Carob Drop Brownies

These aren’t your typical brownies. They’re drop cookies with brownie vibes, made with barley flour for a slightly chewy, malty texture and carob powder for that warm, toasty sweetness that chocolate lovers might just fall for.

Maple syrup handles the sweetening, vanilla rounds out the flavor, and chopped nuts bring the crunch.

No eggs, no dairy, no fuss. Mix the wet, stir in the dry, drop by the teaspoon, and bake. You’ll have a dozen on the cooling rack in 20 minutes flat.

Kitchen Tips

• Barley flour gives these a unique chew. It has a lower gluten content than wheat flour, which keeps the brownies tender rather than tough. If you can’t find it, whole wheat pastry flour is your best substitute.
• Let them cool on the baking sheet. They’re soft and fragile right out of the oven and will crumble if you try to move them too soon.
• Use toasted walnuts or pecans. A quick toast in a dry skillet before chopping brings out their oils and deepens the nutty flavor.