There’s something just so comforting about warm, chewy blondies loaded with melty chocolate chips — and this Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe nails that cozy feeling without any gluten. It’s a treat that’s as friendly for your tummy as it is indulgent for your sweet tooth.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Why They Work
- Make It Your Way
- Step-by-Step: How I Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
- Top Tip
- How to Serve Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Final Thoughts
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This gluten-free version of a classic dessert totally won me over the first time I made it. The texture is wonderfully chewy but not dense, and it has just the right balance of sweetness and rich almond flavor. Plus, the chocolate chips on top give it that perfect melty finishing touch.
- Simple Ingredients: You probably already have most of these in your pantry, making it an easy go-to dessert.
- Perfect Texture: Chewy, moist, and just a little fudgy — but without any gluten to weigh it down.
- Easy to Customize: Swap chocolate chips, add nuts, or try different nut butters to make it your own.
- Great for Sharing: It bakes in a large sheet pan, so you can easily feed a crowd or pack extras for later.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient here plays a part in creating the perfect gluten-free blondie — from the almond flour giving richness and moisture to the tapioca starch providing structure and a chewy bite. Choosing the right equivalents lets this recipe really shine without gluten.
- Almond Flour: Adds natural sweetness, moistness, and a tender crumb, plus a subtle nutty flavor.
- Tapioca Starch: Gives that chewy texture we all love, helping bind everything together without gluten.
- Baking Soda: A little lift goes a long way to keep these blondies from getting too dense.
- Sea Salt: Enhances the sweetness and balances the flavors beautifully.
- Almond Butter: This creamy, nutty fat keeps the blondies rich and tender.
- Avocado Oil: A neutral oil that adds moisture without overpowering the other flavors.
- Maple Syrup: The perfect natural sweetener that also adds depth and a hint of caramel.
- Eggs: The glue that holds everything together, providing structure and moisture.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the sweetness.
- Chocolate Chips: Half mix-in and half topping—melty, gooey pockets of chocolate magic.
Make It Your Way
I love tweaking this Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe depending on the mood or the occasion — it’s super forgiving. You can easily swap out the almond butter for peanut or cashew butter to change up the flavor profile.
- Nut Butter Swaps: I tried creamy peanut butter once, and it brought a deeper, more robust flavor that my kids adored.
- Additions: Chopped walnuts or pecans add a lovely crunch if you want some textural contrast.
- Chocolate Variations: Dark, semi-sweet, or even white chocolate chips work great — I've even mixed in some to welcome friends who prefer less sweet bites.
- Sweetener Options: Though I love maple syrup for its flavor, honey or agave syrup can also be excellent substitutes just keep your wet to dry ingredient balance in mind.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Your Pan
First things first — set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 18”x13” sheet pan with parchment paper, making sure the edges hang over for easy lifting later. This step helps the blondies cook evenly and makes cleanup a breeze!
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl. This ensures your leavening is evenly distributed and your blondies will have a consistent texture.
Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, stir almond butter, avocado oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and silky. No lumps here will help create a nice, even batter.
Step 4: Bring It All Together
Add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and stir well until you have a thick, slightly sticky batter. Fold in one cup of chocolate chips – this way, you get sweet surprises throughout every bite.
Step 5: Bake in Two Stages
Spread the batter evenly in your prepared pan using a spatula. Bake for 10 minutes, then pull the pan out and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips on top. Pop it back in the oven for another 10 minutes. I love this step because those chips on top melt enticingly without sinking.
Step 6: Cool Then Cut
This part is key: let the blondies cool completely before slicing. I know it’s tempting to dig in right away, but cooling helps set the texture so they don’t crumble apart. Trust me on this one!
Top Tip
Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks that really elevate these Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe and help avoid common pitfalls, especially since gluten-free baking can sometimes be tricky.
- Measure Almond Flour Correctly: I always spoon almond flour into my measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly, which prevents a dense batter.
- Don’t Skip the Two-Stage Bake: Adding chocolate chips halfway through baking avoids them sinking and gives a pretty, melty top.
