Gluten-Free Pecan Brownies

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Our Fudgy gluten-free pecan brownies recipe has the most incredible texture and flavor, thanks to brown butter, toasted pecans, and plenty of chocolate!

gluten-free pecan brownie on a white plate

When it comes to gluten-free brownie recipes here at Sweets & Thank You, we don’t mess around!

Friends don’t let friends eat sad brownies! And this gorgeous gluten-free pecan brownies recipe is anything but ordinary. They have incredible texture–thin, glossy tops, fudgy, chewy centers, and a little crunch from pecans and chocolate chips. Then, there are the layers of flavor in every bite–rich chocolate, toasted pecans, and caramel notes from brown butter.

They. Are. So. Good!

And even with all that deliciousness, they really aren’t hard to make. Here’s what you need to make these easy gluten-free pecan brownies…

Ingredients for gluten-free pecan brownies
gluten-free pecan brownie on a white plate

Gather Your Ingredients

  • An 8×8″ Baking Pan. You’ll be using a metal 8″x8″ square baking pan for these gluten-free brown butter brownies. I recommend a light-colored metal pan (like this one!) for even baking.
  • Butter. The secret of this gluten-free brownie recipe is the brown butter. It gives caramel/toffee notes to the brownies and makes them tender and fudgy in all the best ways. I basically always use salted butter, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
  • Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips or Chopped Chocolate. Combined with the butter, you’ll melt plenty of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate to give these brownies a luscious, fudgy texture.
  • Brown Sugar. The secret to glossy, crackly-topped brownies is dissolving sugar in eggs before mixing it into the batter. For these gluten-free brown butter brownies, I use brown sugar to keep these gorgeous and fudgy.
  • Eggs. The eggs will help the sugar dissolve and will give these brownies some puff and lift. I recommend room temperature eggs because they’ll blend better!
  • Vanilla & Salt. Some vanilla extract and kosher salt balance the flavors and make these taste even more amazing.
  • Cocoa Powder. Unsweetened cocoa powder adds a lovely intense chocolate flavor. I prefer to use dark cocoa powder for these brownies (often labeled Dutch-processed or alkalized cocoa).
  • Gluten-Free Flour. Just the right amount of measure-for-measure gluten-free flour (I highly recommend this one from King Arthur) holds these brownies together without turning them cakey or dry. Do not try to substitute almond flour, coconut flour, or any other flour.
  • Mix-Ins. Then, you’ll mix in some toasted pecans and more chocolate chips. (It’s worth it!)
making gluten-free pecan brownies step by step

How To Make Gluten-Free PEcan Brownies, Step By Step:

  1. Preheat The Oven & Prep The Pan. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8×8 metal baking pan with parchment paper. (If you haven’t already, toast the pecans on a baking sheet for 6-8 minutes while the oven is preheating.)
  2. Brown The Butter. Add the butter to a light-colored saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter foams and the butter underneath the foam has deepened to a honey color and the butter smells sweet and fragrant. (This will take about 10-12 minutes)
  3. Melt The Chocolate. Quickly remove the butter from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Whisk until the chocolate is totally melted, smooth, and glossy. Let the chocolate cool a few minutes.
  4. Whisk Sugar & Eggs. While the chocolate cools, combine brown sugar and eggs in a medium glass bowl. Whisk until the mixture has lightened in color and roughly tripled in volume. This will take 3-5 minutes or so, though you can speed the process by using a hand mixer. The sugar should be completely dissolved–if you rub the mixture between your fingers, there shouldn’t be any sugar crystals or grit. (This ensures the tops of the brownies will be glossy)
  5. Add Chocolate To The Eggs. When the eggs/sugar are lighter in color and totally dissolved, whisk the mixture into your cooled chocolate until well combined and incorporated.
  6. Add The Vanilla and mix to combine.
  7. Mix In Dry Ingredients. Add in the gluten-free flour blend, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir until just a few dry floury patches remain.
  8. Add Pecans & Chocolate Chips and stir until just combined–no flour/dry spots remain and the chocolate chips and pecans are evenly distributed.
  9. Pour Into Pan & Top. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle with a few more pecans and chocolate chips. Gently pat in a little to help them stay in place.
  10. Bake The Brownies for 25-28 minutes. The top should look glossy and set and the brownies should still be fudgy. (Try not to over-bake, or the brownies will be more cakey.) Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
  11. Cool Before Slicing. Let the brownies cool completely if possible, before slicing into rectangles or squares.
gluten-free pecan brownies stacked on a white plate

