Gluten Free Blondies {Dairy Free}
Deliciously chewy and full of rich buttery flavor – these gluten free blondies are the perfect dessert for all ages!
Sink your teeth into these rich, chocolate chip filled, dairy free blondies and you may have found the ultimate gooey bar that might just make to your ‘most requested recipe’ list (along with these dinner rolls, French bread and spice cake!). In this classic version, brown sugar and non dairy butter combine to make the sweet, soft, buttery texture. And since chocolate makes everything better – sprinkle some chocolate chips in that lovely batter and bake just until golden. Yum.
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Why this recipe is the best!
Remember all the times you needed a quick dessert but couldn't really place what you wanted to make? Cake mix cookies are great, but you're thinking you want something different... This is the recipe to reach for in those times! It's unique enough that people will be impressed by it but yet it comes together quickly - and no body can refuse a piece of a homemade blondie! This recipe is also:
- Gum free - no xanthan or guar gum
- Chewy and chocolatey
- Quick to prep
- Made with storebought flour mix
What’s the difference between a blondie and a cookie bar and a brownie?
One bite into a blondie and the thought immediately pops up – what makes this different from bars or brownies… Well it has to do with a couple things…
1. The chewy texture
2. The lack of cocoa powder
The higher brown sugar content gives blondies that chewy, gooey texture. Whereas cookies, like these oatmeal raisin cookies, and cookie bars have a more equal balance of white sugar and brown sugar, blondies have a much higher brown sugar content making them slightly more tender than a cookie bar. And they don’t fall into the brownie category either because of the lack of cocoa powder, as the name says, ‘blond’.
Pro tips for making blondies
For the absolute best tasting, best textured blondies, follow these baking tips:
1. Room temperature ingredients
Like these quick breads and even these coconut flour banana pancakes, using room temperature ingredients is one of the keys to amazing baked goods. I actually did a whole class on gluten free baking and this is one of the things we talk about. It's really that important!
The butter and sugars need to be warm so they cream nicely, even the flours should be at room temperature.
2. Sugar
The texture we're aiming for with these blondies is gooey - not gooey like fall apart gooey, but gooey in a sense that they're not crusty but incredibly soft and tender to eat. And the way to get this texture is with brown sugar. I wouldn't recommend substituting it if you can help it. Brown sugar offers a higher level of moisture which keeps these blondies deliciously gooey!
3. Measure by weight
I talk about this in my baking masterclass, but a good rule of thumb is if the recipe offers measurements in weight - pull out a digital scale and go with weight! Don't be tempted to use measuring cups. An accurate digital scale like this one ensures you have the right amount of flour and starch every single time. That means consistently good baked goods.
4. Essential tools
These tools below will make prepping and mixing this batter incredibly easy. Each one is linked to the brands I use and recommend:
How to make this gluten free blondie recipe
Ingredients & substitutions
Fortunately the ingredients list for these blondies is short with fairly simple ingredients. I'll list the brand I use and recommend in the recipe and then any substitutes that work if you need a substitute.
Flour mix - This recipe has been tested with King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour and it works wonderfully in this recipe.
Sorghum flour - I use and recommend the brand from Nuts.com. The quality is amazing and the price is excellent. If you need to substitute this, check out this guide to gluten free flours chart for the best option.
Psyllium husk powder - I use this brand from Amazon. A little goes a long way so the container will last a long time. If you'd like to substitute the psyllium husk, use ground chia seeds, flax seeds or xanthan gum.
Egg - I use a regular, organic egg but if you need to substitute the egg, use something like JUST egg. (Check out my guide on substitutions for more info on substituting eggs, dairy, gums and flours)
Vegan butter - I use and recommend Country Crock Plant Based Butter sticks, but Earth Balance would work equally well.
Granulated & brown sugar - I use the Imperial brand of sugars but any brand would work well here. If you need to substitute the sugar, I recommend the Swerve brand of sugars. It's the closest thing to real sugar I've baked with.
