Bodacious Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Brownies

Look at these yummy looking brownies. Can you believe they're sugar-free and gluten-free? Let me tell you, they taste as good as they look. I wanted to make something yummy for all those people not eating gluten because of Celiac Disease. I thought if I was making them healthy I might as well cut the sugar out too. I was very happy with the results. I also made the recipe using flour and sugar because my husband will not eat anything if he thinks it's diet food. I often substitute Splenda for sugar in recipes without telling him. What he doesn't know won't hurt him! Here are both versions. I hope you enjoy them :)

BODACIOUS SUGAR-FREE, GLUTEN-FREE BROWNIES
1/2 cup applesauce (or melted butter)
1 cup Splenda (or sugar)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (I bought at the health food store)
1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar free chocolate chips (I bought Hershey's brand in the baking isle)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover an 8x8 inch baking pan with foil. Lightly spray foil with cooking spray. Stir applesauce, Splenda, and cocoa. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture until just blended.Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Use a spoon the spread melted chocolate chips over the top. Cool in pan. Lift out foil and then cut into squares.

BODACIOUS BROWNIES
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar (or Splenda)
1/3 cup cocoa
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa and sugar. Beat in eggs. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the chocolate mixture until just blended. Fold in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool before cutting.

Here are the regular brownies. Boo, they look terrible. They get a thumbs down for looks (brown's such a pain to photograph), but a thumbs up for taste. Picky Pants Makayla loved them, but that's not surprising... she seems to like anything not healthy!

*UPDATE* For those of you wondering what Xanthan Gum is and where to find it, I'll fill you in. Xanthan Gum is a binder that takes the place of gluten. I bought mine at the healthy food store.

Also, you can easily mix and match these recipes. You could choose to use butter in place of apple sauce and sugar instead of Splenda in the gluten free brownies for someone strictly wanting a gluten free dessert. You could also use Splenda in place of sugar for the regular recipe if you're only wanting a sugar-free dessert.