What are Blondies Anyway?

Most folks think of blondies as a “vanilla brownie” or a “blonde brownie”. Since it’s impossible for me to think about brownies without chocolate, that definition never worked for me. Instead, I think of them as a cross between a chocolate chip cookie bar and brown sugar fudge. 

If you want something a little less rich and buttery, try my gluten-free chocolate chip bars. The flavors are similar but the texture is more cake-like.

Gluten-Free Blondies: Ingredients and Substitutions. 

Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to make a pan of these blondies. The full recipe with amounts is listed below.

• Gluten-Free Flour. The soft and delicate texture for these bars comes from a gluten-free flour blend. I tested the recipe with Bob’s Red Mill’s 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking flour. It contains xanthan gum. If your flour blend doesn’t add ¼ teaspoon. 
• Brown Sugar. For a caramel-like flavor, use light brown sugar. For pronounced molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar. (Blondies pictured were made with light brown sugar.)
• Butter. Melted butter ensures the blondes stay thick and dense. It also adds a lot of flavor.
• Eggs. Provide structure, richness, and flavor. Use large eggs for the best results. 
• Vanilla Extract. Three things make blondies taste like blondies: brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. While you can omit vanilla extract in many baking recipes, I suggest including it in these blondies for the best flavor. 
• Baking Powder. A teaspoon of baking powder gives the bars a little lift without making them too cakey. 
• Salt. Since blondies are sweet, salt helps balance the flavor. For the batter, use table (fine) salt. If you want to sprinkle salt over the top, use Kosher or a flaky-style salt. 
• Nuts. (optional) Some folks wouldn’t dream of making blondies without nuts. And some folks wouldn’t dream of including them. I’ll leave it up to you! Add up to one cup of toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts.
• Chocolate Chips. (optional) Add up to one cup of dark, milk, or white chocolate chips. If you want to use butterscotch chips, those are also great in blondies. As always make sure any baking chip you use is gluten-free.

Dairy-Free Ingredient Swaps.

• Butter. Replace the butter with your favorite dairy-free butter spread. I don’t recommend shortening or oil because they don’t add flavor to the bars.
• Chocolate Chips. Use dairy-free chocolate chips. As with all ingredients, check the label to ensure the chips are gluten-free and dairy-free.

How to Make Perfect Gluten-Free Blondies.

This is a simple, one-bowl recipe—making it great for beginner gluten-free bakers.

Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter and eggs. First, combine the brown sugar and melted butter. Whisk until it’s smooth. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Blend until it’s creamy and looks like a thick caramel sauce. 

Add the gluten-free flour. Stir in the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. You can mix the batter with a wooden spoon, sturdy flexible spatula, or an electric mixer. Whichever you prefer.

Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. If you’re adding anything to these blondies, stir them in now.

Spread into a pan. Line a 8×8-inch square pan with parchment paper. To keep them from sticking, lightly spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Spread the batter into the pan. 

Cool the bars in the pan. Let these bars cool right in the pan. Then cut into squares.

How to Store and Freeze.

Gluten-free blondies keep at room temperature for about three days. To store them, let them cool. Then place them in an airtight container or place them on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. 

To freeze them, bake as directed. Let the blondies cool and cut into squares. Place them into a freezer container. If you need to layer the bars, place a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw the blondies at room temperature.

The recipe was originally posted in May 2018. Photos and information updated March 2024.

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Gluten-Free Blondies

One-bowl gluten-free blondie recipe. These are buttery, soft, and irresistible thanks to the brown sugar and butter.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 18 bars

Calories 200kcal

Ingredients

• 1 ½ sticks butter, melted (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• 1 ¼ cups packed brown sugar, light or dark, see note (9 ounces; 255 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour. (Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour recommended.) (7½ ounces; 212 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips, optional (dark, milk, or white) (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional (3½ ounces; 100 grams)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 8×8-inch square pan with parchment paper. Let the parchment overhang the pan by about two inches. Lightly grease the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Stir together the brown sugar and melted butter until smooth in a large bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until creamy and smooth.
• Add gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until the batter is thick and smooth. If using chocolate chips and/or nuts, stir them in now.

  Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake until the bars are golden brown and the top is shiny and slightly cracked, about 30 minutes.
• Let the blondies cool in the pan. They might sink in the middle as they cool.

  When cool, lift the bars out of the pan with the overhanging parchment paper. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. When cut, the bars might look underbaked. That's normal. They are very moist and buttery.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Freeze cooled bars in a freezer container for up to two months. If you need to stack the bars, place a piece of parchmene paper or waxed paper between the layers.

Notes

Gluten-Free Flour. Use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. If yours doesn’t whisk ¼ teaspoon into the flour before using.

Brown Sugar. The terrific butterscotch flavor comes from brown sugar. For a caramel-like flavor, use light brown sugar. For pronounced molasses flour, use dark brown sugar. 

Butter. Cool the butter slightly before adding it to the brown sugar. 

Nuts. Toast nuts on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Remove nuts from the oven when they are golden brown and aromatic. Allow nuts to cool before chopping. 

Dairy-Free Variation. For dairy-free bars, use a dairy-free butter and dairy-free chocolate chips. 

The post Gluten-Free Blondies appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

These gluten-free chocolate cookies taste like a cross between a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie. They’re crisp on the edges and tender in the middle. For an extra burst of chocolate, add some chocolate chips. Dairy-free options are included. 

