Gluten-Free Blondies (vegan)
Gluten-free blondies with a crisp shiny top and a cookie dough center. These cookie bars are dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan.
Servings 16 squares
Calories 276kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar , lightly packed (250 grams)
- ½ cup sugar (100 grams)
- ¾ cup coconut oil , melted
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ¼ cup warm almond milk or other plant-based milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
- 2 ⅛ cups gluten-free all purpose flour (295 grams, 2 cups plus 2 rounded tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder like Rumford or Clabber Girl brands
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup chocolate chips plus more to sprinkle on top (140 grams)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Dissolve the sugar: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add both sugars, coconut oil, hot water, and almond milk. Whisk by hand or with an electric mixer for 3 minutes or until the sugars completely dissolve and you have a smooth sugar syrup (if you smear some between your fingers, you should feel no sugar granules). Don't skimp on the whisking -- this is what makes that shiny crackly top! If needed, microwave the mixture for 30 seconds, then stir to combine. Continue microwaving in 15 second intervals, whisking in between, until the sugar dissolves completely. See notes for tips without a microwave.
- Dry ingredients: Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium mixing bowl and whisk together. Then add the gluten-free flour mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Add the remaining chocolate chips and stir until well mixed.
- Bake: Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few chewy crumbs. Cool: Cool completely before removing from the pan and serving.
Notes
See the blog post for ingredient notes and substitutions, step-by-step photos, and expert tips.
Storage: Allow the gluten-free blondies to cool completely before storing leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Mix in a different type of chip: Instead of chocolate chips, try butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or chocolate chunks.
Add nuts: Instead of (or in addition to) chocolate chips, add chopped walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, or almonds.
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg