Secret Ingredient Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies

Everyone needs a recipe for secret ingredient fudgy gluten-free brownies in their back pocket. I mean you probably already have a back pocket regular old fudgy brownie (or, at least, I hope you do) and you probs even have a fudgy flourless brownie in your back pocket, but I am guessing you do not have a recipe for the best ever secret ingredient fudgy gluten-free brownies – am I right, or am I right?

Please tell me the secret ingredient!!

And I know you are dying to know what the secret ingredient here is, so I am just going to tell you: it is cornstarch and it makes for the most fudgy and chewy of gluten-free brownies you ever did have . . . To be honest, I couldn’t really tell you the science behind why cornstarch has such a fudgy and delicious effect on these brownies, but it just does. And they actually remind me of my flourless chocolate cake in all the best ways . . .

Tips for making the best secret ingredient fudgy gluten-free brownies:

A couple of things about making and baking these brownies:

The butter and chocolate must be warm when you add the sugars

When you melt the butter and chocolate, it is important to add the sugars to the mixture when it is still warm as this melts the sugar.

Beat the eggs in order to get the coveted crinkly topped brownie

Moreover, in order to get that coveted crinkly topped brownie, you must beat your eggs together before adding them to the chocolate and butter.

Why add chopped chocolate to the brownies?

Finally, the chopped chocolate added to the mix makes for an extra fudgy brownie, believe it or not – again, not sure the science behind that addition, so am thinking you might need to make a batch to see if I’m right, kk? I call for semi-sweet chocolate, but you can use bittersweet, if you prefer.

Why bake in such a hot oven?

Finally (finally), a high oven also contributes to the texture of these cuties – so don’t be afraid to crank it up to 400 degrees, despite how high that might seem.

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Secret Ingredient Fudgy Gluten Free Brownies

Recipe Author Jessie Sheehan

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Servings 24

Ingredients

• 2 cups semi-sweet chopped chocolate, or chips divided
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs large
• 1 yolk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 13x9x2-inch pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment.
• In a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup chopped chocolate with the cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt.
• Melt the remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate, the butter and espresso powder in a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water on the stovetop.
• Once melted, add the sugars and whisk to combine. Add the vanilla and whisk again.
• In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until well blended, at least 30 seconds, and then gently whisk them into the melted chocolate mixture.
• Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until a tester comes out with a moist crumb or two, the top is crinkly and the edges are just starting to come away from the pan.

Notes

Be warned: these are a tad ooey-gooey – in the best way, of course. In other words, these are not the sturdiest of brownies, particularly those pieces cut from the middle; but they are some of the best in terms of flavor and texture, so I’m pretty sure you’ll forgive me.