Vanilla extract - I recommend a good quality, pure vanilla extract here. The imitation kind often lends a chemical flavor. So I don't recommend using a substitute.
Chocolate chips - I use and recommend the Enjoy Life brand of chocolate chunks. It's the semi-sweet variety and they are the perfect balance of sweet and chocolate, plus they are dairy free too!
Mixing
Mixing the batter together starts with a medium bowl and a stand mixer. First, you'll use the small-medium sized bowl to mix the flours and dry ingredients in (image 1 in the steps above). Then cream the butter and sugar together (step 2). After it’s nice and creamy, add in the dry ingredients and mix until there’s no dry spots left (step 3). It will look quite dry and crumbly (step 4).
Add in the vanilla extract and egg and mix until fully incorporated. It should look like thick batter at this point (image 5). Mix in the chocolate chips for the most mouthwatering blondie batter ever (image 6)!
Pan prep
The pan prep can be a little tricky. Using an 8” x 8” metal baking pan, start by spraying the bottom with cooking spray. Then place parchment paper along the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Spray the paper lightly with cooking spray. If there are pieces that don’t lay flat (for instance on the sides of the pan), fold the paper in.
Baking and cooling
Once the pan is ready, the batter has rested and the oven is heated, pour the batter into the pan and bake it for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick tests done.
Cool the blondies in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and enjoying.
Sweet golden brown gluten free blondies make an amazing dessert any day of the week!
FAQ's about this recipe
Yes and no - Fortunately for sweet baked goods, substitutions are a lot easier to manage than for something like this white bread where the results can vary greatly. Check out the Ingredients and Substitutions section above to find specific information.
If there's any of these delectable blondies leftover, store them in a sealed plastic container right on the counter. No need to refrigerate. They are best enjoyed within 3 days.
Yes to both! The chocolate chips can be omitted. Or replace them with something like white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, whatever you are in the mood for!
Yes - the parchment paper prevents them from sticking to the pan and breaking apart. These bars are more gooey than traditional brownies so the parchment paper comes in handy!
Recipe
Gluten Free Blondies {Dairy Free}
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium bowl, add the gluten free flour mix, sorghum flour, psyllium husk powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with a whisk until fully combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugars. Mix on low speed until combined, then turn to medium to mix for 1 minute.
- Add the dry mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Mixture will be dry and crumbly.
- Add the vanilla extract and egg to the batter and mix on medium for 1 minute.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold in using a rubber spatula.
- Set batter aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare an 8” x 8” baking pan by spraying with cooking spray, then placing a sheet of parchment along the bottom and sides. Then spraying the paper again.
- Scrape batter into the pan, smoothing it with a spatula.
- Bake for 18 – 22 minutes or until a toothpick tests done.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to weigh the flours with a kitchen scale.
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Use a stand mixer or hand held mixer to fully incorporate the ingredients.
- Let the batter rest for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Blondies may be served warm.
Looking for more yummy gluten free desserts? Check out these tasty recipes!
Hello. What can I substitute the psyllium husk with? It’s not available where I live. Thx.
Hi Ruth,
Sure, so use ground chia seeds or flax seeds.
Christine
I cannot have white or brown sugar or artificial sweeteners. The only sweetener that is legal for me is honey. Do you have any suggestions on how to tweak your recipes, since a lot of your recipes use sugar in their ingredients.
Thank you,
Greg
Hi Greg,
Thanks for asking - let's see, now I haven't tested this but you could use honey for the sugar - just use maybe 1/4 cup of honey since it's sweeter than the sugar. Then add 1 Tablespoon more of the flour mix. That's what I would recommend with this one.
Christine
I was wondering if you could substitute stevia brown sugar for the regular. I would also use sugar free chips. I am a diabetic and must watch sugar content very closely.
Hi Sherry,
Yes, I've tested it with sugar free chips and they work wonderfully. I haven't tested it with Stevia brown sugar, but as long as it's the brown sugar variety it should work well.
~Christine