brownie batter on top of cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips and/or chopped peanut butter cups.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until brownies are set with just a little wiggle in the center and they start to pull away slightly from the edges of the pan. Cool completely.
7. Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. Store in refrigerator in sealed container.

Recipe adapted from Crazy for Crust.

Caramel Brownies

This recipe originally called for a box of chocolate cake mix. I tried using a gluten free version of boxed cake mix and the result was a disaster! Rarely do I have to throw food away and start over, but that time I did. Since I had already melted the caramels in the microwave, I quickly scoured the internet looking for the perfect made-from-scratch cake mix substitute. I tweaked a few of the ingredients and these brownies turned out to be the best I had ever made!

Caramel Brownies
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Brownie layer (top & bottom):
 3/4 cup butter, melted
 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 1 1/2 cups sugar
 1/2 cup cocoa powder
 1 Tbsp baking powder
 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup evaporated milk

Caramel layer:
 11-oz package caramel bits plus 1/2 cup from another 11-oz package
 1/3 cup evaporated milk
 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Make brownie layer: Stir together butter, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and evaporated milk. Press half of batter into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. Make caramel layer: Melt caramels and remaining evaporated milk until smooth.
4. After 10 minutes, remove pan from oven. Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips over brownie layer and pour melted caramel over chocolate chips. Layer remainder of batter over caramel. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chocolate chips.
5. Return pan to oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes.
6. Cool completely before cutting into bars.