These gluten free buckeye brownies are everything a peanut butter and chocolate lover needs. The best chewy yet fudgy gluten free brownies covered in a rich but light peanut buttercream frosting and then topped with a chocolate ganache.
Buckeyes are kind of a big deal around here. Technically I am only a hop skip and a jump away from the Buckeye state so naturally I grew up eating buckeye's every holiday season.
And just in case you aren't familiar with what a buckeye candy is, it is a sugary peanut butter treat that has a creamy peanut butter filling and a chocolate coating on the outside. They are made to look just like a buckeye...hence the name.
But to be honest, making buckeye candy seems way too involved to me. I am a simple desserts kind of girl, and if it is too much to type out to explain to you guys, then it's way too complicated of a recipe in my opinion.
But because I never want you to miss out on this amazing gluten free peanut butter chocolatey goodness of a dessert, I made it for you in brownie form.
It honestly can't be beat. The brownies are perfect in my opinion. And if you don't like chewy brownies then your opinion doesn't matter. Just kidding.
Kinda.
The chewy brownies are fudgy, not cakey. And there is a middle layer of a super smooth, sweet and not too rich peanut butter buttercream. And to top it all off you get a layer of chocolate ganache.
One would think this would be over kill in a dessert.
But it is not overkill my friends. It is pure bliss.
Ingredients and substitutions
So you don't think I am crazy for having a recipe with a ton of ingredients I am going to break this down into layers. To make these gluten free buckeye brownies you will need:
Gluten free brownie layer
- butter
- semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- sugar
- eggs
- cocoa powder
- salt
- gluten free 1-1 flour (I used this gluten free flour)
- vanilla
Buttercream Layer
- peanut butter
- butter
- powdered sugar
- milk (dairy or non dairy)
Chocolate ganache
- semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- high fat milk or cream or coconut milk from a can (regular or dairy free)
Substitutions
I normally like to offer substitutions for my recipes. But for this recipe I am just not gonna do it.
Here's the deal. Gluten free brownies (in my opinion) are really freaking hard to get perfect. If you sub ANYTHING in them, its going to change the way these were meant to be.
So if you decide to sub something in, you need to know it was not by my recommendation. Said in my most sweetest voice ever.
Expert tips and how to store
A few tips to make this recipe easy breazy:
- use parchment paper to line the pan for the brownies. It will make your life so much easier.
- use room temperature ingredients for everything in the recipe
- be sure not to skip the step where you place the brownies with the buttercream layer in the fridge before pouring the ganache on top. Otherwise you risk the buttercream mixing with the ganache
Storage
If you are not eating the brownies all in one day, it's best to store these in the fridge in a sealed container. They do freeze well after being baked. Just set them out at room temperature to thaw.
You can serve these room temperature or cold. I loved both.
Let's go make some buckeye brownies!
PrintRecipe
Gluten Free Buckeye Brownies
- Prep Time: 60
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 80
- Yield: 10 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Incredible gluten free buckeye brownies for the chocolate peanut butter lover! 3 amazing layers with a fudgy chewy brownie as the base, smooth and sweet peanut butter buttercream middle and chocolate ganache topping.
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- ¾ cup of measure for measure or 1-1 gluten free flour mix (with xanthan gum)
- 1 cup of sugar
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup of semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 2 large eggs
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons of room temperature butter
- 1-2 tablespoons of milk (dairy or dairy free, I used coconut milk from a carton)
- ¼ cup of peanut butter (runny pb preferrable)
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- ¼ cup of full fat coconut milk, half and half or heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan add your butter and chocolate chips. Melt on low/medium heat and whisk every few minutes while melting. Do not boil. Remove from heat once it has melted.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients- flour, sugar, salt, cocoa. Whisk really well to combine and evenly distribute.
- In a separate bowl whisk your eggs, vanilla and then pour into your dry ingredients. Stir with a mixing spoon until barely combine and then add your melted butter/chocolate to the mixing bowl. Mix briskly until combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and evenly distribute with a knife or even your hands that have been dampened with water. The batter will be thick. Bake for 20 minutes. Do not over bake. The center will be soft, the edges will begin to firm. These will continue to bake once you remove from the oven. Set aside and let brownies cool to room temperature in the pan on a cooling rack.
Peanut Butter Buttercream
- While brownies are cooling, place your powdered sugar, softened butter, and peanut butter in a mixing bowl. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer and begin to mix this together. Once it is somewhat incorporated (it will be dry) add your milk one tablespoon at a time. Whip on high until you have a smooth fluffy buttercream. If too thick add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time, if too thin add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Place this in the fridge until brownies have cooled.
- Once the brownies are room temperature spread the buttercream evenly on top of the brownies. Place the brownies back in the fridge and let the buttercream become set (firm to touch) This took about an hour for me.
Chocolate Ganache
- When the buttercream is set, begin to make your ganache.
- Place your chocolate in a saucepan or double broiler and slowly and gently heat over very low heat. Chocolate will burn easily so do not rush this. Stir while the chocolate melts and continue to stir and melt until the chocolate is smooth, shiny and almost all they way melted.
- Add the milk and remove from heat. Stir briskly to combine and set aside. Cool the ganache to 85°F before pouring over the buttercream.
- Once cooled enough to pour, pour evenly over the buttercream filling and gently smooth over top. Place back in the fridge until the ganache is set and hardened.
- Slice into even squares once it is set. Use a very sharp knife and it can help to run under hot water and then dry really well before cutting. Serve cool or room temperature. Store in the fridge or freezer in a sealed container.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: gluten free brownies, gluten free buckeye brownies, chewy brownies, chocolate, peanut butter.
Need more peanut butter in your life? Try these Gluten Free Flourless Peanut Butter Blondies or these Flourless Gluten Free White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
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