This gluten-free brownie with chocolate ganache frosting has a creamy, rich, and fudgy middle and a perfectly crispy top! It’s super easy to make and tastes incredible! Dessert doesn’t get much better than this!
This is one of my favorite gluten-free brownie recipes. For me, a brownie must have a lot of chocolate, be moist and soft inside, and have a crisp, dry top! That’s why I invite you to make this recipe as this gluten-free brownie is healthy, tasty, and very chocolatey!
Table of Contents
INGREDIENTS FOR THE GLUTEN-FREE HEALTHY BROWNIE RECIPE
Brownie:
The ingredients for this healthy gluten-free brownie are quite simple: eggs, nut flour, cocoa and sugar. As I said before, for me brownie has to have a crispy top. To get the crispy top we need to use sugar. To make a healthier version of the gluten-free brownie I’ve opted to use coconut sugar but in a reduced way, compared to other brownie preparations (40% less than the traditional brownie recipe).
Coconut sugar is a more natural, healthier option and has a lower glycemic index than regular sugar. This means that coconut sugar will have less of an impact on your blood glucose level.
For the gluten-free flour option, and to keep this brownie recipe low carb I’ve chosen to use only walnut flour and cocoa powder, without any flour mixes.
Ganache:
The ganache is a simple combination of chocolate and cashew nut cream, which is made with soaked cashew nuts (for approximately 6-8 hours), water, and honey. To make this ganache even better, I’ve infused it with orange juice for a richer flavor. I’ve also used 70% dark chocolate, both in the brownie and in the ganache, as I like the intense chocolate flavor.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE HEALTHY BROWNIE
Brownie:
- Melt the chocolate with coconut oil and set aside. (The best way to melt chocolate is on the stovetop using a double boiler).
- Mix the walnut flour with the cocoa powder and set aside.
- Place the eggs and coconut sugar in a bowl, and with the help of a mixer, beat very well until you get a fluffy cream that has doubled in size. Reserve.
- Add the cooled melted chocolate to the egg mixture. Using a spatula, mix it well, then add the walnut flour and cocoa powder mixture. Stir lightly and be careful not to lose aeration.
- Grease the baking pan with coconut oil, line it out with the piece of parchment paper, and then add the batter to the pan.
- Bake it in the preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for approximately 15 minutes or when you observe the crust formation.
- Remove and let it cool in the pan.
Cashew Nut Cream:
To make the cashew nut cream, place all the ingredients (soaked cashew nuts, water and honey) in a high-speed blender and mix until smooth. Let’s use this cream in the next step, which is the truffle!
Ganache:
- In a small saucepan, reduce the orange juice, and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, add the cashew nut cream and orange zest. Cook on low heat until it reaches the first boil, then turn off the stove. Cover the pan with a lid and let it infuse for 10 minutes.
- Add the hot reduced orange juice to the cashew nut cream, and then add the chocolate. Cover with the lid, and let it sit for at least five minutes.
- Mix everything until the chocolate has completely melted and incorporated into a smooth cream.
To finish this gluten-free brownie recipe, use a layer of brownie with the ganache on top. Use your creativity to decorate! You can make this gluten-free healthy brownie in a round shape as a cake or a traditional square shape. You can also cut the brownie into small pieces and put the truffle frosting on top with the help of acetate.
HOW TO MAKE WALNUT FLOUR AT HOME
It’s very simple and similar to my almond flour recipe. Put 1/2 cup of walnuts in the blender at a time. Pulse the nuts so they break up and look like breadcrumbs. However, be careful not to over-process your nuts! If you process the nuts in the blender for too long, they’ll turn into nut butter instead of flour. If you want, sift the nuts flour and then use it in the recipe.
TIPS FOR THIS GLUTEN-FREE HEALTHY BROWNIE RECIPE
- Cool the melted chocolate well before adding it to the egg mixture, to do not curdle the eggs. Be careful in this part of the process! You do not want to end up with scrambled eggs in your brownie batter!
- I recommend using 70% cocoa chocolate, as it has a lower sugar content and contains more flavonoids (phytonutrients found in cocoa), which have antioxidant effects. However, if you want, you can use milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate for a sweeter, less intense chocolate flavor gluten-free brownie.
- In this gluten-free brownie recipe, the synergy between cocoa and nuts improves mood and concentration. Making it an excellent mid-afternoon snack that can give you an extra kick of energy at the end of the day.
