Peanut Butter Brownies

If you like the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, this recipe is for you. But if you LOVE a gooey, fudgy brownie with subtle bites of peanut butter, then this recipe is definitely for you.

I made Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownie Cookies about a month ago (or maybe two?) and they were divine. However, I felt like the peanut butter was a bit too much in the cookies, a little overpowering. So for these brownies, I made sure to add less and it turned out amazing. They came out extremely fudgy!

I used Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips in this recipe and they were incredible. They’re actually not available in Europe (my boyfriend brought me these), so I’m not sure what the perfect substitute would be. I’d suggest freezing small balls of peanut butter; it won’t be exactly the same, but it’s a good alternative. You could also skip them entirely, but in that case, I’d definitely recommend adding some milk chocolate chips to the batter and doing a thicker peanut butter swirl on top. (I’ll mention this again later in the tips and tricks.)

The secret to these brownies? Let them cool before slicing. I did slice into them while they were still warm, just to show how gooey and fudgy they are. But after that, I let them cool completely and stored them in an airtight container in the fridge. The next day, they tasted even better. The texture was so rich and irresistible.

I personally love brownies and I’m even thinking of trying this recipe with pistachio butter swirled in next time. But honestly, this peanut butter version turned out way better than I expected. I hope you give it a try!

Important info, tips and tricks

1. Substitution for Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips - A great alternative is to freeze small scoops of peanut butter and fold them into the batter before baking. The result won’t be exactly the same, but it still gives you those lovely peanut butter pockets. If you’d rather skip them completely, I suggest mixing in some milk chocolate chips and swirling a thicker layer of peanut butter on top for extra flavor.

2. Let them completely cool before slicing - I know it’s tempting to dive in while they’re warm (I did it too for the gooey shot!) but these brownies need time to set properly. Once cooled and stored in the fridge, the texture gets even fudgier and more satisfying the next day. Trust me, they’re worth the wait.

3. Storage tips - Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 3 days.

4. Do not overmix the flour - Once you add the flour, switch to a spatula and gently fold just until combined. Overmixing at this stage can give you a more cakey result instead of that rich, fudgy texture.

5. Do not overbake - Overbaking can also lead to a dry brownie. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes max.

6. Use good quality chocolate - Chocolate is the heart of brownies. A smooth, good quality chocolate that melts easily will give you deeper flavor and a better texture.

Kitchen tools you will need for this recipe

• A 20 cm square cake pan - This recipe is designed for a 20 cm pan to get thicker, fudgier brownies. If you use a larger pan, the brownies will turn out thinner and may bake faster.

• A spatula - Use a spatula to fold in the dry ingredients gently. This helps prevent overmixing, which can lead to a cakey texture.

• An electric hand mixer - A hand whisk works, but an electric mixer does a better job at whipping the eggs and sugar to create that glossy, crackly top.

Ingredients you will need for this recipe

• Dark chocolate: This gives the brownies that rich chocolate flavor. I used Lindt chocolate with 50% cocoa content.

• Butter: Using unsalted lets you control the salt level yourself.

• Granulated sugar: Helps with structure and that classic crinkly brownie top.

• Brown sugar: Makes the brownies softer and fudgier.

• Eggs + 1 egg yolk: The eggs help bind everything together and create structure. The extra yolk makes the texture extra rich and gooey.

• All purpose flour: Just enough to hold the batter together. Too much = cakey brownies, which we don’t want here.

• Cocoa powder: Boosts the chocolate flavor even more.

• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.

• Reese’s peanut butter chips: Optional, but so good. If you don’t have them, you can freeze little scoops of peanut butter as a substitute or skip them and add extra chocolate chips instead.

• Peanut butter (melted slightly): This is for swirling on top. Melting it just a little makes it easier to swirl into the batter for that signature peanut butter look and taste.

Step by step instructions with photos

1. Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease and line a 20cm square baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a saucepan melt the butter and the chocolate together (keep whisking and be careful not to burn the chocolate) then set aside and let it slightly cool. You can also do this over a double boiler.

3. In a separate bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whisk together the sugars and eggs until very pale and very fluffy. This will take 2-3 minutes.

4. Next, pour the melted chocolate-butter mixture into the fluffy eggs and whisk until combined.

5. Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt into the wet ingredients then gently fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, because that can result in a cakey texture rather than fudgy.

6. Laslty fold in the peanut butter chips.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of slightly melted peanut butter on top and swirl it around.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. I preheated mine for 12 minutes.

9. Once ready, allow the brownies to cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy.

Yield: 9

Author: Angie

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Peanut Butter Brownies

If you like the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, this recipe is for you. But if you LOVE a gooey, fudgy brownie with subtle bites of peanut butter, then this recipe is definitely for you.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate (i used 50% cocoa)
• 150g unsalted butter
• 100g granulated sugar
• 100g brown sugar
• 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 80g all-purpose flour
• 35g cocoa powder
• A pinch of salt
• 85g Reeses peanut butter chips (if you don’t have any, you can optionally freeze small peanut butter balls or just completely leave it out)
• 1-2 tablespoons of Peanut Butter (melted a bit for easy swirling)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease and line a 20cm square baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan melt the butter and the chocolate together (keep whisking and be careful not to burn the chocolate) then set aside and let it slightly cool. You can also do this over a double boiler.
3. In a separate bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whisk together the sugars and eggs until very pale and very fluffy. This will take 2-3 minutes.
4. Next, pour the melted chocolate-butter mixture into the fluffy eggs and whisk until combined.
5. Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt into the wet ingredients then gently fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, because that can result in a cakey texture rather than fudgy.
6. Laslty fold in the peanut butter chips.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly. Then add 1-2 tablespoons of slightly melted peanut butter on top and swirl it around.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. I preheated mine for 12 minutes.
9. Once ready, allow the brownies to cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

413

Fat

27 g

Sat. Fat

15 g

Carbs

42 g

Fiber

4 g

Net Carbs

38 g

Sugar

28 g

Protein

5 g

Sodium

29 mg

Cholesterol

98 mg

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