Vegan Tiger Nut Flour Brownies (GF)

Healthy and fudgy vegan tiger nut flour brownies! They are naturally grain-free, nut-free, gluten-free, vegan & paleo.

What is Tiger Nut Flour?

Tiger nut flour. Have you heard of it?

It’s a delicious, nutritious, multipurpose flour that can be used in all manner of baking and cooking, including today’s dark chocolate brownie recipe.

But before returning to the brownies, a bit more about tiger nut flour. Tiger nut flour is made from tiger nuts, which are neither nut nor tiger. 😊 Rather, tiger nuts are tubers that get their tiger moniker from their subtle striping.

When the peeled tiger nuts are milled, the result is a fine, light-colored flour with a faint, nutty-sweet aroma and flavor.

Tiger nut flour is versatile (think sweet & savory recipes) and, in the recipes I have fiddled with, it produces delicious results that are akin to wheat flour. Though I am still getting used to how it works across a range of recipes, I can say that, thus far, experimenting with it is easier than coconut flour.

Think of tiger nut flour as more than a substitute for wheat or nut flours. Rather, it is a superfood in its own right with a wealth of health benefits, including fiber, minerals and vitamins.

Resistant Starch for Good Health

Tiger nuts (and, consequently, tiger nut flour) also happen to be the highest whole food source of a particular type of fiber called resistant starch.  Resistant starch is a pre-biotic (i.e., great for the gut), which means it feeds the good bacteria in your digestive tract.

One reason I have held back from using it much is the cost. It is not cheap (pound for pound, close to the price of almond flour). However, I have been enjoying it so much that I decided I should leave the choice of purchase up to each of you!

Additionally, the more I use this versatile flour, the more I realize that, similar to coconut flour, tiger nut flour recipes typically use a fraction of the amount of flour used in almond or grain flour recipes. Hence, while the initial investment may seem expensive, a single pound bag ends up being cost effective, producing a generous number of recipes.

Now, onto the brownies!

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Grain-free
• Gluten-free
• Paleo
• AIP friendly
• Nut-free
• Seed-free

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

• nondairy milk, (e.g., coconut milk, soy milk, hemp milk)
• chia seeds, preferably ground
• tiger nut flour
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• tapioca starch
• baking soda
• fine sea salt
• maple syrup, (see notes for options)
• virgin coconut oil, melted
• Optional toppings: chocolate chips or chunks, chopped nuts or seeds

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Sift the Dry Ingredients to Remove Small Lumps

I recommend sifting the dry ingredients together; both the tiger nut flour and cocoa powder tend towards lumpy bits, which can be a pain to stir out once wet and dry are combine. 

If you forget, you can always plunge a stick blender into the batter to smooth it out (don’t take too long, though; the baking soda has already started working once dry hits wet, so get the batter into the pan as soon as you can).

Bake the Brownies

You can spread the batter into the pan and stick it right into the oven, or add chopped bits and bobs of your choosing on top.

I just finished cleaning out the freezer AND deep freezer (whoo-hoo! I know how to live it up!) and found a variety of nuts, seeds & extra-dark chocolate chips, so I decided to add an assortment (to celebrate the newly organized freezers; I am weirdly excited and pleased with this accomplishment :)).

• In a small bowl or cup, combine the milk and chia seeds. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes until gelled.
• Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, sift together the tiger nut flour, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the chia mixture, oil, and maple syrup, stirring until blended and smooth.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with any toppings, as desired.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 18 minutes until the top of the brownies appears dry and the edges are just pulling away from the sides of the pan.
• Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely in pan. Use parchment overhang to remove brownies to a cutting board. Cut into squares.

How Do the Brownies Taste?

The proof of the pudding (and the brownies) is in the tasting, and believe me, these prove to be utterly delectable! Rich and decadent, but no jittery sugar rush after enjoying.

I will be adding some more tiger nut recipes to the mix of recipes here on power hungry–I am confident you are going to enjoy using it, too. These brownies are a great way to start!

FAQ

• How should I store the tiger nut brownies? Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
• What can I substitute for tapioca starch? An equal amount of arrowroot can be used in place of the tapioca starch.
• What can I substitute for maple syrup? An equal amount of brown rice syrup, agave nectar, honey (if not vegan), coconut sugar, or brown sugar can be used in place of the maple syrup.

More Amazing Vegan & Gluten-Free Brownies to Try

1. 5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Brownies {grain-free, oil-free}
2. Chickpea Flour Brownies {grain-free}
3. 3-Ingredient Banana Fudge Brownies {grain-free, oil-free}
4. Grain-Free Zucchini Brownies 
5. Vegan Coconut Flour Brownies {grain-free, oil-free}
6. Black Bean Brownies
7. Clean & Lean 70 Calorie Brownies
8. Breakfast Blender Brownies
9. Sweet Potato Brownies {grain-free, oil-free}