Bakery Style Tahini Swirl Brownies (GF & DF)

Rich and chocolatey gluten-free and dairy-free brownies swirled with tahini and finished with sesame seeds

There was a time when I baked gluten-free pastries five days a week at a small neighbourhood bakeshop. We made everything from almond cakes to fruity oat scones, but my favourite part of the day was always cutting into the brownies; they were dense, fudgy, and somehow better than the wheat-based ones I’d grown up with. These brownies are inspired by that time. They’re rich, chewy, and deeply chocolatey, but also entirely gluten and dairy-free. And honestly? I prefer their texture over most classic brownies; there’s something about the way they hold together while still feeling almost molten inside.

I used Earth Balance (vegan butter) here to keep them dairy-free, but if you’re not avoiding butter, go ahead and use the real thing. It makes them even chewier and more decadent, I do that often when baking for myself. The tahini swirl adds a nutty depth, but peanut butter, almond butter, or even cookie butter (if gluten isn’t a concern) would all work beautifully.

I baked these in a 6x6” square pan for those thick, bakery-style slabs, but the recipe works just as well in an 8x8”. Just adjust the bake time slightly. They're gooey, melty, everything you want from a brownie. But if you're after those sharp bakery edges, here's a trick: chill them overnight in the fridge, or even pop them in the freezer before slicing. You’ll get clean, glossy cuts every time. And if you can’t wait (no judgment), give

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Ingredients

• 40g cocoa powder

• 300g sugar

• 191g rice flour

• ¾ tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 60g dark unsweetened chocolate

• 170g Earth Balance (or reg. butter), room temp or slightly cold

• 3 eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 50g dairy-free chocolate chips

• 90g Tahini

• Sesame seeds to sprinkle over top

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Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and line 6x6” or 8x8'“ pan.

2. Sift together the rice flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add chcolate chips to this bowl. Set aside.

3. In a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave, melt the chocolate until smooth. Let it cool slightly.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and the cooled melted chocolate. Mix until fully incorporated.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla.

6. Note: The batter will look wrong and clumpy at this stage. Trust me, it’s fine!
   (Creaming the butter and sugar first would make for a fluffier brownie, which we don’t want here.)

7. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Drizzle tahini overtop, using a chopstick or knife swirl over the top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, I use 1-2 tbsp.

9. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

10. Chill overnight before slicing or put in the freezer for about an hour. Enjoy!