(And if you love the sound of that, put my gluten-free brownie recipe and gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe on your “to-do” list.)

Ingredients You Need to Make These Cookies.

Gluten-Free Flour. Makes the cookies soft and tender. Use a blend that contains xanthan gum. 

Cocoa Powder. For dark, rich cookies, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. If you can’t find it, natural cocoa powder works but the cookies won’t be as dark. 

Baking soda. gives the cookies a light texture

Salt. A little salt enhances all the other flavors. 

Butter. Melted butter makes the cookie dough easy to mix together. For a dairy-free version, use your favorite dairy-free butter for baking. 

Brown and Granulated Sugar. Combining brown and granulated sugar gives these cookies a hint of molasses that goes great with the chocolate. 

Egg. Helps bring the dough together 

Vanilla extract. Adds a nice homemade flavor

Chocolate Chips. For an added chocolate flavor, stir a cup of chocolate chips into the dough.

How to Make the Cookies. 

Think of this dough as a “stir and drop”. You simply stir the dough together and then drop it onto a baking sheet. It’s that easy. Here’s what to do.

Step One: Make the Dough.

Start by whisking together the gluten-free flour with the other dry ingredients. (Except for the sugars!) Doing this ensures that the baking soda and salt are evenly mixed throughout the dough.

In a large bowl, mix together the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract until it’s smooth and creamy. The mixture almost looks like caramel sauce at this step. 

Add the dry ingredients and stir until a dough forms. At this point, I like to stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Gluten-free flour loves to stick to the bowl and we want to mix it in completely. 

If you’re adding chocolate chips or nuts, stir them in now.

This dough is much softer than many gluten-free cookie doughs. It’s almost as soft as brownie batter but not quite. After mixing, I like to let it sit for about five minutes. It sets up a little and makes it easier to scoop into balls.

If you want to make the dough in advance, you can. Make it as directed, cover the bowl, and then refrigerate. This really gives the flavors time to develop. Cookies made with premade dough don’t spread as much as cookies baked right away.

Step Two: Shape and Bake.

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or lightly grease it with nonstick spray. Scoop the dough into balls and drop it onto the baking sheet. There’s no need to roll the dough into balls. In fact, it’s too soft to roll. 

I love to use a cookie scoop for this step. Not only is it fast, all the cookies come out the same size. Win-win. 

If you’re using chocolate chips or nuts, you can always press a few extra into the top of the cookies. It gives them a really pretty appearance when baked. 

Bake until the cookies look set and puffed. A pan of these cookies takes about 10 minutes.

Step Three: Cool and Enjoy.

The cookies are really delicate when they come out of the oven. If you move them right away, they can break. Let them cool on the pan for about three minutes before transferring them.

Variations

Inside-Out Chocolate Chip Cookies: Stir a cup of white chocolate chips into the batter.

Spicy Chocolate Cookies: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne along with the gluten-free flour.

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies

These gluten-free chocolate cookies taste like a cross between a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie. They’re crisp on the edges and tender in the middle. For an extra burst of chocolate, add some chocolate chips. Dairy-free options are included.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 140kcal

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups gluten-free flour, see note (7 ½ ounces; 212 grams)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder, Dutch-process suggested (¾ ounce; 20 grams)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted (1 stick) (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• ½ cup dark brown sugar (3 ¾ ounces; 106 grams)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar (2 ⅓ ounces; 66 ounces)
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cups chocolate chips, optional (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• 1 cup chopped nuts, optional (4 ounces; 113 grams)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
• Add the dry ingredients. Mix until a thick soft dough forms. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if using.
• Drop dough by the tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the edges are set, about 12 minutes.
• Let cookies cool on the pan for about three minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
• Store cooled in an airtight container for up to four days or place cookies into a freezer container and freeze for up to two months.

Notes

Gluten-Free Flour: Cookies were tested with Bob’s 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. You might get a different result (texture and flour) if you use a different flour.

Butter: For dairy-free cookies, use a dairy-free butter spread. 

Chocolate Chips: Use regular or mini chocolate chips. Milk, semi-sweet, and white chocolate chips all work. Use what you love.

The post Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

These brownies are dense. They’re fudgy. And they’re really chocolatey. And no one will mistake them for gluten-free chocolate cake. The combination of melted chocolate and cocoa powder gives the brownies a deep chocolate flavor. And just enough gluten-free flour to hold everything together. 

(And if you love bar cookie recipes, try these gluten-free blondies.)

Gluten-Free Brownies: Ingredients and Substitutions. 

• Chocolate. What’s a brownie without chocolate? And lots of it. Since brownies should be rich and chocolaty, the recipe calls for melted chocolate and cocoa powder. The combination gives the brownies a deep, rich chocolate flavor. 
  
  It’s up to you what type of chocolate to use in this recipe. The easiest option is to use chocolate chips. If you prefer your brownies a little richer, chop up a dark chocolate bar. Look for a bar labeled 60% cacao or above. Or, if you like brownies a bit sweeter and more mellow, use milk chocolate. The only chocolate to avoid is unsweetened.
  
• Cocoa Powder. Both regular and Dutch process cocoa powder work in this recipe. For the deepest chocolate flavor, use Dutch process cocoa powder. 
  
• Butter. Melted butter adds richness. If you’re dairy-free, you’ve got options. Replace the butter with your favorite dairy-free buttery spread or coconut oil.
  
• Sugar. The sweetness of these brownies comes from two sources; the granulated sugar and the sugar in the chocolate. If you want a light molasses-flavor in your brownies, substitute the granulated sugar with half-granulated sugar and half-dark brown sugar. 
  
• Eggs. This recipe calls for three large eggs. The eggs play an important role. When mixed with the sugar, they help leaven the brownies without making them too cakey.
  
• Gluten-Free Flour. A little bit of gluten-free flour holds the brownies together. You can use a gluten-free flour blend or, in this recipe, simply use finely ground white rice flour. Gluten-free brownies are a bit unusual: you can use different gluten-free flours and not notice much of a difference. 
  
• Salt. Adding salt helps to bring out the flavor of the chocolate. In the batter, be sure to use table (fine) salt. If you like salty and sweet baked goods, you can sprinkle a little flaky salt over the batter before baking.

Optional Ingredients.

• Vanilla Extract. You might be surprised to see vanilla extract on this list. Since gluten-free brownies are so rich, you don’t really need vanilla. If you’d like to add some for the lovely floral notes it brings to a recipe, add two teaspoons of your favorite vanilla extract.
  
• Chopped Nuts. Love nuts in your brownies? Add them. Toast and chop either walnuts or pecans. Use about a half cup total. And for a pretty finish, sprinkle some chopped nuts over the batter before baking. 
  
• Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Stir in half a cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. You can use the same type of chocolate you used in the brownie batter or mix it up! Milk chocolate tastes great in these brownies. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Brownies. Four Steps for Success. 

This recipe takes only a few minutes to make. And the result is worth it. These are the best gluten-free brownies. They’re dense, rich, and really chocolatey. Here’s how to make them.

Step One: Prep Your Pan and Preheat Your Oven.

Brownies love to stick to an ungreased pan. To keep this from happening, grease your pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter. For easy removal, place a piece of parchment paper into the pan. I like to cut the parchment long enough so that it hangs over the sides of the pan. This way, I can use the parchment to lift the brownies out of the pan.

Before measuring ingredients, turn your oven to 350℉. This gives it time to heat while you mix the brownies.

Step Two: Make the Chocolate-Butter Mixture.

Melted butter gives the brownies a dense texture. You can melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave bowl. If you’re going to microwave the butter, cut it into small pieces first. This helps cut down on splatter. 

Once the butter is fully melted, stir the granulated sugar. Heat the mixture until it’s hot but not bubbling. If you’re using the stove, heat the mixture over low heat. In the microwave, select low power and heat for about 30 seconds. Do you know the crackly top on brownies? Melting the sugar in the butter helps that crackle form. 

Remove the butter-sugar mixture from the heat and add the chocolate. If the chocolate doesn’t fully melt, gently heat the mixture until the chocolate is fully melted.

Step Three: Make the Brownie Batter.

Pour the butter-sugar mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes. This prevents the eggs from cooking when added to the mix. Don’t skip this step. Add the eggs and mix until smooth.

Stir in the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, and salt. If you’re using an electric mixer, blend on low speed. To keep the brownies, dense, you don’t want to beat air into the batter. If you like your brownies with nuts or chocolate chips, add them in now. 

Step Four: Bake and Cool. 

A pan of these brownies takes about 30 minutes to bake. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the pan. You want it to come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. If the toothpick is covered in wet batter, the brownies aren’t baked. Return the pan to the oven and bake for a few more minutes. 

After baking, let the brownies cool right in the pan. As the brownies cool, they sink a little. This is totally normal. It adds to the dense and fudgy texture. 

It’s important to let the brownies cool completely before cutting. If you try to cut them while warm, they’ll break. 

Adding Nuts to Gluten-Free Brownies? Toast them first!

If you’re adding chopped nuts to your gluten-free brownie batter, toast them first. Toasting nuts takes only a few minutes and makes the nuts so much more flavorful. 

Method One: Toasting Nuts in the Oven. 

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Place your nuts on a baking sheet. Don’t add oil. 
3. Toast for about six minutes. Nuts burn quickly. Be sure to use a timer. 
4. Remove the pan from the oven and place the nuts on a plate to cool before chopping.

Method Two: Toasting Nuts in a Skillet. 

1. Place the nuts in a large skillet. Don’t add oil. 
2. Heat over medium-high. Stir the nuts frequently.
3. Cook for about three minutes. When you notice they become fragrant and darken slightly, remove them from the pan. Place on a plate to cool before chopping. 

How to Store and Freeze Gluten-Free Brownies. 

Brownies keep well on the counter. To keep them from drying out, cover the baked brownies or place them into a container with a tight-fitting lid. Store them at room temperature for up to four days. 

How to Freeze Brownies. 

1. Let the brownies cool. If you freeze warm gluten-free brownies, the texture gets gummy. 
2. For an entire pan: To freeze an entire pan, don’t cut the brownies. Remove the brownies from the pan and wrap them tightly. Freeze for up to three months. 
3. For individual brownies: cut the brownies into squares. Place into a freezer container. If you want to stack the brownies, place a piece of parchment between each layer. Freeze for up to two months.

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Gluten-Free Brownies

This gluten-free brownie recipe uses two types of chocolate for rich and fudgy brownies that chocolate fans love. You can customize it to include nuts and chocolate chips. (Recipe also works great dairy-free.)

