Gluten-free hot cocoa brownies filled with gooey, sweet marshmallows and rich cacao powder that are perfect for the whole family. Instead of using chocolate chips that are loaded with refined sweeteners, I used unsweetened cacao chocolate chips and mixed them with syrup for an equally delicious chocolate chip option.
Talk about a house favorite. My entire family LOVED these….I mean loved, on a very deep level. That makes me happy. But what’s not to love – a rich, gluten free brownie that has gooey and sweet marshmallow melted in the batter so each bite tastes like a warm and comforting hot chocolate – expect slightly better if I’m honest. Yes, please.
Instead of using a premade cocoa mix, I used cacao powder (a favorite of mine for so many reasons) along with pure maple syrup and coconut sugar as sweeteners to replace the forbidden refined sugars (a big no-no OK?).
, I recommend choosing cacao powder that’s both organic and fair-trade certified. Many popular cocoa powders go through “dutch processing,” which stripes the cocoa powder of key nutrients. Fair-trade cacao powder is rich in nutrients and creates a decadent, bold chocolate flavor, which places it above the well-known unsweetened cocoa powder. An easy way to ensure the hard-working farmers who manage the sensitive cacao tree crops year-round are fairly compensated is by purchasing fair-trade certified organic cacao powder. Fair-trade cacao powder is also carefully harvested and processed to limit its exposure to chemicals and pesticides that are a detriment to overall health. Cacao powder is high in antioxidants, more specifically polyphenols. Polyphenols found in cacao powder help lower inflammation, improve blood flow, reduce cholesterol, and aid in blood sugar control. Cacao powder is also rich in both flavanols, which is a plant compound that has positive health benefits, and tryptophan, which is an amino acid that works with the body to produce serotonin. These two properties improve heart health, provide antioxidant protection, and aid in sleep and relaxation. So, go ahead and enjoy a chocolate dessert. Just make sure you use fair-trade organic cacao powder! My Dark Chocolate Mousse with Fresh Raspberries recipe is a great place to start.
Gluten-Free Hot Cocoa Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted grass-fed butter - 1 stick
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened dark chocolate chips - see note
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- 3 eggs - at room temperature
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup gluten-free oat flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 10 oz. bag gluten-free marshmallows - cut into small pieces (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8” baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt butter, chocolate chips, and maple syrup together in double boiler, whisking continuously until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, and extract on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, while whisking, slowly pour all of the warm chocolate mixture in with the eggs, sugar and extract. Whisk in until well combined.
- Add oat and almond flour to mixture and stir with a spatula just until combined.
- Stir in 1 cup of marshmallow pieces then pour brownie mixture into prepared pan.
- Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes. Let cook and enjoy.
Notes
- I used these organic 100% cacao unsweetened dark chocolate chips.
- I couldn’t find any marshmallows without refined sugars, so these marshmallows I found on Vitacost have no soy, corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial colors, or gelatin. It’s the best to use aside from making your own (which may be my new mission – homemade refined sugar free marshmallow. What do you think?)
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The recipe looks delicious but the ingredients list seems to be missing several ingredients only their measurements. I could probably figure them out from the instructions but still I thought you’d like to know. Life is just so full of interruptions, isn’t it.
Looks absolutely scrumptious. I’m off to make marshmallows so I can make brownies because I need an excuse to pull out the Lyle’s Golden Syrup or maybe Brown Rice Syrup. I just have it so rough. Haha
That is so strange. On my end, I am able to see both the ingredients and measurements. You’re only seeing the ingredients? And thank you! They are quite scrumptious. Let me know what I can do to help!
I have the chocolate melted and the dry ingredients measured but don’t see anywhere what to do with that 1/4 cup of cocoa powder or with all those extra marshmallows. 1 cup is not the same as all 10 oz. in the package. Also, those look like whole marshmallows on top and not little pieces. Confused and stranded.
This is good! and I have a couple of questions. I do wonder when to add the cocoa powder and how you are using the rest of the marshmallows that are not stirred in as pieces. The instructions seem in complete as compared with the ingredients list.