These fudgy, fabulous Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies are made with quinoa flour. No other flours, starches or binders needed.

That means it’s a recipe to keep and share with family and friends, especially those you trust to bake safe treats for you.

Fun Facts About Quinoa Flour

The grain quinoa is high in fibre and protein and so is the flour. That doesn’t exactly make these sugar-laden brownies healthy but it might be one more reason to give them a try.

Before you say you don’t like quinoa let me tell you about that ‘odd taste’. Quinoa has a bitter taste from the saponins in the outer coating. As quinoa has grown in popularity it is now standard practice for the manufacturers and processors to pre-rinse the quinoa before it’s sold.

That’s great news for us cooks! If you have a bad memory about quinoa or you’ve never used quinoa flour I think it’s time to give it another try.

In this brownie recipe I can’t detect that taste in the chocolate layer but if you like to lick beaters or scoop up a finger full of cheesecake batter you you might detect a hint of that taste. I can guarantee that it completely disappears during cooking.

If you don’t believe me then just make them and try it yourself. I check this every time I make them.

Tips For Making Brownies

Parchment is easier to fit into a pan when you scrunch it up under running water. Try it! Tin foil is the old fashioned option that still works well.

Pour wide ribbons of cheesecake onto the brownie layer by moving the bowl back and forth across the whole pan.

Making Chocolate Swirls

After mixing some of the cheesecake batter with melted chocolate chips blob it on top in any random pattern. Then grab a knife, wooden skewer or spreader of any kind and have fun making swirls trying not to go into the brownie layer.

How To Cut Perfect Brownies

If you don’t care about perfect cuts then just remove the brownie onto a cutting board and eyeball it. Use a hot knife, wiped off between each cut. There will still be some cheesecake brownie on the knife that can be carefully removed and eaten with your finger or a small spreader.

For those of you like me, who want those nice cut edges here’s how I do it.

• Cut a thin slice off two sides. Set off to the side for your own taste test.
• Lay a ruler on top of the brownie and make a cut mark at 1½ inches intervals in one direction. Repeat at the opposite end of the brownie so you can see exactly where to make the cut. Using a hot knife make 4 cuts. Now you have another long thin piece to add to your taste test pile.
• Turn the brownie a quarter turn and use the ruler to repeat at 1½ inches intervals in the other direction. Using a hot knife make 4 cuts. You will have 16 perfectly cut pieces worthy of any celebration or a surprise treat for no reason at all.
• To serve a larger crowd or smaller portions cut each brownie on the diagonal and you’ll have 32 triangles.

Yes, this is a tedious process but I don’t mind it one bit. I want nice looking brownies and that’s how I do it.

The reward for your effort is all the small pieces to enjoy immediately. This is the quality control measure in my kitchen to ensure I’m sharing only the highest quality home baking.

PIN for later…

Safe Gluten Free Cooking Away From Home

For Canadians quinoa flour can easily be found at Superstore with the Celiac Canada certification logo on it. To me that means you can put these brownies on your short list of recipes to make when you’re away from home.

Here are three situations this may be the perfect treat or dessert.

1. When visiting the family cabin or a weekend away with friends. Take your own foil baking pan if you need to.
2. For grandparents who want to cook with or for their gluten free grandchildren.
3. To a friends house to demonstrate how cooking gluten free doesn’t have to be that hard.

Once you’ve perfected this recipe at home and you’re ready to take it on the road here are two variations. I’m sure you can come up with many more.

• Mochaccino Cheesecake Brownies
• Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Brownies

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How To Make Brownies Look Fancy

Brownies taste the same when they’re cut haphazardly and served out of a plastic container. But if you know me, you know I love the presentation and serving brownies is no exception.

Here are some of the fun ways I like to serve brownies (after cutting them as close to perfect as possible).

• Arranged on any pretty tray garnished with edible flowers.
• For a casual party or a fun homemade gift (especially for teachers) I like to put brownies in a pizza box. Line it with a colourful napkin and get the kids to decorate the inside and outside of the box.
• I wouldn’t do this with Cheesecake Brownies but a regular brownie recipe can be cut horizontally and made into the perfect summer dessert. See how I did that in this recipe for a Raspberry Brownie Ice Cream Cake. You could also make only the brownie layer of this recipe, I might do that twice since it could be a challenge to cut horizontally.

Best Baking Pans and Serving Ideas

Every kitchen needs a few tools and a set of two square baking pans is the most versatile bakeware that can be used for all sorts of baking. From granola bars to sushi pizza there’s no end to the value of these pans. Buy two, you won’t be sorry.

• 8-inch square carbon steel baking pan
• 8-inch square silicone baking pan
• 9-inch square stoneware baking dish
• A pedestal tray is always my pick, it makes almost anything look impressive.
• Buy empty pizza boxes at a neighbourhood pizza joint, a craft store like Michael’s or online. Amazon has both white and brown boxes that come in packages of 50 so you might need to share that purchase with a few friends. You also serve my cookie pizza in those boxes.

I’d love to hear in the comments if you made these brownies or a variation. I’m always looking for pictures too.

Originally posted 2015, updated May 2023.

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