Brown Butter Buckeye Bars {Gluten-Free}

Brown butter gives this classic no-bake favorite a much needed and SUPER flavorful makeover!

We’re already two-thirds of the way through May which means we’re getting dangerously close to the dreaded–I mean, OH-SO-WONDERFUL wedding season. Yes, I’m talking about that delectably precious and joyously jubilant time of year when two suckers–I mean, lovebirds say farewell to the bachelor/bachelorette life forever (that’s the hope), and hello to reality. Reality, meaning having to share everything (I want ALL the cupcakes), deciding together on what you want to eat for dinner (What? We can’t just eat cupcakes for dinner?), the end of that blissfully luxurious era of sleeping on a spacious queen-sized bed diagonally surrounded by ALL of your fluffy pillows (and leaving cupcake crumbs in the sheets), endless “When are you having kids???” questions (until you have at least two), and putting up with your significant others’ smells (you know the ones) FOR-E-VER. 

Sounds amazing, I know. 

Luckily, I only have one wedding to attend this summer, and it’s my cousin’s. I’ve also been asked to make the desserts. Yay! 

One of the desserts on the list is the beloved Buckeye Bar–my cousin’s fiancé’s favorite. So I did a little experimenting, and THESE are what I came up with.

GUYS. It’s like biting into the best Reese’s cup you’ve ever had in your entire life. So creamy and smooth…they literally melt in your mouth!

As the title suggests, these aren’t your typical Buckeye Bars. I went one step further and browned that beautiful butter!

The brown butter is really what sets these Buckeye Bars apart from all the other recipes out there. The nuttiness from the browned butter just heightens the flavor of the peanut butter. It should come as no surprise that brown butter and peanut butter are literally the best match made in heaven. 

Although it’s usually the peanut butter that takes center stage in the Buckeye Bar, this recipe is ALL about showcasing that highly addictive nuttiness that is brown butter. Through trial and DE-licious error, I discovered that a more equal ratio of butter to peanut butter not only prevented the bars from being too soft (too much peanut butter = too soft and squishy), but it also allowed the flavor of the browned butter to shine through despite how overpowering peanut butter tends to be.

And while unsalted is usually the butter of choice when it comes to baking, I found that salted butter made the bars much more flavorful. Along with the powdered sugar, I also added just a little brown sugar for added sweetness dimension.

As you can see, I cut these bars rather large considering the fact that they’re literally just made of peanut butter, butter, sugar, and chocolate. Feel free to cut the bars as small, or as LARGE as you like.

However, if you ask me…

Bigger means better 😉

Brown Butter Buckeye Bars {Gluten-Free}

Brown butter gives this classic no-bake favorite a much needed and SUPER flavorful makeover!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Chilling Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Squares

Ingredients

  

Peanut Butter Filling:

• ¾ cup salted butter
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups powdered sugar sifted*

Chocolate Topping:

• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup unsalted butter

Instructions

 

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving extra overhang on the sides for easy removal.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. As the butter melts, it’ll start to foam, then turn a clear golden color. Continue to stir the butter, scraping up any browned specks from the bottom of the pan as it starts to brown. It should have a nutty aroma.
• Once browned and nutty, remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar. Add the peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until combined. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, until mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan and place in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Place the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds.** Remove and stir until smooth. Spread evenly over chilled peanut butter filling. Refrigerate until firm and set, at least one hour.
• Use a knife to loosen the edges before using the parchment sides to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

*Sifting the powdered sugar will assure that the peanut butter filling is completely smooth without any sugar lumps.

**If chocolate burns or becomes too thick from overheating in the microwave, no worries! Just sir in 1 -2 teaspoons of vegetable oil (more if needed) until chocolate is smooth and shiny!