Clean Eating Peanut Butter Brownie Triffle

My Gluten-Free Vegan Peanut Butter Brownie Mini Trifles is an easy recipe made with clean, real food ingredients. It's a plant-based makeover of a popular recipe that is made without eggs, butter, dairy, oil, or flour and is ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes!

Here's Why This Recipe Works

My top 3 favorite reasons:

1. It's A Healthier Makeover Of A Traditional Brownie Trifle Recipe
2. Is Ready To Enjoy In About 30 Minutes
3. Made With Clean, Real Food Ingredients

You can feel good about making my plant-based recipe because it's vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, oil-free, egg-free, flourless, contains no refined sugar, and paleo-friendly.

Karielyn's Expert Tips + Ingredient Substitutions

Here are some of my expert tips to make this recipe perfectly:

Peanut Butter: You could substitute with another nut butter such as almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter.

Cacao Powder: Can be substituted with regular cocoa powder.

Maple Syrup: Feel free to adjust the amount of maple syrup in the pudding recipe if you'd like it a little sweeter.

Avocados: The best avocados to use for this recipe are soft + ripe ones. I used (3) small avocados that were about 3-inches long with 1 1/2 inch seeds.

Coconut Milk: Make sure you use "full-fat" coconut milk in a can and not "light" coconut milk or boxed coconut milk. Also, after it's been refrigerated overnight, you will only use the hardened fat part of the coconut milk, and not the liquid coconut water. You can always save that to use in a smoothie.

Vanilla Extract: This could be substituted with alcohol-free vanilla extract or organic vanilla bean powder. However, if you use vanilla bean powder in the whipped topping, the color will be a little darker than a pure white color.

Unrefined Granular Sweetener: Most white sugar is not vegan because it's been whitened with animal bone char. The only brand I will use is 100% vegan and not made with animal bone char.

Himalayan Pink Salt: This is my salt of preference, however, it can always be substituted with sea salt.

Serving Dishes: I like to use either of these cute individual mini glass dessert dishes which is perfect for an individual serving.

• Mini Glass Dessert Squares - 2.0-ounces
• Mini Parfait Dessert Glasses - 2.5-ounces

However, feel free to use your favorite glasses and make the serving size to your preference. Simply divide the brownie, pudding, and whipped topping equally between your serving dishes.

Serving Size: This recipe will make a total of (2) cups or (16 ounces) of trifle. Nutritional information is for (2) ounces of trifle which is (1) serving.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What Kind Of Cup Can I Serve This In?

I use a couple of different serving glasses depending on whether I'm making this for just myself or for guests.

Here are some of my favorite mini individual-size cups I like to use:

1. Mini Parfait Dessert Glasses
2. Mini Glass Dessert Squares

Keep in mind that the number of servings you get from the recipe will depend on the size of the serving glass you use.

Is This Recipe Hard To Make?

No, not at all!

Looking over the ingredient list and steps may appear that it's a difficult recipe, however, it can be made in only 3 easy steps.

For example, the brownies are a one-bowl recipe that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.

While the brownies are baking, you can make the pudding and whipped topping.

Then, all that's left to do is assemble the trifle by making layers and it's ready to enjoy!

Is This Recipe Healthy?

It may not be the "healthiest" recipe you'll ever make, but because of the real food ingredients used, it's much healthier than a traditional homemade trifle which is made with dairy, processed GMO ingredients, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Although a brownie trifle can be made with only three ingredients, let's look at the ingredient lists:

• S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix Ingredients: Sugar, Flour Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour, Niacin, Vitamin B3, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate Vitamin B1, Riboflavin Vitamin B2, Folic Acid Vitamin B9, Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil, Partially Hydrogenated And/Or Cottonseed Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Corn Starch, Salt, Carob Powder, Artificial Flavors, Milk Non-Fat. 
• S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Jell-O Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix Ingredients: Sugar, Food Starch Modified, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Disodium Phosphate, Contains Less Than 22% of Flavors Natural and Artificial, Salt, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Mono and Diglycerides, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Artificial Colors, BHA Used As A Preservative. 
• S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) Kraft Cool-Whip Whipped Topping Ingredients: Water, Corn Syrup, Contains Coconut, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Vegetable Oil Hydrogenated, Palm Kernal Oil, Colored With Beta Carotene, Guar Gum, Polysorbate 60, Contains Less Than 22% of Sodium Caseinate, Sorbitan Monostearate, Xanthan Gum, Artificial and Natural Flavors.

My healthier version is made without processed ingredients, dairy, eggs, oil, or flour.

Want More Healthy Plant-Based Dessert Recipes?  

Check out these:

• Pomegranate and Dried Blueberry Chocolate Bark
• Chocolate Crunch Bars
• Chocolate Banana Cream Mini Desserts
• or my CLEAN DESSERTS Cookbook with 72 plant-based no-bake dessert recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!

Did You Make This Recipe?

I'd love to hear about it! Please give it a rating and leave a comment below...it would make my day! 🙂

Gluten-Free Vegan Peanut Butter Brownie Mini Trifles

My Peanut Butter Brownie Mini Trifles is an easy recipe made with clean, real food ingredients. It's a plant-based makeover of a popular trifle recipe that is made without eggs, butter, dairy, oil, or flour and is ready to enjoy in about 30 minutes!

