Fudgy Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

8/14/19

Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Brownies taste ridiculously amazing. Rich, fudgy homemade brownies are swirled with peanut butter and dotted with chunks of Reese’s peanut butter cups for a decadent chocolaty dessert nobody can resist. This easy gluten-free brownie recipe is definitely one of the ultimate chocolate peanut butter desserts!

Originally published on March 25, 2014. Updated and republished on July 19, 2017.

I have a peanut butter problem. I am seriously addicted to the stuff. Like, open jar and insert spoon-type addicted. Throw chocolate into the mix and forget about it.

When I was little, we always went to this ice cream place where they make Blend-Ins – you know, ice cream whizzed up with toppings. My order every single time – chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cups. 

I’ll let you guess what were the first types of candy to disappear from my Halloween stash. I mean, the only reason to not devour all the Reese’s is to make a Reeses Cake so that I can just eat more chocolate and peanut butter with my chocolate and peanut butter.

And do you think I usually make a blueberry smoothie or a pineapple smoothie or something like that? Nope. Most often it’s, yup, you guessed it, a Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie!

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

So these aren’t just any brownies. Naturally, they are chocolate peanut butter brownies! Beyond that, they are flourless brownies for extra gooey, chocolate intensity. Then they are swirled with creamy, dreamy peanut butter for that salty, peanutty contrast to the sweet, fudgy brownie. And, of course, they are scattered with chunks of peanut butter cups for texture, and, you know, more chocolate and peanut butter.

Just pour me a glass of milk and give me one (dozen)! Or if you are actually willing to share, brownies are always one of the best potluck ideas for dessert. So bring a batch along with that lasagna or corn casserole.

What do you need to make these gluten-free brownies?

Ingredients:

• Chocolate chips
• Butter
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Cocoa powder
• Almond meal
• Salt
• Vanilla
• Peanut butter
• Peanut butter cups

Equipment:

• 13×9 inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Double boiler or a heatproof bowl and a saucepan
• Rubber spatula
• Whisk
• Butter knife or small spatula

How do you make Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Brownies?

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
2. Melt the butter and chocolate chips together in a double boiler or in a glass bowl over a simmering pot of water.
3. Set it aside to cool.
4. Whisk the eggs and sugar until they get thick and pale yellow. 
5. Add the chocolate mixture a little at a time into the egg mixture, whisking constantly until it is smooth.
6. Whisk in the almond meal, vanilla, cocoa powder, and salt.
7. Pour the brownie batter into the baking pan.
8. Drizzle the brownie batter with peanut butter and swirl it around, and sprinkle on the peanut butter cups.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes or set in the middle. 
10. Cool completely in the pan.

Homemade Peanut Butter Brownie Recipe Tips:

• I recommend lining your baking pan with parchment paper. It really helps with removing these uber-gooey brownies from the pan.
• Don’t rush the step where you whisk the eggs. It really only takes a minute or two, but when you add the eggs to the sugar and whisk, you want to be sure the mixture gets very pale yellow and thick. And yes, I do typically do this by hand with a wire whisk. I figure it helps burn off some of the brownie calories.
• The best way to tell if the brownies are done is just by looking to see if they are set in the middle. You can try to see if a toothpick inserted comes out clean, but with the peanut butter and bits of Reese’s, you might not be able to tell that way.

Are Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Brownies gluten free?

As I mentioned, this is a flourless brownie recipe, so it is naturally gluten free. It is my go-to brownie recipe, and I’ve turned it into everything from Ricotta Brownies to Turtle Brownies

While these brownies don’t contain all-purpose flour, they do have almond meal or almond flour, which is gluten free and typically easy to find these days.

Always be sure to read labels on ingredient such as vanilla extract and cocoa powder to ensure that they do not have any sneaky gluten-containing ingredients or are produced in a facility where there could be cross-contamination. You might also want to check your chocolate chips. I always use the Costco-sized bag of Nestle Toll House Morsels.

So there’s just one last thing to check when making Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Brownies.

Are Peanut Butter Cups gluten free?

Hershey states on their website that all Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are gluten-free except the specially shaped ones for the holidays. So just stick with the regular or mini Reese’s and you are good to go.

You can also use Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups, which are certified gluten-free.

What are more gluten-free chocolate and peanut butter desserts? 

• Reeses Ice Cream Cake is an epic way to celebrate a birthday.
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Roll is flourless and fudgy with a rich peanut butter mousse
• Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies have three kinds of chocolate with all that peanut butter.
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Parfait by Hip Foodie Mom has rich layers of fluffy mousse.
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Scones by All Day I Dream About Food make a great low carb breakfast or dessert.
• Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cups by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

What are more reader favorite gluten-free dessert recipes?

• Strawberries and Cream Gluten Free Cake is always a classic.
• Mini Crustless Pumpkin Pie is the best part of the fall favorite.
• Creamsicle Jello Mold is stunning, yet simple, with that classic orange cream flavor.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Brownies Recipe

Making gluten-free brownies doesn’t get any easier than when you just skip the flour completely and bake flourless brownies. This makes them extra rich and fudgy. Then add swirls of peanut butter and plenty of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and you have a pan of epic chocolate peanut butter brownies that nobody can resist. You get double the chocolate, double the peanut butter, and none of that pesky flour. 

Print Recipe

4.85 from 20 votes

Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Rich, fudgy brownies swirled with peanut butter and chunks of peanut butter cups make these flourless brownies ridiculously amazing (and gluten free!).

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brownies, gluten free desserts, kid friendly, peanut butter cup desserts, peanut butter recipes, vegetarian

Servings: 24

Calories: 189kcal

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 12 mini peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 13×9 inch pan with parchment paper (or grease really, really well, though I’d recommend the parchment).
• In a double boiler or a bowl set over a simmering pan of water, melt the butter, then add the chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar for a minute or two.
• Add melted chocolate mixture a little at a time, whisking well after each addition.
• Whisk in the cocoa powder, almond meal, salt, and vanilla.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
• Place small dollops of the peanut butter over the batter and then create swirls with a butter knife or small spatula. Scatter the chopped peanut butter cups over the top of the batter and lightly press in any larger chunks.
• Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until just set in the middle.
• Cool completely in the pan before cutting.

Notes

Adapted from these Flourless Nutella Cheesecake Swirl Brownies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Enjoy!

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