A rich and decadent chocolate dessert, this vegan gluten free skillet brownie is the perfect way to celebrate a special day! Enjoy this brownie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle of hot fudge for an extra treat.
Don’t you love desserts that are super special, but extra easy to make? The kind of thing that can be made on a whim, without a lot of planning, but tastes SO good that everyone raves about it?
Those are the best kind of desserts! No lengthy baking times, no fancy decorating necessary (unless you want to!), but lots of delicious, gooey, chocolate flavor.
Rich, chocolatey, decadent brownie topped with dairy free ice cream or whipped cream and drizzled with more melted chocolate for good measure. The kind of dessert that’s normally served in a restaurant – but this version is even better, and it’s free of the top 8 allergens!
Brownies are always welcome at our house – this frosted version is delicious, as well as these no-bake bites. But if you have a birthday coming up, or another occasion – Valentine’s Day, or a special family dinner – this is the perfect easy dessert to serve. This skillet brownie can be made in one bowl, baked in a cast iron skillet, and then topped with ice cream. Just scoop out individual portions, or hand your friends a spoon. It’s up to you!
Serving this in a cast iron skillet gives you that fun restaurant experience at home – which is nice if you avoid desserts at restaurants due to food allergies.
Can I make this in a different kind of pan?
Sure! If you don’t have a small cast iron pan, feel free to use any 8 inch pan. Round or square, metal or ceramic – any of those will work fine. The cast iron skillet just makes it look a little more special.
Can I use something other than beets?
Beet puree adds some natural sweetness to vegan gluten free skillet brownie, but if you don’t like beets or would rather use something else, applesauce would also work. You can also use banana puree, but you will most likely taste the banana if you do that.
Ideas for substitutions:
- If you prefer a more natural sugar, you can use coconut sugar or date sugar in place of the organic cane sugar.
- If you aren’t gluten free or dairy free, it’s okay to use regular all-purpose flour and dairy butter. This skillet brownie will still be delicious!
- If this is a recipe that you want to use to make slice and serve brownies, you will want to fully cool and then refrigerate these before slicing so that they hold their shape.
For an extra decadent treat, try this vegan caramel sauce drizzled over the top. The dark chocolate brownie plus the caramel makes for a delicious combination.
What gluten free flour is best in this recipe?
I like my homemade gluten free blend, but you can try store bought blends as well! Some brands to check out are Living Now Foods, Namaste, and Gluten Free 123. I don’t recommend coconut flour, cassava flour, or almond meal in this recipe, as the texture will be very different if you use those flours.
If you’d like a grain free skillet brownie, try the recipe in the video below:
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Extra Fudgy Gluten Free Skillet Brownie (Vegan).
A rich and decadent vegan gluten free skillet brownie is perfect when topped with vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
- ½ cup dairy free dark chocolate chips I used Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels
- ⅓ cup vegan buttery spread
- ⅔ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup gluten free flour
- 3 ½ Tablespoons beet puree*
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons dairy free dark chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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Place the ½ cup of dark chocolate chips in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for one minute, then stir. Microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted.
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Add the vegan buttery spread to the bowl, and stir until it melts into the hot chocolate chips.
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Add the cane sugar and beet puree, stir well. Add the cocoa powder, gluten free flour blend, and salt. Stir well - the batter will be thick.
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Spread into an 8-inch cast iron skillet or another 8 inch pan. Sprinkle the 2 Tablespoons of dairy free dark chocolate chips on top.
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Bake at 350 degrees for 28-30 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve with dairy free ice cream. You can also melt more chocolate chips and drizzle on top if desired.
Recipe Notes
*To make beet puree: Peel and dice one beet. Place in a pan with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until beets are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Let cool, then put the beet pieces plus a little of the liquid in a blender and puree until smooth.
You can use applesauce or banana puree instead of beets if you wish.
I like my homemade gluten free flour blend for this recipe, but other blends should also work. Try Gluten Free 123, Living Now Foods, or Namaste Perfect Flour Blend.
I do not recommend grain free flours like coconut, almond, or cassava for this recipe.
This post was originally published in January 2017. It has been updated.
Lesley
Made it…delicious…absolutely need ice cream and tea. Super rich and gooey without being undercooked :D I am a happy girl.
I used banana as I didn’t have any beets on hand. Also cut the recipe in half and used a mini skillet. It was a perfect portion for me and my two young adult kids with no leftovers.
Kelly Roenicke
I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Thanks for letting me know!
Mary tongret
Gluten soy corn meat eggs dairy sugar honey allergic here. Do any desserts have Stevie or maple syrup as sugar substitute?
I can have fish for animal protein. Ugh
Thannks
Reichel Wellswim
OMG these look amazing! I am avoiding gluten & dairy right now, so I need these!!
suzi
I have golden beets. I imagine thats ok? want to try this!!
Kelly Roenicke
Yes, that should be ok!
Carly Holtzman
Awesome recipe but I dont have a cast iron pan/cast iron skillet. Would a frying pan or similar type of pan work?
Carly Holtzman
This looks great. Lots of food allergies in my family. Can the Beet Puree be substituted with butternut squash puree, carrot puree or apple sauce?
Kelly Roenicke
I think that the squash would be the best choice, but any of those would probably work!
jon
great tasting!!!!!!!
Kelly Roenicke
Glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!
Barbi
This looks amazing and just what I have been missing. Unfortunatley I am also allergic to beets. What can be used in place of beets?
Kelly Roenicke
Try applesauce or even pureed prunes!
Sarah
Can I make this in a regular pyrex baking dish? Are time and temp the same? Also, same amount if applesauce as the called for beet puree? Thanks!
Kelly Roenicke
You can use a small baking dish, and yes, same temp and probably the same amount of time. Just keep an eye on it. And equal amount of applesauce, yes.
Jaye
Hi sweet Kelly,
Do you know if applesauce will work in place of the beet puree?
Jaye
You answered it in the post! That’s what I get for skipping straight to the recipe.
GiGi Eats
This serves ONE … Right? ;)
Kelly Roenicke
Right! ;)
carmela escobar
This skillet brownie looks so yummy! A question though – the recipe says “⅓ vegan buttery spread” – I’m assuming this is 1/3 CUP, but can you please confirm?
Kelly Roenicke
Yes, that’s correct! Thank you for catching that, I’ve fixed it.