One of my favourite go to baking recipes....
This week I thought I would share a recipe that makes it into my kitchen on a regular basis. As the pace of my life has slowed down substantially and I’m spending a whole lot of time at home, I find myself hanging out a lot in the kitchen. I’ve always been a baker and there’s something healing about comfort food during stressful times. And who can say no to the delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate?
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Why do I eat gluten free?
Many many moons ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and so I have been living the gluten free life for awhile. The interesting thing is that before I was diagnosed I didn’t actually eat a lot of gluten. I never craved bread or pasta and I was that person who ordered a burger no bun, before it was even a thing. Even still I had a hard time 100% committing to the diet. It took me a long time to actually feel the improvements and at the time there weren’t a lot products that tasted good or restaurants accommodating my dietary restrictions.
In the beginning it can seem overwhelming. Believe me I was there. But once you get the hang of it and stock your cabinet with the right essentials it becomes just part of the norm. My number one recommendation if you are baking gluten free is to get a quality flour. My favourite gluten free flour at the moment is Bob’s Red Mill 1 to1 GF Flour. https://www.bobsredmill.com It is a blend of flours and has xanthum gum mixed right in. So you can simply swap this flour into any recipe you choose. Currently, all types of flour seem to be in high demand…I guess I’m not the only one filling my free time with baking……so if you can’t find this particular one, it should be back in stock soon. If you do see it, let me know, my supply is running low!
I adapted the recipe from “Mama knows Gluten Free”. This website has a great selection of recipes and the bonus is that they are usually pretty easy to whip up. That’s a win for me. I love to bake but I typically like things that don’t require a huge time commitment. This one only takes around 15 minutes of prep time and that’s including making the peanut butter swirl topping. If you have a peanut allergy in the house you can simply omit the peanut butter swirl and just make the brownies. They are equally delicious!
If you’ve never attempted gluten free baking, don’t worry. This recipe is a great one to try. It’s easy to make and you won’t be disappointed. I usually bring baked goods to get togethers and right before all our lives changed, I brought this dessert to my sisters and let’s just say it was a hit! No one even “knew” it was gluten free.
Ingredients:
Brownie Mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar , packed
2 eggs , room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Flour, it has the xanthum gum in it already. If your flour doesn’t, add 1/4 teaspoon of xanthem gum)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Peanut Butter Swirl
1 cup Peanut Butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
a splash of vanilla
1 tablespoon melted butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Spray the 8x8 square baking pan with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray or line the baking pan with parchment paper
In a large bowl, add melted butter, pure vanilla extract, granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix until fully combined.
Add in eggs one at a time and mix until fully combined.
In a medium-sized bowl combine gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it), cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together.
Slowly add the gluten-free flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined and smooth.
Pour the brownie batter to 8x8 sized baking pan.
Mix up the peanut butter topping. Drop big spoonfuls randomly overtop of the brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl the batters together. (the batter will be thick so do your best)
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out just barely clean. The sides of the brownies with start to pull away from the pan. Please watch your brownies because all ovens are different.
Remove brownies and allow to cool completely. Enjoy!
Happy baking!
Your family’s chiropractor,
Dr. Lindsay