These Gluten Free Peanut Butter Brownies are rich, chewy, and a terrific blend of chocolate and peanut butter. The peanut butter swirl may look difficult, but this easy recipe for peanut butter brownies is really simple to make.
Regardless of the time of year, brownies are always a good idea. And while you can find a good gluten free brownie mix in a box, there’s something about baking from scratch that makes the brownies just a little bit better.
As many of you know, I’m a big fan of chocolate. I enjoy baking with dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate, and white chocolate. I previously shared with you my Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Chip Brownies recipe.
This time I thought I’d change things up a bit and use some cocoa powder, peanut butter, and even a few peanut butter cups. I have to tell you it was a great decision.
Although these peanut butter brownies are made from scratch, there’s nothing difficult about the process. And the swirl design on top is super simple to create.
The fudgy, chewy texture of the brownies, coupled with the peanut butter flavor, makes them difficult to resist. And best of all, no one will guess they’re gluten free!
If your family loves brownies as much as my family does, check out my other gluten free brownie recipes.
Why this Recipe Works
- Using cocoa powder and chocolate chips adds extra depth of flavor to the brownies.
- The little amount of flour and the absence of baking powder and baking soda gives the brownies their fudgy, chewy texture.
- Using oil instead of butter makes the brownies denser.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Cocoa - Unsweetened cocoa powder. I use Hershey’s cocoa powder.
- Sugar - White granulated sugar.
- Powdered sugar - Also known as confectioner’s sugar.
- Salt - Table salt.
- Gluten free flour blend - I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour. If your local store doesn’t carry it, you can find it on Amazon. I haven’t tried the recipe with almond or coconut flour.
- Chocolate chips - I like using semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe.
- Eggs - Use room temperature eggs. Ingredients at room temperature mix together easier than ingredients straight from the fridge.
- Vegetable oil - You can substitute canola oil if you prefer.
- Peanut butter cups - I like to use the mini version since they don’t have wrappers that need to be removed.
- Peanut butter - A creamy variety of peanut butter works the best. I normally use Jif.
How to Make Gluten Free Peanut Butter Brownies
- Whisk together the cocoa powder, sugars, salt, flour, and chocolate chips.
- Add the eggs, oil, and water and stir until combined.
- Fold in the peanut butter cups.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Drop tablespoons of peanut butter on top of the brownie batter.
- Use a table knife to create a swirl design.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Step By Step Instructions
(For ingredient amounts see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a metal 9×9 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished brownies out. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugars, salt, gluten free flour blend, and chocolate chips (photo 1).
Add the eggs, oil, and water to the mixing bowl and stir until combined (photo 2).
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped-up peanut butter cups (photo 3). (I used unwrapped minis, so I didn’t have any wrappers to remove.)
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and press the batter into the corners. Finish by smoothing the top of the brownies (photo 4).
Drop tablespoons of peanut butter on top of the brownie batter (photo 5).
Using a table knife, draw lines through the batter, vertically and then horizontally, to create a swirled design (photo 6).
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check the brownies after 25 minutes by gently shaking the pan. If the brownie wobbles in the middle, continue to bake for another 5 minutes.
Place the pan of baked brownies on a wire rack to cool completely.
Cut into squares and enjoy!
Baker’s Tips
- Check the ingredients of your gluten free flour blend for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn’t contain it, try adding ¼ teaspoon to the recipe. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.
- I don’t recommend using a natural peanut butter with oil that needs to be stirred in. Jif or Skippy creamy peanut butter works the best.
- Line your pan with enough foil so the edges hang over the sides. This will make it easy to remove the brownies from the pan.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely before serving. If the brownies are still warm, the top will tear when you try to cut them into squares.
Recipe FAQs
Pure peanut butter is naturally gluten free, but not all store-bought peanut butter is gluten free. Always check the ingredient label on the jar.
Once you find a gluten free peanut butter that you like, remember to check the ingredient list each time you buy. It’s not unusual for manufacturers to change the ingredients from time to time.
Make sure to use a good quality all-purpose gluten free flour when making these cookies. I like to use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1. Your results may vary depending on the gluten free flour you use.
Remember to use the “spoon and level” method when measuring your gluten free flour. Simply use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and then use the back of a table knife to level off the top.
These brownies will stay fresh, stored in an airtight container, for several days. Keep the container on the counter rather than in the refrigerator. Baked goods tend to dry out when stored in the fridge.
The brownies can also be frozen, for up to 2 months. Wrap the brownies individually in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe bag before placing in the freezer.
If you like peanut butter and chocolate, give these peanut butter brownies a try! Their rich, fudgy, chocolate and peanut butter flavor will have you making them again and again. Enjoy!
More Gluten Free Recipes with Peanut Butter to Try
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms
- No-Bake Gluten Free Nut Butter Pretzel Squares (2 Ways)
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
More Gluten Free Brownie Recipes You’ll Love
- Rich Chocolate Pecan Brownies
- Rocky Road Gluten Free Brownies
- Easy Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies
- White Chocolate Coconut Brownies
- Gluten Free Red Velvet Brownies
- Easy Gluten Free Pumpkin Brownies
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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- ⅔ cup chopped peanut butter cups
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a metal 9x9 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished brownies out. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugars, salt, gluten free flour, and chocolate chips.
- Add the eggs, oil, and water to the mixing bowl and stir until combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the peanut butter cups.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth out.
- Drop tablespoons of peanut butter on top of the brownie batter. Using a table knife, draw lines through the batter, vertically and then horizontally, to create a swirled design.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check the brownies after 25 minutes by gently shaking the pan. If the brownie wobbles in the middle, continue to bake for another 5 minutes.
- Place the pan of baked brownies on a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares and enjoy!
Notes
- Check the ingredients of your gluten free flour blend for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn’t contain it, try adding ¼ teaspoon to the recipe. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.
- I don’t recommend using a natural peanut butter with oil that needs to be stirred in. Jif or Skippy creamy peanut butter works the best.
- Line your pan with enough foil so the edges hang over the sides. This will make it easy to remove the brownies from the pan.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely before serving. If the brownies are still warm, the top will tear when you try to cut them into squares.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on products and brands you use. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the ingredients you are using with your preferred nutrition calculator.
This recipe was adapted from Celebrating Sweets.
This post was originally published in 2020. It was republished in 2022 with updated images and additional text.
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