Gluten Free Brownie Recipe

This Gluten-Free Brownie Recipe has no butter, no added sugar, and no wheat flour. And guess what? It still tastes amazing! The taste combination of dates and pomegranates in these chocolate brownies will leave you speechless! 

Chocolate and Valentine’s Day definitely go hand in hand. 

In fact, it’s kind of hard not to think of chocolate brownies.

Unfortunately, they are usually packed with sugar and fat, and if you’re like me, you can’t help but eat a few pieces in one sitting… not the best for someone trying to lead a healthier lifestyle!

But they don’t need to be a rare indulgence. With a few minor modifications, you can achieve some amazing results. 

There are many healthy versions of brownies available today. If you recall, I previously shared a colleague’s recipe for Sweet Potato Black Bean Brownies.

The recipe I am sharing today is made without any added sugar or butter.

It’s true!

Rather, these fudgy brownies are sweetened by dates and pomegranate juice, boiled, then blended, together. The natural sugars in the fruits provide just the right amount of sweetness while lending a really unique, almost wine-like taste to them. 

Butter, on the other hand, is replaced by a small amount of avocado oil. The texture given by the dates means that these healthy brownies can be fudgy without actually having high amounts of saturated fats in them.

Here is how to make them so that you can judge for yourself.

Instructions

The first thing we are going to do is to position the rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190°C).

Line an 8 x 8 cake pan with parchment paper and set aside. 

Combine 8 ounces of Medjool pitless dates and ⅔ cup of pomegranate juice in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil for one minute.

While still hot, transfer to a food processor. Add ¼ cup of avocado oil and pureé until you get a smooth texture.

Add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and continue to pureé.

Next, add 3 eggs (room temperature), ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. 

Pureé together. 

Add ⅔ cups of oat flour and combine.

Pour the batter in the parchment-lined 8×8 cake pan.

Bake for about 15-17 minutes in a 375°F (190°C) oven.

Cool completely before slicing. 

Serve with a dollop of whipped ricotta or vanilla yogurt. 

Tips

• Lining the pan with parchment paper facilitates the removal of the brownie. 
• If you like the combination of chocolate and spice, add ⅛ of a teaspoon of cayenne or chili powder.
• Sprinkle the leftover crumbs over the whipped ricotta.
• Special equipment: A food processor is required for this recipe.

Healthy chocolate recipes we love:

• Chocolate Covered Almonds
• Dark Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Easy Chocolate Bark Recipe
• Chocolate Pizza (with lots of fruit)

Recipe origins

In the past, I have mentioned that my daughter and I love to bake together.

A few years ago, she was looking for a simple brownie recipe that had to be gluten-free for a fundraiser activity at her university.

The combination of dates and pomegranates in this POM recipe intrigued both us. 

And so, the She Loves Biscotti home headquarters created three brownie test versions:

• coconut flour brownies;
• oat flour brownies and
• almond flour brownies.

The winner?

Oat flour!

Oat flour gives the nicest taste, in our humble opinion. It also yields a “fudgier” final texture. 

Enjoy these gluten-free healthy chocolate brownies with your loved ones on Valentine’s Day, or any other day of the year.

No butter.

No added sugar.

And gluten-free!

It really is that simple and that good!

Enjoy.

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this recipe for healthy brownies, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

Gluten Free Brownie Recipe

This Gluten-Free Brownie Recipe has no butter, no added sugar, and no wheat flour. And guess what? It still tastes amazing! The taste combination of dates and pomegranates in these chocolate brownies will leave you speechless! 

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 113kcal

Author: Maria Vannelli RD

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Ingredients

• ⅔ cup Pomegranate Juice
• 8 ounces Medjool dates about 12 dates
• ¼ cup avocado oil
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 eggs room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract pure
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch salt
• ⅔ cup oat flour
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne or chili powder optional

Instructions

• Position rack in the center of the oven.
• Preheat oven to 375℉ (190°C).
• Line an 8 x 8 cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine the dates and pomegranate juice in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil.
• Boil for one minute.
• While still hot, transfer to the food processor and pureé together, along with avocado oil.
• Add cocoa powder and pureé.
• Add the eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and cayenne pepper (if using). Continue to pureé together.
• Add the oat flour and combine thoroughly.
• Spread batter in the prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15- 17 minutes until firm to the touch.
• Transfer pan on a wire rack where it can cool down before cutting into squares.

Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Notes

• Lining the pan with parchment paper facilitates the removal of the brownie. 
• If you like the combination of chocolate and spice, add ⅛ of a teaspoon of cayenne or chili powder.
• Sprinkle the leftover crumbs over the whipped ricotta.
• Special equipment: A food processor is required for this recipe.

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

*adapted from POM Wonderful

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.8mg

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This post was originally published on February 7, 2018, and republished on February 11, 2020, with updated content. Thanks for sharing!