Black Sesame Brownies with Peanut Butter
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These Black Sesame Peanut Butter Brownies are a richly decadent fudgy treat. Packed with honeyed black sesame, swirled generously with peanut butter layered through the brownie and topped with salted peanuts and black sesame. Made with gluten-free flour.
This Chocolate Brownie is not for the faint of heart. It is packed with deep rich sesame and peanut butter flavour whilst still being indulgently chocolatey.
The effect of intoxicating black sesame seeds, gathered into a paste with honey and married with the peanut butter swirls is glorious. The crunch of salted peanuts and black sesame seeds scattered across the top takes it to another level.
I made this recipe for my cake stall at the farmer's market for years and it was an absolute favourite with my regulars. It's was made with wheat flour originally but these days I just substitute in my homemade gluten-free flour blend and it's an easy switch for either flour.
Why You’ll Love These Black Sesame Brownies
- Wickedly rich and indulgent flavour.
- Easy to make with gluten-free or regular wheat flour.
- Perfect fudgy texture.
Ingredients Needed
Black sesame seeds. They have a deep, nutty flavour and a slightly bitter undertone which pairs deliciously with dark chocolate. They have a more intense, earthy taste than white sesame seeds
Honey. This is used to make the sesame seeds into a paste. Choose a lighter honey with not much complexity as you don't want it to have an overpowering flavour.
Peanut butter. Use unsweetened smooth peanut butter so we can control the sugar content of the recipe and make sure it’s lovely and drippy, not the dry hard stuff from the bottom of the jar.
Dark chocolate. This recipe uses 70% dark chocolate. However, you can use 50-60% chocolate for a softer lighter and creamier chocolate flavour.
Gluten-Free Flour – FTL Blend. This recipe uses my Homemade Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour which works really well here as the flour ratio has been carefully tested to ensure the mix between wholegrain flours and starchy flours is balanced. This also means we don’t need to use xanthan gum as the blend is strong enough and produces a well structured and textured bake which can hold together without needing any extra binders. This flour blend is a mix of 4 different flours: Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour), Sorghum flour, Oat flour, Tapioca flour (tapioca starch).
Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe. Make sure it is at room temperature.
Caster sugar. It’s a fine white baking sugar available in the UK. Regular white granulated sugar can be substituted.
Brown sugar. Gives lovely gentle molasses flavour and moisture.
Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US. I recommend weighing your eggs to ensure the correct amount.
Vanilla extract. You don’t need to use the best quality vanilla extract here as it’s included to amplify the richness of the chocolate. A supermarket brand is just fine.
Cocoa powder. Choose a high quality organic brand if possible. This recipe was tested with Dutch-processed cocoa powder (which is the more common type in the UK – but do check the labels) which means it has been treated with an alkalizing agent to neutralize its acidity, resulting in a smoother, milder flavour and allowing for a better rise in tandem with the baking powder.
Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.
Salted peanuts. These are roughly chopped and used for decorating the top of the brownies.
How To Make Black Sesame Brownies with Peanut Butter
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Make Sesame Paste: Process black sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes until oily, then add honey and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Melt Ingredients: Heat peanut butter until melted, transfer to a piping bag, and set aside. Melt chocolate in a bain-marie and set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla extract.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir in melted chocolate and black sesame paste.
Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together gluten-free all-purpose flour and cocoa powder, then fold into the batter.
Layer and Swirl: Pour half the batter into the tin, pipe peanut butter in zigzags, and swirl with a skewer. Add the remaining batter, smooth the surface, then repeat the piping and swirling.
Top and Bake: Sprinkle with salted peanuts and black sesame seeds, then bake at 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°F for 25 minutes.
Cool and Serve: Let cool in the tin, then cut into 12 squares.
More gluten-free brownie recipes you'll love
- Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownie Recipe
- Cookie Dough Brownies
- Almond Flour Brownies
- Peanut Caramel Brownies
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Black Sesame Brownies with Peanut Butter
Ingredients
- 130 g black sesame seeds + 2 teaspoons for scattering
- 90 g light honey
- 100 g smooth peanut butter
- 300 g dark chocolate
- 150 g unsalted butter - room temperature
- 120 g caster sugar
- 120 g light brown soft sugar
- 4 eggs - medium
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 175 g homemade gluten-free flour blend - FTL Blend
- 25 g cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 30 g salted peanuts - roughly chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted /gas mark 4 / 350°F and line and grease a 20cm square cake tin.
- Pour the sesame seeds into a food processor and whizz for 5-10 minutes until the seeds are broken down and are beginning to release their oils. Then add the honey and continue to process until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the peanut butter until melted and pour into a piping bag. Set to one side.
- Melt the chocolate slowly in a bain marie then also set aside.
- Meanwhile beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in well. Then add the vanilla extract.
- Pour in the melted chocolate and the black sesame paste and mix well.
- In a separate bowl sift together the flour with the cocoa powder then fold into the rest of the batter.
- Pour half of the brownie batter into the cake tin.
- Then pipe the molten peanut butter in zig zag lines on top of the batter. Using a wooden skewer, draw continual circles through the peanut butter lines to create a swirl pattern.
- Pour the rest of the brownie batter over, smooth the surface, then pipe and swirl the rest of the molten peanut butter in the same way.
- Scatter the salted peanuts and remaining black sesame seeds over the top.
- Bake for 25 minutes in the centre of the oven.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
- Once cool cut into 12 squares.
