Brownies go with everything, especially BBQ. Plus, you can bake these up using the grill or in the oven. The brownie recipe you choose makes a difference. Here’s why: there are really two types of brownies: cake-like and fudgy. To make the brownies of your dreams, choose the right recipe. We strive to come up with BBQ dessert ideas, and this one is a favorite.
Not only does this recipe have a higher chocolate and butter to dry-ingredients ratio, it’s also flour-free. So if you prefer homemade fudge brownies, get ready to bake on the grill.
Let’s Make Homemade Brownies
This is my go-to chocolate fudge brownie recipe when I need something to share with friends and have little time. The ingredients aren’t complicated and they’re a hit every time. But it’s important to choose quality items since the flavor comes down to chocolate, butter, and sugar.
Don’t botch your brownies with these essential tips.
- Use real chocolate and cocoa powder. Dark chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate are good options for rich brownies. We have dairy allergies in our house so I use Wegmans Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, which are gluten-free, lactose free, and vegan. The most important thing to look for in the ingredient list when you’re choosing your chocolate is to avoid stabilizers. Soy lecithin is the most common and is used to help food items keep their shape, even when heated.
- We’re using cornstarch for gluten-free brownies. The cornstarch gives these brownies a little bit of structure, just like the gluten in flour does. Either weigh the cornstarch or spoon and level it in a measuring cup. You want to be precise with cornstarch.
- Get shiny crackly tops in brownies. The secret to shiny and crackly brownie tops is when you add the sugar. After you’ve melted the butter and chocolate together, you’ll quickly whisk in the sugar. This helps the sugar migrate to the top of the batter as the brownies bake.
- Avoid under-baking the brownies. Under-baking doesn’t equal gooey, fudgy brownies. It’s tricky to tell when brownies are done baking. Use a timer and once you smell that rich chocolate scent, check the brownies. Use a tester, like a toothpick, and stick it in the center. If it comes out wet, keep baking. If there are a few moist crumbs on the tester, the brownies are baked.
How to Bake Brownies on a Grill
A key element to using a grill to bake brownies is the pan selection. A cast-iron skillet is going to be your best option for a charcoal or gas grill.
The other tricky element is uneven heat. If you have a metal diffuser plate in your grill, this helps block the brownies from the direct heat. You can also take a cake pan and cookie sheet. Place the cake pan on the grates, then the cookie sheet, and top it with your skillet.
- Charcoal grill: Prepare your charcoal grill as you normally would with your briquettes. Adjust the vents as needed to maintain an internal temperature of 350°F to 400°F.
- Gas grill: Similar to an oven, preheat your grill to medium heat (350°F to 400°F) on one side.
- Oven: If the grill isn’t an option, you can still bake these fudgy brownies in the oven. Preheat it to 350°F.
Here’s the real question: are you a center of the pan person or claim the edges person? Save me the corner brownies, please!
Fudgy Brownies
Description: After you’re done grilling the main course, bake these fudgy brownies outside on your grill.
Ingredients:
7 tablespoons (85 g) dairy-free butter, cut into pieces, room temperature, divided
⅓ cup (43 g) cornstarch
¼ cup (32 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
2 ½ cups (320 g) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
¾ cup (96 g) sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (128 g) chopped toasted pecans (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat your grill or oven. Grease an 8-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave 6 tablespoons butter and 1½ cups of chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the sugar and vanilla. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in ¼ cups chocolate chips and the pecans.
- Pour the batter into the skillet and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips on the top.
- Grill, covered, until a tester pick inserted in the middle of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Check every 5 minutes after 30 minutes. If baking in the oven, bake for 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool in the skillet.
Checkout our other grill related desserts and our Dutch apple pie recipe.
Fudgy Brownies on the Grill
Equipment
- Gas Grill
- 8" Cast Iron Skillet
- Measuring Spoons
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons 85 g dairy-free butter, cut into pieces, room temperature, divided
- ⅓ cup 43 g cornstarch
- ¼ cup 32 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 ½ cups 320 g semisweet chocolate chips, divided
- ¾ cup 96 g sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup 128 g chopped toasted pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your grill or oven to 350-400F. Grease an 8-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon melted butter.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave 6 tablespoons butter and 1½ cups of chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the sugar and vanilla. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in ¼ cups chocolate chips and the pecans.
- Pour the batter into the skillet and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips on the top.
- Grill, covered, until a tester pick inserted in the middle of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Check every 5 minutes after 30 minutes. If baking in the oven, bake for 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool in the skillet.