For Even Fudgier Brownies, Make A Gluten-Free Ingredient Swap

Gluten-free baked goods often get a bad rap for being overly dense or spongey. However, in the case of brownies, gluten-free flour is the key to achieving the fudgiest, gooeyest texture. Gluten-free flour is often made of various different wheat alternatives that are usually starches. Rice, corn, garbanzo beans, and potatoes are all starches that can be blended into gluten-free flour products. The difference between wheat and these starchy alternatives is that, when converted into flour, they are much more absorbent than wheat.

For cake recipes that aim for lighter, airier crumbs, ingredient proportions are often adjusted to contain more liquid ingredients than their wheat flour counterparts. However, brownie recipes benefit from a higher rate of wet ingredient absorption because it translates to a denser brownie. Brownies already have a higher ratio of melted butter to flour, so an extra-absorbent gluten-free batter will really soak it up.

Furthermore, the production of gluten-free measure-for-measure flour, like this one from King Arthur Baking, makes it even easier to convert any brownie recipe — like these ultimate fudgy brownies or these double decker strawberry brownies — into a gluten-free version with a simple one-to-one swap of wheat flour for gluten-free flour. Whether you're gluten sensitive or just want an ultra gooey brownie, you can use measure-for-measure gluten-free flour in your favorite brownie recipe without having to change anything else.

While gluten-free flour improves the fudginess of your brownies, there are other ingredients that could hinder the dense consistency you desire. One of the biggest hindrances to a fudgy consistency and that coveted glossy, crackly top formation is granulated sugar. The key to avoiding a gritty or crumbly crumb is to ensure that the sugar dissolves completely in the butter, whether in a microwave or over low heat on the stove. Ultra-fine sugar will dissolve much more effectively than granulated sugar. Judee's superfine castor sugar is a good choice to use alongside gluten-free flour for your next fudgy brownie recipe.

You can also make a brownie recipe gluten-free and dairy-free by swapping dairy butter for vegan butter. The swap is an equally simple one-to-one swap with no apparent difference in taste or density. In a ranking of vegan butters, we crowned Miyoko's plant milk butter as the best all-purpose vegan butter. That said, dairy-free doesn't mean vegan; to make a brownie recipe vegan, you'll have to swap the eggs for another wet ingredient like apple sauce or mashed bananas to provide the same moisture and density.

The type of baking pan you use will also affect the success of your brownies' consistency. Metal or ceramic square baking dishes are superior to glass dishes because they conduct heat better. A ceramic pan like this Dowan dish or a standard aluminum metal pan will heat your brownie more effectively for even cooking.