If you love chocolate as much as I do, this decadent gluten free mug brownie is cooked in a mug and makes the perfect treat. In just 3 minutes, you can have a homemade fudgy gluten-free chocolate brownie with minimal fuss and clean up.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: This gluten-free mug brownie is a single-serve chocolate dessert cooked in the microwave. It is made with cocoa powder, gluten-free flour, oil, and chocolate chips for a rich, fudgy texture. The recipe is dairy-free and is made without eggs, oats, soy, or nuts. It mixes quickly and cooks in minutes, making it ideal for fast cravings or hot days when you don’t want to use the oven.
This mug brownie recipe is perfect for those with food allergies. It is not only gluten-free, but it is also dairy-free and egg-free! All you need are a few simple ingredients, a microwave oven, and a coffee mug! This easy Gluten-Free Vanilla Mug Cake is another great microwave cake recipe!
I love making this recipe throughout the summer when it is too hot to use the oven. It is nice to enjoy cake without heating up the house!! For more mug cake inspiration, check out all of my easy gluten free mug cake recipes! I am also a huge fan of this easy Gluten-Free Blueberry Mug Muffin recipe.
This was perfect for dessert tonight with some whipped cream on top. I subbed the water with coffee. It was delicious.”
betty b., blog comment
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure, my DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend, and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten- free flour blend doesn’t contain a binder like xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1/4 teaspoon. Read Why Binders are Important in Gluten-Free Baking to learn more about their importance.
- Cocoa Powder – Many great brands of cocoa powder are gluten-free. It is always a good idea to double-check the label.
- Chocolate Chips – Use any flavor of chocolate chips or even chocolate chunks!
- Coconut Oil – I love the flavor of coconut oil added to this gluten-free microwave brownie, but you can use any light oil.
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract or imitation. It won’t matter in this recipe.
Substitutions:
- Make it sugar-free – Swap the sugar for Monk Fruit Sweetener to make this gluten-free mug brownie sugar-free. It should be a 1:1 swap.
- Make it gum-free (no xanthan or guar gum) using my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend.
- Swap the oil– For no off taste from the coconut oil, use Canola Oil.
If you prefer to make traditional gluten-free brownies, I have a fantastic gluten-free brownie recipe on my blog. For more mug cake recipes, read my Guide to Gluten-Free Mug Cakes.
How to Make a Gluten-Free Mug Brownie (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Note that you can mix all of this up in your mug.
In my testing of this recipe, I found that the dry ingredients do not mix thoroughly, and some flour sticks to the edges of the mug when you eat the cake. I whisk the ingredients in a bowl and then add them to my mug to fix this.
This is what your dry ingredients will look like mixed up. Add in the chocolate chips.
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Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add a little more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquid. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 3: Place the mug in the microwave and cook for 90 seconds on high. Actual cooking time will depend on the size of your mug, its depth, and the width of its base. You may need to cook it longer using a tall mug with a narrow base.
The mug cake will rise above the mug’s rim as it cooks. This is normal because the heat is cooking the cake so quickly, and this builds up gases in the batter. It will deflate as the cake cools.
You will know your gluten-free mug brownie is finished cooking when it is slightly firm to the touch. The mug cake will be hot. Let it cool for a few minutes before eating it.
Top with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, or one of the following mix-ins and toppings.
Try these tasty mix-in ideas:
- Use different flavors of chocolate chips, like white chocolate and salted caramel chocolate chips.
- Add in walnuts or pecans.
- Why not add some M&Ms? It will add some fun color!
- Put a tablespoon of peanut butter in the middle of the cake batter for a gooey peanut butter middle.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I love to use Anthony’s and Ghirardelli brands of gluten-free cocoa powder because they give consistent, good chocolate flavor.
Usually, if your cake turns out gooey, it doesn’t cook long enough in the microwave. Cooking time will vary based on mug size and base width.
Your mug cake cooking time will vary depending on the size of your mug. The cake will be firm to the touch when it is done cooking.
These mug brownies will keep fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
More Gluten-Free Mug Cakes:
If you love quick and easy desserts, you will want to check out all of my Gluten-Free Mug Cake Recipes!
