A really easy recipe for gluten free Mini Egg Brownies that are deliciously fudgy and chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, stuffed full of little mini eggs – making them perfect for Easter!
You can tell Easter is coming when the whole internet world explodes with chocolate…and variations on the creme egg and mini egg theme abound! Last year I had a lot of fun making this 5 Ingredient Creme Egg Chocolate Tart, so this year I thought I would have a play with mini eggs instead…
And these Mini Egg Brownies are super simple to make…I have been working for a while on creating a really easy peasy version of brownies and I think I’ve cracked it!
Most recipes call for brownies to be made with melted chocolate, but I wanted to see if I could create one that was made just with cocoa powder – partly to make things quicker and simpler (it means you don’t need to bother with a bain marie), partly to make things cheaper (good quality dark chocolate is generally more expensive than good quality cocoa powder), and partly to make this recipe more flexible…
Often brownies made with dark chocolate are very, very chocolatey. Now this is not much of a problem for me, I’m a dark chocolate kind of a girl, but I know lots of people (and kids especially) prefer a more milk chocolate kind of flavour, and with these easy peasy brownies all you need to do to switch between the two is amend the amount of cocoa powder…30g for milk chocolate style brownies, 60g for dark chocolate style brownies, 90g if (like me) you love that really, really dark chocolate flavour. (I’ve put all this in the recipe notes too.)
Then to make these extra Eastery I added a whole load of mini eggs into the mix. You really do need to add this many or they kind of get a bit lost…I know 250g mini eggs sounds a lot, but it’s worth it for that true mini egg experience…and let’s face it, this was never going to be a diet option, was it?!
And as an added extra (I do like to set myself a challenge) I have made these Mini Egg Brownies gluten free, by using The Free From Fairy’s fabulous gluten free plain flour…which is just as amazing as her gluten free self-raising flour!
Vicki from The Free From Fairy has developed the most amazing flours, free from wheat, gluten AND rice… Last week I shared with you my Gluten Free Mini Simnel Cakes, made using her self raising flour which is just fabulous and can be swapped into a standard recipe without making any other changes…in fact I made gluten free and regular batches of both my mini simnel cakes and these brownies and there was very little difference in texture (the gluten free ones were maybe just a touch more crumbly), but the gluten free ones actually tasted nicer! To find out more check out my review of Free From Fairy flour here.
I made this particular batch of brownies gluten free as I have been challenged to create free from Easter recipes as part of the Free From Gang’s #FreeFromEaster Challenge. For more information about who else is taking part in the #FreeFromEaster Challenge and what delicious recipes they’ve been cooking up, see below the recipe.
Just as a side note, regarding the mini eggs – my understanding is that currently (in the UK) Cadbury’s mini eggs are gluten free, but that this has not always been the case and may not be the case in the future. So if you are at all unsure do check for yourself (Coeliac UK have a handy Easter list you can download here). If you are worried about it, these brownies work just fine without the mini eggs, or just substitute for something you know you are fine with – e.g. nuts/raisins/raspberries etc.
If you need these to be dairy free too, you could substitute the butter for dairy free spread and swap the mini eggs for a dairy free alternative.
Of course if you don’t have any allergies, these brownies work just as well with regular plain flour too!
And one more side note – these brownies are OK with regular white caster sugar, but much, much nicer with light soft brown sugar, believe me it’s well worth the extra trip to the supermarket! If you want to make these even more rich and fudgy, you could go all the way and use the dark soft brown sugar…if you do this I recommend going with the 90g of cocoa powder option – for something very dark and decadent, but not for the faint hearted! 😉
Mini Egg Brownies (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 150 g butter
- 2 eggs
- 300 g soft brown sugar
- 150 g gluten free plain flour (I used Free From Fairy)
- 30-90 g cocoa powder see note
- 250 g mini eggs bashed
Method
- Start by melting the butter in a saucepan. As soon as it has melted take it off the heat and allow to cool – don’t allow it to bubble!
Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C fan/ gas mark 4 / 350F.
- Grease and line the base and at least two sides of a brownie tin. I find just lining two sides easier and full lining is not necessary for this recipe.
- Measure the flour and cocoa powder into large bowl.
- Crack the eggs into a jug or bowl and whisk together lightly.
- Add the sugar and lightly whisk together until combined, then pour in the melted butter, whisking gently until combined.
- Pour the eggs/sugar/butter mix into the flour and cocoa and stir to combine.
- Place all the mini eggs in a sealable plastic bag. Seal and then bash with a rolling pin until broken into pieces of varying sizes.
- Stir half the mini eggs into the mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread out evenly. Scatter over the remaining bashed up mini eggs.