Course brownies

Cuisine American

Keyword brownies, chocolate, gluten-free brownies

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 9 brownies

Calories 281kcal

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter or dairy-free buttery spread (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces; 198 grams)
• 3 large eggs (about 6 ounces out of shell, 170 grams)
• ¾ cup gluten-free flour (3 ¾ ounces; 106 grams)
• ¼ cup dutch process cocoa powder (¾ ounce; 21 grams)
• ½ teaspoon salt

Optional

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (2 ounces; 56 grams)
• ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (3 ounces; 85 grams)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter. For easy removal, place a parchment into the pan, letting about 2 inches overhang the sides of the pan.
• Melt the butter in a small pan or medium microwave-safe bowl. Add the sugar. Heat over low heat or microwave on low power until warm. Don’t let the mixture bubble. Stir gently. Add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts. If needed, heat the mixture to fully melt the chocolate.
  
• Pour the mixture into a medium bowl. Let cool for about three minutes. Stir in eggs until smooth. (Add vanilla now, if using) Add gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix until smooth. Stir in nuts or chocolate chips if using.
  
• Spread batter into prepared pan.
  
• Bake for about 30 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it.
• Cool brownies in the pan. Cut into squares. Enjoy.
  
• Cover brownies and store on the counter for up to four days.

  To freeze: Wrap cooled brownies or place into a freezer container. Freeze up to three months.

Notes

For Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Brownies: Replace the butter with a dairy-free butter replacement. Use dairy-free chocolate. 

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How much do you love gluten-free chocolate chip cookies? SO MUCH, right? And how about chocolate chip cookie bars?

If it’s possible, I think I might love them more than chocolate chip cookies. Why? Let me count the ways! Gluten-Free chocolate chip cookie bars are

• easy to make.
• thick and chewy.
• loaded with chocolate chips
• perfect for celebrations. (more about this in a sec)

As a child of the 1980s, chocolate chip cookie cakes were everywhere. My eighth grade teacher made a chocolate chip cookie cake each month to celebrate students’ birthdays. I looked forward to that day like crazy. Then there was the mall. Mrs. Fields and Famous Amos devoted prime spots to displaying these cakes. (For some reason, the heart shaped one really stands out in my memory.)

So, yeah, chocolate chip cookie bars and I go back. Way back.

How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

1. Preheat Your Oven. The dough doesn’t need to chill. Get that oven heating while you make the dough.
2. Prep Your Pan. The success of these bars starts with the pan. You need a 9×13-inch pan. I used a glass pan but a metal pan works fine. Just be sure it’s at least 2-inches thick. You don’t want a thin jelly roll pan for these bars.
3. Pick Your Flour Blend. I really like either Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Flour or a homemade blend that contains xanthan gum. If you prefer a different blend, use one with xanthan gum, or add 1/2 teaspoon to the recipe.
4. Make the Dough. Cream together the butter (or dairy-free margarine), sugars, and eggs in a large bowl. Make sure the butter-sugar mixture is thick and smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients,  leaving out the chocolate chips for a second. Mix until a thick dough forms.  This only takes a minute or so.
5. Add the Chocolate Chips. I usually stir these in with a wooden spoon. This prevents the chocolate chips from breaking, which can happen with an electric mixer. But the wooden spoon step is totally optional.
6. Spread the Dough Into the Pan. You want to press the dough evenly into the pan. Take a second to make sure the edges aren’t too thin.
7. Bake until golden brown. These bars turn a light golden brown when done. If you’re unsure about whether or not they’ve baked enough, stick a cake tester in the center. It should come out clean.
8. Cool and Cut. This is the hardest step. But you really do want to allow the bars to cool before you cut ’em.

That’s it! From mixing to cooling, gluten-free chocolate chip cookie bars usually take me under an hour to make. And I love that about them. Because, sometimes you need a cookie, fast. 

Remember when I said that these bars are great for celebrations? I wasn’t kidding. Mix up a small batch of vanilla buttercream frosting, or buy a gluten-free tube or two at the store, and go to town. Frost the entire top or just write “Happy Birthday” on it. It makes a great “cake” for folks who don’t love cake.

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Bars. Easy-to-Make. Great with nuts or without. 

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray
• 2 sticks butter, softened (8 ounces; 226 grams)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar (7 1/2 ounces; 213 grams)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (2 ounces; 56 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour (10 ounces; 284 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (one 12 ounce package) chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
• Beat together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until thick, about 30 seconds. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy. Add gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a thick batter forms. Stir in chocolate chips. 
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, a cake tester inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean, about 30 minutes. 
• Remove pan from oven. Allow to cool in the pan. Cut into bars. To store: wrap tightly and keep at room temperature for up to three days or freeze for up to 2 months. 

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The other day I made a batch of gluten-free peanut butter blondies and it reminded me how much I love peanut butter.  I mean, why don’t I make more peanut butter treats? It’s not like they’re hard to make. One of my favorite cookies are these 5 ingredient gluten-free peanut butter cookies. Five ingredients! 

And not only are peanut butter desserts easy, they’re also tasty. Super-duper tasty. Since gluten-free brownies are always popular in our household, I decided make a batch of gluten-free peanut butter swirl brownies. Good idea, right?

Spoiler: it was a great idea.

