Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blondies

Updated 31st October 2023
These blondies are deliciously peanut buttery, not overly sweet, and have just enough chocolate in them. These blondies or cookie bars have a delicate texture- soft, but chewy, and loaded with peanut butter flavor for the perfect treat/dessert. They also happen to be gluten free, and are vegan compatible. They are made with almond flour and oats and are easy to make. All you need is a bowl and spoon or whisk, (no mixer required) they take minutes to put together and bake up in under 30 minutes. Blondie and chocolate cravings satisfy in no time. This is a gluten free version of a classic blondie recipe that is adaptable too - make sure to look out for all the substitutions and add-in suggestions below.

What’s the Difference Between a Brownie and a Blondie (and a cookie bar)?

If you’re not familiar with “blondies,” they are basically brownies without cocoa powder added in. They remind me of a deep dish cookie, with more of a buttery, brown sugar flavor that is why they are often called cookie bars as well. These Peanut Butter Blondies are very similar and just as delicious as my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars but these are a gluten free version. Unlike cookies, spread is not an issue with blondie dough since these blondies/cookie bars are contained to a baking pan. That means you can start by browning your butter (if you choose to or just melt it) to bring out all the toasty nuttiness and still bake the blondies immediately without chilling.

I partnered up with Bob’s Red Mill to share yet another tasty recipe using their Bob’s Red Mill Super fine almond flour. I like baking with almond flour - my easy almond flour muffins are a favourite in our home. I love the sweet toasty flavor almond flour gives baked goods and other recipes. Almond flour adds moisture and subtle warm and cozy flavor notes, but the resulting blondies do not taste at all like almonds. When it comes to these gluten free blondies - I really love the soft and chewy and all around gooey goodness that the combination of almond flour, oats, butter and a few other things gives these bars. I also love how simple they are to whip up and even how adaptable they are. You can also switch the add ins up a bit, which is also fun.

Which Peanut Butter is Best for Blondies?

I use all-natural peanut butter when making this recipe, which has no added oil or sugar. (You can make my homemade peanut butter recipe in no time) If you want to use a peanut butter like Jif or Skippy, that will most likely not work. It’s too thick and will not incorporate as well into the batter so stick to runny natural peanut butter for this recipe.

Peanut Butter Blondie Recipe Ingredients:

• PEANUT BUTTER: As I mentioned about You must use a smooth and drippy style peanut butter, with no added sugar. See below for other nut butter options.
• SUGAR: I like to use a blend of both granulated sugar and brown sugar but feel free to use one or the other. If you want these a little less sweet you can reduce the amount of sugar by up to ¼ cup. Brown sugar always adds that chew factor in baked goods.
• BUTTER: I use unsalted butter and I like to brown mine too for extra flavour. For more details on how to brown butter check out recipe notes below. You can use a vegan butter in its place or even melted coconut oil for a plant based option
• EGGS: Room temperature eggs.
• VANILLA EXTRACT: Always gives baked good a distinct warm flavour
• BAKING SODA: Gives the blondies a little lift and rise.
• CHOCOLATE: I used chopped mini dark chocolate thin peanut butter cups and mini regular peanut butter cups, but you can use dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips or any of your favourite candy bars chopped up. Feel free to use a dairy free chocolate if you prefer. You can also use peanut butter chips.
• ALMOND FLOUR: I used blanched almond flour - you can use Any other nut flour in its place but not all purpose flour. The ratios are not the same so it would not yield the same texture blondies.
• OATS: I used gluten free old fashion rolled oats not steel cut oats. Their absorption of liquids is different and yields different results when baking with them so make sure to use old fashioned rolled oats.
  
  

How Do You Make Peanut Butter Blondies?

These are quite easy to whip up and can be in the oven in no time at all. Here are the easy steps (full instructions are in recipe below):

1. Start by melting your butter or browning
2. Whisk all your dry ingredients: almond flour, oats, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl whisk together the melted or brown butter, eggs, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until fully combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix to fully incorporate. Do NOT over-mix the batter as this will releases some of the oils from the almond flour, producing blondies that are greasy on the bottom.
5. Fold in the chopped chocolate or your favorite add ins.
6. Transfer the batter into an 8 x 8-inch pan lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake the blondies in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and allow the blondies to cool in the pan completely, before removing and slicing up. (For chewier blondies do not over bake)
   
   

Can I make these without eggs?

Yes, if you’d like to make these blondies without eggs, you can replace it with either a flax egg per egg in the recipe (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water. Let sit for 10 minutes, for a gel to form) or a chia egg (1 tablespoon ground chia seed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water). Your batter will be thicker but will bake well.

What can I substitute the peanut butter with?

If you have a peanut allergy or want to make this recipe nut free, you can substitute the peanut butter with either almond butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter. Please ensure the nut/seed butter is drippy/runny and smooth in texture and has no added sugar.

Tips to making delicious blondies:

• If you want to make these Salted peanut butter blondies feel free to use salted peanut butter
• Do not overbake the blondies. They continue to cook while they are cooling down. For chewy more gooey blondies - underbake them slightly - only bake until just set and golden around the edges
• For cakier blondies, add a ¼ cup more oats
• Pack the Almond Flour - just as you would pack brown sugar
• Use room temperature Ingredients - from the eggs to butter this will ensure everything gets incorporated into the batter evenly
• Mix the wet ingredients well - because we are baking with peanut butter and even if it’s the drippy kind it’s still quite thick and it’s important to whisk the wet ingredients well so that they are all fully incorporated before adding the dry ingredients.
  
  

If you liked this recipe than you will love these:

• Brown Butter Earl Grey Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Chocolate Chip and Pecan Almond Butter Blondies
• Cookie Butter Breakfast Blondies
• Chocolate Hazelnut Espresso Brownies
• Nutella S’mores Bars
• Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
• No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
• Flourless Chocolate Dipped Salted Peanut Butter Cookies