Gluten Free Brownies

I had a very special afternoon yesterday in my kitchen.  I got to spend it baking with 2 very special helpers, and I loved every minute of it!  Every morning after I come home from dropping my son off at school, my daughter and I and spend a few minutes snuggling on the couch.  Yesterday she looked up at me while her arms were around me, and she asked if we could make some brownies.  I knew that I was running out of almond flour, but I figured that I could create a recipe that would work with the ingredients I have at home.  So, I told her that we could.  My daughter jumped off the couch and started dancing, because she was so excited.  We decided to wait until my son got home from school too, so that we all could do it together.  I had not found a specific brownie recipe using almond flour that I really like, so I decided to experiment with a few different recipes.  Here is the recipe I used.

Gluten Free Brownies

2 cups almond flour
scant 1/2 cup almond flour (I didn't have enough to make the true half cup)
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 8x8 square baking pan, and place a square of parchment paper on the bottom.  In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder.  Mix all of the ingredients together.  In a separate bowl, mix together the grapeseed oil, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla.  Then mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients in the large bowl.  Add the chocolate chips and mix them into the batter.  Pour the batter into the baking pan and place it in the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a knitting need comes out clean.

I hate to sound cliche, but I am not sure which was better; the brownies or the time spent with my children.  The brownies turned out really well.  There is still a strong almond taste, but the center is nice and moist.  There is a nice chocolate taste, but they are not too sweet  The kids enjoyed them, and so did my husband.  He got to come home from work to a house smelling like brownies. Yum!  You can eat the brownies by themselves or put a scoop of ice cream on top.  I hope you have fun making these with someone you love.  Enjoy!

-Cassidy