Gluten-Free Traditional Brownie Goody Bars
These indulgent layered bars start with fudgy brownies as the base, topped with vanilla frosting, salted peanuts, and a rich peanut butter chocolate rice cereal mixture. The combination creates a satisfying treat that balances sweet and salty flavors with varied textures from creamy frosting to crunchy cereal. Perfect for potlucks, bake sales, or when you want to feed a crowd with an impressive dessert that requires minimal skill but delivers maximum impact. The bars are easy to cut and serve, making them ideal for parties or packed lunches.
Ingredients
- 1 box Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix
- water, called for on brownie mix box
- vegetable oil, called for on brownie mix box
- eggs, called for on brownie mix box
- 1 tub (16 oz) Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting
- ¾ cup salted peanuts, coarsely choppedchopped almonds1:1nut-freepeanuts-freeadds tree_nuts
similar crunch
- 3 cups crisp rice cerealcrushed cornflakes1:1texture
different crunch
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F and grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening
- 2
Make and bake brownies as directed on box and cool completely
- 3
Frost brownies with frosting and sprinkle with peanuts
- 4
Refrigerate brownies while making cereal mixture
- 5
Measure cereal into large bowl
- 6
Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly
- 7
Pour melted mixture over cereal and stir until evenly coated
- 8
Spread cereal mixture over frosted brownies
- 9
Refrigerate 1 hour or until set before cutting
- 10
Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows for bars
Tips
Line the pan with foil before greasing for easier removal and cleaner cuts.
Store bars at room temperature for softer texture or refrigerate for firmer bars.
Use a plastic knife to cut through the chocolate layer without cracking.
Good to Know
Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 1 week.
Can be made 1 day ahead and stored covered in refrigerator.
Cut into bars and serve at room temperature or chilled.
Common Mistakes
Grease only the bottom of pan to prevent bars from sticking to sides when cutting.
Cool brownies completely before frosting to prevent melting.
Refrigerate bars before cutting to ensure clean slices through chocolate layer.
Substitutions
Nut-Free Alternatives
similar crunch
General Alternatives
different crunch
FAQ
Can I use a different frosting flavor?
Yes, chocolate or peanut butter frosting work well, though vanilla provides nice contrast to the rich chocolate layer.
What if I don't have crisp rice cereal?
Crushed cornflakes or puffed rice cereal make good substitutes with similar texture and crunch.
How long do these bars keep?
Store covered at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate up to 1 week for best quality.