Mind Blowing Brownies (GF and DF)

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For my son's 1st birthday I made a bunch of desserts for the party (it was a dessert only party).  A few of my family members have dietary restrictions including a dairy and gluten free diet.  I asked them what sounded good and I was met with a confident "brownies!" reply.  I had made gluten and dairy free brownies from Gluten Free Goddess once before, and when I went back to make them again, the recipe had been updated.  It was the day before the party, I only had enough ingredients to make it once, but since Karina's recipes have yet to fail me, I committed 100%. 

I love rich, fudgy brownies.  I was concerned that these would taste like they were a gluten free version of a brownies.  OH. MY. GOSH.  I was so proved wrong!  They came out and my house smelled like heaven (at least what heaven would smell like for me if I could choose).  These are the most incredible, rich, fudgy, yet just enough cakey to be not outright fudge.  I have never had a brownie this good, and I will never make a gluten laden box recipe again.  This is now my go to brownie recipe.  If you like chocolate, you have to make these. I added some instant coffee granules to enhance the chocolate flavor, but otherwise did it as written from Gluten Free Goddess.

I can not stress how much you need to make these.  Seriously, go.  Make them.  Karina has brilliant recipes over there for gluten and dairy free needs.  Absolutely brilliant!  Someday maybe I will mess around with the recipe and make some changes, but I really don't want to mess with perfection right now.

I will warn you though, they are not health food.  At all.  Not even close.  Don't eat the whole pan unless that is all you are going to eat for the day.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  But truly, these will blow your mind to pieces.

*Note-If you are baking these for someone with gluten or dairy intolerance or allergies, please do your homework and make sure the ingredients you use are in fact gluten and/or dairy free.

MIND BLOWING CHOCOLATE BROWNIES (GF and DF)
(Ever so slightly adapted from Gluten Free Goddess' Dark Chocolate Brownies)

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients:

• 5 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate (I used Trader Joe's semi-sweet chocolate chips, they are gluten and dairy free)
• 1/2 cup organic coconut oil (I used Sprout's organic refined coconut oil)
• 1 cup brown sugar, not packed
• 1/2 cup almond meal (Trader Joe's)
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp instant coffee granuals or espresso powder (optional, but enhances chocolate flavor) 
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, I omitted)
• 1-2 ounces chocolate chips for the top (optional, but looks so nice, and tastes so good!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line an 8x8 inch baking dish parchment paper or aluminum foil (oiled).
2. In a microwave safe dish, melt the chocolate, coffee granules (optional), and the coconut oil in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until well combined.
3. In a medium bowl mix the brown sugar, almond meal, brown rice flour, salt, and baking soda together.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix on low speed to combine, then drizzle in the chocolate mixture.  Mix on medium speed for two minutes, making sure everything is well incorporated.  The batter will thicken as it is beaten and will become smooth and shiny.
5. If you are adding nuts, mix them in now, and then spread the batter out into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips if desired.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until they are set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with maybe a few moist crumbs.  The top cracks like a flourless cake, so don't fret when that happens.
7. Cool on a wireless rack.  Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours before cutting if you want to have them cut nicely.  They can be eaten warm if you don't want to wait and don't mind them not holding together real well.  They will taste just as good.
8. I made these the day before my event, let them cool on the counter, stored them in the fridge over night, pulled them out 30 minutes before serving.  They cut beautifully! Taste amazing.  I stored the leftovers (the few there were) in the freezer, they taste great right out of the freezer too.