Sometimes I really hate golf. There, I said it. If your hubby played as much as mine does, you might hate it too. Can I get an amen from all the golf widows out there? So what does golf and fudgy peanut butter bars with maple peanut drizzle have anything to do with each other? Let me tell ya….
Every time my husband plays in a golf tournament, he brings me home dessert from the fancy awards dinner. I view it as this weird peace offering from caring for two little children (babies, really they’re babies). The man knows I love sweets, but it really doesn’t cover the amount of gratitude needed for a 3-day weekend tournament lasting ALL DAY AND EVENING.
I mean, I have the daytime thing down when he’s at work. But doing the daytime thing, the dinner thing, AND the bath/bedtime thing solo with an 8-month old and a 2-year-old is like climbing Mt. Everest kind of hard. Especially when you put the baby in the Ergo carrier, dog on the leash, and give the toddler free reign to run, thinking a ‘walk’ around the neighborhood would be great to kill some time after dinner.
The one time I venture out without a stroller or a second adult, of course my toddler trips off the curb and smashes his mouth on the concrete. The dog is pulling me, the baby is screaming, the toddler is bloody and crying, and I barely have a hand to lift him off the ground. Anyway, it was so bad, I was crying right there with both of my sweet boys.
So when my husband comes home that night with a chocolate cupcake, I kinda felt ripped off. Like, DUDE I need a three-tiered chocolate cake topped with glitter-pooping unicorns for what I endured two hours ago! After one bite, I threw it away. I was just too defeated to eat a mediocre cupcake. This kind of night called for a few fudgy peanut butter bars with maple peanut drizzle and a VERY large glass of wine.
Luckily I made these flourless, gluten-free, and dairy-free brownies the day before. It was like the heavens just knew I’d need them 24 hours later. Why would I waste my chocolate pity party on a crappy cupcake when I could have something rich and satisfying, that actually has real-food ingredients?
Made with simple ingredients like peanut butter, cocoa powder, honey, coconut milk, and eggs, these fudgy peanut butter bars with maple peanut drizzle are far from those easy boxed brownies – a bajillion times better for you, but JUST as easy to whip up. No artificial ingredients, no refined sugar, no weird ingredients that sound like alien-lingo.
Plus who doesn’t like chocolate and peanut butter? I’m pretty darn sure these would be just as amazing made with any nut butter if peanuts aren’t your thing (or if you’re strictly paleo). These choco/PB treats are thin, making each dense little dessert bar around 100 calories each. Just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, but not blow your entire day of healthy choices.
Drizzling the maple peanut butter glaze directly on to the bars is a serious test of strength – somehow the forces of gravity kept making me drizzle this in my mouth. Luckily I lift weights so I was able to push the glaze away from my face and carefully smother it all over these fudgy peanut butter bars instead of my mouth. Chicks who lift make the best drizzlers. It’s true.
The next time you need some fudgy decadence love in your life (and a reason not to kill your husband for spending all weekend golfing), you gotta make these fudgy peanut butter bars with maple peanut drizzle. They are the perfect way to enjoy a healthy, gluten-free dessert without the guilt or the potential jail sentence for murder….
If dense and fudgy isn’t your thing, try a few of these healthy chocolate desserts – creme de menthe avocado fudgsicles,or paleo chocolate brownie skillet cake, or these flourless flourless ‘red velvet’ beet mini muffins.
PrintFudgy Peanut Butter Brownies with Maple Peanut Drizzle
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 cup all-natural peanut butter
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 eggs
Peanut Butter Maple Drizzle
- 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut butter
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon + 2 1/2 teaspoons coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Combine the peanut butter, cocoa powder, honey, coconut milk, and eggs. Beat for 60 seconds, until well combined and mixture is smooth and creamy
- Pour brownie batter into an 8×8 brownie pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until center is set
- To make the drizzle:
- Combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut milk and mix well until creamy
- To drizzle the glaze on top of the brownies, cut a very small hole off the corner of a plastic sandwich bag and scoop the peanut butter maple glaze into the bag. Move the glaze down to the corner and drizzle on top of the brownies
You can sign me up for anything containing the words fudgey and drizzle! These look SO GOOD!
I’ll sign you up right now! 😉
I’d have to say that something fudgy with peanut butter sounds like a really good consolation after a really tough few days with the kids.
I think you would certainly like it love!
I have only recently discovered your blog (that’s what this is right? I am not very hip on all things techy) and I am loving it! I want to try every single recipe and I think this one just moved to the top of the list. I have 3 boys, and one girl and I have had those walks around the neighborhood that seem like such a great idea only to end in ruin. Or maybe a quick trip into Publix, the kids can get a cookie and I will grab a couple of things I need so we can eat dinner, such a brilliant plan. Until my 5 year old wants the same cookie my 8 year old has but the 8 year old doesn’t want the 5 year old to copy him so we have a total meltdown in the grocery store. Such is life, hang in there, brownies and wine do help!
Awe Alyson! You get it! Grocery shopping is always ALWAYS a bust with little ones. Hence why I totally savor the time I can shop by myself! Brownies and wine sound like any mom’s love language 😉
I wonder if Sunbutter could work instead of peanut butter?! These looks AMAZE and amen, you deserve at least a mommy 1-hour free of kids pedi for each three day golf tourney! #justsayin 😉 Love you!! DM so we can email/text each other. You’ve always been the cool kid to me, for the record, since we met in 2005! 🙂 xo
★★★★★
Hmmmm it could, although sunbutter just seems more ‘bitter’ to me than a nut butter, so I’m not sure about the taste?? I’d probably stick to a nut butter to be safe. You are so sweet girl – we must get together and reunite again!!
These look amaaaazing!! I was reading through the recipe and saw the directions to “pour the brownie batter into a (size) brownie pan” …what size does “size” mean?
I’m so sorry! I need to fix that! An 8×8 pan is perfect 🙂
We are invited to a house party next weekend – guess what i will be taking?! And if they are like any other creation of yours , I will just print your web site on a card for everyone that will ask for the recipe 🙂 🙂
★★★★★
I’m making them right now and took them out of the oven after 10 min but they didn’t seem done? Just checked on them after 5 more min in the oven and they still don’t seem done. Any suggestions? I’m using a 8×8 glass baking dish. Thanks!
Hey Brie – your dish should be perfect. Maybe my oven is just on steroids! I’d suggest keep them in until the top is done and the insides come out clean with a toothpick. Let me know how long yours took! Hope you love them!
Oh my goodness, you are too hilarious!!! Your quote about how lifting weights gave you the strength to defie gravity and push the peanut drizzle a way from you face, IS THE BEST!!!! Love you already (I just found you today!)
SUBSCRIBED!!
Welcome Kristi! Thanks so much for your support!
Could I use almond milk instead of coconut milk? Love following you! Thanks!
Yep you could totally do that!