10 April, 2014
Gluten-free and guilt-free cashew brownies
The first flowers bloomed in my garden! I could not resist plucking a few to go with these brownies (I’m sorry, bees!) I’m taking these sweet treats to The Novice Gardener’s Fiesta Friday party, come join us there!
Ah, yet another brownie recipe, you say. But look closely, this one has no egg, no gluten, and no added sugar. Did I mention it has a delicious cashew taste? This can be easily made vegan by substituting regular butter used here, with vegan butter.
I have tried using different flours to go with the brown rice flour, but oat flour works best and serves to hold the cake together or it gets too crumbly (as one can imagine, with no wheat gluten). It has a slight crunch from the rice flour and moistness of maple syrup blending well to make it delightfully tasty.
Scroll down for full recipe. These are some ingredients:
Melt 6 pieces of semi-sweet chocolate and butter in a pan:
Mix butter + chocolate mixture, applesauce, cashew paste, maple syrup, vanilla in a bowl. Add dry ingredients (rice flour, oat flour, cocoa powder, starch,baking powder, soda) to wet. Add 2 pieces of chocolate cut into small bits. Spread in a baking sheet greased with canola oil. Flatten with spatula.
After baking at 350 °F for 43 minutes:
gluten-free and guilt-free cashew brownies
Ingredients:
wet:
raw cashews – 1 cup
water or milk- 1/2 cup
maple syrup- 1/2 cup
butter- 1/4 cup
Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate (56% cacao)- 6 pieces + 2 pieces (divided)
unsweetened applesauce- 1/8 cup
vanilla extract- 1 tsp.
dry:
brown rice flour- 3/4 cup
GF oat flour- 1/2 cup
baking powder- 1 tsp.
baking soda- 1 tsp.
tapioca starch- 2 tbsp.
unsweetened cocoa powder- 1 1/2 tbsp.
Method:
* Soak cashew in water for a few hours, preferably overnight. Drain water, rinse cashews and use a blender to make a paste with 1/2 cup water or milk.
* Melt butter and 6 pieces of the baking chocolate in a pan and stir to combine. Pre-heat oven to 350 °F.
* Mix all wet ingredients (butter, + chocolate mixture, applesauce, cashew paste, maple syrup, vanilla) together in a mixing bowl.
* Combine dry ingredients (rice flour, oat flour, cocoa powder, starch,baking powder, soda) in another bowl.
* Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a spatula. Stir in roughly broken bits of the 2 pieces of baking chocolate.
* Spread in a greased baking dish, I used a glass 2.2 qt rectangular dish. Flatten the top with a silicone spatula.
* Bake for 40-45 minutes or till a clean knife inserted in the middle comes clean.
* Wait till it is completely cool, before cutting into smaller pieces!
67 thoughts on : Gluten-free and guilt-free cashew brownies
Guilt free and gluten free..mindblowing Apsara. I need to try this.
yes, please do, Namrata 🙂
I have been planning to make brownies for a while. So now I can go the gluten free way!
sure. I like to experiment with GF baking just for a different taste. It is a good adventure!
Looks great! You are a true experimenter, Apsara! 🙂
thanks, Indu!
Hmmm, if this is gluten-free and gulit-free… mine if full-of-guilt! 😀 Looks yummy!! 🙂
ha ha, that’s fine, that will create some balance! Yours would be tastier though, a good selling point. 🙂
I hope so! 😉
Wow Apsara…what a killer combination 🙂
thanks, Sonal!
These look delicious!! I love the addition of the cashews. I make some similar gluten free brownies also using oat fllour, tapioca and syrup. I use coconut butter and almond butter in place of oil/butter and it makes them rich and fudgy. I just love the cashews in this 🙂
Ok, the nut butter version sounds really yummy too, will try it next time!
I love that there’s no added sugar – will have to try these!!
Do let me know how you like it Celeste!
Mmm…anything that looks sweet, yet is guilt free…I’m all in! These look delicious! Pretty daffodils too 😉
thanks, Nancy! Yes, I just love the daffodils.
This is something I’ll have seconds (and thirds) of!
