Apple pie is a true dessert classic, but can be a bit intimidating. Enter: these apple pie bars!

They taste just like apple crumble pie but are easier to make! There’s no chilling or pie dough required to make this delicious fall treat. And they are cut neatly into squares for easy serving!

The apple filling is made from scratch with simple ingredients. Sandwiched between the buttery shortbread crust and sweet crumble topping – this bakery-quality dessert will become a family favorite!

Apple Pie Bars: Ingredients & Substitutions

•  Apples. Choose your favorite apple variety! I recommend pink lady, honey crisp, gala, jazz, granny smith, McIntosh, etc. A sweet/tart mixture is my favorite.
• Light brown sugar. dark brown sugar works well, it imparts are bolder molasses taste.
• All-purpose flour. to make these gluten-free, use all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well in this recipe.
• Granulated Sugar. Use white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
• Pure Vanilla Extract. If you’d like, you can use a combination of vanilla and another extract such as almond, lemon, etc.

How to Make Apple Pie Bars

There are three layers to make in this recipe. I suggest laying out the dry ingredients for each separately (label them to avoid confusion). They all use similar ingredients just in different amounts.

Make the Apple filling

Since we precook the apples and they need to cool, we start by making the apple filling.

So, begin by placing the peeled, cored and sliced apples in a microwave safe dish. Cover and cook for 6 minutes, until apples are slightly soft.

Once apples are finished cooking in the microwave, put them in a colander to drain excess water. Let them cool in the colander for at least 10 minutes.

While apples are in the microwave, mix together the sugar, flour cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl.

Then, transfer the cooled & drained apples to a bowl and stir in dry ingredient mixture until evenly distributed.

Make the Crumb Topping

Next, prepare the crumb topping by mixing together sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.

Then cut in butter with a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands until large crumbs form. Set it aside.

Make the shortbread crust

I suggest making the shortbread crust last because it’s very simple. Plus, once it’s done you can assemble and bake the apple pie bars right away.

Begin by beating the butter and sugar together for 60 seconds either in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer.

Then add the vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Next, add the flour and salt and beat until coarse, large crumbs form (about 60-90 seconds).

Assemble & Bake

Spread the dough into the bottom of a 9×9″ baking dish, and use floured hands to press it into an even layer.

Then, spread the apple filling evenly over the crust, then sprinkle the crumb topping over the apples.

Bake the apple pie bars at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until the stop is set and the filling is bubbly.

Let the bars cool to room temperature before serving. The bars are best served once they are completely cool for easy cutting and serving.

Serve

Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or caramel sauce

Store

Store leftover apple pie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

 If you have leftover apple pie bars you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them.

Then, once the bars are frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Apple Pie Bars Recipe

These apple pie bars taste just like apple pie but are even easier to make. A from-scratch apple filling is piled on a buttery shortbread crust and topped with a delicious crumb topping for an irresistible fall dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Cooling 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Bars

Calories 209kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• KitchenAid Mixer
• hand mixer
• 9×9″ baking pan
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Apple Filling

• 3 pounds apples peeled and sliced (8 cups sliced apples)
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Shortbread Crust:

• ½ cup salted butter softened
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Crumble topping

• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup salted butter
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 9×9” baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease, set aside.

Make the Apple filling:

• Place the peeled, cored and sliced apples in a microwave safe dish and cook for 6 minutes, until apples are slightly soft.
• While apples are in the microwave, in a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Once apples are finished cooking in the microwave, put them in a colander to drain excess water. Let them cool in the colander for at least 10 minutes.
• Transfer cooled & drained apples to a bowl, add dry ingredient mixture and stir until it’s evenly distributed.

Make the Crumb Topping:

• In a small bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt until combined.
• Cut in butter with a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands until crumbly.
• Set aside.

Make the crust:

• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat butter and sugar for 60 seconds.
• Add vanilla and beat until incorporated.
• Add flour and salt and beat until coarse, large crumbs form (about 60-90 seconds).
• Pour the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, using lightly floured hands, press it into an even layer.

Assemble & Bake

• Spread the apple filling evenly over the crust.
• Then, sprinkle the crumb topping over the apples
• Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until the stop is set and the filling is bubbly.
• Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Serve

• Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or caramel sauce

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

•  Apples. Choose your favorite apple variety! I recommend pink lady, honey crisp, gala, jazz, granny smith, McIntosh, etc. A sweet/tart mixture is my favorite.
• Light brown sugar. dark brown sugar works well, it imparts are bolder molasses taste.
• All-purpose flour. to make these gluten-free, use all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well in this recipe.
• Granulated Sugar. Use white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
• Pure Vanilla Extract. If you’d like, you can use a combination of vanilla and another extract such as almond, lemon, etc.

Store

Store leftover apple pie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

 If you have leftover apple pie bars you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them.

Then, once the bars are frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 312IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

I enjoy dessert so much that I eat it every night – which is why I like to create healthier recipes, like these Black Bean Brownies! Dessert doesn’t have to derail your healthy eating habits, with this black bean brownie recipe it can be part of your daily routine – because what good is a day without chocolate?

Topped with this Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting, these black bean brownies are one of favorite desserts. They are loaded with protein and fiber and are gluten & dairy-free! So you can feel good about enjoying a little chocolatey treat.

These are the only black bean brownies I have ever made that taste good directly out of the oven, and I’ve made my fair share over the years. I still like to let them cool a little bit so they retain their shape better. But if patience around brownies isn’t your forte, feel free to dig right in.