If you love peanut butter cups, then these are for you. It’s a thick swirl of peanut butter batter nestled into the the best gluten-free brownies you’ve ever tasted. (Fun fact: I made my brownies from scratch but you can always use a box of your favorite gluten-free brownie mix.)

But I have to admit that I’m biased. I love swirl brownies of all sorts. Gluten-free cheesecake brownies and gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake brownies both make my list of top ten desserts.

Why do I love swirl brownies so much? They’re:

thick and fudgy.

loaded with flavor. 

so pretty! 

How to Make Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

1. Preheat the Oven. While you make the brownie batter, preheat the oven. This way it’s ready to go as soon as you finish mixing the batter.
2. Line the Pan (optional) I always make this step optional but, in my opinion, it’s optional only if you enjoy struggling with getting brownies out of a pan. If you do, go right ahead and skip this step. If you prefer ease, then line your pan with parchment paper or foil.To line the pan with parchment paper, cut two long (about 12-inches by 8-inch) strips of parchment paper. Lay one sheet in the pan. Run your finger along the bottom two corners of the pan, pressing the parchment into the corners. This helps to hold the parchment in the pan. Repeat with the second sheet, going in the opposite direction, crisscrossing the sheets in the pan so all the edges are covered.To line your pan with foil, cut a piece of foil about 12-inches long (don’t use heavy-duty foil for this, it’s too stiff.). Lay one sheet of foil in the pan. Gently push the foil into the corners of the pan and up the sides. Repeat with the second sheet, going in the opposite direction, crisscrossing the foil in the pan so all the edges are covered.
3. Mix the Batter. This batter comes together so easily, you can skip an electric mixer if you feel like it.
4. Make the Peanut Butter Swirl. After spreading the brownie batter in the pan, mix the swirl. If you make it before you mix the brownie batter, it gets too thick to spread easily. Drop the peanut butter mixture evenly over the pan and use a knife to swirl it through the batter.
5. Bake. These brownies take about 30 minutes to bake. A cake tester inserted into the center of the pan should come out few a few damp chocolate crumbs clinging to it.
6. Cool and Cut. This step is always the hardest part of making a bar cookie. You need to wait for the brownies to cool before you cut them. It’s worth the wait, I promise.

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• Square cake pan. I love, love square cake pans with square, not rounded, edges. This is just a personal preference. If you like square edges, this is the pan for you.
• Small angled spatula. Spreading batter evenly into the pan is important. I use this small angled spatula for the job.

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Gluten-free peanut butter swirl brownies are so easy to make. This recipe, which is loaded with peanut butter, makes the best dessert for any peanut butter cup lovers in your life.

Servings 12 brownies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup gluten-free flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch process
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Swirl

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8x2-inch pan with foil. Lightly grease the foil with nonstick cooking spray. 
• Whisk together gluten-free flour blend, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Batter will be thick. 
  
• In another bowl, combine the peanut butter, granulated sugar, and egg. Mixture will be thick. 
• Spread about half of the chocolate batter evenly into the pan. Drop large spoonfuls of peanut butter all over the chocolate batter. Using a knife, swirl the peanut butter batter into the chocolate batter. Drop the remaining chocolate batter on top. Swirl lightly with a knife. 
• Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Allow brownies to cool in the pan and then cut into squares. 

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Each holiday season, I’d see pictures of colored marshmallows held together by fudgy chocolate and think, “I need to find out what those are! They look good!”

Turns out, they’re called “Church Window” bars. And, like most retro-recipes, there’s lots of ways to make them. The bones of the recipe call for chocolate and marshmallow. Then, some call for coconut, while others use peanut butter.

Since I love peanut butter during the holiday season (especially peanut butter blossom cookies), I decided to try the peanut butter variation.

Turns out, these classic no-bake bars are really simple to make. Since they are just chocolate, peanut butter, and marshmallows, I consider them a confection and not a cookie. I worried how the fruit-flavored marshmallows would work with the peanut butter. The combination works great— think of them as a fun take on peanut butter and jelly.

To make, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. This is key. If your pan is too thin, the chocolate can scorch.

Warm over low heat until everything melts together. (You could stop here, pour this mixture into jars, and give it as gifts. It makes a lovely peanut butter hot fudge sauce.)

Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a little. If you don’t the marshmallows will melt when you add them to the sauce. After a few minutes, stir in the marshmallows.

Spread the mixture into a parchment-lined 9x9x2-inch square pan. Chill.

Cut into squares. Done.

Love Peanut Butter? Here are other gluten-free treats to try! 

• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blondies
• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
• 5 Ingredient Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

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4 Ingredient Peanut Marshmallow Bars

I like fruit flavored marshmallows for this recipe. Feel free to use plain vanilla marshmallows if you prefer.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 24 bars

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 ounces; 340 grams)
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter ( 9 ½ ounces; 270 grams)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 1 (10 ounce) bag fruit-flavored or vanilla marshmallows

Instructions

• Line a 9x9x2-inch pan with parchment paper.
• In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Turn on heat to low. This is important. You need to treat this sauce gently or it might scorch. Stir with a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula until ingredients are melted and smooth. Sauce should be shiny.
• Remove pan from heat. Allow to cool for two minutes. 
• Stir marshmallows into cooled chocolate mixture. Spread mixture into prepared pan. 
• Chill for three hours or overnight. Using parchment paper, lift bars out of pan. Cut into small squares (These are sweet and rich. Small bars are perfect.)
• Serve or store in a sealed container.

