My fudgiest brownie recipe yet! Gooey, chocolaty brownies swirled with creamy peanut butter and speckled with roasted peanuts for a crunchy contrast. Even those who don't like peanut butter make an exception for these brownies due to their amazing balance of flavors and irresistible texture!
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These brownies know they are good. The batter has a near-constant heavenly aroma of chocolate, and the peanut butter swirls become a work of art in their own right. They bake to the perfect consistency after only thirty minutes, and photograph so effortlessly from all angles. Whether you're looking for that shimmering gooiness on the sides or the intricate swirl patterns on top, these will certainly grab people's attention!
Why Chocolate Lovers Make This Recipe
- Classic pairing -- just ask Reese's on how timelessly popular chocolate and peanut butter go together. Plus, you get all of the gratification that you get from a peanut butter cup with this recipe, but with more intense flavors.
- Elevated brownies -- when was the last time you actually saw or were offered peanut butter brownies, either at someone's house, at a restaurant, or in a bakery? This has always been curious to me, but all the more excuse to make these and share with the world!
- Fulfilling treat -- it's actually really special when you find a dessert that is perfectly-portioned; one that is rich, decadent, and satisfying with every bite, and is already over just before it becomes too heavy.
Ingredients
Brownies are notoriously no-fuss, and this recipe is no exception. Some notes on a few key ingredients:
Melted butter -- butter adds fat and fudginess to recipes, and using hot melted butter helps dissolve the sugar enough to generate those flaky, crackly brownie tops everyone knows and loves.
Powdered sugar -- I always use powdered sugar in brownie recipes for its superfine texture that more readily dissolves in hot butter, as noted above.
Premium dark chocolate -- adding real chocolate helps create fudgier brownies, and using dark chocolate intensifies both chocolate and peanut butter elements.
Creamy peanut butter -- the star of this dish. Use Jif, Skippy, or your favorite commercial peanut butter. Natural or organic peanut butter will NOT work in this recipe, as it will cause the batter to split.
Chopped peanuts -- adding peanuts to the batter accomplishes two things: it adds even more peanut butter flavor to the brownies, while also giving some textural interest so as to not overwhelm the palate with rich, chocolaty goodness.
Tips for Success
- Dissolving the butter and powdered sugar at the beginning helps create those coveted crackly tops, so don't skip this step!
- Organic or all-natural peanut butter won't work in this recipe due to problems with separation. Instead, use a more processed peanut butter like Jif so the batter stays homogenous throughout baking. And using creamy peanut butter preserves the gooey, smooth finish of the original recipe. However, you can use crunchy peanut butter if you want a far more crunchy peanut butter brownie.
- If you find that these brownies are just too fudgy or gooey for your liking, you can also add more flour a tablespoon at a time to the batter until it thickens to your liking.
- When creating peanut butter swirls, use singular, deliberate strokes to preserve the aesthetic element after baking. Too many swirls or overcorrecting smudges will result in a blurred, muddied appearance--but will still be just as tasty!
- As with any brownie recipe, use all of the willpower you can muster and allow for the brownies to cool completely in the pan before removing. Brownies continue to cook and set as they cool, so you won't know the final texture until 60-90 minutes after being removed from the oven.
- I have found that using a warmed chef's knife or a plastic knife work best when slicing brownies. If you opt for a chef's knife, run it under hot water, wipe it dry, then cut into the brownies straight down, then remove the knife by moving it straight back up (as opposed to out, which causes the brownies to smear). Remove any brownie remnants from the knife and repeat until all brownies have been cut.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store brownies in an airtight container in a cool dry place for 5-7 days.
These brownies are fudgy enough to be eaten as-is, but if you want that straight-from-the-oven feel, pop a brownie in the microwave and heat for 15-30 seconds, or until it is heated to your liking.
Peanut Butter Brownies
Equipment
- 1 8x8 brownie pan
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 rubber spatula
- 1 microwave-safe bowl
- 1 teaspoon
- 1 offset spatula or butter knife
Ingredients
- 227 grams butter, melted
- 225 grams powdered sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 5 ounces premium dark chocolate, chopped
- 110 grams all-purpose flour
- 55 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 100 grams creamy peanut butter
- 55 grams roasted peanuts, chopped
- 50 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Pour the sugar into a mixing bowl and drizzle the melted butter overtop. Stir for 1-2 minutes to help the sugar dissolve. Stream in the vanilla extract, eggs, and egg yolk, and stir until combined.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted. Add the chocolate to the wet ingredients and stir.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and fold together until no raw flour remains visible. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped peanuts until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into a prepared baking pan and smooth into a single layer with the rubber spatula.
- Using a teaspoon, drop dollops of peanut butter around the pan. Insert the tip of an offset spatula or butter knife to gently twist and swirl the peanut butter and chocolate batter together. Keep it to 1 swirl; overengineering creates a muddled look, so keep your strokes minimal and intentional.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few wet crumbs. Allow the brownies to fully cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack, then remove from the pan and cut into squares.