Black Bean Brownies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Coconut oil. Melted butter (highly recommended) or ghee can be used in place of coconut oil.
• Coconut sugar. Any granulated sugar works well in place of coconut sugar. Or you can replace the granulated sugar with additional honey.
• Honey. Maple syrup is a good substitute for honey.
• Chocolate chips. Use your favorite mix-ins. Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, etc.

How to make Black Bean Brownies

This recipe is very easy to make, simply put the ingredients into the container of a blender and blend until smooth, then bake. Don’t forget to watch the video, and follow the step-by-step instructions.

Begin by greasing an 8×8″ baking pan, then set it aside. I suggest a ceramic or glass baking dish for the best results. If you use a 9×9″ baking pan, reduce baking time by 3-5 minutes.

Next, blend the black beans, coconut oil, honey and coconut sugar together until well-mixed.

Then, add the cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder and sea salt and blend until combined.

Next, add the eggs and blend until the mixture is completely smooth.

Finally, stir in the chocolate chips by hand. I have also used pieces of chocolate bars, peanut butter cups, etc, and pulsed carefully to break them up in the batter.

Don’t over-blend. If you blend the mixture for too long it will start to get very warm. This becomes problematic when the chocolate chips melt when they’re added to a warm batter. Blend just until the mixture in homogenous {the same throughout} and smooth.

Then, pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread until the top is smooth.

If desired, top the black bean brownies with extra chocolate chips, then bake until the top and edges are just set (about 25 minutes).

Remove the black bean brownies from the oven and let them cool completely in the baking dish. Then, cut them into squares and serve.

Serve

These black bean brownies taste amazing on their own. If desired, here are some serving suggestions:

• Nut Butter. I like to drizzle some peanut butter, almond butter, Nutella, etc. on top of the brownies.
• Ice Cream. Serve them slightly warm with homemade ice cream like dairy-free vanilla ice cream, vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, dairy-free chocolate peanut butter ice cream.
• Frost the brownies: or slather your favorite frosting on top. Suggestions include: peanut butter frosting and chocolate buttercream frosting.

Store/freeze

Store black bean brownies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Warm them in the microwave for about 10 seconds to restore the fresh-from-the-oven taste!

Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Healthy Black Bean Brownies Recipe

These black bean brownies are an easy, healthy dessert made with 9 ingredients in 30 minutes and are delicious straight from the oven. This is the best black bean brownies recipe, and they are gluten-free & dairy-free with no refined sugar.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 9 brownies

Calories 198kcal

Author Laura

Cost $5

Equipment

• Vitamix blender
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• 8×8″ baking pan

Ingredients

• 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup honey
• ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup chocolate chips divided

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8″ baking pan and set aside.
• Put beans, coconut oil, coconut sugar and honey into the container of your (Vitamix) or food processor. Blend until well combined.
• Add cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
• Add in eggs and blend until just combined.
• Mix in ½ cup chocolate chips by hand.
• Pour into greased 8×8-inch pan and top with remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is set and brownies are just barely pulling away from the sides.
• Let cool, cut and enjoy!

Video

Notes

If your oven cooks hot please check these at 20 minutes. If you want gooey fudgey brownies you cannot over bake them!

Ingredient Substitutions

• Coconut oil. Melted butter or ghee are great substitutions. 
• Coconut sugar. Any granulated sugar works well, or you can replace it with additional honey. 
• Honey. Maple syrup or agave are good substitutes. 
• Chocolate chips. Use your favorite mix-ins. Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, etc.

Store/freeze

Store these black bean brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4.3g | Fat: 11.2g | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 146.8mg | Fiber: 3.1g | Sugar: 14.5g | Iron: 1.3mg

More delicious recipes

Best Flourless Brownies (Gluten-Free, Paleo)

Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Frosting

Healthy Peanut Butter Blondies (Chickpea Blondies)

Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

 If you are looking for a gooey brownie with a fudgy texture, crinkly top and deep chocolate flavor, then you are in the right place. These classic homemade brownies are seriously the best brownies ever!

It’s no secret that brownies are my all-time favorite dessert. To say I am passionate about brownies is an understatement. Some would even go so far and say that I am a brownie connoisseur. To be declared the best, a brownie must meet the following criteria: 

1. It must have a rich chocolate flavor.
2. Have a fudgy, not at all cakey, texture.
3. Sport a, beautifully shiny, deliciously crisp top.

I have tested hundreds of brownie recipes in my adult life, and after much tweaking, I can confidently say this is the very best chocolate brownie recipe ever! It meets all the above criteria, plus it’s made with only 7 ingredients in 30 minutes. A total winner.

Best brownie recipe: Ingredients and Substitutions

I always find it important to mention that a recipe is only as good as the ingredients used to make it. So let’s chat about the ingredients in this brownie recipe, as well as possible substitutions.

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil and gee all work well in this recipe.
• Chopped chocolate. If you want to make the best brownies, then you need to choose a high-quality chocolate. Since the chocolate is melted the “form” of chocolate doesn’t matter. Use chocolate chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. The quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. Any granulated sugar works well in this brownie recipe. I use organic cane sugar.
• Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder is the best choice for these fudgy brownies. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Sea Salt. I recommend using pure fine sea salt in baking and cooking. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. 
• Eggs. I have not tried using egg substitute. If you do and it works well for you please let me know in the comments below.

