Kat of All Trades

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine mentioned these brownies, and I knew I had to adapt them to be gluten-free. I’m a sucker for Cadbury Creme Eggs; they’re one of the seasonal treats that I look forward to most every year. I also love baking brownies, as they’re quick, a perfect chocolate fix, and easily made sans wheat flour.

As I looked over the original recipe, I knew how I’d easily adapt the flour mixture; my go-to is to swap in 2/3 white rice flour and 1/3 tapioca flour, and I figured that would work perfectly here. I knew I only had sweetened cocoa powder on hand, so I decided to cut back the amount of sugar by 1/2 cup – something I’d probably do even with unsweetened cocoa powder. These babies are sweet, and they don’t really need the extra sugar. Mine came out with my favorite fudge-y brownie texture, and held together quite nicely once you scooped them out of the pan.

And remember: Easter is only a few days away, so discounted candy will be up for grabs soon! I may have to stock up on the caramel eggs for my next batch…

Gluten-Free Cadbury Creme Egg Brownies (adapted from Gingerbread Bagels)

5 Cadbury Creme Eggs, halved (9 halves for the brownies, 1 for your mouth)
1/2 c white rice flour
1/4 c tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
1/2 c sweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp finely-ground sea salt
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 c bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9×9 inch baking pan. Slice Cadbury Creme Eggs in half using a paring knife. Set nine halves aside; eat one.

Blend flours, cocoa powder, and sea salt thoroughly in a small bowl. Set aside.

Combine sugars, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Stir thoroughly with a spatula until well-mixed. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.

Add half the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just combined, then add the other half. When dry mixture is integrated, add chocolate chips, folding them into the batter.

Pour batter into baking pan, spreading it with a spatula to cover the bottom of the pan evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, remove pan from oven, and neatly press the Cadbury Creme Egg halves into the brownies. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until a toothpick/knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the brownies before cutting.