This is the recipe that I’ve sent to a zillion potlucks and bake sales at my kids’ schools.

I put a lot of work into testing and perfecting this recipe — a process that was a LOT of fun!!!

This recipe very reliably makes really wonderful brownies.

My theory of potlucks is that people see the words “gluten-free” and get scared off. So I counteract that by adding lots of good adjectives to the sign on my brownies, so that the good words outnumber the words “gluten-free.” So the labels that I put on my brownies for potlucks call them, “Valerie’s Amazing Awesome Gluten-Free Brownie.”

For potlucks, I keep a sheet of label images on my computer so that I can print them off on my printer. I keep snack-size ziplock bags on hand. To package up the brownies, I put each brownie into a snack-sized ziplock bag, zip it, then tape on a printed label. That way the brownies are protected from cross-contamination by other foods at the bake sale.

This recipe was long-ago based on a brownie recipe from an old edition of the Betty Crocker cookbook.

Yum!!!

Note: The original version of this recipe used 1/3 teaspoon of xanthan gum. I have reduced it to 1/6 teaspoon because the texture of the brownies comes out better that way.

Print Recipe

Valerie Brownies - gluten-free, dairy-free, and awesomely yummy!!!

This recipe very reliably makes awesome gluten-free, dairy-free brownies.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16 brownies

Author: Valerie Mates

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown rice flour I like Arrowhead Mills brand (if you are not gluten-free, replace this with regular flour)
• 1/3 cup potato starch I like Bob's Red Mill brand but would fervently like to find an organic gluten-free potato starch (if you are not gluten-free, replace this with regular flour)
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa I like NOW Foods brand
• 1 cup sugar I like the big bags of organic sugar from Costco
• 1/6 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum you can measure this by estimating 1/3 of a one-half-teaspoon (if you are not gluten-free, leave out this ingredient)
• 1 cup chocolate chips I like Equal Exchange semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs preferably free-range
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract I like Nielsen-Massey brand
• 1/3 cup canola oil I like Spectrum organic

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Oil (with canola oil) and flour (with potato starch) an 8x8 inch square pan.
• Put all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix.
• Add all wet ingredients. Mix
• Pour the mixture into the pan. Smooth out the top with a spatula.
• Bake for 25 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Cut into 16 squares.
• Best served at refrigerator temperature.