Gluten Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

If you love brownies and you love peanut butter, you are going to really enjoy this recipe. These gluten free peanut butter swirl brownies are everything you want in a dessert – chocolatey, a little salty, and perfectly fudgy.

I made these for a friend who eats gluten free, and honestly everyone at the table kept going back for more. Nobody even asked if they were gluten free, they just wanted to know how I made them.

The base uses almond flour instead of regular wheat flour, which gives the brownies a nice dense texture that works really well here. It also means the recipe is naturally gluten free without any extra effort.

The peanut butter swirl on top adds a creamy contrast to the chocolate, and it only takes a couple of extra minutes to put together. It is one of those small touches that makes a big difference.

This recipe is straightforward and easy to follow. Let’s get into it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Gluten Free Without Compromise – These brownies use almond flour instead of regular flour, so you get that rich, fudgy texture without any gluten. You honestly won’t even notice the difference.

That Peanut Butter Swirl Though – The creamy peanut butter swirl on top isn’t just pretty to look at, it adds a salty-sweet contrast that takes these brownies from good to absolutely irresistible.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Is a Perfect Combo – There’s a reason chocolate and peanut butter is one of the most loved flavor pairings out there. These brownies bring those two flavors together in every single bite.

Almond Flour Makes Them Extra Fudgy – Almond flour doesn’t dry out baked goods the way some gluten free flours can. It actually makes these brownies denser and more fudgy, which is exactly what you want in a brownie.

Ingredients

For the Brownie Batter

• 1 cup Almond Flour
• 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 tsp Salt

For the Peanut Butter Swirl

• 1/3 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Step 2

Melt the butter and mix it thoroughly with the granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Step 3

Stir in the almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt until a rich brownie batter forms. Pour this into the prepared dish.

Step 4

In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Step 5

Drop dollops of the peanut butter mixture over the brownie batter and use a butter knife to gently swirl it through.

Step 6

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, then let it cool completely before slicing.

Helpful Tips

Let the Melted Butter Cool a Bit

After you melt the butter, give it about 3-5 minutes to cool down before you mix it with the eggs and sugar. If the butter is too hot, it will start cooking the eggs as soon as they touch, and you’ll end up with little scrambled egg bits in your batter.

It should still be warm and liquid, just not steaming hot. Think warm to the touch, not “ouch” hot.

Sift the Cocoa Powder First

Cocoa powder loves to clump up, and those clumps don’t break apart easily once they’re in the batter. Run it through a fine mesh sieve before you add it in, and you’ll get a much smoother brownie.

If you skip this step, you might bite into a pocket of dry cocoa powder in the finished brownie, which tastes bitter and chalky. It only takes 30 seconds and makes a real difference.

Use Room Temperature Eggs

Pull your eggs out of the fridge about 20-30 minutes before you start baking. Room temperature eggs blend into the butter and sugar mixture way more evenly than cold ones do.

Cold eggs can cause the melted butter to seize up and get clumpy, which makes it harder to get a smooth batter. If you forgot to take them out early, just place them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes and they’ll be ready to go.

You Might Also Like

• Gluten Free Brownie Cheesecake Swirl
• Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark
• Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cup Pie
• Gluten Free Peanut Butter Fudge
• Gluten Free Salted Caramel Brownies

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different nut butter instead of peanut butter?

Yes, you can swap the creamy peanut butter for almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter. Any smooth, creamy nut or seed butter will work well for the swirl.

Just make sure whatever you use is creamy and not chunky, since you need it to swirl smoothly into the brownie batter. The flavor will change a little, but the texture and look will stay the same.