What’s better than moist chocolaty brownies? Our Low FODMAP One-Bowl Brownies that you can whip up in less time than it takes to preheat the oven. This brownie recipe uses natural cocoa powder for a rich chocolate taste and trust us, they are MUCH more than their looks. They might look “plain”, but their chocolaty flavor and moist texture are anything but. In about 30-minutes you can be eating made-from-scratch brownies that just happen to be gluten-free and low FODMAP.
Cocoa & FODMAPs
Oh boy. This is a HUGE topic for me. Cocoa and FODMAPs. Perhaps you have noticed that cocoa and “cacao” are listed separately on the Monash app, and that they show different amounts of FODMAP content.
PLEASE read our article All About Cocoa & FODMAPs, which goes into this in depth.
The fact is that there is no difference between cocoa and “cacao” and the article explains it all. In short, from the chocolate manufacturing industry’s perspective, there is no difference between cacao and cocoa powder. The FDA, The Food Standards for Australia and New Zealand, the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) and the National Confectioners Association do not even recognize the term “cacao” to describe cocoa powder. Our article attempts to explain the discrepancies in the Monash lab testing.
What we want to be focused on for this recipe is what type of cocoa to use and I suggest natural cocoa. Natural cocoa and Dutch-processed cocoa (and black cocoa for that matter) all react differently in recipes. Please always use what is called for – in this instance natural cocoa. The All About Cocoa article shows you images of all the various kinds of cocoa, too, which is kind of cool. Have you ever seen black cocoa? Come take a look.
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract might seem like a throwaway ingredient – in the sense that it appears to be an extra that might not actually be needed. It is true that you could leave it out of many recipes and still end up with something that you like.
But in recipes like this, where there are relatively few flavor enhancing ingredients, it really should be included and not overlooked.
Sure, I have read all the studies about artificial vanilla doing very well in side-by-side taste-tests. And artificial vanilla extract is much less expensive. After years and years of owning a bakery, and being a professional pastry chef, I just can’t bring myself to use it.
I guess what I am saying is that if you only have artificial around, you can use it. It will not change the FODMAP load, but I am partial to pure vanilla extract.
How To Make Low FODMAP One-Bowl Brownies
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 8-inch (20 cm) square aluminum baking pan with parchment paper so that it overhangs two sides.
Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl that is large enough to accommodate all of your ingredients.
Whisk in the sugar and vanilla extract.
I like to add vanilla extract before eggs as it has a better shot at incorporating with the fat (butter) and that disperses its flavor very well. The ingredients come together easily.
Then whisk in eggs one at a time.
Make sure the eggs are incorporated.
Whisk in cocoa…
…until mixture is well combined.
Add flour and salt.
Switch to a silicone spatula and fold in until all the ingredients are completely combined. Here is what it looks like about halfway mixed.
Keep going until it looks smooth and well blended.
Scrape into prepared pan.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick or bamboo skewer inserted in the center shows a few crumbs clinging. Do NOT bake until the toothpick tests clean. That will be “over done”. See the tiny hole where I inserted a skewer to test doneness?
Cool pan on rack. Use overhanging paper to help remove brownies from pan.
Cut into 16 squares and enjoy!
Other One-Bowl Treats!
- One-Bowl Low FODMAP Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies (you REALLY need to try these)
- One-Bowl Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- One-Bowl Peanut Butter Cookies
- One-Bowl Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Low FODMAP One-Bowl Brownies
What’s better than moist chocolaty brownies? Our Low FODMAP One-Bowl Brownies that you can whip up in less time than it takes to preheat the oven. This brownie recipe uses natural cocoa powder for a rich chocolate taste and trust us, they are MUCH more than their looks. They might look “plain”, but their chocolaty flavor and moist texture are anything but. In about 30-minutes you can be eating made-from-scratch brownies that just happen to be gluten-free and low FODMAP.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 8-inch (20 cm) squate pan; 16 brownies; 1 brownie per serving
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (113 g; 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (198 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (43 g) sifted natural cocoa
- 1/2 cup (73 g) low FODMAP gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob Red Mill’s 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
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Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square metal baking pan with parchment paper overhanging two sides. Coat paper and pan with nonstick spray.