- Cool Fully Before Cutting: Patience here saves you from crumbly blondie disasters—I once ruined a batch by cutting too soon!
- Use Parchment Paper with Overhang: This makes lifting the whole blondie slab out super easy for slicing and storing, no mess.
How to Serve Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
Garnishes
I often sprinkle extra darker chocolate chips or a little flaky sea salt on top right after baking for a fancy touch. Sometimes, I dust with a bit of powdered sugar or drizzle melted peanut butter for a twist that guests rave about.
Side Dishes
These blondies are rich enough to stand alone but pair beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped coconut cream. I also like serving them alongside fresh berries to cut through the sweetness.
Creative Ways to Present
For birthday parties or casual gatherings, I’ve served these blondies as mini bars nestled in cupcake liners, adding colorful sprinkles on top for extra fun. Another time, I layered squares with whipped cream and fruit for a simple yet impressive trifle.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover blondies in an airtight container at room temperature, which keeps them fresh for about 3-4 days. If I want them to last longer, the fridge works too — they’ll keep nicely for up to a week there, though I let them come to room temp before enjoying.
Freezing
Freezing works wonders if you want to batch bake. I wrap individual squares tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. They keep perfectly for up to 3 months. When I’m ready to enjoy one, I just thaw it on the counter or pop it in the oven for a few minutes.
Reheating
The best way I’ve found to reheat blondies is warming them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes — this revives their soft, gooey texture without drying them out. Microwave works too in a pinch but can make them a little chewy.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can try, but almond flour provides a rich, moist texture and nutty flavor that’s hard to replicate. Substituting with other gluten-free flours like oat or rice flour might yield drier results and may require additional binding agents.
Yes! This recipe uses almond butter and avocado oil instead of butter, making it naturally dairy-free. Just ensure your chocolate chips are dairy-free if you want the whole recipe to remain free from dairy.
To make these blondies vegan, you’d need to substitute the eggs with a plant-based alternative like flax eggs or chia eggs. Keep in mind this may alter the texture slightly, so some experimentation might be needed.
Adding some chocolate chips halfway through baking prevents them from sinking into the batter, creating a melty, glossy topping that looks attractive and gives you a bit of chocolate in every bite.
Final Thoughts
I keep coming back to this Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe because it’s the perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth without feeling weighed down by gluten. It’s simple enough for a weeknight treat but special enough to share with loved ones. Give it a try — I promise you’ll be baking it again and again (and maybe sneaking a few squares straight from the pan like I do!).
Print
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Blondies recipe offers a moist, chewy, and rich treat made with wholesome almond flour and tapioca starch, enhanced by creamy almond butter, avocado oil, and sweet maple syrup. Perfect for anyone craving a gluten-free dessert that’s simple to prepare and packed with chocolatey goodness.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¾ cup tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy almond butter
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 1 ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Chips
- 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 18"x13" sheet pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and sea salt. Stir well to distribute all ingredients evenly.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, blend the creamy almond butter, avocado oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Form Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly until a thick batter forms without lumps.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips carefully to distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
- Spread Batter in Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and spread it out evenly using a spatula to create a uniform thickness.
- Bake First Round: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes to start the cooking process.
- Top with Remaining Chocolate Chips: Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips evenly over the partially baked blondies.
- Bake Final Round: Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the blondies are set and edges become lightly golden.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares. Serve and enjoy your delicious gluten-free treat!
Notes
- Use the right pan size: An 18"x13" sheet pan ensures even baking; adjust time if using a smaller or larger pan.
- Topping tip: Adding extra chocolate chips halfway through baking keeps them visually appealing on top instead of sinking.
- Storage: Store blondies at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: These blondies freeze well for up to 3 months in an airtight container or wrapped individually. Thaw before serving and warm in the oven if desired.
- Optional serving tip: For an indulgent dessert, top cooled blondies with chocolate frosting to transform them into a sheet pan cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square (approx. 60g)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
Leave a Reply