Absolutely! I consume most of what I make, within a day 🙂
Maple syrup and cashews – in a brownie. I have no excuse not to try these.
I guess not 🙂
Super creative, sounds great!
thanks!
Guilt-free brownies are the best kind! I love using Baker’s chocolate and your addition of applesauce and cashews to this recipe are great ideas. Thanks for bringing this to the party–I ate a bunch of Jhuls’ brownies already, but I can have your whole tray too since they’re guilt-free! 🙂
sure, Ngan, I’m making another batch already 🙂
Mmmmm,…your cashew brownies look utterly delicious too!!Another must try. Yummmmm..
thanks, Sophie!
I have been reading a lot about soaking cashews to use in recipes… so interesting. These look like they were delicious!
thanks, Josette. Yes, I’m into using soaked nuts in baking, it worked well in the brownie.
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I’m so thrilled to see that there is life after gluten free. Years ago, our good friend was diagnosed with celiac disease…and it was so difficult for him to transition… It’s just nice to see that there are sweets and wonderful food that can be prepared for him now. I think I just might make these brownies for him… wonderful post!
thanks! I hope your friend likes this.
Guilt free brownies?? Sign me up, Apsara!
you’re in, Patty! 🙂
Whoohoo!
Wow Apsara! Really want to try this but i am so out of ingredients right now. Why do you stay so far away…it would be so nice if you were just around the corner 🙂 I could keep eating all the yummy stuff you make 🙂
I know Harini, I wish we were closer too! 🙂
Well, it doesn’t get any better that guilt-free brownies! Awesome recipe!
thank you, Julianna. I’m glad you like it!
Guilt-free brownies!! Gotta try these soon, thank you Apsara 🙂
you’re welcome 🙂
Woohoo, guilt free brownies! Love the look of these, and it looks like the party-goers all loved them too. 😀
yes 😀
The brownies look delish 🙂 guilt free n what more do I need… Thank you for sharing the recipe
thank you, Rekha and thanks for visiting!
I think you’re on to something here, Apsara. Guilt-free brownies can potentially be a girl’s best friend. This girl, anyway, who must have something chocolatey on a daily basis. I can eat this every day and not feel guilty. Yay! 🙂
I think you are talking about me here 🙂
Guilt free and your list of ingredients really impresses me. This is a different recipe for me but one I must try – I like the applesauce in it as I make my own and can it every year – thanks for sharing 🙂
thanks, Judi! Yes, please try it 🙂
Soo cute! 🙂
thanks, Priya
These brownies look beyond divine! Love the addition of cashew and a guilt-free dessert is always my favourite!
thank you! and thanks for visiting 🙂
I made them yesterday & they rock. So lovely. Xxx
wow, thank you Sophie, for the review! You’re the best 🙂 XOXO
I will get a crazy craving for brownies randomly, I love that you came up with a more “guilt-free” recipe so I can indulge without feeling so bad occasionally, these look very rich 🙂
I get those cravings almost everyday, that’s why I like to make this often 😉
These look great – I am trying my best to cut down on wheat so I will be trying these for sure!
thanks, hope you like it!
Apsara, I made these brownies today and they were sooo delicious…the taste got better and better as the brownies cooled down…however I wondering if I could add something to make it a little more fudgy…is it possible? do you have any suggestions?
thanks for the review, Kripa. Here is a link to a fellow-blogger’s brownie that I have been wanting to try out. It looks very fudgy:
http://thevegan8.com/2014/01/28/fudgy-coconut-butter-brownies/
Kripa, sorry I had to go when I typed the last comment. So, going by the link, you could add some almond/peanut butter, and additional chocolate to get a fudgy texture.
They look so yummy!!! I can’t wait to try it once I buy some cashews. 🙂 Do you think I can replace the butter with coconut oil for my dairy-free needs? Please let me know. Thank you Apsara. 🙂
thanks so much. Yes, I’m pretty sure you could use coconut oil or maybe coconut butter would be a good substitute for the butter. 🙂
Thanks for letting me know. When I have time to make it, I’ll let you know they turn out. 🙂