Gluten-Free Pinecone Brownies (DF, Egg Free Option, Protein Option)

0 Prepare the pan. Preheat oven to 325F or according to the instructions on your box mix & line an 8x8 brownie pan with parchment paper.
1 Prepare the brownie mix. Follow the instructions on the box for preparing the brownies. If you're using the suggested mix from Simple Mills and would like to substitute the eggs & butter, you may use 1/3 cup of plain dairy free yogurt and about 2 tbsp less than 1/3 cup of avocado oil (see notes in post for more detail)
2 Bake. Bake the brownies according to package instructions, about 25-30 minutes. When the brownies have finished baking, allow them to cool to room temperature before attempting to mold them into pine cone shapes.
3 Shape the brownie pinecone. Break up the baked brownies into a large bowl. Using your hands, shape them gently into pinecone shapes so the bottoms are large and the taper into almost a point at the top and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Be sure there are no burnt bits or crisp edge pieces in the pinecones as you won't be able to stick the almonds or cornflakes into them very well.
4 Add the almonds or cornflakes. Gently push sliced almonds or cornflakes into the sides of the brownie pinecone in rows from bottom to top.
5 Melt the chocolate. Using a double boiler or simply using the microwave, melt the chocolate. Drizzle the chocolate mixture over top of the pine cones until they are completely covered in chocolate.
6 Let the chocolate set & decorate. Place the brownies in the fridge to allow the chocolate to set for about 30 minutes or until chocolate is completely set. Dust with powdered sugar & enjoy!