How to make Brownies

The process used to make homemade brownies is just as important to the final outcome as the ingredients. For that perfect shiny crinkly top with a fudgy center, it’s very important to follow the steps listed in this recipe. Don’t forget to watch the video too.

Melt chocolate & butter

The first step in making this brownie recipe is to melt the butter and chocolate together in one of two ways:

1. In the microwave. warm butter & chocolate in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and warm in 30 second increments with stirring in between until the mixture is smooth and glossy. 
2. On the stovetop. Gently warm butter and chocolate on the stovetop over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and shiny.

Set the melted butter/chocolate mixture aside to cool slightly while you mix up the rest of the batter. 

Begin by beating the eggs alone for 60 seconds until they are pale yellow.

Once the eggs are pale yellow, add the granulated sugar and beat for an additional 60 seconds. Beat until the sugar is dissolved, the mixture is has thickened and is pale in color. 

Next, add the vanilla and melted butter/chocolate mixture and beat again. This time, beat on medium speed until the ingredients are combined and the batter is uniform throughout. 

Then, add the dry ingredients to the brownie batter. If your flour or cocoa powder are particularly clumpy, you may want to sift them before adding them to the brownie recipe. 

Once the mixture is smooth, fold in the chocolate chips by hand.  Adding chocolate chips is optional but recommended. You can also add walnuts or any other mix-ins you’d like to at this time. 

The batter should be thick (as pictured below) and not runny. The thickness of the batter is what makes these the best brownies ever, ultra fudgy with a beautiful shiny top.

Bake & Cool

Spread the brownie batter evenly in a pan and bake. Be sure to test them at the beginning of the recommended baking time, you do not want over-baked brownies.

You get to decide when these brownies are done, and it varies depending on how gooey you want them to be. For me, the perfect amount of gooeyness is achieved when the brownies are set on the top and around the edges, and they jiggle every-so-slightly when the pan is shaken. 

Let your homemade brownies cool in the baking pan for at least 15 minutes before cutting. You can eat them warm or at room temperature. However just be aware that the warmer they are, the more they will fall apart when cut. 

Frost (Optional)

Once the brownies are completely cooled, you can frost them. Here are some of our favorite frosting recipes:

• Chocolate buttercream frosting
• Chocolate Ganache
• Peanut Butter Frosting
• Homemade Vanilla Frosting
• Cream Cheese Frosting

Serve

I love serving these brownies warm with a scoop of ice cream (like this vanilla ice cream or homemade chocolate ice cream).

You can also add a dollop of homemade whipped cream, sprinkles, or a dusting of flaky sea salt.

Store

To keep brownies fresh, store them in an airtight container. They will last at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

I recommend wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum sealing them, then storing the wrapped brownies in an airtight container or plastic bag in the freezer. 

Brownies FAQs

Now I want to try to answer some of the frequently asked questions about making this homemade brownie recipe.

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Best Homemade Brownie Recipe (from Scratch)

This is the best brownie recipe ever! These fudgy brownies are homemade from scratch and have a gorgeous crinkly top with a gooey middle. They're easy to make with only 7 ingredients! Ditch the box and make these today.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 16 brownies

Calories 165.6kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• KitchenAid Mixer
• glass batter bowl

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 10 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate* (1 ½ cups)
• ½ cup salted butter
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup of mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, etc. if desired)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease an 8×8” baking dish, set aside.
• Mix flour, cocoa powder and sea salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
• Melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick.
• Add sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, until sugar is dissolved.
• Add melted chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).
• Add dry ingredients, mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.
• Stir in chocolate chips or other mix-ins by hand.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes.**
• Place brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and serve.

Video

Notes

If you like very gooey brownies, bake for 20 minutes. If you like them firmer bake for 25-30 minutes. Remember all ovens bake differently so baking times can vary.

Doubling the recipe: 

This brownie recipe doubles beautifully. Bake them in a 9×13″ pan.  You may need to increase the baking time slightly, however I recommend checking it at 25 minutes to be sure they don’t over bake. 

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too, you may just need to adjust the amount of sea salt in the recipe. Coconut oil or ghee can also be used in this recipe for dairy-free versions.
• Chopped chocolate. The form of the chocolate doesn’t matter too much. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well because it’s being melted. However the quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. 
• Granulated sugar. Any granulated sugar works well in this brownie recipe. I use organic cane sugar.
• Cocoa powder. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Sea Salt. I recommend using pure fine sea salt in baking and cooking. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. 
• Eggs. I have not tried using egg substitutes in this brownie recipe

Frost (Optional)

You can also frost the zucchini brownies before cutting once they are completely cooled. Here are some of our favorite frosting recipes:

• Chocolate buttercream frosting
• Chocolate Ganache
• Peanut Butter Frosting
• Homemade Vanilla Frosting

Store

To keep brownies fresh, store them in an airtight container. They will last at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

I recommend wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum sealing them, then storing the wrapped brownies in an airtight container or plastic bag in the freezer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 165.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.1g | Protein: 1.9g | Fat: 9.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.8g | Cholesterol: 38.7mg | Sodium: 84.2mg | Potassium: 61.8mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15.2g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.6mg

More Delicious Brownie Recipes

Caramel Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Pumpkin Brownies

M & M Brownies

Peppermint Brownies

Say hello to the best M & M brownies!

In this recipe, M&M candies are mixed into a from-scratch brownie batter, then baked to perfection.

These M and M brownies have shiny tops with rich and fudgy centers (no cakey brownies here)! They’re easy to make in 30 minutes (just like these M&M Cookie Bars)!

