These are the easiest Gluten Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies, filled with semi sweet chocolate, creamy peanut butter and prepared into only 15 minutes! Better than a box mix, these 12 ingredient brownies are the dessert to serve to guest or make for the entire family.
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Brownies
I love that these chocolate brownies with peanut butter swirls hold their form while being super chewy and rich, not too cakey and they have the perfect amount of peanut butter. In a way, they taste like a chocolate peanut butter cup!
Find some of my other favorite chocolate dessert recipes: Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gluten-Free Molten Chocolate Lava Cake, and Creamy Oat Milk Hot Chocolate!
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Ingredients
- Cocoa Powder - I love Hershey's Dutch Process Cocoa Powder.
- Semi Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate bar - I love to use a bar of chocolate in brownies over chocolate chips since they tend to have less stabilizers and melt more smoothly.
- Vegan unsalted Butter or dairy butter- I like to use Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks.
- Neutral Oil - Canola, vegetable or avocado oil work well.
- Granulated Sugar and Brown Sugar
- Eggs - This recipe uses a combination of a whole egg and egg yolks to make these brownies fudgy.
- Vanilla Extract - Always try your best to use pure vanilla extract.
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour - This is my trusted gluten free flour blend of choice!
- Almond flour - Adds chewiness to the brownies.
- Tapioca flour/starch
- Peanut Butter - Smooth or crunchy!
Method
Step one: Whisk together ¼ cup boiling water with the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Then, set aside for later.
Step two: Add 1-2 inches water to a medium pot and bring to a simmer. Then, place a heatproof bowl on top. Add the chopped chocolate, water-cocoa mixture, plant-based butter & oil. Mix until fully melted. Then, turn off the heat and remove the bowl of melted ingredients.
Step three: Mix in the granulated sugar & brown sugar. Then, add the egg, egg yolks and vanilla extract.
Step four: Finally add the gluten free baking flour, tapioca starch/flour, and almond flour. Whisk until a thick batter forms.
Step five: Melt the peanut butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds until it is thin and soupy. Mix half of the peanut butter into the brownie batter.
Step six: Transfer the brownie batter to a 8"x8" parchment lined pan and spread into an even layer. Then, swirl the melted peanut butter on top.
Step seven: Bake the brownie for 30-35 minutes for a super fudgy brownie or up to 45 minutes for a less fudgy brownie.
Chef tips
- Using parchment paper will help you easily lift the brownie from the pan
- Warm the peanut butter slightly in the microwave before using - this will help make the peanut butter easier to swirl.
- Chill the cooled brownies - Chill for at least 2 hour for easy slicing.
- Use good quality chocolate bar - The better quality the chocolate, the better the brownie will taste.
Best pan for making brownies
For this recipe using a 8-inch x 8-inch square baking pan is ideal! I prefer a light colored pan, since sometimes the dark colored non-stick pans can cause the brownies to overcook. USA Pan has the perfect non-stick baking pan option that I always use!
Recipe variations & add-ins
- Add ½ cup chopped walnuts into the brownie batter before putting it in the pan.
- Make these brownies more allergen friendly by substitution the peanut butter with sunflower butter.
- Add ½ cup chocolate chips into the brownie batter before pouring it into the pan to make these double chocolate brownies!
- Bake these brownies into mini muffin tins. Just be sure to cut the bake time down and check on them at the 15-18 minute mark!
- Mix raw cookie dough clumps through the brownie mixture and bake!
If you love peanut butter dessert recipes, try my Giant Reese's Peanut Butter Cup recipe and Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!
FAQ's
Absolutely! These brownies would be wonderful with almond butter, sunflower butter or any other nut butter. Nut butter brownies for the win! I love trying new variations of recipes and encourage you to do the same.
I have not personally tested this recipe being made vegan, but you can try swapping the egg for the Just Egg product or using a flax egg. Worse comes to worse, your brownie isn't super stable and is simply extra gooey.
Storage
- Store in a container on the counter for 2-3 days, but if you prefer a cold brownie keep them in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- These brownies also freeze perfectly for 2-3 months.
More delicious chocolate recipes
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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cocoa powder I recommend Hershey's brand
- 5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate roughly chopped
- 6 tablespoons plant based unsalted butter (or dairy butter) cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup neutral oil such as vegetable, grapeseed, canola oil or avocado oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar light or dark
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup gluten free flour blend I prefer Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- ¼ cup finely ground blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour/starch
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8” x 8” square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together ¼ cup boiling water with the cocoa powder. Set aside.
- Fill a medium pot with 1-inch of water and set a heatproof bowl on top (the water should not be able to touch the bowl). Bring the water to a simmer, then turn to low heat.
- To the heatproof bowl add the chopped chocolate, water-cocoa mixture, plant-based butter & oil. Mix until completely melted.
- Once chocolate is melted, turn the stovetop off. Carefully remove the heatproof bowl from the pot and set onto a towel on the counter. Allow to cool slightly, about 3-5 minutes.
- Next, mix both sugars into the chocolate mixture. Then, beat in the egg & egg yolks, along with vanilla extract.
- Stir in the gluten free flour, almond flour & tapioca. Mix until flour is no longer visible, about 1 minute.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the peanut butter for about 20 seconds until thin and soupy.
- Mix half of the melted peanut butter into the chocolate mixture, until no longer visible. Save the remaining peanut butter for later.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
- Drizzle the remaining melted peanut butter over the brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl the peanut butter through the batter, creating a marbled texture.
- Bake the brownie for 30-35 minutes for a super fudgy brownie or up to 45 minutes for a less fudgy brownie.
- After baking, allow to cool completely and place in the fridge for up to 1 hour before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Both semisweet or bittersweet chocolate work perfectly. You can choose whichever you like best!
- I prefer to use a chocolate bar rather than chocolate chips. Chocolate bars have less stabilizers and tend to be a bit higher quality.
- You can use dairy butter if you like instead of the vegan option.
- Be careful not to over mix the batter otherwise it can become tough from mixing the eggs too much.
- Feel free to use smooth or chunky peanut butter. I used smooth peanut butter here but either option will work!
Lori Green says
What's your opinion on using a different gluten free flour blend?
Dalya Rubin says
Hi Lori,
I think you can swap a different 1 to 1 gluten-free flour for this recipe, such as King Arthurs or another brand. As long as the flour is known as a "1 to 1 cup" substitute, it should work similarly.
Best of luck!
- Dalya