These gluten-free peanut butter cup brownies are rich, fudgy and indulgent! If you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter as much as I do, then this recipe is for you!
These gluten-free peanut butter cup brownies are super rich, fudgy and indulgent. They have a shiny, crackly top and are absolutely loaded with peanut butter cups! They're a dream come true for chocolate and peanut butter lovers!
Other than the peanut butter cups, the ingredients are all pantry staples, and they come together super fast and simple. So the next time you have extra Hallowe'en candy or PB cups are on sale, make sure to whip up a batch...trust me, you won't regret it!
If you're looking for a classic brownie recipe, try my oat flour brownies!
Ingredients
- butter
- chocolate, semi-sweet
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- oat flour, certified gluten free
- corn starch
- cocoa powder
- baking powder
- salt
- peanut butter cups, roughly chopped and frozen
See recipe card for quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Oat flour: If you want your brownies to be gluten free, make sure your oat flour is certified gluten free. During processing, oats are often contaminated with gluten-containing grains (wheat, barley, rye); therefore, it’s important to make sure you’re only using certified gluten-free oats. Certified gluten-free oats are harvested, stored, transported and processed in dedicated gluten-free facilities and tested for purity. For more information on adding oats to your gluten-free diet, please refer to the Canadian Celiac Association’s Oats Statement.
You can buy oat flour or you can also make it yourself. To make, just put old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten free) in a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until they form a fine flour.
Chocolate: You can use chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
Cocoa powder: I use dutch-processed cocoa powder for this recipe.
Peanut butter cups: I use Reese peanut butter cups. Check to make sure the brand you use is gluten free, if required. Chop a third of the cups in half, and the rest into quarters, and then freeze before using. Freezing them helps to maintain their distinct shape within the batter when baking, rather than melting completely into the brownies.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8” metal square cake pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate and butter.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, using 20 second intervals, stirring between each. Generally, 40 seconds total is sufficient. Set aside to cool.
- Into another large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), add the sugar and eggs.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 – 5 minutes.
- Stir the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla into the egg and sugar mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
- Sift the oat flour, corn starch, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into the chocolate mixture.
- Using a spatula, gently stir the mixture until no clumps remain. Fold in two-thirds of the peanut butter cup pieces into the batter.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press the remaining peanut butter cup pieces onto the top of the brownies. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in pan on cooling rack. Cut into squares.
Top Tips for Perfect Brownies
- A shiny, crackly top: don’t skip beating the eggs and sugar together, that’s what gives the brownies a shiny, crackly top.
- Nice and fudgy: to ensure a fudgy brownie, make sure you don’t overbake them. When testing for doneness, you should have a few moist crumbs clinging to the cake tester / toothpick.
- A clean slice: let the brownies cool to room temperature and use a sharp knife to ensure clean slices.
- Peanut butter drizzle: melt a handful of peanut butter chips with a teaspoon of milk in the microwave, to make a peanut butter ganache that you can drizzle over the brownies!
Substitutions
Instead of oat flour, you can replace the oat flour and corn starch with an equal amount of a good gluten-free flour all-purpose flour blend.
Storage
Brownies will keep 3 – 4 days in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Recipe Card
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, semi-sweet
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, extra-large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup oat flour, certified gluten free
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder, dutch processed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 full-size peanut butter cups, chopped and frozen (see note)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8” metal square cake pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate and butter.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, using 20 second intervals, stirring between each. Generally, 40 seconds total is sufficient. Set aside to cool.
- Into another large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer), add the sugar and eggs.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 – 5 minutes.
- Stir the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla into the egg and sugar mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
- Sift the oat flour, corn starch, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into the chocolate mixture.
- Using a spatula, gently stir the mixture until no clumps remain. Fold in two-thirds of the peanut butter cup pieces into the batter.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and press the remaining peanut butter cup pieces onto the top of the brownies. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in pan on cooling rack. Cut into squares.
Notes
- A shiny, crackly top: don’t skip beating the eggs and sugar together, that’s what gives the brownies a shiny, crackly top.
- Nice and fudgy: to ensure a fudgy brownie, make sure you don’t overbake them. When testing for doneness, you should have a few moist crumbs clinging to the cake tester / toothpick.
- A clean slice: let the brownies cool to room temperature and use a sharp knife to ensure clean slices.
- Peanut butter drizzle: melt a handful of peanut butter chips with a teaspoon of milk in the microwave, to make a peanut butter ganache that you can drizzle over the brownies!
- Instead of oat flour, you can replace the oat flour and corn starch with an equal amount of a good gluten-free flour all-purpose flour blend.
- Brownies will keep 3 – 4 days in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Nutrition
Nutritional information shown is an estimate only.
See full disclaimer here.
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