M & M Brownies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter and coconut oil work well.
• Chopped chocolate. Use high-quality chocolate for the best results. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well because it’s being melted. However the quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. white sugar or organic cane sugar are both good choices.
• Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Sea Salt. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. 
• M&Ms. I actually prefer these unreal chocolate candies to the M&M brand. They taste even better and have no food dyes! You can use any flavor of M&Ms you’d like – peanut butter, caramel, etc. there is no wrong choice when it comes to M&Ms used in this recipe.

How to make M & M Brownies

When you’re making any type of brownies, the process really matters. To create a crinkly shiny top with fudgy centers you need to follow the recipe step-by-step! Don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by combining the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then set them aside to use later.

Next, melt the butter and chocolate together. This can be done in one of two ways: 

1. In the microwave. warm butter & chocolate in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and warm in 30 second increments with stirring in between until the mixture is smooth and glossy. 
2. On the stovetop. Gently warm the butter and chocolate on the stovetop over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and shiny!

Set the melted butter/chocolate mixture aside to cool slightly.

Whip it good!

The key to the crackly, shiny-topped brownies is to beat the eggs and sugar very well. Begin my beating the eggs alone for 1 minute or until pale and thick. I suggest using a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or a large bowl and a handheld mixer.

Then, add the granulated sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, until the sugar is dissolved.

Next, add the melted and cooled chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).

Then, add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.

Gently stir in the M & Ms by hand.

Pour the batter into prepared pan. If desired, press additional M&Ms into the top of the batter gently.  

Bake in the preheated oven until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes.**

Place brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Serve

 Once cooled, cut the M & M brownies into squares and serve. I suggest serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! YUM!

Store

Store the M and M brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

To freeze, cool the M & M brownies completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum seal them, then store the wrapped brownies in an airtight container in the freezer. 

Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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M & M Brownies Recipe

These M & M Brownies are rich, fudgy and chocolatey. They have a shiny crinkly top with fudgy centers and are loaded with chocolate M&Ms!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Cooling 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Brownies

Calories 229kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• KitchenAid Mixer
• hand mixer
• 9×9″ baking pan
• spatula

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 TBS cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 6 oz semisweet chocolate* (1 cup)
• ½ cup salted butter
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup M & Ms

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line a 9×9” baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease, set aside.
• Mix flour, cocoa powder and sea salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
• Melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick.
• Add sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, until sugar is dissolved.
• Add melted chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).
• Add dry ingredients, mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.
• Gently stir in the M & Ms by hand.
• Pour the batter into prepared pan. If desired, press additional M&Ms into the top of the batter gently.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes.**
• Place brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter and coconut oil work well.
• Chopped chocolate. Use high-quality chocolate for the best results. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well because it’s being melted. However the quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. white sugar or organic cane sugar are both good choices.
• Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Sea Salt. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. 
• M&Ms. I prefer these unreal chocolate candies to the M&M brand. They taste even better and have no food dyes! You can use any flavor of M&Ms you’d like – peanut butter, caramel, etc. there is no wrong choice when it comes to M&Ms used in this recipe.

Store

Store the M and M brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

To freeze, cool the M & M brownies completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum seal them, then store the wrapped brownies in an airtight container in the freezer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 234IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Sometimes the craving for peanut butter cookies strikes, but I don’t want to have to wait for the dough to chill or roll and bake multiple batches of cookies – so I make these peanut butter cookie bars instead!

These peanut butter cookie bars are soft, buttery and absolutely loaded with peanut butter. Ready from start to finish in 30 minutes – they are everything you love about your favorite cookie with a fraction of the work!

Make them your own by adding your favorite mix-ins like chocolate chips or peanut butter chips!

Peanut Butter Cookie Bars: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter or ghee are good substitutes.
• Creamy Peanut Butter. Choose your favorite creamy peanut butter. Just be aware of the salt content. If using unsalted peanut butter, increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
• Whole Milk. 2% milk, heavy cream or half and half are good substitutes.
• Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder, molasses taste then you can use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar. White sugar or organic cane sugar are both great options.
• Sea salt. I only ever bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half.
• Peanut butter chips. You can omit these, or choose a different mix-in such as chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, etc.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Let’s walk through this peanut butter cookie bars recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by mixing together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder cinnamon in a medium bowl, then set it aside.

Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter until smooth.

Next, add the sugars and beat until combined.

Then, add the egg, vanilla and milk and beat for 30-60 seconds on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color and sugar is dissolved.

Once the mixture is smooth, add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.

If you want to add some mix-ins, now is the time to do it! Add 1 cup of mix-ins into the dough and stir to combine. Here are some suggestions:

• chocolate chips
• peanut butter chips
• cinnamon chips
• chopped peanuts
• mini peanut butter cups
• Reese’s pieces 

Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish, then bake in preheated oven for approximately 22-25 minutes until the top is lightly browned.

Let the bars cool in a wire rack (note, they will likely “deflate” a little bit as they cool, that is normal).

Cool, Cut & Serve

Finally, let the peanut butter cookie bars cool for at least 60 minutes. The longer they cool, the better they hold up to cutting.

If you’re just going to serve them warm with vanilla ice cream, then I wouldn’t worry too much about their appearance, because the taste and warm gooey texture is most important in that situation! 

Store/freeze

Store these peanut butter cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

These peanut butter cookie bars are easy to make in under 30 minutes. They are gooey, chewy and loaded with peanut butter!

