Small Batch Gluten-Free Brownies
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Our easy small batch gluten-free brownies are the perfect way to satisfy your chocolate craving! These fudgy brownies have a satisfying crinkle top, deliciously fudgy texture, and come together in no time!
Small Batch Brownies = All The Flavor You Love Without As Many Leftovers
Okay, so you want *a* treat, but not *all* of the treats. I get it! Maybe you’re baking for just 1-2 people, you’re hosting a small gathering, or you just don’t want a ton of desserts lying around the kitchen. The solution? Small batch baking!
These small batch gluten-free brownies are the perfect solution. They have all the fudgy flavor of your favorite brownies, just made in a smaller batch! I love that these gluten-free brownies still just call for the same simple pantry staples as other homemade brownie recipes, and you just need a loaf pan to bake a batch instead of your typical 8×8 or 9×13.
🥣 EASE: Simple ingredients, simple techniques & nothing fussy about them!
🍪 FLAVORS: These fudgy gluten-free brownies have all the rich chocolate flavor you’d expect, enhanced with subtle notes of vanilla and cocoa for depth.
❄️ TOP TIPS: Make sure to dissolve the sugar as completely as possible in the egg! It’s the key to a shiny top!
Happy baking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
So what do you need to make these fudgy small batch gluten-free brownies? Let’s take a peek at the ingredient list…
How To Make Small Batch Gluten-Free Brownies, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a METAL 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt Butter & Chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Melt on low heat in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the chocolate is melted, smooth, and glossy. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Beat Egg, Sugar, and Vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer a FULL 2-3 minutes or until the sugar is almost completely dissolved. The mixture will get significantly lighter in color, and when you rub the mixture between your fingers you should barely feel any grains of sugar left. DO NOT rush this step, or your brownies will be gritty and won’t have glossy tops.
- Add Melted Chocolate Mixture To Egg Mixture and gently stir to combine.
- Add Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, combine gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, then add to the wet ingredients and stir until just mixed. Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.
- Bake Brownies. Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes, or until the top looks shiny and set and the brownies don’t jiggle when you gently wiggle the pan. (A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with just some moist crumbs, but not wet brownie batter)
- Finish & Cool. Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (if using). Let the brownies cool 5 or so minutes in the pan, then lift up with the parchment paper and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting. (This will help the brownies set up properly–you can speed this process up by chilling the brownies in the fridge)
- Serve & Store. Cut brownies into 8 small squares, 6 medium rectangles, or 4 big rectangles. Store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days, or freeze up to 2 months!
Extras & Variations To Try
This gluten-free small batch brownie recipe is delicious as-is, but if you want a change of pace, try dressing your brownies up with one of these ideas!
- Use Nuts! Swap out the extra chocolate chips for chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans, or add some in addition to the chocolate chips!
- Try Mixed Chocolate Chips. Take a cue from our Triple Chocolate Brownies and mix in a blend of white chocolate, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate chips for the mix-ins!
- Swirl Nutella or Peanut Buttter. Or, try swirling a few dollops of Nutella or peanut butter into the top of the batter before baking!
- Sprinkle With Toffee Bits. Try chopping up toffee bars or use toffee bits to garnish the tops of the brownies right before baking, like we do in our Toffee Brownie recipe!
- Top With Ganache! Make a half batch of our Cosmic Brownie ganache and top these brownies.
- Use Dark Cocoa Powder. Double up on dark chocolate flavor by using dark chocolate chips and Dutch processed cocoa powder. They’ll have really intense flavor!
- Make A Sundae! Try serving these small batch brownies with a scoop of ice cream and some hot fudge sauce.
FAQ + Tricks For The Best Small Batch Brownies
Use The Right Pan! For best results here, use a metal pan! Glass pans bake differently than metal pans, and that’s especially obvious when it comes to brownies. (See an example here!) Metal pans work best for small batch brownies, but if all you have is a glass loaf pan or ceramic loaf pan, keep in mind that a glass pan will conduct heat more slowly, so the brownies will take longer to bake. The brownies will also likely try to “climb” the sides of the pan, which can cause them to sink a bit later and have an uneven surface.
Make Them Dairy-Free! For a gluten-free dairy-free option, you can use dairy-free chocolate chips and vegan butter (like Earth Balance). All the other ingredients are naturally dairy-free!
Err On The Side Of Underbaking. No one wants a dry brownie, so if you have to err on the side of slightly underbaking or slightly overbaking, I always recommend underbaking! Keep in mind they’ll continue to set as they cool, and the heat from the pan will keep cooking them until it cools down. My brownies have always been done at the 15-16 minute mark.
🌟 Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our gluten-free small batch brownies recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Small Batch Gluten-Free Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter (57 grams)
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips (57 grams)
- 6 Tablespoons sugar (75 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend* (30 grams)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder* (natural cocoa NOT Dutch processed cocoa) (20 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped nuts!)
- Optional: flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a METAL 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt Butter & Chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Melt on low heat in 15-20 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the chocolate is melted, smooth, and glossy. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Beat Egg, Sugar, and Vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer a FULL 2-3 minutes or until the sugar is almost completely dissolved. The mixture will get significantly lighter in color, and when you rub the mixture between your fingers you should barely feel any grains of sugar left. DO NOT rush this step, or your brownies will be gritty and won't have glossy tops.
- Add Chocolate Mixture To Egg Mixture and gently stir to combine.
- Add Dry Ingredients. In a small bowl, combine gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, then add to the wet ingredients and stir until just mixed. Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed.
- Bake Brownies. Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes, or until the top looks shiny and set and the brownies don't jiggle when you gently wiggle the pan. (A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with just some moist crumbs, but not wet brownie batter)
- Finish & Cool. Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt (if using). Let the brownies cool 5 or so minutes in the pan, then lift up with the parchment paper and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting. (This will help the brownies set up properly–you can speed this process up by chilling the brownies in the fridge)
- Serve & Store. Cut brownies into 8 small squares, 6 medium rectangles, or 4 big rectangles. Store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days, or freeze up to 2 months!
Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour. I highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend for these brownies, but if you use another 1:1 blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum. Do not use almond flour or coconut flour into this recipe.
- Cocoa Powder. I recommend natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s or Ghirardelli) rather than Dutch processed cocoa powder for this recipe, but if you prefer a darker flavor, you can use Dutch cocoa instead!
- Pan Material & Pan Size Matters! I use a true 9×5 loaf pan (measure the largest rectangle at the top of the pan!). If yours is a smaller pan, like an 8×4, your brownies will take a few more minutes to bake. Similarly, I only recommend a metal loaf pan here. The brownies will “climb” the sides of a glass or ceramic pan and take longer to cook.
Video
Find the recipe:
sweetsandthankyou.com/small-batch-gluten-free-brownies/
I love the regular batch of these brownies, and this small batch version is a great option. This is one of those “I can’t tell this is gluten free!” Thpe recipes.
These are so fudgy! They are a great texture. I baked them in a small ceramic pan lined with parchment and they came out great. I can’t wait to eat these with ice cream! They are perfect for my (almost) empty nest.
I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing, too, about your ceramic pan!
Emily, These small batch brownies are delicious. I used an 8×4 loaf pan and followed the directions by adding an extra 2 minutes. I also added a bit of espresso powder, Dutch processed cocoa, and dark chocolate chips. Thank you for such a delightful treat!
DELICIOUS! I’m so glad you loved them!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind review, Rebecca!!!