- Gluten-Free Lemon Mug Cake
- Easy Gluten-Free Banana Microwave Cake
- Gluten-Free Cherry Cobbler Mug Cake
- Mr. Fearless Dining’s favorite, Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Mug Cake
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Mug Brownie
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder * see note
- 1 ½ tablespoons gluten free flour blend * see note
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons light oil * see note
- 2 ½ tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add 2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons gluten free flour blend, and 2 tablespoons cane sugar and whisk to blend.
- Add 2 tablespoons light oil, 2 1/2 tablespoons water, and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Add the 1 tablespoon chocolate chips and mix well.
- Pour into your favorite coffee mug.
- Microwave on high for 90 seconds. If the brownie feels firm to the touch, it is ready!
- Top with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work. I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1/4 teaspoon.
- There are many gluten free brands of cocoa powder. I like Anthony’s and Ghirardelli brands. Always check the label to make sure the cocoa powder you choose is gluten free!
- This mug brownie will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
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SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
Excellent brownie! All I needed to add was some salt. I used flake salt on top at the end but next time, I’ll probably add to the mix. Also, I used Pillsbury gluten free flour (which always works for me in all recipes) and it worked great!
I am so glad you loved the mug brownie! I will have to try it with flake salt on top next time. Thank you.
It was absolutely delicious, even better than pan brownies. I would highly recommend a small sprinkle of sea salt on top to help elevate the flavour.
I love that idea about sprinkling sea salt on top. Thank you, Brianna.
I could not not try this when I saw how quick and easy it was. And it was delicious! I kinda of guessed at the 1/2 tablespoon measures. Is there a more accurate way – 1 1/2 teaspoons? But it turned out great. Thanks for a quick chocolate fix!
Hi Carol, I am so glad you loved this recipe. As for accurately measuring, they do make teaspoons in 1/4, 1/2, etc. This is a pretty forgiving recipe if you end up a little over or under.
I don’t think the serving size in the nutrition facts is correct. 1 g is about the weight of a paperclip. That is a REALLY small brownie for 34g of sugar!
It isn’t that small, I think maybe it would be two square cut brownies in the mug?
I like the recipe (I used a DIY flour blend) and it worked all l well. But brownie weighs much, much more than a gram (g). For example, a gram of salt is about 1/5 or 1/6 of a teaspoon.
Great recipe! I use marshmallows instead of chocolate chips. If you don’t make it yourself you wouldn’t know that it was gluten free!!!!
I absolutely love the idea of adding marshmallows. I need to try this next!!
This was SO good. Ibfopwed the recipe exactly and I used KAF 1:1. I’m so glad I didn’t have time to make dessert today! It brought me to this brownie in a mug! Can’t wait to make this with my daughter tomorrow. Thank you!
Once you know about mug cakes, your life is instantly changed LOL. This is seriously the easiest dessert. Thank you for coming back to let me know you loved it!
I’ve had many different gf mug brownies and this one is sooo good, i use Pamela’s baking gf flour blend!
I am so glad you loved this mug brownie. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know that flour blend worked well!
Made this recipe for dessert tonight. It tasted fine but was overcooked and hard as a rock using the cooking time the recipe recommended. So I scraped what I could from the mug to eat it. I’ll try it again, lowering the time by 30 seconds and hope that’ll work!
Hi Nancy, What flour blend did you use? Every blend has a different starch to grain ratio, which affects moisture greatly. I am happy to troubleshoot.
The top of your recipes says it takes 3 minutes to cook. Since I was on my phone and having a hard time with all of the pop-up ads, I looked at the top and then cooked it too long.
To ask for clarification, you were in the recipe card and there were pop up ads? There shouldn’t be. Usually you can hit jump to recipe and by pass ads, except the little video, which you would just click the x to close. Sorry for the questions, I need to tell my ad network of this issue and I want to make sure I fully understand what you saw.
Turned out great! So easy!
Thank you, I am so glad you loved the recipe!! This is my quick and easy chocolate fix!
Delicious! My girls and I made this tonight and it was moist, chocolatey and tasty.
I love those mug brownies too. I am so glad you and the girls enjoyed them. Thank you!