Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

Normally my gluten-free friend Christina shys away from peanut butter desserts. Insanity right? So for years I have avoided putting one of my favorite things into anything gluten-free that I make for her. But this past weekend I couldn’t resist. With buckeye candies on the brain and this recipe on my to-do list, her non-peanut butter ways didn’t stand a chance. And guess what happened? She loved them!

These bars are very decadent, but that totally did not stop us from eating them for breakfast one morning with a big glass of milk. I have a weakness for desserts in the morning it seems. Of course I have a weakness for desserts anytime of the day – not ashamed.

Obviously, you can change this recipe back into gluten-containing as easily as I adapted it to be gluten-free.

GLUTEN-FREE PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE BARS

Makes approximately 24 two inch bars

Ingredients:

1 (18.25) package plain gluten-free yellow cake mix (I used one 15 oz box and measured 3.25 oz from a second)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp butter

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup peanut butter M&Ms (I used the fall colored ones)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine cake mix, melted butter, peanut butter, and eggs in a large bowl using a mixer or spoon. Press this into a 9 X 13″ pan reserving 1-1/2 cup of the mixture to crumble on top.
3. In a small pot, melt chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Spread chocolate mixture over the mixture pressed in the pan and then crumble the 1-1/2 cups of reserved cake mixture on top evenly. Sprinkle M&Ms on top.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Source: Adapted slightly from The Girl Who Ate Everything.