Course cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Cooling 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 27 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Bars

Calories 231kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• KitchenAid Mixer
• hand mixer
• 9×9″ baking pan

Ingredients

• ½ cup salted butter softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 TBS whole milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp cinnamon optional, but recommended!
• 1 cup peanut butter chips optional or chocolate chips, etc.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×9” baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder cinnamon. Set aside.
• Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter until smooth.
• Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until combined.
• Add egg, vanilla and milk and beat for 30-60 seconds on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color and sugar is dissolved.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
• If desired, add peanut butter chips or desired mix-ins and stir until combined.
• Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish, then bake in preheated oven for approximately 22-25 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
• Let the bars cool in a wire rack (note, they will likely “deflate” a little bit as they cool, that is normal).
• Once cooled, cut into 9 or 16 squares and serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter or ghee are good substitutes.
• Creamy Peanut Butter. Choose your favorite creamy peanut butter. Just be aware of the salt content. If using unsalted peanut butter, increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
• Whole Milk. 2% milk, heavy cream or half and half are good substitutes.
• Light Brown Sugar. If you like a little bolder, molasses taste then you can use dark brown sugar.
• Granulated Sugar. White sugar or organic cane sugar are both great options.
• Sea salt. I only ever bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half.
• Peanut butter chips. You can omit these, or choose a different mix-in such as chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, etc.

Store/freeze

Store these peanut butter cookie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

I know I already shared these mini egg cookies with you, but how about these mini egg brownies?

I adapted my best homemade brownie recipe to be hearty enough to be loaded with mini eggs and enjoyed with wreck-less abandon.

Seriously, if you love mini eggs and brownies – these mini egg brownies are the dessert of your dreams (also, try these M&M Brownies!)

Mini Egg Brownies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil and gee all work well in this recipe.
• Chopped chocolate. Use high-quality chocolate for the best results. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well because it’s being melted. However the quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. white sugar or organic cane sugar are both good choices.
• Vanilla extract. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract, and not imitation.
• Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Sea Salt. I recommend using pure fine sea salt in baking and cooking. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. 
• Mini Eggs. Obviously, Cadbury mini eggs are a great choice in this recipe, but if you can get your hands on the Lindt mini eggs, I highly recommend giving them a try.

How to Make Mini Egg Brownies

We’ll walk through this mini egg brownies recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by combining flour, cocoa powder and sea salt in a small bowl; then set aside to use later.

Next, melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool slightly.

Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer, beat eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick.

Then sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, until sugar is dissolved.

Do not skip the beating – this is what creates the crinkly, shiny top!

Then, add the melted chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).

Then, stir in the dry ingredients, mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.

Then gently stir in the mini eggs by hand.

Next, evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. If desired, place whole or halved mini eggs on top.

Then bake the mini egg brownies in the preheated oven until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes. Note I underbaked these brownies when I shot these photos because I like them super fudgy, for firmer brownies bake the full 30 minutes.

Place the brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

 Once cooled, cut into squares and serve. They are easier to cut once completely cooled to room temperature.

Store

Store the mini egg brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

To freeze, cool the brownies completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum seal them, then store the wrapped brownies in an airtight container in the freezer. 

Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Mini Egg Brownies Recipe

These mini egg brownies are made in one bowl. They are fugy with a shiny, crackly top and loaded with the best spring candy – mini eggs!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 16 Brownies

Calories 245kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• KitchenAid Mixer
• hand mixer
• 9×9″ baking pan
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 TBS cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 6 oz semisweet chocolate* (1 cup)
• ½ cup salted butter
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup mini eggs chopped (plus extra for the top)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line a 9×9” baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease, set aside.
• Mix flour, cocoa powder and sea salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
• Melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick.
• Add sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, until sugar is dissolved.
• Add melted chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).
• Add dry ingredients, mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.
• Stir in mini eggs by hand.
• Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. If desired, place whole or halved mini eggs on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes.*
• Place brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil and gee all work well in this recipe.
• Chopped chocolate. Use high-quality chocolate for the best results. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well because it’s being melted. However the quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. white sugar or organic cane sugar are both good choices.
• Vanilla extract. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract, and not imitation.
• Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Sea Salt. I recommend using pure fine sea salt in baking and cooking. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. 
• Mini Eggs. Obviously, Cadbury mini eggs are a great choice in this recipe, but if you can get your hands on the Lindt mini eggs, I highly recommend giving them a try.

Store

Store the mini egg brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

To freeze, cool the brownies completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum seal them, then store the wrapped brownies in an airtight container in the freezer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 2mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

Scotcheroos are such a nostalgic treat for me (just like these no-bake cookies). The combination of peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch is just completely irresistible!

However I never loved that they were made with corn syrup. So, I created this scotcheroos recipe without corn syrup and they’re truly the best I’ve ever had!

Scotcheroos Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Crispy rice cereal. Special K is a good substitute.
• Creamy peanut butter. Cashew butter or sunflower seed butter are good substitutes if you’re allergic to peanut butter.
• Granulated sugar. use organic cane sugar and coconut sugar, if desired.
• Honey. you can use light corn syrup in place of honey.
• Milk chocolate chips. for a darker topping use semisweet chocolate chips.
• Butterscotch chips. the essence of this recipe, I don’t recommend omitting or substituting. It’s nearly impossible to find them without food dyes or artificial flavors, but I did find these Lilly’s Butterscotch Chips and really like them.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter or ghee are good substitutes.