The post 4 Ingredient Marshmallow Peanut Butter Bars appeared first on Gluten-Free Baking.

What’s the deal with peanut butter baked goods? Why do I always forget about them? It happens with cookies and cakes and, of course, bars.

Then something sparks me to make a batch and I fall in love all over again. These gluten-free peanut butter bars a great example.

As I was creating bar cookies for this series, my mind immediately went to lemon bars, chocolate chip cookie bars, blondies, and brownies. Then I thought, “Hey!  Peanut butter blondies. I should make those.”

That was the best thought I’d had in awhile because, guys, these bars are IT. Like gluten-free chocolate chip cookie bars, they’re really easy to make. And the flavor has that salty-sweet thing going on that I love with peanut desserts.

How to Make Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blondies

1. Preheat the Oven. No need to chill the dough. Just mix it and bake. This means that you want your oven ready and waiting.
2. Mix the Dough. Since this recipe requires me to cream butter and peanut butter together, I like to use an electric mixer. (Stand or handheld both work great.) Once the butter and peanut butter are nice and smooth, add the remaining ingredients, including a gluten-free flour blend.
3. Add Chocolate Chips and Nuts (optional) If you like Reese’s peanut butter cups, try adding milk chocolate chips to this recipe. You’ll thank me. A handful or so of chopped peanuts also makes a nice addition.
4. Bake. Bake these bars until they’re golden brown. They don’t really puff up in the pan. So check them with a toothpick after the edges start to turn golden brown. The toothpick should come out clean.
5. Cool and Cut. Let them cool in the pan and then cut into squares. If you like peanut butter and jelly, put a dollop of jelly on each bar before serving.

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blondies

A cross between blondies and peanut butter cookies, these blondies are an easy treat that peanut butter lovers adore.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with foil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. 
• Cream together the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, and eggs until a thick paste forms. Use an electric mixer set to medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the vanilla and mix for another minute. 
• Stop the mixer and add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Turn mixer to low speed. Mix until combined. Batter will be thick. Stir in chocolate chips, if using. 
• Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until set, about 35 minutes. Cool bars in the pan and then cut into squares. 

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Urgh. Lemon bars. Why you gotta be so cruel?

In theory, lemon bars are awesome. I consider them a proud member of the classic cookie bar family. Other members? Gluten-free brownies, of course.

Part lemon meringue pie, part lemon tart, and 100% awesome. Only…most of the time, they’re not so awesome.

Most of the time that lovely topping causes problems. Big problems. Either there’s not enough of it or it’s too sweet or too tart.

Qualities of an ideal gluten-free lemon bar:

• tender, buttery shortbread crust
• thick sweet-sour lemon baked lemon topping
• easy-to-make

So this is what I set out to make. And, after lots of trial and error, I think I’ve finally nailed the perfect gluten-free lemon bar. (Woo-HOO!)

The Crust

Let’s start at the bottom: the crust.

The crust for these bars is a simple gluten-free shortbread. To make it, combine gluten-free flour with powdered sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients. You can do this with a pastry cutter or food processor. Then add just enough water to form a dough. There’s no egg in the crust; however, these are not egg-free lemon bars. There are lots of eggs in the topping.

For the shortbread crust, I used Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free baking flour. Use whatever gluten-free flour blend you love*.

*Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum. If it doesn’t, add 1/4 teaspoon to the mix. This keeps the crust from crumbling under the filling.

Press the dough into a parchment-lined 8-inch pan, chill for about ten minutes and bake until golden brown.

Baker’s Tip: Line the pan with parchment paper before baking. This prevents the bars from sticking and makes them easy to remove. To do this, cut a piece of parchment 8-inches wide by 16 inches long. While you’re pressing the dough into the pan, use binder clips to prevent the parchment from moving. (Remember to remove the clips before baking. They’re not oven-safe.)

The Filling

After baking the shortbread base, make the filling. You don’t want to make it in advance because the acid from the lemons and the sugar can chemically cook the eggs, making the filling lumpy.

Mix the granulated sugar together with the cornstarch. This step seems like nothing but it’s important. It prevents the cornstarch from clumping when combined with the eggs. So don’t skip it.

Most traditional (read: not gluten-free) recipes call for flour in the filling. While I could have used a superfine rice flour, I worried about folks who don’t keep that in the house. So instead of flour, I used cornstarch. It makes for a lovely lemon filling with a custard-like texture. I really love it.

To give the filling a nice pop of lemon flavor, add the zest of one lemon. Take a second to rub the lemon zest into the sugar mixture. Then whisk in the eggs and lemon juice and you’re done.

For lemon bars (or any lemon dessert really) use freshly squeezed lemons, not the stuff from the bottle. There’s no replacing the flavor of a freshly squeezed lemon and the success of these bars depends on it.

Baking and Topping

Pour the topping over the bars and bake until the topping sets. Allow the bars to cool and then, if you feel like it, sprinkle with a generous amount of powdered sugar. Since powdered sugar melts pretty quickly, it’s best to finish them right before you serve.

