Gluten Free Rich Chocolate Crumb Brownie has the incredibly crunchy texture of a pan of well-baked brownies.
What makes this gluten-free shortbread brownie recipe special?
These gluten-free brownie chips have all the rich chocolate flavor of brownies, but in a crunchy snack. They are crumbly, but in the best way.
My kids beg me to buy the Sheila G brand of this brownie because they have a gluten free version. Sometimes yes, but they go through a tiny bag so quickly. To eat at home, I turn to this recipe.
The unbaked batter doesn’t look too different from the final brownies. Once cooked, you can tear it into random pieces with your hands.
If you want more regular pieces, like rectangles or triangles, score the brownies with the edge of a bench scraper into those shapes as soon as the pan comes out of the oven.
Then, when completely cooled, tear the pieces along these lines. They will break easily in these shapes. If you’re really looking for chewy, not crunchy, brownies, try our more classic, chewy, gluten-free brownie recipe.
Does gluten free flour mix really matter for making crunchy gf brownies?
This recipe calls for the most basic gluten-free flour blend: gluten-free flour blend without gum. For each cup of that flour, which measures 140 grams, you need 93 grams of superfine white rice flour, 30 grams of potato starch, and 17 grams of tapioca starch/flour.
This simple flour mix, with no binders or gums like xanthan gum, makes the best gluten-free crispy and crunchy brownie edges. If you don’t want to make that mix, you can try using one of our gluten-free flour mixes. The texture will suffer, but the recipe should still work.
This is a situation where King Arthur’s gluten-free flour mix (the one without xanthan gum) should work relatively well in place of the gum-free mix. This mix isn’t one I generally recommend using in my recipes as it’s really too starchy, but it should be fine here.
King Arthur flour mix, like most other gluten-free flour mixes, is based on rice flour. But their rice flour is not ground very finely, so it tends to be gritty. Try to let the crispy brownie batter sit for about an hour before baking so the rice grains have a chance to soften.
Can I use a smaller pan for this recipe?
This recipe is designed to be made in a half sheet pan. This is just a rimmed baking sheet that measures 13 inches x 18 inches and is a standard size baking sheet.
The same size baking pan is perfect for creating a relatively thin and even layer of crispy brownie batter. In a 325°F oven, it will bake until dry to the touch and crisp as it cools.
If you don’t have a pan that size, you can also make it in a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan or a quarter sheet pan. Use only half the batter in one pan, half in another.
I accidentally pressed the entire recipe into a quarter sheet pan and only realized my mistake halfway through baking. I baked it a little longer and got a much thicker but very nice brownie.
Gluten-Free Shortbread: Ingredients and Substitutions
No dairy
Instead of butter in this recipe, you can try using Melt or Miyoko’s Kitchen brand vegan butter. Earth Balance Butter Sticks could also work since we don’t need dough to hold its shape.
Be sure to use dairy-free chocolate if you can’t have dairy. If you are using miniature chocolate chips, I like the Enjoy Life brand mini chocolate chips which are “top 8” allergen free.
No eggs
The egg white in this recipe helps the brownie pieces to be crispy in the oven. It helps create that waffle texture you see inside the pieces.
If you can’t have egg whites, you can try using aquafaba. It’s just brine from a can of chickpeas. I would beat it first until frothy.
Prevent the screen from going dark
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Preheat oven to 325°F.
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Line a large 13-inch x 18-inch rimmed baking sheet (half sheet) with unbleached parchment paper or greased or nonstick aluminum foil and set aside.
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In a small heatproof bowl, place the butter and chopped chocolate.
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Melt them in the microwave in 30 second bursts or on double boiler until smooth. Take it off the heat and leave it aside to cool down for a short time.
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In a large bowl, place the flour mixture, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and mix to combine well.
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Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the chocolate-butter mixture and the egg white and mix to combine.
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The mixture will be thick and somewhat crumbly.
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Add the miniature chocolate chips (optional) and mix until evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
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Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread it into an even layer.
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Place another sheet of parchment paper over the dough in the baking pan and cover with another half pan.
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Press down evenly on the top pan to press the dough into an even, compressed layer.
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Remove the top baking sheet and baking paper.
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Place in the center of the preheated oven.
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Bake for about 20 minutes or until the brownies are mostly firm to the touch.
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Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan. They will crisp up as they cool.
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Once the brownies have cooled completely, break them into irregular pieces.
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Store at room temperature in an airtight glass container to retain the crisp appearance.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated so should only be used as an approximation.
