Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies are the ultimate gluten free treat! This 1 bowl dessert recipe is sweet, dense, chewy, and chocolatey.
Honey, I baked!
BTW, if you ever hear me complaining about my job please remind me of the time I made and ate so many Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies that my face broke out. I mean the side effects stink, but baking batch after batch of ooey gooey gluten free blondies this past past week has been a total dream.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies are like under-baked cookies in bar form which, if you’re into cookies for the dough and not the tedious scooping (hi, me), this recipe will totally work for you!
What are Blondies?
If you’ve never heard of a blondie, they’re basically brownies without the cocoa, flavored with fragrant vanilla extract instead. Plus blondies are sweetened using brown sugar versus white sugar so they’re fantastically chewy with a tacky, dense center. They are such a treat!
This version of blondies adds peanut butter and dark chocolate chips because WHY THE HECK NOT. Ahem. That is to say, like Ross and Rachel, pizza and Joey, and Rachel and her ever-changing hair (god bless Friends re-runs) the duo of chocolate and peanut butter is iconic and absolutely delicious.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies are also made in one bowl with everyday ingredients that I guarantee you have in your kitchen right now. They’re incredibly easy to whip up, and a joy to eat. And eat. And EAT. (Pass the night cream.)
Let’s bake!
How to Make this Recipe
Start by adding melted >> cooled butter and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl then whisk to combine.
Next add peanut butter then whisk to combine. I haven’t tested this recipe using “natural-style” peanut butter, aka the drippy/runny kind, so I can’t say for sure how it would affect baking time/texture.
Rounding out the dry ingredients is a couple eggs plus vanilla extract.
Switch to a spatula then stir in gluten free 1:1 or “measure for measure” flour plus baking soda and salt.
I tested this recipe using King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour blend. Whatever blend you use, make sure it’s a 1:1 or cup for cup blend that includes a binder like xanthan gum, vs a single gluten free flour like almond flour.
Then add dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Since these bars are super rich, I like going the dark chocolate route since they’re less sweet than semi-sweet or milk chocolate. Enjoy Life is my go-to for gluten free chocolate chips!
Scoop the batter into a nonstick sprayed 9×13″ baking dish then press into an even layer and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees or until the center is just barely set. Much better to under-bake these blondies a tad than over-bake, or else they can turn crumbly.
Also, I found that I couldn’t rely on a toothpick to check for doneness in this recipe (the first time I made them a toothpick stuck into the center came out clean but the dough was still completely molten,) so gently press with your fingertips in the center. If it feels jiggly, keep baking.
As with many gluten free baked goodies, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies taste better and better the longer they sit. Translation: as yummy as they are on day 1 after cooling, be sure to save some for days 2 and 3. YUM!! Hope you love these chewy, gooey, gluten free treats! Enjoy!
More Irresistible Chocolate Treats
- Gluten Free Scotcheroos
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten Free S’Mores Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes
- Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
- Buckeyes (Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, 1-1/2 sticks, melted then slightly cooled
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, see notes
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder, see notes
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups gluten free dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, Enjoy Life recommended
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add cooled melted butter and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl then whisk to combine. Add peanut butter then whisk to combine. Add eggs and vanilla then whisk until smooth. Add gluten free flour, baking soda, and salt then switch to a spatula and stir to combine. Lastly, add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- Scoop mixture into prepared baking dish then use the spatula to press dough into an even layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until center is just barely set, placing a piece of foil gently on top of the baking dish at the 20 minute mark. DO NOT OVERBAKE! Better to underbake vs overbake these blondies or they can get crumbly. In my experience, a toothpick inserted into the center does not indicate doneness. Feel the top of the center of the blondies with your fingertips. If it's jiggly, keep baking (just not for too long!)
- Let blondies cool completely before slicing into bars and serving. Blondies taste best at least one day after baking.
Notes
- I have not tested this recipe with "natural-style" (aka runny/drippy) peanut butter.
- I like King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour for this recipe.
- Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! Our family loves these bars and can’t even tell they are GF.
LOVE to hear this, Jodie!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!