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Servings 12 bars

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 cup gluten-free flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick butter, cold and cut into 8 pieces

For the Filling

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• zest of 1 lemon
• 4 large eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8x8x2-inch square pan with foil. Lightly grease the foil with nonstick cooking spray. 
• Pulse together the the gluten-free flour, powdered sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor. (Or whisk together in a large bowl.) Add the butter. Run the processor until a dough forms, about 30 seconds. (If mixing by hand, cut butter in with a pastry cutter.)
• Press dough evenly into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven, leaving the oven on, while you prepare the filling. 
• For the filling: Stir together the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Rub in the lemon zest. Add the eggs and egg yolk. Whisk until smooth. Add the lemon juice and stir. Pour mixture over baked crust. 
• Bake until filling sets, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar, optional. 

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I’ve got a question for you: why are sugar cookie so darn irresistible to me?  I love gluten-free sugar cookies. The cute little shapes are the best. Then there’s soft gluten-free sugar cookies. You know the ones I’m talking about, right? They’re soft, taste like vanilla and are frosted with buttercream. Perfection. And, my goodness, I can’t forget gluten-free sugar cookies with M&Ms pressed into them. When I worked at a bakery, I made thousands of those cookies. And I still love them!

Here’s the thing, though, I’m able to walk by a plate of most sugar cookies without always grabbing one to eat. (Most of the time. I mean, hey, I’m not a saint or anything.)

But a plate of sugar cookie bars? Trouble. And, my god, the ways I lie to myself about how many I’m eating.

Here’s what usually happens.

Scene

Kitchen. Early morning.

Elizabeth wants to eat “healthy” today. It will be all green smoothies and other virtuous foods. She sees the a plate of gluten-free sugar cookie bars that were baked yesterday.

A sensible voice in Elizabeth’s head says, “Don’t have one. It’s 9:00 am. Keep walking. You can have a kale smoothie. It’s like a milkshake”

Other not-so sensible, cookie bar-loving voice chimes in: “Yeah. A sad milkshake. Made from kale and sadness. Dude. There’s sugar cookie bars. And they’re sitting right there! You should totally have one.”

Sensible voice, “No! You don’t want a sugar cookie bars at nine frickin’ o’clock in the morning! Keep walking! Kale smoothie. Kale Smoothie!”

Cookie voice, “Oh! They’re frosted! And are those…sprinkles? They are! Sprinkles are the best!”

Sensible voice, ‘You know what else is the best? Fitting into pants.”

Cookie voice, “Two words: yoga pants.”

Sensible voice: ::huffs::

Cookie voice: “Hey! I have an idea! Grab a knife. Cut a sliver—just a sliver of the bar. For a taste. You deserve a taste! I mean, it’s not like you ate a doughnut for breakfast. What if the bars got stale in the middle of the night. You don’t want Greg or your mother to accidentally eat a stale cookie.”

Sensible voice: “You kiddin’ me right now?”

Cookie voice: hands Elizabeth the knife

Elizabeth slices a thin piece off the bar. Eats it. Repeats the motion. Before exiting the kitchen, Elizabeth eats an entire bar–sliced into four small slivers

End scene.

Does something like this ever happen to you? (I’m going to pretend you said yes.) I rarely pick up an entire bar to eat. That would be bonkers. I just…you know, slice one up a few times and eat those slices. There’s less calories that way. Right? Right?

And not only are sugar cookie bars one of my favorite things to eat, they’re also one of my favorite things to bake.

To make a batch, all you need is some gluten-free all-purpose flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. Okay. That’s not all. There’s also some baking powder, salt, and vanilla thrown in for good measure. But seriously, these bars are all about butter, sugar, and eggs. They’re classic soft sugar cookies, like Lofthouse or Cheryl’s cookies, made into bars.

You press the dough into a 9×13 inch pan. (I recommend lining the pan with a piece of parchment paper. This makes the bars easy to remove. You just grab the paper and lift.)

Once the bars are cool, I frost them with a thin layer of vanilla buttercream. Yes. I said thin layer. Now, hear me out. This isn’t cake. So I don’t like mounds of frosting on the bars. If you prefer more frosting, double the recipe.

Finish the gluten-free sugar cookie bars with a light sprinkle of colored sugar or jimmies. Or, you could leave them plain. If you’re anything like me, you don’t care what they look like, you just want to enjoy them. One sliver at a time.

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Bars: Recipe Notes

The Flour: I developed this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. It works great. If you swap this flour for another blend, the results might change. Be sure to use a flour that includes xanthan gum. If your blend does not,  add 1/2 teaspoon to the recipe.

The Butter: If you’re dairy-free, substitute the butter with a dairy-free alternative. Something like Smart Balance works better than coconut oil or shortening in this recipe.

The Sugar: This recipe does not work with a sugar replacement.

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Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Bars

Easy gluten-free sugar cookie bars. Soft and buttery, these taste like a Lofthouse sugar cookie bar. Frosted with a simple buttercream.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 20 bars

Calories 200kcal

Ingredients

• 2 sticks softened butter 8 ounces/ 226 grams
• 1 cup granulated sugar 7 ounces/ 198 grams
• 2 large eggs about 4 ounces/ 113 grams out of shell
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour 13.75 ounces/ 390 grams
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 6 tablespoons softened butter (3 ounces/ 85 grams)
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (4 ounces/ 113 grams)
• 2 teaspoons milk, plus additional as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the bottom of the pan and overhang the sides. About 17-inches long and 9-inches wide.
• Mix together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth, about one minute on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, and allow them to incorporate after each addition. After you add the second egg, mix for one minute.
• Stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix for 20 seconds.
• Stop the mixer and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a dough forms.
• Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. (If the dough sticks to your hands, dust them lightly with gluten-free flour.)
• Bake until the edges of the bars are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan. Lift the bars out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.
• Frost the top of the bars. (recipe below) Sprinkle with colored sugar or gluten-free sprinkles. Cut into 15 bars. Store wrapped bars on the counter for up to four days.