- For this healthy gluten-free brownie to have a crispy top, it’s essential to use sugar. I have used 120g/4.2oz of coconut sugar = brownie light in sugar, or in other words, 40% sugar reduction compared to a traditional brownie recipe. Using nut flour helped turn this brownie healthier and lower in carbs despite using sugar.
- Coconut sugar is a more natural and healthy option. Also, it has a lower glycemic index than regular sugar. However, feel free to use another type of sugar if you like!
- Soak the cashew nuts for at least 8 hours to reduce the anti-nutritional factors, as they interfere with our digestion. Also, it facilitates turning cashew nuts into a smooth cream.
STORAGE OF GLUTEN-FREE HEALTHY BROWNIE
Store the gluten-free brownie at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these healthy brownie pieces for up to 3 months. However, once frozen, I recommend thawing them in the fridge overnight and then leaving them at room temperature until the next day.
I like to have this brownie slightly warmed up. I warm it up in the microwave for 10-20 seconds before eating them.
Gluten-Free Brownie With Chocolate Ganache
Equipment
- Blender
- Kitchen Scale or Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Large bowl
- Medium sauce pan
- Mixer
- Zester
- Parchment paper
- Pastry bag
- Baking pan (I used a 23 cm round shape with removable bottom)
- Brush
- Sieve
- Spatula
Ingredients
Brownie:
- 1½ cups (250 g/8.8 oz) chocolate chips, 70% cocoa
- ⅓ cup (75 g/2.6 oz) coconut oil
- 3 tbsp (25 g/0.8 oz) cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (80 g/2.8) walnut flour
- 4 whole eggs
- ¾ cup (120 g/4.2oz) coconut sugar
Cashew Nuts Cream:
- 1½ cups (200 g/7 oz) of soaked cashew nuts*, natural and unsalted (see weight note)
- 1 tbsp (20 g/0.7 oz) honey
- ⅔ cup filtered water
Chocolat Ganache:
- 2 cups (350 g/12.3 oz) of cashew cream*
- 1 orange, (zest + juice reduction)
- 1¼ cups (225 g/7.9 oz) chocolate chips, 70% cocoa
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
Soaking:
- It is important to do this step in advance!Place the natural cashew nuts in a bowl, add enough filtered water to cover the nuts, and soak them for at least 8 hours. This makes blending the nuts easier and helps turn them into a smooth cream.
Brownie:
- Melt 1½ cups (250 g/8.8 oz) chocolate chips with ⅓ cup (75 g/2.6 oz) coconut oil. Set aside and let it cool.
- Mix 3 tbsp (25 g/0.8 oz) cocoa powder with ¾ cup (80 g/2.8) walnut flour.
- Place 4 whole eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer along with ¾ cup (120 g/4.2oz) coconut sugar and beat until forms a light and fluffy cream that has doubled in size.
- Carefully add the mixture of chocolate and coconut oil. Using a spatula, mix it well. Lastly, add the mixture of walnut flour and cocoa powder. Stir lightly and be careful not to lose aeration.
- Grease the baking pan with coconut oil, line out with a piece of parchment paper, and then add the brownie butter to the pan. Bake it in the preheated oven at
180°C/350 °F for approximately 15 minutes or when you observe the formation of the crust. Remove and let it cool in the pan.
Cashew Nut Cream:
- Put 1½ cups (200 g/7 oz) of soaked cashew nuts*, 1 tbsp (20 g/0.7 oz) honey, and ⅔ cup filtered water in the food processor or blender and blitz until you get a homogeneous and smooth cream.
Chocolate Ganache:
- Reduce the juice from 1 orange and set aside.
- In a medium pan, place 2 cups (350 g/12.3 oz) of cashew cream* with the zest of 1 orange and cook on low heat until it reaches the first boil. Turn off the stove, cover the pan with a lid, and let it infuse for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes have passed, add the orange juice reduction while it's still hot. (If it has cooled down, heat it before adding.)
- Add 1¼ cups (225 g/7.9 oz) chocolate chips, but do not stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes. This allows for better emulsion.
- Add 1 pinch of salt and using a spatula mix the chocolate and cream from the center to the edges, moving in a clockwise circle.
- To finish this recipe, use a layer of brownie and another layer of ganache on top. Use your creativity to decorate!
- You can make this brownie in the shape of a round or square cake, or cut the brownie into small pieces and add the truffle frosting on top with the help of an acetate.
