Dense and fudgy gluten-free brownies are made in a cast iron skillet and baked until firm. For really good friends, serve the whole pan with ice cream and lots of scoops.
Why I love these gluten-free brownies
These gluten-free skillet brownies are dense and creamy with a crunchy little crust on the bottom—especially when you make them in a cast iron skillet. And because a cast iron pan conducts heat so well, they cook very evenly and quickly, and they’re done long before they have a chance to burn on the bottom.
Most of the time, I slice them and serve them right out of the pan after they’ve cooled and firmed up a bit. But these are the types of brownies you can serve right out of the oven. In bowls. With ice cream and chocolate sauce.
Baking gluten free brownies in a cast iron skillet
I love the Lodge brand standard 10 inch cast iron skillet at my price point and use it for so many things. I shallow fry gluten-free chicken cutlets, bake gluten-free cornbread, and cook gluten-free naan.
For fun things like these gluten free brownies or a gluten free pizookie, I also have two smaller 6 inch cast iron skillets. They’re not particularly useful, but they’re adorable.
When baking something in a cast iron pan, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, cast iron retains heat very well. This means baked goods will retain the heat they absorb for much longer than traditional metal pans.
The recipe instructions here assume you’re baking in a cast iron skillet. The brownies will bake relatively quickly this way and will be cooked long before anything burns.
You can, of course, bake these brownies in a traditional 10-inch (or even smaller) round pan. You will only need to bake it for about 5 minutes more.
Ingredients and substitutions
Okay, here’s the part where I try to anticipate your questions. I haven’t tried any of these though, so you’ll have to experiment.
eggs
Eliminating them would be difficult since there are 3 eggs and they are the only leavening in the recipe. My go-to egg substitute is always a “chia” egg because it’s the most neutral and effective. It’s just 1 tablespoon (6 grams) of ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon of water per egg.
Dairy
To make them dairy-free, try using Melt or Miyoko’s Kitchen brand vegan butter, or even non-hydrogenated vegetable butter instead of butter. And make sure your chocolate is dairy-free.
Cocoa powder
Dutch-processed cocoa powder is richer and less acidic, so it’s really the best in this simple recipe. If you only have natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s, just add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda to the recipe to balance the acidity.
Oil
I made this recipe with melted virgin coconut oil instead of a neutral, liquid oil like vegetable, canola, or grapeseed. It definitely works, but the batter is a little thicker and the brownies a little denser. I’m not suggesting that’s a bad thing; just a little different thing.
Prevent the screen from going dark
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe pan) and set aside. Alternatively, you can use several 6-inch cast iron pans and bake the brownies a little longer.
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In a small bowl, place the chopped chocolate and butter. Melt them either in the microwave in 30-second bursts or set over a small pot of simmering water (making sure the pot doesn’t touch the water and the water doesn’t boil), stirring occasionally until smooth. Set the dish aside to cool briefly until it is no longer hot to the touch.
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In a large bowl, place the flour mixture, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, and salt and stir to combine well. Add the brown sugar and mix, working to break up the brown sugar lumps. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the chocolate and butter mixture, then the oil, vanilla and eggs and mix to combine. The dough will be thick but smooth.
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Scrape the batter into the prepared pan or pans and spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula or small knife. Place the pan(s) in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes (about 25 minutes if you used smaller pan(s) or a cast iron pan) or until the brownies are just set in the center. Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing or serving. Or serve immediately with a large spoon. But if you do it like that, you have to serve it with a scoop of ice cream or what’s the point.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated so should only be used as an approximation.
