Candy Topped Brownie Pizza (GF)

When you are looking for a fun dessert treat for Halloween or any time of the year, pull out this Candy Topped Brownie Pizza and your littles will be thrilled! An intense brownie provides the base for the candy toppings and gives you a beautiful, fun dessert. Enjoy it today!

Brownies are always a hit with the crowd, but when you top them with chopped candy bars and more, it becomes a festival of flavors!

I love having brightly colored sprinkles, candy corn, and M&Ms or Reese’s pieces to add even more fun to every bite! Since most of the candy bars are brown on brown You can go a little crazy and add as much colorful candy as you want.

If you are gluten-free, there are a number of candies that you can enjoy including Snickers, Butterfinger, Almond Joy, 3 Musketeers, and  Rolo (normal size). And there is a website that maintains an up-to-date list of GF candies you can refer to.

This recipe calls for a springform pan which is most commonly used for cheesecakes and flourless chocolate cakes. It has a spring-loaded lock on the side that keeps the sides tight against the base. There are times when there is no other piece of equipment will work, and this is one of them. There is nothing that works the way a springform does and at about US$15 they are not a huge investment. Also, look for a nonstick surface to help your baked goods release easily.

This is a very thick batter so scoop it into the prepared pan and spread it out with a spatula to cover the bottom of the pan in an even layer. As it bakes it will spread out to the edges.

When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with the chocolate chips and leave to sit for about 5 minutes to melt. Then use an offset spatula to spread it over the top creating a frosting. The chopped candies will stick to the frosting and become more stable as everything cools. Be sure you do NOT remove the sides while the cake is still warm!!

If you haven’t used an offset spatula before, it really is handy to have available for many different tasks. They are inexpensive and more than pay for themselves with their flexibility.

I used M&Ms and candy corn on the top for Halloween but you can use any brightly colored candies you like to add festive fun to every bite! Scattering some of the whole candies in their wrappers around the brownie pizza lets people know what to expect and get excited!

One thing I used that is really fun is parchment circles with strips on the side. You use the strips to help easily lift the brownies off the bottom of the pan. This is a great invention and improvement to traditional parchment rounds.

This brownie pizza is very candy forward, so be sure to use candies that you love! I used 3 fun-size bars of each kind of candy and it filled the top beautifully. Then some candy corn and M&Ms for bright color finished it perfectly.

You can make this Candy Topped Brownie Pizza for your Halloween parties or it can be a way to use up leftover Halloween candy. If you’re making it during the rest of the year, use regular size candy bars and cut them down into bite-sized pieces.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

 

Ingredients needed for Candy Topped Brownie Pizza:

• Brownies: Unsweetened chocolate, vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, GF flour blend, salt, xanthan gum (if using)
• Toppings: Chocolate chips, candies such as Snickers, Butterfingers, Peanut Butter Cups, etc., M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces, or candy corn 

 

PRO Tip:

The heat of the brownies, fresh from the oven, will melt the chocolate chips. Then you use an offset spatula to spread them out into a layer similar to frosting. Just be careful because the sides of the pan will be very hot – use a hot pad to hold it steady as you work.

 

How to make Candy Topped Brownie Pizza:

1. Line the bottom of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment circle and butter the sides of the pan liberally. Prep and chop your candy bars ahead of time so they are ready to go when you pull the brownies out of the oven.
2. Melt the unsweetened chocolate over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave. Stir until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl of your stand mixer, add the oil and beat together until smooth and the bottom of the bowl is cool enough to hold in the palm of your hand.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat them into the chocolate mixture and then mix in the sugar. Add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and xanthan gum if using), mixing until smooth. Pour into the prepared springform pan.
4. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
5. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the entire surface of the brownies. Let sit 3 to 5 minutes then carefully spread the softened chocolate over the surface using an offset spatula. The offset spatula will keep your knuckles from grazing the hot brownies or the “frosting”. Scatter the candy pieces over the top and sprinkle with brightly colored candies like M&Ms, candy corn, or Reese’s Pieces for more fun. Place the pan on a wire rack.
6. Cool completely before removing the sides of the pan. Slide the brownie pizza onto a serving platter or plate and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until the chocolate has set. Slice into wedges for serving.

 

PRO Tip:

Be careful about which candy bars you use because not all candies are gluten-free. Sometimes different seasonal shapes are not gluten-free when the regular bars are or different sizes vary in their safety. It can be tricky. There is a great up to date list on celiac.com which you can use to help guide your choices.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Springform baking pan
• Parchment paper circles
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Offset spatula

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

Be careful about which candy bars you use because not all candies are gluten-free. There is a great up to date list on celiace.com which you can use to help guide your choices.

* You can adjust any baking recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams per cup of my favorite gluten-free flour blend. If you are using another brand of flour or regular flour, whisk it, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a knife, and weigh the flour left in the cup. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Do this for each flour blend you use. Commercial gluten-free blends such as Pamela’s All-Purpose Artisan Blend, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

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