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Melt the butter in a large microwave safe bowl in your microwave. I cover the butter with the waxed paper from the stick to keep it from splattering. (If you don’t have the use of a microwave you can melt the butter on the stove in a small pot then transfer to a mixing bowl).
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Whisk in the sugar and vanilla, then whisk in the eggs one at a time until absorbed. Whisk in the cocoa then switch to a large silicone spatula and fold in the flour and salt until all ingredients are well combined.
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Scrape into prepared pan, smooth the top if necessary and bake for approximately 12 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs clinging. Do not bake until a toothpick tests clean. Cool pan on rack. Use overhanging parchment to remove brownies from pan and cut into a 4 by 4 grid to make 16 brownies. Brownies are amazing served right away but may also be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature for 2 days.
Dédé’s Quick Recipe Tips Video
Notes:
Tips
• You can freeze the brownies, although I am not a huge fan of freezing baked goods as they are always better fresh. Wrap them individually with plastic wrap then place those in a zip-top bag and remove the air. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Variations:
• You can add ½ cup (55 g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans.
• Or you could add ½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• Try adding ½ teaspoon powdered instant espresso along with the cocoa.
• Or even try a large pinch of cinnamon to the batter.
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Cocoa: Monash University has lab tested what they call “cocoa” and also “cacao” and they show different FODMAP content. The problem is that from the chocolate manufacturing industry’s perspective, there is no difference between cacao and cocoa powder. The FDA, The Food Standards for Australia and New Zealand, the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) and the National Confectioners Association do not even recognize the term “cacao” to describe cocoa powder. We have an article, All About Cocoa, that we encourage you to read. It attempts to explain the discrepancies in the Monash lab testing.
- Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is ¼ cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Can I use monkfruit instead of sugar?
While monk fruit is within a few lab tested and low FODMAP certified commercial products, it has not been tested on its own and we do not know its low FODMAP level. Also, all of our recipes have been tested as presented, so I couldn’t tell you whether the recipe would work from a taste, texture or a FODMAP perspective.
These are really, really good. I used rice flour instead of the bob’s mill flour.
That is great to know it worked for you. I find that rice flour alone can often yield a gritty end product, but if it was to your liking them it was a great find. Thank you for taking the time to write; it will help others.
These are soooooooo GOOD!!! Thank you!!!
I’ve cut it into 16 pieces, is it only Low FODMAP at just the one slice?
Low FODMAP serving sizes are truly tailored to YOU! Check out our article on What Is A Low FODMAP Serving Size?
These are dangerous! It’s a good thing these make a small batch. I’m throwing out all my other brownie recipes low fod map or not. I baked these in a buttered glass Pyrex pan rather than parchment paper in metal pan. They took a little longer to bake. Maybe 20 minutes. So good! Thank you for that recipe.
Hi there! So glad to hear…and sorry? LOL. They are so good for being so simple! Hopefully your comment will inspire others:) Thank you.
I just made these! They have a really intense chocolate flavor! I’ve decided these brownies are the country cousins of flourless chocolate cake. Which is great, because I was having a “give me chocolate NOW” pangs so badly, I wanted flourless chocolate cake. I had no chocolate, though, just cocoa, so I made these brownies for the first time — and they hit the spot perfectly! So good! Perfect for making after dinner and be done with clean-up before bed!
Ahem. I just have to remember to be careful with my sifter 🙂 PS Cocoa is best cleaned up with a vacuum so it doesn’t spread or stain cloth. 🙂
Thank you, Dede!
Oh YAY!!!! Love your enticing note and so happy these have brought you joy!