Small Batch Nut Butter Brownies

Gluten-free, Dairy-free variation

Brownies will always have a special place in my heart. The red box of brownie mix was the one thing that my mom would let us buy and make. My sister and I would usually make them with our nanny and fight over the fudge packet that came with the mix. Brownies are just the perfect snack or dessert in my mind, boxed or otherwise. 

I have a problem. Whenever I make a batch of brownies, I swear to myself that I will not eat the whole batch in 2 days, but that promise is never kept. What can I say; I have a weakness when it comes to brownies. 

So, there needed to be a way to make a batch of brownies perfect for 1-2 people to enjoy without feeling like they went a little overboard on the chocolate and sugar. I did not really think that was possible, but well, my dentist begs to differ. Anyway, these brownies are a delightful mix of fudgy and cakey, easy to make and can be zhooshed up with a whole bunch of things: fruit, nuts, candy, nut or seed butter. 

Let’s discuss what makes these dairy and gluten-free brownies uber delicious. 

Olive Oil

Yes, butter is delicious. Butter makes great brownies. However, oil makes better brownies. There is some science to it; butter is not made up of 100% fat. Most butter contains about 80% fat and the rest is milk solids and water. Olive oil is 100% fat. This means that you need less of it, but also that you are going to be a lighter, moister baked good. The natural acidity in olive oil also helps to create a super soft crumb. 

If you want super fudgy brownies, use a mixture of oil and butter. In this case, I made it a mix of oil and nut butter, opting for a little something special in my nut butter selection.

Nut Butter 

I have been obsessed with Big Spoon Roasters for years. Their nut butters come in delicious flavors, are a mix between creamy and crunchy and are made with the best ingredients. No, I am not sponsored by them; I just really love a damn good nut butter. For these brownies, I doubled-down on chocolate by using their Chocolate Sea Salt almond butter. But use whatever nut butter you like: peanut butter, almond butter, Nutella, cashew butter, really, go nuts. Ha. 

Super Dark Chocolate 

I have probably said this a whole lot and it might be getting old, but the best brownies start with really good dark chocolate. Yes, cocoa powder brownies are good, but I will always prefer a brownie that has a combination of melted chocolate and cocoa powder. 

For the chocolate, I use an 80% (bittersweet, basically) dark chocolate. No surprise again, I use one Taza Chocolate’s Seriously Dark 80% chocolate bar for these brownies (full disclosure: Taza is owned by my brother and sister-in-law). I mean, you know that they are going to be good with a whole bar of chocolate in them. 

If you can’t find Taza or prefer another brand of chocolate, then use it. Just make sure that you go for the darker chocolate, at least 70% cocoa content. I like to use a vegan chocolate as well (no milk added to it). 

Yogurt

Ok, this ingredient might seem like a bit of a wild card, but there is a reason for it. The cultures that are added to the dairy cause the lactose (the natural sugar in milk) to ferment and form lactic acid. That lactic acid is what makes yogurt the magic ingredient for oh so many baked goods, but also these brownies. The acidity and fat (only use full-fat yogurt please) of the yogurt ensures a super soft, chewy brownie that will never be dry. 

I used a runny (aka not Greek) yogurt that is full fat. If you do not eat dairy, then use your favorite runny alternative milk yogurt. Just make sure that you are using one that is plain and unsweetened.

OK, that is enough about the ingredients. Let’s make some brownies.  

---

RECIPE

1 bar (71g/2.5oz) super dark chocolate (I used Taza’s 87% dark) 

25g (2 tbsp) olive oil 

38g (3 tbsp) chocolate almond butter (or any nut butter you like; I used Big Spoon Roasters Chocolate Sea Salt) 

1 extra-large egg 

60g (1/4 cup) light brown sugar 

21g (1 tbsp) runny full-fat yogurt 

27g (3 tbsp) dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted

11g (1tbsp) sweet rice flour (you can sub arrowroot, tapioca flour or regular flour)

1/2 tsp espresso powder (optional)

1/2 tsp salt 

Additional nut butter for topping

Preheat your oven to 350F and liberally grease a standard loaf pan with coconut oil. You can line it with parchment, but if it is well-greased, you should be ok. 

In a small bowl, melt together the chocolate, olive oil and nut butter. I do it over a double boiler, but go for the microwave if you want; just go in 15 second intervals.  Once melted, mix together and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, crack the egg, add the light brown sugar and salt; use a hand mixer to beat the egg and sugar together until it’s a thick foam; it will take about 4-5 minutes. Add the yogurt and beat again for 4 minutes. You want to see fine little bubbles in the mixture.

Sift the cocoa powder, sweet rice flour, and espresso powder into the egg mixture and beat again to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure that you get all that cocoa powder in. 

Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg-cocoa mixture. Go slowly; you do not want to mix the air out of the mixture. Once all the melted chocolate is mixed in, pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Dollop nut butter across the top of the batter and then use a butter knife or offset spatula to swirl it through the batter. 

Bake for 17-19 minutes; I err on the side of under baking so that I get that super gooey middle. Let cool completely before slicing and removing from the pan. 

Slice the brownies in half for a treat for you and a friend; slice into 6 pieces to share. Or slice thin slivers, toast one and slather it in nut butter as an end-of-the-day treat.