Fudgy M&M Brownies

These M&M brownies are fudgy, chewy and loaded with mini and classic M&M’s! They’re easy to make, have the perfect paper thin crackle crust and are undetectably gluten free.

It’s that time of year where I am craving rich, indulgent desserts that feel cozy and nostalgic. These M&M brownies are exactly that and are even gluten free and dairy free friendly. M&M’s are such a great way to enhance a box of brownie mix, but making them fully from scratch is always the best.

You could so easily turn these into leftover halloween candy brownies and use up some other candies like chopped reeses or snickers etc. Kids love these, adults love these, I love these, I know you will love these M&M brownies! If you love this recipe, try my gluten free brownie bites next!

Before we get started…

• I used a mix of regular and mini m&m’s here. I usually like mini for baking (like in my m&m cookies), but for these, either is delicious! You can use all of one or the other or a combination of both.
• Be sure to really beat the eggs and sugar together really well so that you get that perfect crackly crust on top. It creates an almost meringue like layer but only happens when the eggs and sugar are fully mixed together.

How to make M&M brownies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 aluminum baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Add the butter to a small sauce pan and melt over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the cocoa powder. This will help activate it and create a more rich flavor! Add in the chopped chocolate and stir until fully melted.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for about 2 full minutes. This will help create that super thin crackly crust. Combine the chocolate mixture into the egg/sugar mixture and beat to combine.

Add in the flour, baking powder and salt and beat just until combined. Fold in the m&ms. You can use all mini or all regular if that’s what you have.

Transfer to your prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with extra m&ms. Bake for 25-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. All ovens are different so keep an eye on things. Mine is kind of weak so I usually have to do closer to 30-32 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then carefully lift out by the parchment paper and let cool for another 30 minutes. They will slice more easily and cleanly if they cool properly!

Slice into 16 squares and enjoy! They’re great as is but also great with some vanilla ice cream and extra m&ms! Try my skillet brownie next!

Ingredient swaps

Cocoa & dark chocolate. Cocoa powder and chopped dark chocolate will create a really rich and fudgy brownie. You can swap the dark chocolate for something like semi sweet if you prefer, but I don’t really recommend any other swaps!

Butter. Butter will yield the richest and best flavor for these M&M brownies in my opinion, but you can safely swap for refined coconut oil or a vegan butter like Earth Balance to make these dairy free.

Eggs. I don’t recommend any egg swaps here since they are key for binding and for getting the super thin crust. They also help the brownie rise a bit since we are using only a very small amount of baking powder.

Flour. I used gluten free all purpose baking flour of course, but if you are not gluten free, regular all purpose will work! If using GF, just make sure your blend has xanthan gum.

Sugar. White sugar is going to dissolve best with the eggs and give the brownies that classic crackly crust. You can swap for light brown sugar, but I don’t recommend swaps beyond that.

How to store and freeze

Once prepared, these gluten free M&M brownies will store for about 3-4 days. Allow them to cool completely before transferring to an air tight container. I store them at room temperature, but they’ll keep for longer in the fridge – I just like to warm them up a bit before serving since they will harden slightly in the fridge.

To freeze, allow to cool completely, then slice and place in a ziplock bag or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe ziplock bag or container. Reheat in the oven at 300 until warm through the center and enjoy!

More brownie recipes you’ll love!

• Gluten Free Brownie Cookies
• Flourless Brownies
• Almond Flour Brownies
• Oat Flour Raspberry Brownies

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