Dense, fudgy brownies typically don’t rely on gluten for their structure, so they’re easier to make with gluten-free flours than other baked goods. Wheat-free oats add a delicious nuttiness to chewy brownies and cookies when they’re ground into fine or coarse flour in a food processor – ensure you source wheat-free, gluten-free oats approved by the Canadian Celiac Association.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (125 ml) butter
2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened gluten-free chocolate
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla
1/4 cup (60 ml) quinoa flour, gluten-free oat flour or a gluten-free flour blend
1/4 tsp (1 ml) salt
1/3 cup (85 ml) chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate. Remove from the heat. Stir in the sugar, then the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, salt and walnuts (if using them).

Pour into a greased 8×8-inch pan and bake for 35–40 minutes, until the edges are just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, but the brownies are still soft in the middle. Cool and cut into squares.

Serves 16.

Per brownie (made with oat flour): 133 calories 7.8 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 2.4 g monounsaturated fat, 0.4 g polyunsaturated fat) 14.8 g carbohydrates 41 mg cholesterol 1.6 g protein 0.7 g fibre

Originally published in ParentsCanada magazine, November 2013.