How to make Scotcheroos

Let’s walk through this scotcheroos recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Make the bottom layer

Begin by greasing an 8×8″ baking pan. Then, measure out 3 cups of crispy rice cereal and set it aside.

It’s important to prepare these things in advance because this is a fast-paced recipe.

Then, melt the peanut butter sugar, honey and salt and heat over medium heat in a 4-5 quart saucepan until it just begins to boil (bubbles form near the sides of the pan) and the sugar is dissolved, whisking often.

Next, remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Then, add the rice crispy cereal and stir to combine.

Quickly spread the mixture into the prepared 8×8” pan in an evenly layer.

Make the topping

Melt the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and salted butter together until smooth. This can be done in a microwave safe-bowl or on the stovetop.

The mixture is very thick, just keep stirring until it’s uniform.

Assemble the scotcheroos

Then, quickly spread the topping evenly over the rice crispy mixture in the baking pan.

Let the scotcheroos sit at room temperature until hardened, or chill in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

Serve

Cut the sctocheroos into bars and serve. I suggest cutting them into 16 pieces, as the bars are very rich and a little goes a long way!

Store/freeze

Store leftover sctocheroos in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. They’re best when eaten at room temperature.

Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Scotcheroos Recipe

This scotcheroos recipe is easy to make with simple ingredients and no corn syrup. They’re a delicious no-bake treat sure to become a family favorite.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Setting/Chilling 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Scotcheroos

Calories 219kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• 5 Quart Sauce Pan
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• 8×8″ baking pan
• spatula
• glass batter bowl

Ingredients

• 3 cups crispy rice cereal or special K
• ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Topping

• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 2 TBS salted butter

Instructions

• Grease an 8×8” pan, set aside
• Measure out 3 cups of rice crispy cereal, set aside.
• In a 4-5 quart saucepan, melt the peanut butter sugar, honey and salt and heat over medium heat until it just begins to boil (bubbles form near the sides of the pan) and the sugar is dissolved, whisking often.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
• Add the rice crispy cereal and stir to combine.
• Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared 8×8” pan.
• Melt the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and salted butter together until smooth. This can be done in a microwave safe-bowl or on the stovetop. The mixture is very thick, just keep stirring.
• Spread it evenly over the rice crispy mixture in the baking pan.
• Let sit until hardened at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
• Cut into bars and serve.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions 

• Crispy rice cereal. Special K is a good substitute.
• Creamy peanut butter. Cashew butter or sunflower seed butter are good substitutes if you’re allergic to peanut butter.
• Granulated sugar. use organic cane sugar and coconut sugar, if desired.
• Honey. you can use light corn syrup in place of honey.
• Milk chocolate chips. for a darker topping use semisweet chocolate chips.
• Butterscotch chips. the essence of this recipe, I don’t recommend omitting or substituting. It’s nearly impossible to find them without food dyes or artificial flavors, but I did find these Lilly’s Butterscotch Chips and really like them.
• Salted butter. unsalted butter or ghee are good substitutes.

Store/freeze

Store leftover sctocheroos in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. They’re best when eaten at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1scotcharoo | Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

Just when you think brownies can’t get any better – let me introduce you to – Salted Carmel Brownies.

In this recipe, a creamy caramel sauce (use homemade caramels for the absolute best results) is sandwiched between a from-scratch brownie batter, then baked to perfection. Also try these caramel cookies – yum!

These caramel brownies have shiny tops with gooey caramel centers and are topped with flaky sea salt “chefs kiss.”

Caramel Brownies: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil and gee all work well in this recipe.
• Chopped chocolate. Use high-quality chocolate for the best results. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well because it’s being melted. However the quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. white sugar or organic cane sugar are both good choices.
• Vanilla extract. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract, and not imitation.
• Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Sea Salt. I recommend using pure fine sea salt in baking and cooking. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. 

• Caramel: This recipe calls for 40 caramels. I suggest using homemade caramels. You can also use store-bought.
• Heavy cream. You can use evaporated milk, if desired. However heavy cream is definitely our preference.

How to make Caramel Brownies

When you’re making brownies, the process really matters if you want a crinkly shiny top with fudgy centers, so be sure to follow the recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Make the Caramel Filling

Begin by warming the heavy cream and caramels over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth.

Transfer the caramel to a class measuring cup or bowl, set aside to cool slightly.

Make the Brownies

Begin by combining the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then set them aside to use later.

Next, melt the butter and chocolate together. This can be done in one of two ways: 

1. In the microwave. warm butter & chocolate in the microwave for 60 seconds. Stir and warm in 30 second increments with stirring in between until the mixture is smooth and glossy. 
2. On the stovetop. Gently warm butter and chocolate on the stovetop over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and shiny!

Set the melted butter/chocolate mixture aside to cool slightly while you mix up the rest of the batter. 

Beat the mixture well

The key to fudgy brownies with crackly shiny tops is to beat the batter very well. Begin my beating the eggs alone for 1 minute or until pale and thick. I suggest using a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, or a large bowl and a handheld mixer.

Then, add the granulated sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, until the sugar is dissolved.

Next, add the melted and cooled chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).

Then, add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.

Assemble & bake

Evenly spread ⅔ of the batter into the prepared pan.

Then, carefully and evenly pour the caramel over the bottom layer.

Gently place the remaining batter over the caramel, covering as much of the caramel as possible.

Bake in the preheated oven until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes.**

Then, Place the brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

 Once cooled, cut the salted caramel brownies into 9 or 16 squares and serve.

Store

Store the caramel brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

To freeze, cool the caramel brownies completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum seal them, then store the wrapped brownies in an airtight container in the freezer. 

Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Caramel Brownies

These Salted Caramel Brownies are rich, fudgy and chocolatey. They have a crispy crinkly top with gooey caramel centers, and are topped with flaky sea salt.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 16 brownies

Calories 236kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• KitchenAid Mixer
• hand mixer
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• 9×9″ baking pan
• glass batter bowl
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Brownie Layer

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 TBS cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 6 oz semisweet chocolate*
• ½ cup salted butter
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Caramel Layer

• 40 Caramels (11 oz bag, 311 grams)
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• Flaky sea salt for topping

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line a 9×9” baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease, set aside.

Make the caramel:

• Add heavy cream and caramels to a medium saucepan.
• Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted.
• Transfer the caramel to a class measuring cup or bowl, set aside to cool slightly.

Make the brownie batter

• Mix flour, cocoa powder and sea salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
• Melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick.
• Add sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, until sugar is dissolved.
• Add melted chocolate/butter mixture and vanilla and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout).
• Add dry ingredients, mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.

Assemble

• Pour ⅔ of the batter into the prepared pan.
• Then, carefully and evenly pour the caramel over the bottom layer.
• Gently place the remaining batter over the caramel, covering as much of the caramel as possible.

Bake & Cool

• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes.**
• Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle the top of the brownies with flaky sea salt.
• Place the brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and serve.

Video

Notes

* 6 oz chocolate is 1 cup chocolate chips. 

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil and gee all work well in this recipe.
• Chopped chocolate. Use high-quality chocolate for the best results. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well because it’s being melted. However the quality and cocoa content of your chocolate will affect the final outcome. I typically use Ghirardelli 60% dark chocolate chips.
• Granulated sugar. white sugar or organic cane sugar are both good choices.
• Vanilla extract. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract, and not imitation.
• Cocoa powder. regular unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use extra dark cocoa powder for an even more intense chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. 
• Sea Salt. I recommend using pure fine sea salt in baking and cooking. If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. 
• Caramel: This recipe calls for 40 caramels. I suggest using homemade caramels. You can also use store-bought.
• Heavy cream. You can use evaporated milk, if desired. However heavy cream is definitely our preference.

Store

Store the caramel brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Freeze

To freeze, cool brownies completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or vacuum seal them, then store the wrapped brownies in an airtight container in the freezer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

More Brownie Recipes

M & M Brownies

Best Fudgy Homemade Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

Peppermint Brownies

Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Pumpkin Brownies

Let’s face it, serving pie can be messy and difficult – especially to a crowd. So I took our favorite pumpkin pie recipe and adapted it to make the most delicious pumpkin pie bars!

If you love homemade pumpkin pie, you will adore these pumpkin pie bars! In this recipe, the most delicious pumpkin filling is baked on top of a buttery shortbread crust for fall desert perfection.

No rolling or chilling pie crust is required to make this pumpkin pie bars recipe – which means they’re incredibly easy to make. They cut neatly into squares for easy serving.

Pumpkin Pie Bars: Ingredients & Substitutions

Pumpkin Filling

• Heavy Cream. Half & half is a great substitute. For dairy-free options choose full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream.
• Light Brown Sugar: dark brown sugar is a good substitute, but note that it will impart a bolder molasses taste. Coconut sugar also works well.
• Pumpkin puree. Use a 15 oz can of pure pumpkin puree, or make your own from a fresh pie pumpkin (instructions in the recipe card).
• Pumpkin pie spice. Use store-bought or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.

Shortbread crust

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well in this recipe.
• Granulated Sugar. Use white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
• All-purpose flour. to make these gluten-free, use all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Bars

Let’s walk through how to make pumpkin pie bars step by step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Make the shortbread crust

Begin by making the shortbread crust. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla together in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand-held mixer.

Next, add the flour and salt and beat until coarse, large crumbs form (about 60-90 seconds).

Then, transfer the dough to the bottom of the prepared baking dish, using lightly floured hands, press it into an even layer. Set it aside to use later.

Note. The crust is NOT pre-baked, do not bake it before adding the filling.

Make the Pumpkin filling

Once the crust is ready, make the pumpkin filling.

Begin by whisking together the pumpkin puree and eggs in a large bowl.

Then, whisk in the heavy cream (or half and half), vanilla, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.

Assemble & Bake

Then, pour the pumpkin filling over the shortbread crust.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake 35-40 min more or until the filling is set and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with 1-2 moist crumbs.

Let the pumpkin pie bars cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Serve

Once the bars are completely chilled, cut them into 9 or 16 squares and serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

Store

Store leftover pumpkin pie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

 If you have a few leftover pumpkin pie bars you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them.

Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Pumpkin Pie Bars Recipe

These pumpkin pie bars taste just like pumpkin pie but are even easier to make. A from-scratch pumpkin filling sits on top of a buttery shortbread crust for a delicious fall dessert.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Chilling 4 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 191kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• whisk
• spatula
• 9×9″ baking pan
• Parchment Paper
• KitchenAid Mixer
• hand mixer

Ingredients

• 15 oz pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Shortbread Crust:

• ½ cup salted butter softened
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9×9” baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease, set aside.

Make the crust:

• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla.
• Add flour and salt and beat until coarse, large crumbs form (about 60-90 seconds).
• Pour the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, using lightly floured hands, press it into an even layer. Set aside to use later.