For the Frosting

• Mix together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla. Mix until fluffy. If frosting seems too thick, add additional milk, one teaspoon at a time. Spread on cooled bars. 

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars: Mixing

You know what I love? Chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, and cookie bars. So…I put ’em together. These peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars are the best of all cookie worlds. You get the sweet-salty flavor of the peanut butter, the chocolate and molasses from chocolate chip cookies, and the ease of a cookie bar.

To make this recipe, you’ll need some basic gluten-free flours. You know I don’t use a premade flour blend. However, if you do, go ahead and use it in this recipe. Just be sure it doesn’t contain any gums. This recipe doesn’t need it.

Whisk together the dry ingredients and set the bowl aside. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter (or a solid dairy-free margarine) and your favorite creamy peanut butter with the dark brown sugar and vanilla extract. The dark brown sugar adds a nice molasses flavor. If you only keep light brown sugar in the house, do yourself a favor and pick up a box of dark brown sugar the next time you’re at the store. The flavor is top-notch. If all you have in the house is light brown sugar, go ahead and use it.

Cream the room temperature butter together with the peanut butter and dark brown sugar. To test if your butter is at room temperature, poke it. I’m not kidding. Poke the butter gently. Your finger should leave a gentle little indent in the butter.

You don’t want your butter melted or too cold. Basically, you need to turn into Goldilocks and make sure that your butter is “just right.”

Why is this important? If the butter is too soft, the bars come out dense. If the butter is too cold, it won’t mix evenly with the peanut butter and butter. So give your butter a poke.

Then add the eggs one at a time. Allow the first egg to incorporate into the mixture before adding the next. Once both eggs have been added, stop the mixer and give the bowl a scrape. You’ll be surprised how much butter-sugar mixture sticks to the bottom of the bowl with nary a drop of egg in it. Once you scrape the bottom of the bowl, mix the butter-sugar-egg mixture for another few seconds.

Stop the mixer and add the whisked dry ingredients. Then, starting at a low speed and increasing slowly to medium speed, mix until a thick batter forms. Again, stop the mixer. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for another few seconds. Then add the chocolate chips and mix until combined.

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars: Baking

To prevent the bars from sticking, you can line your baking pan with aluminum foil. I have to admit, this is a “do as I say, not as a I do” statement. For some reason, I lack the skills that allow a person to line a pan with foil without ripping the foil. Instead of foiling lining, I give my pan a generous coating of cooking spray and call it a day.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. This is key. The batter for these peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars is thick. This means that as you spread it, the batter might not want to go evenly into the corners of the pan. Make sure that it does. If not, the bars will either burn or be overdone at the edges. And no one wants that.

Bake until golden brown and aromatic. In my oven this takes about 35 minutes. When the bars are done, remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan. If you lined your pan with foil, go ahead and lift the bars out of the pan using the foil. If you didn’t line your pan with foil, (high five) cut the bars in the pan (take care not to scratch your pan as you cut).

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars: Storing

Go ahead and store these bars right on the counter for up to four days. If you don’t think you’ll eat them all by then, freeze the the bars. First allow the bars to cool, then wrap in plastic wrap. Place the bars in a freezer and you’re good for up to three months!

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars: Variations

Like most cookie bar recipes, these peanut butter chocolate chip bars are easy to modify.

Peanut-Free: Swap the peanut butter with a peanut-free spread, like sunbutter.affiliate link. NOTE: sunbutter tends to turn baked goods that contain baking powder bright green as they cool. It looks weird but it’s totally normal.

Almond Butter Bars: Replace the peanut butter with an equal amount of almond butter.

Double Chocolate: Add one cup of milk chocolate chips to the batter along with the dark chocolate chips.

Peanut-Plus: Add one cup of chopped peanuts. (Check to make sure your peanuts don’t contain any flavorings like onion or garlic powder. Some brands do and that would taste awful in these bars.)

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup brown rice flour (3 3/4 ounces; 106 grams)
• 1/3 cup potato starch (1 1/3 ounces; 36 grams)
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (use dairy-free solid spread if desired) (1/2 cup; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter or peanut-free spread (4 3/4 ounces; 135 grams)
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (6 ounces; 170 grams)
• 2 large eggs (3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (6 ounces; 170 grams)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 8x8x2-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In small bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In large bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy, about one minute. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well between each addition. Stop mixer and scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Turn mixer back on and continue to beat until mixture is light, fluffy, and almost white. Turn off mixer. Add dry ingredients, turn mixer to low and blend to combine. Add chocolate chips. Mix until just combined.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake until bars are puffy, golden brown, and a cake tester interested into the center of the bars comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 35 minutes. Place pan on wire rack to cool. When cooled, cut into 12 bars.

These bars take about an hour to make, 15 minutes or so to prep the batter and about 35 minutes to bake. Allow them to cool for at least 20 minutes before servings. (That’s a long 20 minutes, let me tell you!)

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