Gluten Free Reese's Brownies

If you love chocolate and peanut butter, Gluten Free Reese’s Brownies are the ultimate treat for you!  Simply delicious, chocolatey, and of course gluten-free with that perfect crinkle top. This Reese's Brownie recipe uses a combination of dark chocolate and cocoa powder and lots of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Make sure to check out my Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookie Bars and Gluten Free Reese's Cheesecake.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I use my own Gluten Free Flour Blend in this recipe. This blend already contains xanthan gum. You can easily swap this out for your favorite gluten-free flour blend such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-1. However, if you make your own blend, please add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum to your blend. Flours like coconut flour or almond meal will not work here.

Dark Chocolate: These Reese's brownies are the best when made with dark chocolate. I like to use 64% cocoa or darker. It compliments the milk chocolate used in the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder: I highly recommend using dutch processed cocoa in this recipe. Dutch-processed cocoa produces richer, fudgier chocolate flavor. My go-to brands are Cacao Barry Extra Brute and Valrhona Pure Cocoa Powder. If you are looking for a better price point for cocoa powder I recommend Hershey’s Dutched Cocoa, Special Dark, 100% Cacao. Be aware if you use Natural Cocoa Powder in this recipe, the cookies may be lighter in color and drier. No matter which cocoa you use, make sure it is unsweetened cocoa powder.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: Reeses’s Peanut Butter Cups are a very popular American candy bar made with milk chocolate and peanut butter. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are produced by The Hershey Company and are gluten-free. Be careful though – some of their seasonal shapes are not gluten-free. I use the regular-sized peanut butter cups in this Reese's Brownies recipe but you can use Mini Reeses's as well.

How to make Reese's Brownies

I highly recommend using a stand mixer to mix the eggs since it can become very tiring to mix them by hand with an electric hand mixer.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F and arrange the wire rack in the oven in the middle. Line an 8x8inch (9x9 will work too but the gluten-free reese's brownies will be thinner) with parchment paper. Make sure to leave some overhang so you can remove the brownies easily.

Step 2: Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and carefully melt them in the microwave until the butter is melted. The carry-over heat will melt the chocolate.

Step 3: Combine the eggs (can be cold), both sugars, salt, vanilla extract, and instant espresso in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high until extremely thick and triple the volume, about 8 minutes.

Step 4: While the eggs are whipping, combine the gluten-free flour and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set aside. Chop up the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Make sure to reserve some whole peanut butter cups for topping the gluten-free Reese's brownie with.

Step 5: With a heat-proof spatula or small whisk combine the melted butter-chocolate mixture. The butter and the chocolate should be “emulsified” which means they should have a smooth liquid texture. If there are still some visible chunks of chocolate, stick the bowl in your microwave for 10-15 seconds or until melted.

Step 6: When the eggs look pale, fluffy, and thick, reduce the speed of your mixer to low and add the WARM melted chocolate-butter mixture. Mix until combined. I recommend stopping your mixer and scraping down the sides to make sure everything is combined well.

Step 7: Once the wet ingredients are combined, turn the speed of your mixer to SLOW and add the dry ingredients all at once. Carefully mix until roughly combined. Turn off the mixer and with a flexible spatula fold in the flour cocoa mixture. Make sure to get the bottom of the pan.

Step 8: Fold in the peanut butter cups and transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan. Use a small offset or on the back of a spoon to smooth out the brownie batter evenly. Top the brownie batter with additional Reese's.

Step 9: Bake the brownies for 24-26 minutes at 350F. These gluten-free brownies should have a crackly top and should feel firm. Please remember baking time depends on your oven.

Step 10: Remove the brownies from the oven, sprinkle with some flaky sea salt if you like, and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. For easy cutting, allow the Reese's brownies to set up in the fridge for at least 2hrs before cutting. This will give you the perfect gluten-free brownies with clean edges.

Storage & Freezing of Reese's Brownies

Unlike gluten-free cookies and cakes, brownies have a relatively long shelf life if stored properly. I prefer my brownies cold and therefore store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days (if they last this long). You may also keep them at room temperature.

Reese's Brownies freeze very well. Place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can either freeze them cut or as the whole square. Thaw them at room temperature or enjoy them frozen.

Are Reese's gluten-free?

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are gluten-free except for seasonal items like their Reese’s Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs. Reese’s are produced by The Hershey Company and state “Gluten-Free” on the back of the packaging. Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups are certified gluten-free which also would work fabulously in this recipe.

Checking Brownies for Doneness

Check the doneness of Reese's brownies by sticking a toothpick in the center of your pan of brownies. There should be a few moist crumbs sticking to the toothpick when you remove it from the brownies. If the toothpick is clean with no crumbs sticking to it, your brownies are overdone and will most likely be cakey brownies. If your toothpick looks very wet, the brownies still need time. However, for the perfect fudge brownies, you would like to have some moist crumbs sticking to your toothpick.

FAQ about Gluten Free Reese's Brownies