- Place in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes depending on how gooey you like your brownies in the middle. Don’t test with a skewer because you want it to be a bit gooey inside!
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin then lift out and chop into 24 squares.
Notes
Adjust cocoa powder according to taste: 30g/1oz for milk chocolate style brownies, 60g/2oz for dark chocolate style brownies, 90g/3oz for really dark chocolate style brownies
If you need these to be dairy free too, you can substitute the butter for dairy free spread and swap the mini eggs for a dairy free alternative.
To make this recipe I use either a 16x25cm (6x10inch) or 20x20cm (8x8inch) cake tin, but this recipe is quite flexible and I have done it in pans slightly smaller and bigger than that too….you just have to take care to cook it for slightly longer in a smaller pan and slightly shorter in a bigger pan.
Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only
Pin Gluten Free Mini Egg Brownies for later
And here’s what the rest of the fabulous Free From Gang have been making…
Chocolate Marshmallow Crispie Squares – Nathalie at The Intolerant Gourmand
Berry Breakfast Easter Nests – Emma at Free From Farmhouse
Quick Chocolate Cream Nests – Rebecca at Glutarama
Easter Rocky Road – Nova at Cherished By Me
Hot Cross Bun Chocolate Rolls – Vicki at The Free From Fairy
Easter Cupcakes – Kirsty at Hijacked By Twins
No Bake Creme Egg Biscuit Cake – Kate at Gluten Free Alchemist
Mini Eggs White Chocolate Fudge – Grace at Eats Amazing
Vegan Easter Fruit And Nut Chocolates – Mandy at Sneaky Veg
Gluten Free Mini Simnel Cakes – Eb at Easy Peasy Foodie
Easter Fairy Cakes – Laura at Dairy Free Kids
Savoury Egg Muffins – Kirsty at Hijacked by Twins
And if you like these Mini Egg Brownies then do come back on Thursday, when I will be sharing another Mini Egg themed treat!
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Linkies
I am linking this recipe up with Brilliant Blog Posts, Cook Blog Share, Free From Fridays, Recipe of the Week and Bake of the Week (cohosted by Casa Costello and Mummy Mishaps).
Wonderful recipe, not being a huge chocolate fan, I do seem to cope with the odd square of brownie, these look truly delicious and just the right size portions too. Got some of Vicki’s flour too so no excuses xxx
Thanks Rebecca…there is something about brownies, isn’t there? They are quite irresistible! And they taste extra nice with Vicki’s flour!! 😀 Eb x
Love, love, love! I am always looking for a brownie recipe that doesn’t have chocolate in it for the same reason as you…I never have it in the cupboard. If I do, it gets eaten and doesn’t make it into brownies!! So glad you like the flour.
I usually have some good quality 85% cocoa in the cupboard, but that’s my little treat (a little habit left over from the Sirtfood Diet!) and it’s quite expensive so I resent putting a whole bar of it in the brownie mix. Plus you know me – I hate faffing about, if there is a quicker, easier way of doing things I will always go for it. It just seemed mad to me that so many recipes called for cocoa AND dark chocolate. So I figured it must be possible to just do cocoa powder…and it was – they are just as nice with only cocoa powder and I like how you can vary the chocolatey-ness. Thanks for your kind comments! Eb x
Cor! These look wonderful, Eb – I could so easily fill my face with them. Not all of them, of course… that would be greedy. I’d save one or two for K! 😉
And I see what you did here…
“And these Mini Egg Brownies are super simple to make…I have been working for a while on creating a really easy peasy version of brownies and I think I’ve cracked it!”
Brava!
**applauds**
Haha…I do love a good pun (even if it’s quite unintentional!) Thanks for your kind words about my brownies – I don’t blame you for wanting to stuff your face with them. They are very moreish!! 😀 Eb x
Ooh my goodness Eb! These look amazing! I love brownies, but I have to admit that my tastes lean much nearer the milk chocolate side of things than dark chocolate so your top tips on how much cocoa powder to use to get that ‘personalised’ brownie is great! And yeah, brownies are never going to be a diet option (though have you ever tried them with black beans – if you haven’t you really should), but as we said on FB it is Easter.
Angela x
Thanks Angela 🙂 Haha – I remember you saying that before and I thought of you when I was writing this post. Yum – really need to try the black bean version. I did once make a really good healthy brownie but I lost the recipe!!! Need to reinvent that one!! Eb x
We’re a brownie loving house and these look like the perfect Easter brownie to me. The kids will go wild if I make these. Will pin for after Easter as we go away in a few days time. Hopefully no one will eat my stash of mini eggs I bought whilst in the UK a couple of week ago. They are now earmarked for this recipe. 🙂
Aw, thanks Gillian. Hope you enjoy this recipe! Eb x
These look amazing Eb! I know that everyone in my house would adore these for Easter!
Aw, thanks Cliona 🙂 They are a real crowd pleaser!! Eb x
I appreciate the versatility of this recipe. I’ve never tried brown sugar in a brownie recipe but I can see how that can add a little somethin’ somethin’!
Thanks Erin…soft brown sugar is amazing in brownies…you have to try it! 😀 Eb x
Oh wow Eb – just looking at these sends my blood sugar racing! What a delicious looking brownie recipe and perfect for an Easter treat. YUM!
Haha…yes not my healthiest recipe perhaps, but it is a yummy one! Now currently working on some healthier recipes for after Easter to balance out all the treats I’ve been making recently. 😀 Eb x
Well, I didn’t know that Mini Eggs were GF – that’s really useful to know. I think the sweetness of the mini eggs would pare beautifully with dark chocolate (who am I kidding, I’d eat this with any old chocolate!). Thanks again for joining in with #BakeoftheWeek – Great to have you as part of the gang x
They are at the moment, according to the Coeliac UK list. I’m with you on the dark chocolate version – I do like really rich dark chocolate brownies…though, like you I am unlikely to say no to these whatever shade of chocolate they come it! Thanks for your kind comments 🙂 Eb x
I love mini eggs and they taste great in anything! I love that you have made a GF version of such a popular Easter treat, and I also had no idea that mini eggs were GF – thats brilliant news! thank you for linking up to #bakeoftheweek again xx
Thanks Jenny. It’s all thanks to Vicki’s flour that they turned out so well! They are good with normal flour too, but Vicki’s flour adds a certain something extra! Eb x
Oh wow Eb these look epic!!! These must be made!!! Vicki’s flour is amazing isn’t it? It has transformed my GF bakes and even the hubby couldn’t tell the difference. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Aw, thanks Kirsty 🙂 Yep, Vicki’s flour is so good! I can tell the difference but in a good way!! Sooo much better than other gluten free flours isn’t it? Eb x
These are so cute; I love the eggs crumbled on top! I’m one of those bakers who measures things poorly, and sometimes not at all, but I have great intentions. I loved how you wanted to try cocoa powder only. My family’s recipe uses just powder, and they’re yummy cake-style brownies, but the aren’t vegan or gluten-free. I made a vegan version (http://foodallergypantry.weebly.com/blog/fudgy-brownies-take-the-cake) but added in melted chips to the final version, because I love the goo!
Thanks for the great details about baking and different ingredients!
Thanks Nicole 🙂 Yum – your brownies sound fab too. I love the goo too, which is why I really wanted to create proper brownies with cocoa powder – I’ve had cake style brownies before, and they are nice but I just love the squidgy, chewy centre you get with regular brownies – I knew it must be possible so I am really pleased they turned out so well!! Eb x
I absolutely love brownies. Just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream with warmish brownies and I’m in heaven! Yours look absolutely delicious, and so moreish with mini eggs 🙂
Oooh yum – love warm brownies with vanilla ice cream – I often have that if we go out for dinner! I can only imagine that would make my mini egg brownies even better!! Though really that does need testing doesn’t it…going to have to make another batch now – shame 😉 !! Eb x
Yum! Two of my favourite things…brownies AND mini eggs, a fabulous combination and they look fabulous too.
Thanks, Nova 🙂 I agree brownies and mini eggs are a pretty epic combo! Eb x
Oooohhhh You can’t beat a good Brownie can you? They are the best base for just about anything! Love your mini egg version….. Perfect for an Easter treat! x
Thanks Kate – totally agree – you definitely can’t beat a good brownie!! Eb x
These look great and I’d like to make them, but I can’t find the dimensions of the pan you used. Can you tell me what size brownie pan you used?
Thanks Simone! Sorry for not giving the dimensions. I used a pan 16x25cm (6x10inch) and I often use my 20x20cm (8x8inch) square tin too, but this recipe is quite flexible and I have done it in pans slightly smaller and bigger than that too….you just have to take care to cook it for slightly longer in a smaller pan and slightly shorter in a bigger pan. I will go and put the dimensions in the recipe card so it’s easier for others to find in the future. Eb 🙂
Made these yummy brownies with my daughter today, and they are a revelation! We can never get brownies right and these turned out chewy and fudgy and delicious. Will be my go to recipe from now on thank you ?
Oh yey! So pleased you liked them 🙂 They are gorgeously fudgy aren’t they? Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know and leaving me a 5* review – means a lot to me! Eb 🙂