Peanut Butter Quinoa Blondies (Gluten Free)

Quinoa flour success!  You don’t have to be gluten free to enjoy these Peanut Butter Quinoa Blondies.  This was my first experiment with quinoa flour and it was a huge success – seriously don’t doubt me.  These are super easy and even the kiddos liked them.

Warning: These do not taste like white flour blondies.  The texture is smooth and the flavor is a bit stronger but trust me they are good.  The nice thing about quinoa flour is it adds protein, fiber and potassium.  These blondies have a lower glycemic index than a white flour blondie and won’t cause that sugar crash afterwards. This does not mean eat the whole pan but you can feel better about putting these in your kid’s lunchbox.

Many gluten free recipes involving flour turn into a major production.  I’ve tried recipes that call for six different kinds of flour (are you kidding?).  Not in this case.  All I had to do was grind uncooked quinoa in my blender (or use coffee grinder) to make the quinoa flour.  Adding baking powder and salt makes this flour mixture good to go.  All other ingredients are pantry staples.  Easy, peasy.

Put parchment paper or foil in the bottom of your baking pan with a bit sticking up higher on two sides. That way you can easily pull them out.  Cutting with a plastic serrated knife makes the pieces come out nice and neat.  Maybe you’ll make your squares more uniform than mine.

If you have a peanut allergy you can substitute almond, sunflower or cashew butter.   Use big chocolate chips, butterscotch or chunks of a chocolate bar.  Add a glass of milk and enjoy.

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Peanut Butter Quinoa Blondies (Gluten Free)

A sweet, gluten free blondie with peanut butter, chocolate chips and quinoa flour.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 20 bars

Author Karen Kelly

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened 30 seconds in microwave
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup quinoa flour ground to a powder in a blender
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips Enjoy Life chips are gluten free

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 x 8 square baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Leave a bit of extra around the edges and spray with cooking spray.
2. Beat the butter, peanut butter and sugar with a mixer until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and mix.
3. Stir in the quinoa flour, baking powder and salt. Add chocolate chips and stir.
4. Spread evenly into pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let cool and pull out of pan with parchment. Cut with a plastic knife into squares.

Adapted from a recipe in Eating Well Magazine for Almond Butter-Quinoa Brownies.