Mint Version of my Favorite Chocolate Brownes Ever Recipe!

 My dad laughed when I told him I made these because I needed them.  But, at the time, I really did.  Chocolate, mint, a slice of rich, warm brownie.  Yep, I needed these brownies. Now you, too, can make them anytime you feel the "need"!  They're based off my family favorite best chocolate brownies EVER recipe - but tweaked a bit to allow for the addition of a bunch of extra chocolate thrown in at the end!  Enjoy! 

A yummy slice of mint chocolate brownie!!!

Mint Version of my Favorite Chocolate Brownies Ever! 

Line a 9” x 13" glass pan w/ parchment paper.  It doesn’t have to be well done, just fold sides so it works and it’s covered.  If you don’t use parchment paper, expect to spoon your final brownies out – buttering just doesn’t cut it this time, folks.

Heat oven to 375 F.

Melt in bowl in microwave: (I like to microwave chocolate at 50% power in the microwave in small, 30-45 second increments, stirring regularly to avoid any burning - yes, chocolate can burn and it's very sad when it does). 

7 oz. high-quality dark chocolate (60-70% works best)

¾ cup + 2 Tbsp butter

Add and mix in:

1 cups sugar

Mix, incorporating one at a time:

5 eggs

Add and stir until incorporated:

1/4 cup brown or white rice flour

Add and stir in: 

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional, since you already have dark chocolate in the batter)

Pour into parchment paper lined 9 x 13 baking pan. 

Sprinkle on top: 

1/2 - 1 cup various mint chocolate chips and bars broken into chunks. 

Ready to bake in a 9" x 13" pan lined with parchment paper

Bake at 375 F for 22 - 24 minutes.

Fresh from the oven. These smell amazing!!!

Remove from oven, leave to cool and rest on a metal cooling rack.   Yes, you can eat warm, but it’s best to let it cool a bit - 30 minutes works well to be able to cut into pieces. These are great served warm or cooled.  We love them warm with ice cream on top.  Once fully cool, these can be cut in small pieces and frozen to eat later.  Tastes great, and a nice way to have treats on-hand for special occasions.

Gluten Free Mint Version of my Favorite Chocolate Brownies Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

 These GF chocolate donuts are a-maz-ing!  I am so grateful leftovers freeze perfectly so we aren't tempted to eat the whole batch at once.  If yeast makes you nervous, no worries!  I have lots of donut hole recipes that don't use yeast - like these glazed chocolate donut holes or these chocolate coconut donut holes.  However, if you're up for it, these raised chocolate donuts are absolutely delicious. Enjoy! 

A delicious gluten-free chocolate donut.

Freshly glazed GF Chocolate Raised Donuts!

Chocolate Raised Donuts!

Makes 24 donuts

Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper cut into 12 pieces (for piping donuts).

Mix together in a mixer: 

1/2 cup cocoa powder (light vs dark will affect the overall flavor, so use what you like!)

1/2 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup potato starch

1/4 cup arrowroot starch or cornstarch

1 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp rapid-rise/quick yeast

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

Add, then beat until nice and smooth, 2-3 minutes: 

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk, warmed

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Put batter into a large freezer ziploc.  Snip 1/2" off one corner.  Pipe donut rounds onto each of the pre-cut pieces of parchment paper.  Lightly smooth the piped donuts with water, as needed.  Let rise in a warm location for 20-30 minutes.  

Piping each donut onto a separate piece of parchment paper makes it easy to lift and lower into the oil. The parchment will pop off the oil in the fryer, and you can just lift it out! 

While donuts are rising, you can heat your oil.  I like to use avocado oil for frying, but you can use canola or whatever kind you prefer for frying.  Heat to ~165C - 170C / 325 F - 338 F.   Using the pieces of parchment paper, gently lower the donuts into the oil in small batches (this depends on the size of your fryer or pot used for frying - I can usually fry 6-8 at a time).  Cook 2-3 minutes per side, until nicely cooked. 

Frying the donuts. Once they've puffed up and the bottoms are darkened, you can flip them. 

After being flipped - I find 2-3 minutes per side works perfectly. These aren't large donuts. 

Remove donuts from fryer and place on a paper towel-lined pan.  

