Two-Tone Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars ~ Gluten-Free Option

These Two-Tone Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars are a dream come true if you love soft, chewy peanut butter and chocolate treats. These brownie bars smell so good while baking that they draw everybody to the kitchen. It’s best to let them reach room temperature before trying to cut and serve them, but if you are like me and can’t wait, a fork will work just fine.

Cut the bars into squares and freeze them for a delightful, chewy, frozen treat. You will have to decide which way is more delicious. You can also keep them in the refrigerator for a perfectly irresistible candy-like dessert.

Even though I suggest using peanut butter, you could use any nut butter you like. Try mixing it up by adding different flavors of chips, too. Butterscotch with Nutella is another winning combination. That recipe can be found here: Chewy Nutella Swirl Brownies.

This is optional but good; drizzle some melted regular Creamy Jiff or Skippy Natural peanut butter over the bars after cooling. No-stir peanut butter won’t work for the drizzle because it doesn’t set once it has cooled. Just melt about one-fourth of a cup of peanut butter in the microwave for 20-40 seconds, stirring a couple of times until the peanut butter is smooth and liquid enough to drizzle.

Have you ever had a brownie with ice cream (or non-dairy) on top? These are the perfect brownies for that!

To Make Two-Tone Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars, You Will Need These Ingredients:

• Brown sugar
• Butter or a non-dairy substitute
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour or gluten-free one-to-one blend, I used King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour Blend
• Baking powder ~ corn-free if needed
• Salt
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips ~ Allergy-friendly if needed, such as Lieber’s Vegan Semi-Sweet Real Chocolate Chips
• Cream cheese ~ dairy-free if needed
• Peanut butter ~ substitute with SunButter for nut-free

I mention in the recipe below that I like to use two 9″x 9″ baking pans instead of a 9″x 13″ because I prefer parchment paper as a liner, and the brownies are easier to lift out of the pan.

These chocolate peanut butter bars are also perfect for a Harvest or Halloween party.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Two-Tone Peanut Butter Bars

Chewy, soft, and dreamy peanut butter and chocolate in a brownie-type treat with gluten and dairy-free options

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chewy peanut butter and chocolate brownies, dairy-free brownies, gluten-free peanut butter bars, Peanut butter swirl bars, two-tone peanut butter bars

Servings: 24 Bars

Calories: 301kcal

Author: Mary Krick

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Brown sugar packed
• 1 cup Butter ~ dairy-free if needed
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Egg yolk
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour ~ substitute a gluten-free one-to-one blend if needed ~ I used King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder ~ corn-free if needed
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips ~ Allergy-friendly if needed
• 4 ounce Cream cheese ~ dairy-free if needed
• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter (not unsweetened) ~ Almond or cashew butter is an option too

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Line a 9”x 13” baking pan with foil, including sides, so brownies can be lifted out after baking. You will also need to spray the foil with a non-stick spray.

  See notes for the optional baking pan I like to use.
• In a medium-sized saucepan, combine sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat and let it sit to cool slightly.
• Once it has cooled slightly add the 2 eggs and vanilla, whisk mixture well.
• In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add flour mixture to sugar mixture and stir to combine.
• Fold in chocolate chips, then spread into prepared pan.
• In a small bowl beat cream cheese with the egg yolk then add peanut butter and mix until creamy.
• Drop spoonfuls of peanut butter mixture over batter in baking pan.
• The mixture is thick but try to swirl the peanut butter mixture through the brownie mixture trying not to scrape the bottom of the pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
• When brownies reach room temperature, lift them from the pan, holding onto the edges of the foil. You can also refrigerate them before lifting out of the pan to make it easier.
• Cut into squares. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.
• Store peanut butter two-tone bars in the refrigerator or freezer. These are outrageous frozen!

Notes

Optional drizzle: Melt 3 Tbsp of creamy peanut butter in the microwave and drizzle over cut bars. The drizzle will firm up when it reaches room temperature. 

** I like to make these brownies in two 9" x 9" square pans instead of a large one. I use parchment paper instead of foil to line the pans. No non-stick spray is needed with the parchment paper.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Bar | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 336IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg