The Best Grainless, Nut-Free Brownies

Do you guys remember that nostalgic and very specific taste of brownies made from a boxed mix? I honestly miss that classic flavor and chewy texture, and I typically am not a fan of fancy bakery brownies because they feel like they’re trying to be something that they are not meant to be. Then add in my inability to eat gluten, dairy, or almonds, and it really only left me with mixes that were pure sugar and cornstarch or tahini brownies that were good but the taste of tahini was far overpowering for what I wanted a classic brownie to be.

Enter. These. Brownies.

… that just HAPPEN to be grainless, nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and SERIOUSLY my favorite brownie I’ve ever made in my life. Grandiose statement? Yes, sure. But I do not lie. Nor does the now almost empty container of brownies in my fridge after a mere 2 days…😬

There are 2 specific ingredients that make a big difference in these brownies and make them perfect as they are:

• Cassava Flour

• Watermelon Seed Butter.

Yes, watermelon seed butter. Did you even know that was a thing?? I didn’t, until discovering 88 Acres, a family-run business that focuses on the amazing power of all kinds of seeds. They have amazing “Seednolas,” bars, dressings, and butters that are all seed-based, but I love that they harness the versatility of unique seeds like watermelon seeds to make amazing products.

*P.S. they are giving 15% off everything to you guys with code MINNA15*

When I first tasted their watermelon seed butter, I described it as kind of a milder version of tahini— which then lit a lightbulb in my head to try making brownies with it. My go-to brownie recipe was for tahini brownies, but as I said before, the taste of tahini was a bit overpowering and outshone the chocolatey taste that a true brownie should have. It was also extra challenging for me because a lot of gluten-free brownies are based in almond butter and/or almond flour, and not only am I allergic to almonds (and cashews!), I don’t like the texture that almond flour gives a brownie— it’s not chewy enough for me and too mealy.

So when I thought about utilizing the watermelon seed butter and cassava flour (which is known for it’s wonderful starchy properties that can give good chew), I had a hunch it’d be good, but I didn’t know they’d become my favorite brownies of all time.

I honestly won’t wax on about them anymore, because I think you should just make them and see for yourself— they’re SO easy to make!

The Best Grainless, Nut-Free Brownies

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Grainless, Vegan-Optional
makes 12-16 Brownies (12 if using a 7x11” rectangular dish, 16 if using a standard 9” square dish)

Ingredients

1 cup 88 Acres Watermelon Seed Butter (No Sugar Added version- use code MINNA15 for 15% off!)
2 Large Eggs (sub flax eggs if you want to make this vegan— 2 tbsp ground flax seeds mixed into 6tbsp water)
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 tbsp Cassava Flour
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt

Recipe

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and lightly grease your baking dish with oil of your choice.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (cocoa powder, cassava flour, baking powder, and salt) and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients (watermelon seed butter, eggs (or flax eggs), maple syrup, vanilla extract) extremely well with a whisk or fork until it is a smooth texture with no lumps.

4. While continuously whisking, slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir until well combined with no dry ingredients visible in the batter.

5. Pour the batter into the baking pan, spread evenly, and if you wish to make a swirl pattern as pictured in this post, drizzle a bit of watermelon seed butter all over the batter and use a toothpick to swirl whatever pattern you wish. Place the dish in the oven.

6. Bake for 24-28 minutes (if using a metal baking dish, it will bake faster and be closer to 24 min; if using a glass baking dish, it will be about 27-28 minutes).

7. Remove pan from oven. Let brownies cool completely before slicing and serving.

   Brownies will stay good for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature, but I highly recommend putting them in your fridge to last up to 5 days. And it is almost even better cold, straight out of the fridge!