Make the Pumpkin filling:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and eggs.
• Then, whisk in the heavy cream (or half and half), vanilla, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice and mix until completely combined.

Assemble & Bake

• Pour the pumpkin filling over the crust.
• Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake 35-40 min more or until the filling is set and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with 1-2 moist crumbs.
• Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Serve

• Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Heavy Cream. Half & half is a great substitute. For dairy-free options choose full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream.
• Light Brown Sugar: dark brown sugar is a good substitute, but note that it will impart a bolder molasses taste. Coconut sugar also works well.
• Pumpkin puree. Use a 15 oz can of pure pumpkin puree, or make your own from a fresh pie pumpkin (instructions in the recipe card).
• Pumpkin pie spice. Use store-bought or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well in this recipe.
• Granulated Sugar. Use white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
• Pure Vanilla Extract. If you’d like, you can use a combination of vanilla and another extract such as almond, lemon, etc.
• All-purpose flour. to make these gluten-free, use all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.

Or, to make only 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice combine: 

• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp allspice

Store

Store the bars in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

 If you have a few leftover pumpkin pie bars you want to freeze, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer to flash-freeze them. Then, once they’re frozen, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for about 6 hours. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 4523IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

These zucchini bars with cream cheese frosting are easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients.

They’re a cross between a zucchini cake and a blonde brownie (zucchini brownies) in the best possible way. They’re dense and moist, richly spiced and perfectly sweet!

A delicious recipe to use up garden zucchini in the summer!

Zucchini Bars: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Salted butter.  Unsalted butter, coconut oil and ghee are good substitutions for salted butter.
• Sour cream. full-fat sour cream is the best for the richest taste and texture. You can use light sour cream or Greek yogurt.
• Granulated sugar. white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar are the best choices.
• All-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. 
• Zucchini. this recipe uses one medium/small zucchini, which comes out to be about 1 cup after being shredded. If you shred and freeze zucchini in the summer to use all year long, let the zucchini thaw in a strainer in the sink until it’s room temperature. Squeeze out a little bit of the excess water and use in the recipe.

How to make zucchini bars

This recipe is very easy to make, we’ll walk through how to make zucchini bars step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by combining flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl, set aside.

Then, melt the butter gently, stirring until it’s smooth. Be careful not to over-head the butter.

Then, whisk in the sour cream, egg, vanilla and sugar until mixture is smooth.

Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until smooth.

Then, gently fold in the shredded zucchini until itis evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Next, spread the batter evenly in a prepared baking dish and bake in the until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the bars cool completely in the pan.

While the bars are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting https://joyfoodsunshine.com/cream-cheese-frosting/.

This frosting recipe makes enough for two batches of zucchini bars, you can cut it in half or just use half and freeze the other half for another recipe.

Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled bars, then chill the zucchini bars until you are ready to serve.

Serve

Cut the zucchini bars into squares and serve. The bars can be served slightly chilled or room temperature.

Store

Store leftover zucchini bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

You can either freeze individual squares or you can freeze the entire pan of bars:

Entire recipe. Make the recipe, then chill it until it’s completely cooled, then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap and foil (or bake in a pan with a lid) and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Individual bars. To freeze individual bars, put them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer until they are hardened (about 1 hour). Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Zucchini Bars Recipe

These zucchini bars are most, perfectly spiced and loaded with fresh zucchini. Topped with the best cream cheese frosting, they're a delicious dessert perfect for using up fresh garden zucchini!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Cooling 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 110kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• glass batter bowl
• box grater
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• 8×8″ baking pan

Ingredients

• ¼ cup salted butter melted
• ½ cup sour cream room temperature
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup zucchini shredded (1 small zucchini)
• Cream cheese frosting

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease an 8×8” baking dish, set aside.
• Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl, set aside.
• In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.
• Whisk in sour cream, egg, vanilla and sugar until mixture is smooth.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until smooth.
• Fold in zucchini until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• Spread batter evenly in the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Let cool completely.
• Make the cream cheese frosting (follow this recipe: https://joyfoodsunshine.com/cream-cheese-frosting/)
• Spread it over the top of the cooled bars.
• Chill until you are ready to cut into squares and serve. The bars can be served slightly chilled or room temperature.

Video

Notes

The cream cheese frosting recipe makes enough for two batches of zucchini bars, you can cut it in half or just use half and freeze the other half for another recipe.

Nutrition information calculated for the zucchini bars without the frosting.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted butter.  Unsalted butter, coconut oil and ghee are good substitutions for salted butter.
• Sour cream. full-fat sour cream is the best for the richest taste and texture. You can use light sour cream or Greek yogurt.
• Granulated sugar. white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar are the best choices.
• All-purpose flour. You can substitute up to half of the all purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. 
• Zucchini. this recipe uses one medium/small zucchini, which comes out to be about 1 cup after being shredded. If you shred and freeze zucchini in the summer to use all year long, let the zucchini thaw in a strainer in the sink until it’s room temperature. Squeeze out a little bit of the excess water and use in the recipe.

Store

Store leftover zucchini bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

You can either freeze individual squares or you can freeze the entire pan of bars:

Entire recipe. Make the recipe, then chill it until it’s completely cooled, then cover the top tightly with plastic wrap and foil (or bake in a pan with a lid) and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Individual bars. To freeze individual bars, put them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer until they are hardened (about 1 hour). Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 137mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine!