Last night, I made these.
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies!
Austin’s favorite combo EVER is peanut butter + chocolate, so I definitely had him in mind when making these. He’s my favorite recipe taste-tester, because he will not sugar-coat his opinion for me. If he hates it, I’ll know it.
Personally, I’d probably prefer an almond butter variation, rather than peanut butter… but, I was hoping to find a recipe that would please a crowd, and almond butter isn’t always appealing to everyone. (at least, not in my family!) These were such a success, though, I have a feeling an almond butter variation is in my future, too.
By the way, you’ll never believe these treats are flourless!! Or that they’re only sweetened with honey. I’ve been a huge fan of using honey lately, since reading Breaking the Vicious Cycle. A friend of mine turned me onto researching the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD, for short), which is a diet thought to heal the intestine (including bacterial overgrowth) through avoiding certain types of starches and sugars, and embracing others. Honey is a recommended sweetener for the SCD, as it’s a monosaccharide, and can be used by the body very quickly without expending much digestive energy.
I have many more thoughts on the SCD, but I’m still mentally digesting it, so that may be a good conversation for after the holidays.
For now, let’s just eat blondies.
–
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies
makes an 8″ pan worth of blondies
adapted from Peanut Butter Brownies in Breaking the Vicious Cycle
Ingredients:
1 cup natural creamy peanut butter (preferably organic)
1/3 cup honey
1 whole egg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (*if using unsalted peanut butter)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8″ square pan with butter or coconut oil. In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter, honey, egg, salt and baking soda until well combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the greased pan, and use a spatula to smooth the top.
Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown. (it only took 20 minutes in my oven)
Let cool, then cut into squares and serve! They were unbelievably gooey and delicious while still slightly warm.
- 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter (preferably organic)
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 whole egg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (*if using unsalted peanut butter)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8″ square pan with butter or coconut oil.
- In a small bowl, mix the peanut butter, honey, egg, salt and baking soda until well combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan, and use a spatula to smooth the top.
- Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown. (it only took 20 minutes in my oven)
- Let cool, then cut into squares and serve!
–
While these blondies aren’t strictly combined, they do follow the basic principle of not mixing starches and proteins.
Personally, I tend to relax my food combining rules a bit when it comes to special treats, especially since I could be eating much worse than a naturally-sweetened, flour-free blondie. Obviously, these aren’t goodies we should eat with reckless abandon, but after a veggie-centric meal, I feel perfectly fine indulging in one of these decadent bars.
Since they’re so rich and nutrient-dense, it’s kinda difficult to over-indulge anyway!
Of course, Austin and I managed to polish off more than our fair share last night, so don’t quote me on that last part.
Happy baking!!
–
Reader Feedback: Do you try to serve “healthy” treats to your holiday guests? Or do you stick to traditional tried-and-true favorites? I used to be too scared to make a “healthy-tasting” cookie for company, but now I don’t have to worry about that!! Vegan Pumpkin Pie and these Peanut Butter blondies don’t taste like a healthy substitute… they actually taste better than the traditional versions!!
These look TO DIE FOR! Seriously, best-looking thing I’ve seen all week by far!
I don’t know much about the SCD, but now you’ve got me interested.
Do you think these could be made vegan – by substituting the Ener-G Egg Replacer for the egg? They look delicious!
Hmm… I’ve never tried Ener-G egg replacer, so I have no idea! Let me know if you try it!!
I was wondering about using flax-eggs, too, which would keep them properly combined… but I have a feeling that wouldn’t turn out as well. Maybe the Ener-G replacer will work!
Hope you have some success!
Actually, I’ve made these using raw almond unsalted almond butter, and a flax egg in place of the regular egg, and they turn out amazing every time. They’re like perfect on the outside and chewy. Just surprisingly good. I had doubts the first time that I made them, because the batter was much thicker than what you have pictured, but after the first bite I was madly in love.
So rest assured flax will not detract from their deliciousness. (PS: I also usually add a little vanilla extract and like the flavor that it adds. try it sometime.)
Those look divine! My sweet tooth has been raging too! I guess it just means that the holidays are in full swing
I’ve been trying my best to not eat with “reckless abandon” and going to the gym each day is a great reminder!
Ohhh Dollface!! I’m making these and I’m reading that book and starting this diet come December 27th! I Need to change something up over here and I feel this is right….so I need a lotta honey
Can you eat peanuts on this diet?! Hmmmmm…
Thanks for the fun holiday recipe, girl, I can’t wait to dive in!
xxoo
Yes, peanuts seem to be approved for the SCD… but I still don’t feel great eating them too often. They do make a tasty treat, though!
(oh, and I’m pretty sure chocolate chips are NOT approved for that diet, so these aren’t exactly SCD “approved.”) LOL
Those look totally yummy, I bet my girlfriend would love them!
Luv Luv Luv this recipe…planning to make it for my family when I go home this weekend! I stick to baking pretty healthy things, however, I did stray and use white chocolate chips for a white chocolate peppermint stick recipe that I am going to give as a gift…
Can’t wait to hear more about the book!
Happy day!!!
They were a hit with my family, so I hope yours enjoys them as well!
I tried them – they are delicious!
These look delicious!!! I know what you mean about the Almond Butter… I used to love PB so much, still do, but my tastes have def shifted over to loving AB way more! I guess I know what I’ll be making this week for the kiddo since he’s home on break
Hope you had a great holiday <3
These look amazing! I’m wondering if I can replace banana for the eggs? Definitely using almond butter though, I hate peanut butter! I’ve gained a little weight over the holidays, but these look too impossible to resist and I love that they’re gluten-free!
Hmmm… I have no idea if the banana would work, but it’s with a shot!! You could reduce the sweetener that way, too. Let me know how they turn out!
I tried it with banana and it worked out great! My oven is kind of weird, so it burned quickly at the top and in the middle it didn’t cook quite as well, but they were still delicious! Saving some for later with some soy vanilla ice cream
That’s awesome!! I love brownies and blondies with “gooey” centers, so I bet it would be totally decadent with the ice cream on top.
And with the bananas, you don’t have to worry if it’s a little under-baked anyway. Glad it worked out!
When replacing with banana, is it one for one?
I haven’t tried it myself, but I’ve heard that 1 medium banana can replace 1 egg. I don’t think they will bake-up in the same way as using eggs– the centers will probably be gooey! But, since it’s egg-free, you don’t have to worry about under-baking, and I kinda love gooey desserts, anyway! Hope it works well for you!
Also, I’d probably reduce the honey a bit– the bananas will add sweetness, too!
Popped over from I Heart Wellness
This recipe looks awesome!
Just threw these in the oven! This is my type of recipe!
Aren’t they so easy?? Hope you enjoy them!
Worked great with the enerG egg replacer!
Yay! Thanks for letting me know.
Hi how much egg replace did you use? Thanks!
The box tells you how much mixture would equal an egg so I just used that as a guide I think 1/4 tablespoon or something…. I can check when I get home if ur missing that part on your box!!
oh, these sound incredible!!
I made there using the Ener-G Egg Replacer, and they came out terrific! Very gooey and yummy. Thanks much!
So delicious! Thank you for posting this amazing treat! I made it with the flax egg and a mixture of almond butter, tahini, and macadamia nut butter because I didn’t have enough of the almond.. I had to add 1/4 cup of water to mix everything, and also ran out of honey, so I did a mixture of the honey and stevia. They turned out super light and fluffy.. and a good combo!
double win!
I just made these with homemade almond butter. They are baking now, and smell fantastic! If the cookies taste half as good as the batter did, they will be delectable!
Megan, I stumbled on your blog yesterday and I am obsessed! Made these blondes last night and found them to be a little dry. However put them in the freezer and low and behold they are DELICIOUS frozen!!!!(and a better consistency!) Thanks for your great recipes! Looking forward to trying out more this week!
Glad you found me, Lauren! I’m sorry to hear the blondies were dry. Natural peanut butters vary in oil-content and texture, so maybe another brand would work better next time?
Though, I must agree… I always enjoy them best frozen.
I JUST MADE THESE! I used cashew butter instead. The grain free cookie will be next! : )
I can’t find Flax eggs at Whole Foods. Where do you buy them?
You actually make “flax eggs” using ground flax seed and water. One egg = 1 Tablespoon ground flax + 3 Tablespoons water. Mix and let gel in the fridge for 15 minutes before adding to your batter.
What a wonderful inspiring blog you have here – thx for sharing. You are very creative!
~Sheila, Denmark~
Just spent about 30mins looking through your amazing recipes and i can’t wait to try most if not all of them! Thank you for these great ideas! Also-very interested in SCD as i’ve been battling digestive problems for most of my life and have yet to get a definitive answer on the issue from modern doctors so if you recommend a book i’d love a suggestion. Thanks again!
Good grief! These are wonderful! I made these today with sunbutter (I’m allergic to PB), and they are delicious. I don’t like eating sugar… or not much of it, and I am grateful to find such a simple (almost) sugarless recipe that tastes great.
Good to know that the sunbutter worked out! And I’m glad you enjoyed them!
OMG! Megan….I am in love with you. Peanut butter and chocolate chips AND flourless…..It’s can’t taste as good as it looks…it just can’t! I haven’t tried it yet, but it is on the agenda for this week. I’ll be back to give my report!
I just love your recipes so much. It’s much easier to find a healthy dinner to serve when guests come over but I’m often stumped of health desserts besides “fruit salad”. This is so, so wonderful!!!
ohmegoomie – L O V E!
delicious! i pressed all the peanut butter/honey mixture in the dish & then pressed mini dark chocolate chunks on top.I put them in the freezer & they are delish! i think all natural peanut butter helps texture bc of the natural oils. thanks for this recipe!
I am now following you on Facebook and will subscribe to your blog. Wondering your thoughts on SCD now. My son has Asperger’s and candida and we have just taken him off grain. I am worried about honey due to the candida. Perhaps you mention it somewhere, but are you looking at SCD for specific health conditions? Thanks!
Hi Adrienne! I am still a big fan of the SCD diet. While I don’t follow it for any specific health condition at the moment, I was drawn to it when I was trying a candida cleanse– the idea of how monosaccharides and disaccharides digest differently in the body made me wonder if simple sugars, like fruit and raw honey, are truly yeast-feeding or not, since they digest so quickly, before reaching the intestine. Of course, since I don’t have a science lab to test this theory, it’s all speculation! And, it also depends on the extent of the candida, whether it’s systemic or not.
Regardless, I felt really great while following the general guidelines of the SCD, and think it’s a great approach.
Interesting. So – my question is – what is the difference if it is systemic. Isn’t all candidiasis systemic? Ours is bad so I am assuming it wouldn’t be a great choice for us. And I am not wrapping my mind around the digestibility issues. I need to learn more about that. Thanks!
It is my understanding that candida can either be contained in the digestive system OR it can develop into a systemic problem, where it’s spread into the blood stream, and therefore throughout the body.
I highly recommend reading this book, for a great explanation (with diagrams!) of digestion: http://amzn.to/QGwxTD
These are absolutely delicious!!! I wish I had a picture for you, but I dont, my family and I had them all last night, and I had the last one this morning. The best combination, with the most simplest ingredients ever. I’m a Peanut Butter-Chocoholic, so this is just what I needed, and the best part is there is absolutely NO GRAINS in this.
))
Would this work with any other types of nut butters?
Yes, it would absolutely work with other nut butters! I’ve tried it with almond butter as well.
Hi Megan, what about Pumpkin filling replacing peanut butter? Hmm Totally in the mood for chocolate pumpkin anything.
That sounds delicious! I’ll see what I can do.
Hi Megan! I tried these the other day and they were a bit too honey-ish for hubby (personal preference, I think they’re delicious!). So, next time I might try reducing the honey to 1/4 cup and adding 2 T agave. Also thinking of adding 1/4 C almond meal because they were a bit sticky for me. What do you think?
What I ended up doing with the baked batch I made was forming them into 1 inch balls and rolling them in a combination of almond flour and unsweetened coconut flakes and stuck them in the freezer for choco peanut butter truffles! Reminiscent of those chic-o-stick candies from the early years…yum. Thanks for a great recipe! I enjoyed toying around with it.
Made these a couple days ago…delicious!!!
I made these with organic peanut butter, they tasted so amazing and everyone in my family loved them. Now I am making them with almond butter. I can not wait to taste. This is a must make recipe
I made these last night and they are delicious! I used almond butter instead and added a tablespoon of ground flax meal and they are simply delicious and so easy to make!!
Made these this weekend w/maple syrup instead of honey. They are WONDERFUL! They’re really good w/vanilla bean coconut milk ice cream on top. :0)
Hi,
I just found your blog and i am so obsessed! I actually just made your almond cookies and they are yum, but i really want to make this.
By natural pb, do you mean also no sugar added? Thanks!!
Yes, the ingredients in the peanut butter should just be peanuts. Hope you enjoy them!
Finally got a chance to make this. Out of the oven the top got dark, but the inside is very very gooey. Will it firm up a bit? or should i put it back into the oven a little longer?
The middle shouldn’t be too gooey. Since oven temperatures vary, perhaps try lowering yours and baking a little longer? (You can cover the top with foil to avoid burning.)
Also, if you used a flax egg instead of a whole egg, the insides tend to be more gooey… but, of course, then you don’t have to worry about under-baking it!
I ended up putting them back in the oven and covered the top with foil. Just needed a bit longer. They are awesome!!!! I have done recipes like this before but they all call for brown sugar and besides for the fact that i prefer to use honey, the brown sugar makes the texture more crunchy. I just love these and they were so so simple to make. Which isnt good b.c then i’ll want to make them too often!! Thanks so much!
These are one of the best sweet treats I’ve ever had! Sweet but not too sweet, salty but not too salty. I have many friends with a variety of diet restrictions; I will be pulling out this recipe often!
I added these to myfitnesspal and figured out the nutritional value (following the recipe exactly -using an egg)…thought I’d share. Thanks for the recipe!!!
16 servings:
cal/ carbs. fat/ protein
Total: 2755 261 170 68
Per Serving: 172 16 11 4
[...] Flourless Chocolate Peanut butter chip Blondies [...]
These were super yummy! Thanks for the recipe! When do you usually eat desserts like this according to the food combining rules? Is it the same as the fruits…only by themselves or before a meal? Or is there not a good time and these are just a splurge?
These are a bit of a splurge, so I would enjoy them after a veggie-centric meal, like a large raw salad dressed with a tahini dressing and maybe some steamed veggies. Eating the raw veggies first will help these treats digest better!
I forgot to mention that super-strict food combiners will only eat desserts first (including fruit), at least 30 minutes before a meal, but I have a hard time doing that myself. Why would I want anything else AFTER dessert?! So, I stick to my vegetable-centric meals and indulge in my desserts afterward, even if it isn’t perfectly combined that way.
These are the best. I made them with macadamia nuts for my father-in-law who can’t do chocolate-delicious!
Girl, this recipe is genius. I mentioned you and linked back to it in this blog post: http://casamoses.blogspot.com/2012/11/032-fat-friday-you-wont-believe-it.html
Thank you for sharing your genius. Because of you, I didn’t have a dessert-less Thanksgiving.
Just made these with maple syrup instead of honey, the taste was great but they never set. Do you use a specific brand of peanut butter?
Did you use a real egg or a flax egg? Flax eggs tend to make brownies and bars never “set” completely, so that could be one possible reason. As far as peanut butter goes, I usually use Trader Joe’s creamy organic or the organic brand that Whole Food’s carries with a bright green plastic lid (can’t remember the brand name at the moment).
I actually used a chia egg, not a real egg. I’ll try again and do tge peanut butter cookies with the real egg. Love your website though!
I’m going to try these…but I have no chocolate chips, so hope it is okay anyway. Also, they won’t be eaten right away, but maybe tommorow…will they still be okay??? and how should i store them? Thanks.
These were sOO delicious. I am addicted to detoxinista. I must try more recipes!!! Thanks so much!
I just made these, and they are delicious!!!! Thank you for the recipe
I made these for a potluck and they were such a hit! I added an extra egg white because the batter seemed too sticky at first (maybe my eggs were too small)–they came out great and now my friends think that I can cook
Thank you!
hi, tried these this morning but they turned out very dry and crumbly. my barter was pretty thick, not flowing like yours in your picture. thoughts on what I could add to make them more moist? thanks!
I’ve had different results when I change peanut butter brands, since some tend to be more oily than others. Next time, I’d try reducing the amount of peanut butter (maybe 3/4 cup?) to see if the batter is more runny that way.
I just made them. Many thank from me and my kiddos-Delicious!!
Hi Megan. I made these tonight. I substituted peanut for almond butter and instead of honey used Grade A maple syrup. They were tasty, but my batter tended to be very thick and the center was not as gooey as I liked. I think I will reduce the amount of almond butter or add some coconut oil. Thoughts?
Hi Megan! I made these yesterday using tahini instead of peanut butter, and I added some peanuts in addition to chocolate chips that I made by cutting up a half of a dark chocolate almond bar. I must admit, I started to worry when they had not “set” after about 20 minutes in the oven, but then I turned down the heat a bit, covered them with foil, and let them stay in maybe another 15 minutes. And . . . they are PERFECT! I love the “burnt sugar” flavor that the honey imparts, and the tahini “nuttiness” is delicious! I’ll definitely be making them again to test out peanut butter and almond butter variations. Yum, and thanks!
Making tomorrow for sure!!! What’s net carb in this?
Please see my FAQ page regarding nutritional information: http://detoxinista.com/frequently-asked-questions/
These are SO GOOD. I put them in the freezer to store so that I wouldn’t have to eat the whole batch in a few days before they got stale. Only problem is, they taste even better cold! Uh oh, I’m in trouble!
I know, we actually prefer them cold, too! Glad you’re enjoying them!
A upset finished making then realized I used BAKING POWDER instead of BAKING SODA EEEEEKKKKKKKK I’m in big trouble aren’t I. Should I just throw the out before even waiting for them to bake!!!!
Sooooo good! I just sent the link to the recipe to a bunch of friends…who doesn’t like pb & chocolate?
I messed up first batch by putting baking powder. Tey were not edible. Second batch came out better but not like yours. I made in pampered chef brownie pan and buttered the pan and put in oven for only 15 minutes and they came out overdone. So they aren’t as chewy as urs look. Also used sugar free dark chocolate chips. Any suggestions? Maybe better off using pan u did, should I not butter the pan?
If it’s the brownie pan that gives you only “edge” pieces, then yes, that would definitely affect the results! I would butter the pan, but if you want the more moist results, then a traditional square pan is probably best.
OK I am making this tomorrow. How long will it last? I am a family of a whopping one person lol, so I always worry about things going bad. Also I didn’t realize the type of pan affects the moistness of desserts? What is a brownie pan exactly? Mine is the rectangular size pan with the sides about a couple inches high. Thanks Megan!
These were soooo good! I am happy to feed them to my kids knowing that they aren’t bad for them and they LOVED them.
So delicious!!!! Will be on rotation at our house!
These are yummy. I used almond butter in place of the peanut butter and maple syrup instead of the honey and they were amazing!
Hi Megan! I’d like to try making these with a low carb crust I found, for individual bars, not a pie crust. Do you have any suggestions as to combine the recipes? I assume I make the crust first? Then add this? But perhaps not overcook it since they will need to bake later again together? Can you tell I never really baked before? lol.
Loved, loved, loved it! Don’t eat much sweets because of carb heavy flours in most but this one caught my eye. Will make for family & friends, Thank you!
Oh my gosh, these are fantastic! I thought they would be a lot more sticky, but mine were quite fluffy and tasted as though there should be flour in there! I used 1/4 C honey b/c I used regular peanut butter which already has some sugar in it, and also used carob chips which are sweeter too, and they turned out perfect. Thank you! I am loving all of your recipes, so easy, simple and healthy. (and of course, delicious!)
