peanut butter bars and bite. Gluten-free and vegan
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GF Peanut Butter Bars & Bites

GF Peanut Butter Bars & Bites are so good it’s hard to believe they are gluten, dairy, and egg-free! I should mention that they are healthier than most dessert bars too.

I’ll be honest, I love the “lunch lady” peanut butter bars, but I don’t love the calories, and they don’t work with my food sensitivities.

When I discovered this recipe, I was ecstatic. The same peanut butter taste with a dreamy moist center makes it like the real deal. Add some chocolate, and now I am completely satisfied!

 

peanut butter bars and bits, gluten-free and vegan

To Make GF Peanut Butter Bars & Bites, You Will Need:

  • unsweetened applesauce
  • peanut butter ~ or a substitute nut or seed butter
  • vanilla
  • baking soda
  • oat flour ~ gluten-free if needed
  • sugar ~ Monk Fruit Sweetener for a low-sugar bar
  • semi-sweet mini chocolate chips ~ allergy-friendly if needed
  • milk or a non-dairy substitute
  • optional mini M&Ms or an allergy-friendly option

Allergy-Friendly Options You Should Know:

  • Even though these are peanut butter bars, feel free to substitute SunButter or any nut butter that works for your lifestyle and diet.
  • Use any dry sweetener you prefer. So far, I have tried raw organic cane sugar, beet sugar, and Monk Fruit Sweetener. Coconut sugar is also an option.
  • I used Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips because they are gluten, dairy, egg, nut, and soy-free but not corn-free.
  • HunnyBon Chocolate Chips are soy, corn, gluten, dairy, and cane sugar-free, sweetened only with coconut sugar.
  • Lilly’s Chocolate Chips are sugar-free, sweetened with stevia and gluten, egg, and some (not all) are dairy-free, but not corn-free.
  • For a dairy-free option instead of Mini M&Ms, try Choco No No’s; they are dairy, peanut, soy, gluten-free, and vegan.

**Please note:  Ingredients can change, so please check labels or with the company if needed.

peanut butter bars healthy and gluten-free

This peanut butter bar recipe can be made in the traditional bar shape or a mini cupcake pan.

 

Here is an option for the baked peanut butter bites:

  • Add some mini peanut butter cups, Rolos, chocolate kisses, allergy-friendly chocolate chips, or a spoonful of peanut butter in the middle. A crowd favorite is the peanut butter-filled cups. There is never too much peanut butter for my taste!!

peanut butter bites gluten-free and vegan

 

A Few Fun Facts About These GF Peanut Butter Bars & Bites:

  1. There are 6 grams of protein in each serving.
  2. Weight watcher points plus count 4 points per serving made without M&Ms.
  3. Try some frozen they are fantastic!
  4. Twice as much fiber and over 30mg less cholesterol than traditional cookie bars.

Indulge in another decadent dessert bar; try these Super Fudgy Sweet Potato Brownies.

GF Peanut Butter Bars & Bites

Healthier Peanut Butter Bars that are as amazing as the "lunch ladies" with gluten-free and allergy-friendly options.
Prep Time7 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 30 minute recipe, allergy-friendly, easy recipe, flourless recipe, gluten-free, lunch lady, peanut butter bars, peanut butter bites
Servings: 12 Servings
Calories: 226kcal
Author: Mary Krick

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter ~ crunchy is ok too
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt omit if needed
  • 5 tbsp oat flour
  • 2/3 cup sugar or Monk Fruit Sweetener for sugar-free
  • 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ~ Lilly's for stevia-sweetened; Enjoy Life for allergy-friendly
  • 1 tbsp milk or non-dairy substitute
  • 3 tbsp mini M&Ms optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper
  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine applesauce, vanilla extract, and room temperature peanut butter. Mix these ingredients together very well.
  • Add sugar and mix well.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients until the mixture is smooth; it will look like thick, gooey cookie dough.
  • Press mixture into the prepared pan or into the mini cupcake pan.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes, (10-15 for bites) remove from the oven, and let them sit for about 20-30 minutes. They will continue to firm up...unless they disappear within the first hour or so.

Notes

**Mine did not stick in the mini cupcake pan, but for the bars, I would line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
The nutritional count shown in the recipe is with M&Ms or Choco No Nos.
**WW points plus count 4 WW points per serving without M&Ms or Choco No Nos.
**WW points plus with M&Ms is 6 each.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

peanut butter bars that are healthier and gluten-free

 

This recipe was inspired by www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com

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