Oat Flour Brownies

If there’s one thing I don’t mind experimenting with, it’s brownies. My family has pretty high expectations when it comes to brownies (the Ghirardelli boxed version being their favorite), so this recipe required several rounds of testing to make sure they are rich, fudgy, and totally irresistible.

Since I work mostly with natural sweeteners, I’ve come to realize that it’s almost impossible to achieve a shiny, crackly top like traditional brownies have. But, after some research, I realized a way I could get closer to that result, without adding white sugar to this recipe.

Make sure you follow the directions closely for the best results!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“No way would anyone ever be able to tell that these brownies are not made with wheat flour or white sugar. They are insanely and dangerously fudgy! If you have no will power around chocolate, I recommend cutting these brownies in small pieces and keeping them in the freezer when you need a chocolate fix.” -Christine

Ingredients for Oat Flour Brownies

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Oat Flour. If you don’t keep this ingredient on hand, you can blend rolled oats in a dry blender until they are finely ground. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but can be contaminated during processing, so make sure you shop for “certified gluten-free” oats if needed.
• Coconut Sugar. This granulated sugar has a lower glycemic index compared to white sugar, so I prefer to use it in healthy dessert recipes. However, white or brown sugar will also work here.
• Eggs. Adding eggs to brownies helps hold them together and creates a dense, fudgy texture. If you use flax eggs as a substitute, the brownies will not rise and could have a gooey center.
• Cacao Powder. I always use cacao powder in recipes because it’s less processed than cocoa powder, but either option will work for these brownies.
• Butter. Use salted butter for the most flavor. If you need a dairy-free recipe, use vegan butter or refined coconut oil as a substitute.
• Vanilla Extract. This adds more flavor for a classic brownie taste.
• Salt. When you’re making a sweet recipe, salt is essential to make the flavor pop. It’s also important to know that if you reduce the sugar, you must reduce the salt or the recipe could taste too salty.

How to Make Oat Flour Brownies

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly grease an 8-inch metal pan. (Metal works best for baking brownies.) Press a piece of parchment paper into the pan for easy removal later.

In a heat-safe medium bowl, combine the butter and chocolate chips. If you need a dairy-free recipe, use coconut oil instead. (Expeller-pressed coconut oil will add zero coconut flavor.)

To create a double boiler, fill a small saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring that to a boil on the stovetop. Arrange the heat-safe bowl snugly over the top of the pan with the boiling water to let the steam gently melt the chocolate and butter. Stir often, until the mixture looks smooth.

Step 2:

Add the coconut sugar to the heated bowl and stir it into the melted chocolate mixture. Heating the sugar briefly will help give your brownies a more crackled top. (Using white sugar makes it even more noticeable, but would also make these brownies sweeter.)

In a large mixing bowl, add the oat flour, cacao powder, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients to break up any clumps, then add in the melted chocolate mixture. Stir well to let the batter cool slightly, then add in the eggs and vanilla extract and stir again. 

If you’d like to add something extra, like chopped nuts or extra chocolate chips, now is the time to fold those in.

Step 3:

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350ºF for 18 to 20 minutes, or just until the center doesn’t jiggle. A toothpick should come out sticky if you insert it in the center, but the brownies will continue to set as they cool. 

Let the brownies cool in the baking dish for at least 1 hour before slicing. It might take 2 hours for them to cool completely, depending on the temperature of your home. 

Brownies taste best when served slightly warm, with a scoop of ice cream on top, or at room temperature. 

Storage Tips

They have the best shelf life when stored in the fridge, so keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. (They probably won’t last that long, though!)

You can also store brownies in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Best Oat Flour Brownies (Gluten-Free!)

4.95 from 17 votes

If you are looking for a gluten-free brownie recipe, these oat flour brownies will quickly become your favorite. They are made with simple pantry ingredients and taste just as fudgy as the traditional version. Even though they are made with a natural sweetener, I figured out a way to create a shiny, crackled top you'll love.

prep10 mins cook25 mins total35 mins

Servings:16

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ½ cup salted butter , melted (see notes for dairy-free)
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup oat flour
• ¼ cup cacao powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease an 8-inch square metal pan with oil. Press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan, so the brownies will be easy to remove later. (Brownies don't bake as well in a glass dish, FYI.)
• In a heat-safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips together over a double boiler. Stir until the chocolate is smooth, then add in the coconut sugar and continue to heat and stir for 1 more minute. Heating the sugar briefly will give the brownies more of a crackly texture on top. (Alternatively, you can melt the butter and chocolate chips in a microwave, stirring until smooth, then add the sugar and microwave again for 30 seconds, and stir again.)
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, cacao powder, and salt. Whisk well to break up any clumps, then add in the melted chocolate-sugar mixture.
• Once you've stirred in the melted chocolate, add the eggs and vanilla and stir until smooth. Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake at 350ºF for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center doesn't jiggle when you shake the pan. Let the brownies cool completely before slicing into them. (About 1 hour.) If you use a glass baking dish, the brownies may require a few more minutes to cook until the center looks set.
• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 16 brownies. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate and not a guarantee.

Dairy-Free Note: Make these brownies dairy-free by using 1/3 cup of melted coconut oil instead of butter. In this case, increase the salt to 1/4 teaspoon total. Or, use your favorite vegan butter as a swap.

Chocolate Chip Note: I tested this recipe using semi-sweet chocolate chips, to achieve the same flavor as the “box brownies” my family loves. For a lower-sugar brownie, use dark chocolate chips instead.

Variation: Make peppermint brownies by adding 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract to this recipe. Make them look extra festive by sprinkling crushed candy cane on top before baking.

Vegan Note: I tested this recipe with 2 psyllium eggs, which are usually quite successful for me, and the results were a disaster. I’d stick to a tested vegan brownie recipe, rather than trying to tweak this one to be egg-free.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in March 2024 due to reader feedback. I’ve learned that you can make fudgier brownies by melting the chocolate chips into the batter, adding an extra egg, and skipping the baking soda. If you prefer the original recipe, you can still find it here.

Nutrition

Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: oat flour brownies

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If you try these oat flour brownies, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like them.