I made these yesterday and we ate them all! Made them again today but added 1/2 chunky PB & 1/2 Nutella, 1/2 cup ground flax and 1/4 cup cinnamon apple sauce. OMG – So DELISH : ) Hade to bake about 5/8 minutes longer. Only 2 left…
I truly have a tendency to go along with everything that has been
written in “Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies
[...] Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Blondies from Detoxonista. [...]
[...] Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Blondies from Detoxonista. [...]
These are sooo amazingly good and addictive. My husband loved them also, he said they are like a soft brownie and very moist.
Made these for a home-school group mom’s night. Served them as a dessert following your gluten free cauliflower pizza recipe. Both were a hit and there wasn’t a crumb left! Many compliments of feeling satisfied without the guilt. Thank you for the wonderful recipes.
So delicious! (I also tried your Vegan Mac n’Cheese and everyone loved it). Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. I’m also following you on Facebook to be sure not to miss any of your new ones!
This sounds so yummy! My 11 year old daughter was just diagnosed with gluten sensitivity. It is all so new to me and I’m just learning. Would you consider this to be a gluten free recipe? You have some amazing recipes on your site!
Yes, nearly all of my recipes are gluten-free, including this one.
My GF and I just gave these an attempt. Lacked some taste and was extremely dry. We followed the directions to a T. Even cooked for minimum of 20 minutes. We are based in Denver (altitude), could this have affected it?
Any idea what could have gone wrong? We are new to the “healthy desserts,” so it was suggested that we may not be used to this style.
I’m not familiar enough with the changes needed to be made for baking at an altitude, but another thing that can affect the results is the type of peanut butter you use! In my experience, natural peanut butters can vary a LOT. Some are more oily than others, and if you get a more dense batch of peanut butter it will produce a dry batch of blondies. I’d recommend using less peanut butter next time, to keep them more moist!
be careful with big quantities of honey, though: it increases cholesterol
the funny thing is that it’s still not scientifically proven, but there are many cases of healthy easting people with increased cholesterol and it all points to honey…
Has anyone tried to make these using reconstituted PB2 instead of the regular peanut butter?
I don’t keep any chocolate in the house (for obvious reasons), but I definitely want to give these a try after I pick up chocolate chips!
Hi Meghan,
I love your blog and I look forward to your posts every week! You make meals (healthy meals) look soooo tasty and inviting that I wish I could lick the computer screen sometimes!
There is a question that I have been meaning to ask you though: What are your thoughts on grain? When I say grain, I mean whole-grains that doesn’t include wheat or white, refined grains. At first, I read that grains are terrible for you for endless amount of reasons. Then, I am reading that meat and dairy are terrible for you for another endless number of reasons. I know that there can be no “perfect” diet, but I notice that your blogs don’t include a lot of grain and meat recipes. So I would like to know your comments, if you don’t mind.
By the way, these blondies look so amazing that I want to eat them right now lol.
Thank you!
I made these last night. They’re really good! I had to hide them from my husband.
My second batch of these are in the oven. Made the first batch exactly as written and they were delicious and SO easy! I didn’t quite have a cup of PB this time so I added half a tablespoon of coconut flour. I used 1/4 c maple syrup and some applesauce as I don’t have any honey on hand. The batter tasted amazing and they are puffing up nicely in the oven. Thank you for the easiest, healthiest, most delicious baked-good recipe I have come across!
[...] The recipe is adapted from here. [...]
Oh. My. God. To DIE for!! So yummie!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
I just made these and wish I could give you a hug!
I ate them right out of the oven because I couldn’t wait and they were perfect.
I have recently been told to cut out refined sugars and gluten due to some autoimmunity issues and these will be my go-to sweet treat.
Do you know the nutritional facts?
Please see my FAQ regarding nutrition info: http://detoxinista.com/frequently-asked-questions/
[...] recipe is adapted from Detoxinista‘s recipe for peanut butter blondies. First, she has some awesome things on her blog, second, I want to try her newest recipe for [...]
I love these. I am so glad I found this recipe. I make them all the time. And now that I know how to make a flax “egg” I can finally make use of my ground flax seed somewhere else besides in smoothies. I made them this last time with walnuts and macadamia nuts. And I always add 1/4 extra dark chocolate chips. Thanks for this soooo much. Yummy!!
wow – looks so good!