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The BEst Pecan Brownies

Use Toasted Pecans! Toasting the pecans is a quick extra step, but it makes a HUGE difference in flavor! By toasting the pecans first, you enhance their texture and their naturally nuttiness. Raw pecans will taste more flat, while toasted pecans taste rich, nutty, and beautiful with the caramel notes of the brown butter. Speaking of which…

How To Brown Butter. Brown butter is one of the key flavors in this gluten-free brownie recipe, so it’s important you get it right! If you’ve never done it before, this step by step brown butter tutorial is worth a quick read. It’ll take all the guesswork out of making browned butter.

A Parchment Paper Trick. If you have any metal binder clips (no plastic! Metal only!) you can use them to help hold your parchment paper in place. This makes it a little easier to spread the brownie batter and prevents the parchment from folding over in the oven.

Let The Brownies Cool Before Slicing! I know (I KNOW!) it’s tempting to slice into these brownies while they’re still warm, but it’s important to let them set and cool completely before cutting into them. I actually recommend chilling the brownies for the neatest, cleanest cuts, but at minimum, you need to let them cool completely first.

Can I Make Them Dairy-Free? Dairy-free chocolate chips will work great, but dairy-free butter (vegan butter) will not brown since it doesn’t contain dairy solids. You can simply use melted vegan butter, but you’ll lose a layer of flavor that comes from the brown butter.

gluten-free pecan brownie on a white plate

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gluten-free pecan brownie on a white plate

Gluten-Free Pecan Brownies


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  • Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 916 brownies 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Our Fudgy gluten-free pecan brownies recipe has the most incredible texture and flavor, thanks to brown butter, toasted pecans, and plenty of chocolate!


Ingredients

Scale

For The Pecan Brownies:

  • 8 Tablespoons (1 stick, 4 oz.) butter
  • 9 oz. chocolate (1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or chopped chocolate)
  • 1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (90 grams) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour,* weighed or scooped and leveled
  • 1/3 cup (30 grams) Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 1/2 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips

To Top The Brownies:

  • 1/4 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans (some whole, some chopped)

Instructions

  1. Preheat The Oven & Prep The Pan. Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a square 8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper. (If you haven’t already, toast the pecans on a baking sheet for 6-8 minutes while the oven is preheating.)
  2. Brown The Butter. Add the butter to a light-colored saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter foams and the butter underneath the foam has deepened to a honey color and the butter smells sweet and fragrant. (This will take about 10-12 minutes)
  3. Melt The Chocolate. Quickly remove the butter from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips. Whisk until the chocolate is totally melted, smooth, and glossy. Let the chocolate cool a few minutes.
  4. Whisk Sugar & Eggs. While the chocolate cools, combine brown sugar and eggs in a medium glass bowl. Whisk until the mixture has lightened in color and roughly tripled in volume. This will take 3-5 minutes or so, though you can speed the process by using a hand mixer. The sugar should be completely dissolved–if you rub the mixture between your fingers, there shouldn’t be any sugar crystals or grit. (This ensures the tops of the brownies will be glossy)
  5. Add Chocolate To The Eggs. When the eggs/sugar are lighter in color and totally dissolved, whisk the mixture into your cooled chocolate until well combined and incorporated.
  6. Add The Vanilla and mix to combine.
  7. Mix In Dry Ingredients. Add in the gluten-free flour blend, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir until just a few dry floury patches remain.
  8. Add Chopped Pecans & Chocolate Chips and gently fold in until just combined–no flour/dry spots remain and the chocolate chips and pecans are evenly distributed.
  9. Pour Into Pan & Top. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with a few more pecans and chocolate chips. Gently pat in a little to help them stay in place.
  10. Bake The Brownies for 25-28 minutes. The top should look glossy and set and the brownies should still be fudgy. (Try not to over-bake, or the brownies will be more cakey.) Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
  11. Cool Before Slicing. Let the brownies cool completely if possible, before slicing into rectangles or squares. (Chilled brownies will cut the most cleanly and neatly!) 
  12. Serve & Store. Enjoy the brownies once they’ve cooled, or cover and store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days, or in the freezer up to 2 months. 

Notes

*We love and recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour for these brownies (and all our brownies, cookies, cakes, and muffins!) If you use another gf flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum so your brownies turn our correctly. 

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
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