Gluten-Free Peanut Butter S'more Bars
Alright, NOW we’re really starting. It’s the first week of May, so I’m bringing out the summery desserts already. Cuz I can’t wait no longer. S’mores be going down right now.
Not just any s’mores. Not graham crackers with chocolate squares and store-bought marshmallows. NOOOOO. We mean business here. We mean rich, dense, gooey, flourless peanut butter bars that are packed with hot, dark, melty chocolate chunks and then get slathered with a sticky, glossy, homemade toasted marshmallow cream.
These peanut butter s’more bars are gluten-free and dairy-free and insanely decadent and indulgent and quite a satisfactory way to ring in the warmer season. If I may be so bold as to say so myself.
Let’s start with the bars. These peanut butter bars consist of a 5-minute, one-bowl dough that contains just peanut butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chunks.
No flour, no butter or oil, no machines, no hassle.
These gluten-free peanut butter bars are so rich and dense. And so thick and gooey. And so soft and melt-in-your-mouth. And so flavorful and packed with hot pools of bittersweet chocolate.
When I was creating these peanut butter s’more bars, I considered leaving out the chocolate chunks. And just making peanut butter marshmallow bars. But then I came to my senses and realized that chocolate chunks make everything better, and also, they provide that key s’more ingredient, and also, the bittersweet chocolate complements the sweet marshmallow cream so well.
And then. The marshmallow cream.
It’s so very simple. Because it’s actually just a meringue batter. Which means: egg whites, sugar, salt, vanilla extract. That’s the whole marshmallow shebang.
Whip that mixture up until it’s airy and glossy and sticky and spread it over those thick, gooey peanut butter bars and torch that marshmallow cream until it’s browned and toasty and slice those bars into squares and sink your teeth into this first-week-of-May s’more delight.
Soft, gooey, melt-in-your-mouth, rich, chocolatey peanut butter bars. Topped with sweet, sticky, fluffy, toasty marshmallow cream.
Gluten-free peanut butter s’more bars — please sir, can I have s’more?
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter S'more Bars
Yield: 16-20 squares
Bars:
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (best if it’s not natural peanut butter)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg + 1 egg yolk (save egg white for marshmallow cream)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks/chips
Marshmallow Cream:
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8” square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some excess hanging over the rim for easy removal later.
2. Bars: in a large bowl (or stand mixer), stir together the peanut butter and sugar until mixture is smooth and no longer grainy. Add in the egg and egg yolk, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt and whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in chocolate chunks.
3. Spread dough evenly into prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until edges are golden brown but center is still slightly under baked. Let bars cool before lifting out of the pan by the excess parchment paper and topping with marshmallow cream.
4. Marshmallow Cream: pour the egg whites, sugar, and salt into the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or any heat-safe bowl) and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, creating a double boiler. Whisk the mixture frequently for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (110 F).
5. Transfer the bowl to your machine fitted with a whip attachment. Whip the mixture for about 5 minutes, starting on a low speed and gradually increasing to the highest speed, until stiff, glossy peaks forms.
6. Spread the marshmallow over the bars and then toast marshmallow with a kitchen torch. Slice into bars of desired size.