Freshly out of the fryer, and ready to glaze.

Whisk together the following, and dip the top of warm/hot donuts into the glaze: 

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla 

cold water, to a thin dipping consistency

Put dipped donuts on a fresh parchment-lined pan.  They're ready to eat!  You can eat them hot or let them cool.  

Dipped donuts on a parchment-lined pan to cool (or taste-test)

Cooled donuts can be frozen in a freezer Ziploc and thawed/heated to eat anytime.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Raised Donuts Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

Yummy chocolate pudding pie! I've previously posted how I make this - but just briefly mentioned it amidst all the yummy Thanksgiving pie recipes.  Here is the way I typically make the chocolate pudding pie! Enjoy! 

A tasty slice of chocolate pudding pie with whipped cream. Yum! 

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Prepare and bake one buttermilk pastry pie crust.  

Your pudding filling can go into a warm or cooled crust.  I typically start making the filling once the pie crust is in the oven.  

Whisk together, then set aside: 

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup cornstarch

Whisk together in a medium-sized sauce pan: 

1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder (the type of cocoa powder will affect the final taste - so choose one you like)

1/2 tsp salt

pinch cinnamon (optional)

Add and whisk in: 

2 1/4 cup whole milk or 10% cream (I prefer using cream for a richer dessert)

Cook over medium-low to medium heat, until mixture is almost coming to a boil.  Add 1/4 cup hot cocoa mixture to your egg/cornstarch mixture.  Whisk together.  Add another 1/4 cup hot cocoa mixture to your egg/cornstarch mixture.   

Add the warmed egg/cornstarch mixture to the pot.  Whisk, stirring constantly, until the pudding begins to thicken.  Remove from heat and stir in: 

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (Optional - but I like the richness it adds)

Pour the pudding filling into your baked pie crust.  Immediately cover with plastic wrap - press the plastic wrap tightly to the surface of your pudding.  Refrigerate until chilled.  Slice and serve with whipped cream.  Enjoy! 

Make sure to cover tightly with the plastic wrap. 

Chocolate Pudding Pie Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

I find muffins are a favorite go-to winter breakfast and snack around here.  While frozen fruit is great, after losing all my freezer contents after the hurricane hit us last fall, I've been doing a bit more baking with freeze-dried fruits - and love it!  The flavor is great in muffins.  I've made these muffins as raspberry-orange muffins, raspberry-orange-chocolate muffins, raspberry-chocolate muffins and just plain raspberry muffins.  The variations are included below.  Enjoy!  

Raspberry-Chocolate Variety, fresh from the oven. Yum!

Freeze-dried Raspberry (Orange and/or Chocolate) Muffins

Makes 12 - 16 muffins (you can easily double the recipe to make 24-32)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line muffin tin with paper liners. 

In a mixer combine: 

2 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (I prefer 1/2, but if you're wanting more of a cupcake flavor, you can add a bit extra)

1/2 cup butter, softened (OR 1/4 cup oil + 1/4 cup butter, softened)

1/4 cup orange juice (Or an additional 1/4 cup milk)

6 drops wild orange essential oil OR zest of 1 orange OR 1 tsp vanilla extract

Add and mix in: 

1 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix

1/4 cup coconut flour 

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Beat medium high speed 2-3 minutes, until nice and fluffy. 

Fold in: 

1/2 - 3/4 cup freeze dried raspberries, slightly crushed

2-3 Tbsp mini chocolate chips (optional)

Divide in prepared pan - I find it makes 12-16 muffins, depending on how I scoop it. 

Raspberry Orange Muffins, ready to bake! This amount of batter in each muffin tin meant another pan with 4 was also baked to make 16 total.

Bake at 350 F for ~18-22 minutes, until golden.  Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes before removing to cooling rack to fully cool.  Enjoy!!!  Leftovers store well for a day or two in a tupperware, or you can freeze them in ziplocs, and that works well, too. 

Raspberry-Orange Muffins, fresh from the oven!

Raspberry-Chocolate Muffins, ready to bake.  The recipe was doubled, and filled a bit more generously per muffin tin to make 24. 

Raspberry-Chocolate muffins - a double batch fresh from the oven. Yum!

Freeze-dried Raspberry (Orange and/or Chocolate) Muffins Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

We've made layer bars off and on for years - they're fun for the kids to throw together. They're forgiving. And you just need a can of sweetened condensed milk to tie it all together before baking. Most layer bars include nuts, but these are a nice alternative that is nut-free! (I'm not counting coconut as a "nut").  If you prefer a nutty option, you can make my Almond & Chocolate 5 Layer Bars.  Perfect when you need to throw together something during the holidays to share.  Enjoy!  

Lots of layers go into this - it's nice and quick to throw together. 

Fresh from the oven with my cooking helper - letting them cool a bit before slicing.

Speedy Nut-Free Layer Bars!

Makes 9 x 13 pan

Butter pan or line the pan with parchment paper for less mess!

Mix together in a 9 x 13 glass pan, then press down in the pan with the back of your spoon to flatten: 

3/4 - 1 cup crushed GF vanilla biscuits/cookies (I like to use 2/3 bag crushed MADEGOOD vanilla flavour cookies OR homemade options: vanilla wafer cookies OR snickerdoodles OR sugar cookies )

1/2 cup GF breadcrumbs (panko-style, cornflake crumbs, GF matzo meal)

3 - 4 Tbsp sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Sprinkle evenly on top of your biscuit base i the following order: 

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup puffed crispy cereal (rice or quinoa-based)

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/3 - 1/2 cup crushed GF vanilla biscuits/cookies

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Pour evenly overtop of the entire pan: 

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Bake at 350 F for ~20-25 minutes, until light to medium brown on top.  Cool and slice!  Enjoy! 

This not so little anymore girl has been helping me make layer bars for years now.   We have comparison pictures from making the Almond & Chocolate Five Layer Bars years ago. So cute! 

Still just as happy about helping make layer bars. Hehe

Speedy Nut-Free Layer Bars Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

 We've been so lucky to be able to pick a bunch of fresh raspberries this year.  Big, delicious raspberries - we've been throwing them in smoothies, eating them raw, and baking them into raspberry pie.  My husband reminded me of how well chocolate and raspberry go together, which resulted in these yummy dark chocolate and raspberry muffins! This recipe makes a lot, so feel free to make a half batch.  Enjoy! 

These  muffins were just so pretty. 

We went on some family raspberry picking adventures - we ended up with so many beautiful berries.  I had to make a raspberry cream cheese pie, too! 

Raspberry Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 30-36 muffins

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line 30-36 muffin tins with paper liners. 

In a small bowl, mix together and set aside: 

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup dark cocoa powder

Rinse and set aside to drain: 

12 oz fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained

In a mixer, combine: 

1 cup brown rice flour

3/4 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch OR cornstarch

1/4 cup potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 Tbsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Add and mix in briefly: 

4 eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

Add and mix in, beating for 2-3 minutes, until nice and thoroughly mixed: 

cocoa/water mixture from above

Fold in: 

2 cups dark chocolate chips

12 oz fresh raspberries, from above

Divide batter into 30-36 muffin tins lined with paper liners. 

Folded in chocolate and raspberries, ready to scoop out!

Scooped into muffin tins - this recipe makes a lot so feel free to bake in phases or make a half batch.

 Bake at 350F.  Smaller sized muffins can be baked in 16-17 minutes, whereas larger muffins will take more like 18-19 minutes.  Let rest in the pans several minutes before removing muffins to cooling racks.  Enjoy!!! 

Just out of the oven!

Pretty Raspberry Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins! 

Raspberry Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins by Successfully Gluten Free!

I love the natural sweetness added by ingredients like coconut flour, applesauce and maple sugar flakes.  These chocolate, chocolate chip cookies are a yummy treat.  Packed with dark chocolate chips (if you're not as huge a fan of chips in your cookies, you can use less).  Enjoy! 

Soft Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies - Yum!

Low Refined-Sugar Soft Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients: 

1/2 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

In a mixer, beat until fluffy: 

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple sugar flakes (or more brown sugar)

Add and mix in: 

1/2 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  It's okay to blend a bit more than usual to get it properly mixed.  Stir in: 

1 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Scoop small 1 Tbsp size scoops onto parchment-lined pan.  

Scooped and ready to bake!

Bake at 350 F for 7-8 min.  Let rest 4-5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to fully cool.  Enjoy! 

Fresh from the oven!

Just some yummy chocolate chocolate chip cookies resting before removing to the cooling rack. 

Low-Sugar Soft Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies by Successfully Gluten Free!

 These nut-free cookies are thin shortbread-style biscuits that are dipped in chocolate once cooled.   I find them best on the day of baking, but they can be left in a tupperware at room temperature for several days and they do freeze well, too.  Cook them a bit longer if you want a crispier cookie.  Perfect for a small, fancy treat.  Enjoy! 

These turn out so pretty!

You can definitely cut them in different shapes, but the dough may need a bit more chilling time to avoid being too sticky. 

Chocolate Dipped Biscuits

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

In a mixer, cream together: 

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

Add, mixing in, scraping occasionally: 

1/4 cup milk (lactose-free or milk substitute works)

1 egg

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

2 drops peppermint essential oil (I like the DoTerra oils)

Add and mix in until smooth: 

3/4 cup corn flour (white corn flour or yellow corn flour work - not corn meal, this is closer in consistency to cornstarch. You can use cornstarch if you cannot locate corn flour)

3/4 cup potato starch

1/4 cup coconut flour

Flatten the dough into an oval between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Fold so it's sealed and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Line cookie sheet (or two) with parchment paper. 

Roll out between the plastic wrap to 1/4" thick.  Cut into small circles or shapes of your choosing.   Place on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet.  They don't spread much, so you can have them relatively close together.  Bake at 375 for about 6-7 minutes for thin, small circles.  They should just be browning at the edges and be a nice light brown on the bottom.   If you want crispier cookies, you can cook them an extra minute or two.  Thicker cookies or larger cookies will need an extra couple minutes.  

Rolled and cut cookies, ready to bake.  

Baked and resting before moving to cooling rack.  For a crispier cookie, you can give them an extra minute or two.

I like them to be just light brown on the bottom and pale on the tops.

Let them rest on the pan for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.  

You can temper your chocolate, if desired, for a wonderful snap that only tempered chocolate has.  However, they work perfectly well dipped in melted chocolate with a dash of oil added to help avoid streaks in the chocolate as it cools. 

To melt chocolate, melt the following at 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring between each 30 seconds until chocolate is nicely melted and smooth.  You may need to just do 15 seconds towards the end: 

1 cup high quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate

1/2 - 1 tsp lightly flavored oil (like olive oil or avocado oil)

Dip your biscuits as desired (bottoms only, halfway, etc.).  Place dipped biscuit on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet.  Chill in the refrigerator until chocolate has set.  Remove and serve! Enjoy! 

The little ones LOVE to help dip the cookies.  We'd made some thicker ones here (thin is best)

After dripping some chocolate across the parchment she loudly declared "I didn't do anything!" to everyone in the house.  

Freshly dipped biscuits.

Chilled and hardened chocolate.  Ready to eat! 

Chocolate Dipped Biscuits Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

I can't be the only one that finds gluten-free granola bars expensive.  This recipe is great, because you can make your own big tray of granola bars, slice and store for eating through the week.   If desired, you could also add some nuts to the mixture that goes in the oven, if you like.  It was inspired by an easy kids recipe for homemade granola bars in my daughter's Highlight's magazine.  Several alterations later, and we have the recipe below!  The kids have been loving them.  Some of our other favorite homemade granola bars are: key lime granola bars, delicious peanut butter granola bars, oatmeal berry jam bars, raspberry baked oatmeal, and several cookie-style varieties like granola bar bites, Aussie bites, and pumpkin granola cookies.  And, if you want something more treat-like, you could make some yummy Monster cookies - a definite favorite!   Enjoy~!

Freshly cut gluten-free granola bar.  Yum!

Easy Homemade Granola Bars

Makes 9 x 13 pan, which you can slice any size

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.   Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper, set aside for later.

In a large bowl, mix together:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt

Add, and mix in, until thoroughly covered with oil/sugar:
3 cups whole oats (GF if celiac or sensitive)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

Spread the oat mixture onto the parchment-lined pan.  Bake at 325 F for 15-20 minutes.  While this is baking, you can prepare the syrup mixture.

Oats, coconut and seeds (if desired), ready to toast.

In a medium-sized saucepan, mix over medium-low heat, 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is looking nice and smooth:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup agave

Add and mix in thoroughly:
6 Tbsp oil 
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Set to low heat, and mix in, stirring til smooth (chips have melted):
1/2 cup high-quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Stirring in the chocolate chips - almost time to mix it all together.

In a large bowl (can be the same as before), toss together:
4-5 cups puffed, crispy rice cereal (I like to use the kind made with brown rice)
Oat/coconut/seed mixture from oven (It's fine if it's piping hot, fresh from the oven)

Give your chocolate syrup a final good mix, and then pour on top of the oats and crispy puffed rice mix.  Stir until evenly coated.  Scoop granola mixture into the 9 x 13 pan lined with parchment paper.  Press down with the back of your spoon or spatula.

Just after being pressed into the pan. (We could resist taste-testing before cooling)

Allow granola bars to fully cool.  You can put them in the refrigerator for an hour or so to help them cool faster.  Slice into desired sizes.  You can wrap them in plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper and store for snacks and school lunches.  Enjoy!

Sliced granola bars

Individually wrapped bars

Easy Homemade Granola Bars by Successfully Gluten Free!

 I've been making the most delicious chocolate oatmeal brittle for many years.  However, I've generally topped it with crushed candy canes or toffee pieces.  For a beautiful and delicious alternative, I came up with this tasty recipe.  I have been using Callebaut caramel chips for the most delicious and favorite version, however white chocolate chips will give the same beautiful look and also be tasty.  Enjoy! 

After chilling, and ready to slice and eat.  So delicious! 

Sliced and ready to eat! Yum! 

Beautiful Swirl Topped Chocolate Oatmeal Brittle

Makes 1 cookie sheet or ~ 24 pieces (depends on how you cut/break up the brittle)

Mix together in a mixer (or by hand in a bowl):
1 cup whole oats (make sure they're gluten-free if you're sensitive)
3/4 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1/4 tsp baking powder

Add to oats/flour and mix until mixture is crumbly:
1/2 cup butter, softened

Mixed together, just until crumbly.  You do NOT want this to look too creamed or well mixed.

Add and mix in until mixture holds together:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mixed just until it holds together.

Press onto a 7" x 10" rectangle on a parchment paper lined pan, since dough will spread during cooking.

Pressed into a rectangle - don't worry about edges being even. 

Bake at 350 F for ~ 17-20 minutes, until brittle is a golden brown (edges will be slightly darker).

Immediately after removing from oven - make sure to immediately put on the chocolate chips so they can start melting!

Remove from oven and immediately top with:
1 - 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet and/or dark chocolate chips

They will start melting right away - you can spread a bit, then let melt a bit more, spread a bit, etc. until they are nice and smoothed. 

Let the chips sit a few minutes to melt.  Then, spread around chips, sometimes letting sit another minute until the chocolate is fully melted.   

While the chocolate chips are melting, microwave for about 45 seconds at 30% power: 

1/4 - 1/3 cup high quality caramel chips OR high quality white chocolate chips (I LOVE the Callebaut caramel chips and Callebaut white chocolate chips - if you can find them, they are amazing.  They melt so much better than other brands, although I've had good luck with Guittard and Ghirardelli chips, too)

Chocolate spread around until chips are nicely melted and smooth. 

Drizzle your melted caramel chips or white chocolate chips over the dark chocolate covered brittle.  You can put the melted chocolate into a ziploc bag or just drizzle with a spoon.  Use a knife to swirl back and forth over your brittle.  I've included a few pictures below: 

This was messily drizzled with a spoon over the warm, melted chocolate.

Using a butter knife, drag the knife through the chocolate back and forth to make beautiful feathered swirls.

Once it's all completed, you'll want it to cool a bit before fully cooling in the refrigerator.

Let the brittle chill until you can remove the parchment paper to a cooling rack.  Place this in your refrigerator until the chocolate has fully hardened.   Chop with a large knife or break the brittle into pieces and serve! Enjoy! 

Beautiful Swirl Topped Chocolate Oatmeal Brittle Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!