{ Plant-Based | Vegan | Gluten-Free | Dairy-Free | Soy-Free | Egg-Free | Oil-Free | Grain-Free | Flourless | No Refined Sugar }

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Review Save For Later Saved!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Yields: 8 servings

Calories : 440

Equipment

• Medium-Size Mixing Bowl
• Unbleached Parchment Paper
• 8 x 8 Baking Dish
• Stand Mixer
• Vitamix

Ingredients

For the brownies:

• ▢ 1/2 cup organic peanut butter
• ▢ 2/3 cups organic maple syrup
• ▢ 1/4 cup organic raw cacao powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the flax egg:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon organic ground flax seeds
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water (filtered/purified) (filtered/purified)

For the pudding:

• ▢ 3 small organic avocados (ripe +pitted)
• ▢ 1/4 cup organic maple syrup
• ▢ 1/4 cup organic raw cacao powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon organic pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 pinch Himalayan pink salt

For the whipped topping:

• ▢ 1 can organic full-fat coconut milk (13.5-ounce can, refrigerated overnight)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon organic unrefined granular sweetener
• ▢ 1 teaspoon organic pure vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Advanced Preparation: Add a 13.5-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk to the back of your refrigerator at least overnight to harden the coconut fat before adding it to recipe for the whipped topping.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Prepare an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper, then set aside.

Prepare the flax egg:

• Add the ingredients for the flax egg to a small bowl and whisk together until well combined.

Prepare the brownies:

• Add all ingredients for the brownies to a medium-size mixing bowl, re-whisk the flax egg and add it to the mixing bowl, then stir everything together until well combined.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly into the dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until completely cooked.
• Allow the brownies to cool completely before adding to the trifle.

Prepare the pudding:

• While the brownies are baking, add all ingredients for the pudding to a Vitamix and blend until creamy and smooth.
• Taste and adjust the sweetener to your preference, then set aside.

Prepare the whipped topping:

• Remove the hardened fat from the refrigerated can of coconut milk and add it to a stand mixer bowl along with the remaining ingredients.
• Mix on HIGH speed with a wire whip attachment until the mixture forms a peak and has the consistency of whipped cream.

Assembly:

• The number of mini trifles you make depends on the size of the dessert glass you are using. For example, 2-ounce, 4-ounce, 8-ounce, etc. The assembly directions below are for 2-ounce servings. You will need to increase the number of tablespoons of each ingredient in each layer if you are using a 4-ounce or 8-ounce dessert glass.
• My suggested order of assembly starting with the bottom layer is: Brownies --> Pudding --> Brownies --> Pudding --> Whipped Cream --> Optional Fresh Fruit Garnish
• Take 1-2 tablespoons of the brownies and crumble them into the bottom of each dessert glass.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of the chocolate pudding and add on top of the crumbled brownies.
• Add another 1-2 tablespoons of the brownies and crumble them on top of the chocolate pudding.
• Add another 1-2 tablespoons of the chocolate pudding and add on top of the crumbled brownies.
• Add 1-2 tablespoons of the whipped coconut cream topping on top of the crumbled brownies.
• Optional: garnish with fresh organic raspberries or organic strawberries, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Peanut Butter: You could substitute with another nut butter such as almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter.

Cacao Powder: Can be substituted with regular cocoa powder.

Maple Syrup: Feel free to adjust the amount of maple syrup in the pudding recipe if you'd like it a little sweeter.

Avocados: The best avocados to use for this recipe are soft + ripe ones. I used (3) small avocados that were about 3-inches long with 1 1/2 inch seeds.

Coconut Milk: Make sure you use "full-fat" coconut milk in a can and not "light" coconut milk or boxed coconut milk. Also, after it's been refrigerated overnight, you will only use the hardened fat part of the coconut milk, and not the liquid coconut water. You can always save that to use in a smoothie.

Vanilla Extract: This could be substituted with alcohol-free vanilla extract or organic vanilla bean powder. However, if you use vanilla bean powder in the whipped topping, the color will be a little darker than a pure white color.

Unrefined Granular Sweetener: Most white sugar is not vegan because it's been whitened with animal bone char. The only brand I will use is 100% vegan and not made with animal bone char.

Himalayan Pink Salt: This is my salt of preference, however, it can always be substituted with sea salt.

Serving Dishes: I like to use either of these cute individual mini glass dessert dishes which is perfect for an individual serving.

• Mini Glass Dessert Squares - 2.0-ounces
• Mini Parfait Dessert Glasses - 2.5-ounces

However, feel free to use your favorite glasses and make the serving size to your preference. Simply divide the brownie, pudding, and whipped topping equally between your serving dishes.

Serving Size: This recipe will make a total of (2) cups or (16 ounces) of trifle. Nutritional information is for (2) ounces of trifle which is (1) serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1svg | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 30g | Sodium: 236mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 27g | Calcium: 74mg

Course:Dessert

Cuisine:American

Recipe Author: Karielyn Tillman

Did You Make This Recipe?Leave a Rating + Comment Below!

Karielyn Tillman

Hi, I'm Karielyn! I'm the published cookbook author of CLEAN DESSERTS and content creator of The Healthy Family and Home™ website since 2012. I specialize in creating easy, healthy plant-based and Medical Medium® compliant recipes that are gluten-free + vegan and made with clean, real food ingredients that you can feel good about eating.