Gluten Free Caramel Pecan Brownie Recipe
I love my women friends. There is something so special about getting together with a bunch of friendly females to eat, talk, and laugh. The other night a group of gal pals and I gathered at a friend’s house to do just that- eat, talk and laugh. And boy did we!
Everyone brought a main dish and a dessert, the hostess made salads and appetizers, and we ended up with a surprisingly global feast. We drank wine, welcomed a new gal into the pack and let our hair down the way women just don’t do with men around.
Bringing dessert into a female fray is tricky. There are diets to consider; it seems like there is always someone on a diet amongst the female population that surrounds me. But then again, a celebration of friendship deserves something a bit decadent, does it not?
Knowing our hostess doesn’t eat refined sugars, I decided to make something that was both decadent and refined sugar free. And of course, gluten free. Think gluten and refined sugar free can’t be outrageously decadent? Think again!
This gluten free Caramel Pecan Brownie recipe is gooey, rich and yes, outrageous!
The brownies are made with unsweetened chocolate, cocoa powder and Wholesome Sweeteners Coconut Palm Sugar with just a touch of agave. The caramel sauce is made with organic raw blue agave, and the chocolate ganache, unsweetened chocolate and more organic raw blue agave.
A fudgy, cakey brownie base, studded with toasted pecans, topped with an ever so slightly salted caramel, more toasted pecans and a drizzle of chocolate ganache – seriously! If anyone was currently dieting, it didn’t show – we devoured the brownies in no time flat!
As the brownies sit out the caramel gets gooey, something my gals pals and I very much appreciated! If you must (and we really felt we must) a little scoop of ice cream is just the thing to take this already over-the top brownie into the stratosphere!
Gluten Free Caramel Pecan Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
Gluten and Refined Sugar Free Pecan Brownies
- 1½ cups chopped pecans
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for preparing the pan
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1¾ cups coconut palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon organic raw blue agave
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose gluten free flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Refined Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
- 1 ½ cups raw blue agave
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt if using table salt use ½ the amount
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Refined Sugar Free Chocolate Ganache
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 4 tablespoons organic raw blue agave
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Gluten and Refined Sugar Free Pecan Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 by 12 inch baking pan, fit a piece of parchment into the pan and butter the pan.
- Place the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 minutes or until warm and fragrant. Let cool.
- Place the 12 tablespoons of butter and 4 ounces of chocolate in a microwave-proof large mixing bowl and cook on high power until most of the butter and chocolate is melted, 2 – 3 minutes. Stir to combine, stir in the eggs, coconut palm sugar, and 1 tablespoon agave and mix well. Add the vanilla, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Stir in 1 cup of the pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 20 – 22 minutes or until the brownies look set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean except for a few moist crumbs. Do not over bake. Let cool.
Refined Sugar Free Caramel Sauce
- While the brownies are baking, make the caramel sauce. Stir together the agave, cream, lemon juice and salt in a large saucepan (much larger than you think you will need – the mixture expands a lot while boiling) and bring to a boil. Let boil vigorously for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and whisk in the 6 tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon at a time (whisk each piece of butter into the mixture until fully melted.) Let mixture cool for 30 minutes. It will thicken as it cools. Pour the caramel sauce over the brownies and top with the remaining 1½ cups toasted pecans. Put the brownies into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to let the caramel harden some more.
Refined Sugar Free Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate, agave and cream in a small skillet and melt the chocolate over low heat, stirring. Let cool slightly. Put the chocolate ganache into a small food storage bag and snip off a tiny bit of one corner. Squeeze the ganache through the hole over the brownies in a crisscross pattern. Refrigerate for an hour or up to 24 hours. Cut the brownies into twelve 3 inch squares (or you can cut smaller).
Nutrition
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I think I just drooled on my keyboard :)
Haha Alisa!
Im not a chocolate person particularly but these look well-lush. Beautifully shot too
Thnaks Kellie – lush is a great word for these!
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So goooood
I don’t know how this been hiding from me for the last three years that my daughter was diagnosed with both Type 1 Diabetes and A-symptomatic Celiac. What I do know is that I love you! I am going to make this for my daughter and knock her little socks off. :) Thanks so much!
Hi Sharon,
This made me so happy to read! I’m so happy you found it too. :) I hope you and your daughter enjoy the recipe!
xo,
Carol