These aren’t your standard Peanut Butter Brownies! In addition to swirls of peanut butter, they’re studded with peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups for the perfect treat for peanut butter lovers!
Okay, all of you peanut butter and chocolate fans, pay attention because these peanut butter brownies are for you. (And for me, as I am also a long-time member of the fan club.) If these rich, chewy brownies were simply swirled with peanut butter, they would be delicious. But, let’s make them even better by stirring in some peanut butter chips. Then, a generous scattering of peanut butter cups on top nudges them over the line firmly into decadent territory.
Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Brownie Recipe
- Easy to make. As with most brownie recipes, these come together in a snap. You don’t have to be an expert baker to pull these off!
- Perfect for peanut butter lovers. With a triple dose of peanut butter in every bite, I don’t think you could add anymore if you tried!
- Incredibly delicious. I’m not sure there are sufficient words to do these chocolate peanut butter brownies justice. Make them yourself. A bite of one of these is better than anything that could ever be written about them.
(Can’t get enough peanut butter? Try my Loaded Nutella Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bread, or Peanut Butter Bundt Cake next!)
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Unsalted butter – Learn more: Unsalted or Salted Butter: Which is Better for Baking?
- Unsweetened chocolate – Along with supermarket options like Guittard and Ghirardelli, Green & Black, Divine, Theo, and Equal Exchange are all excellent choices.
- All-purpose flour – Learn more: How to Measure Flour
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs – Let these come to room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
- Peanut butter chips
- Creamy peanut butter – I recommend using the old-fashioned kind that’s stable at room temperature, versus the natural kind that needs to be stirred.
- Miniature peanut butter cups – Or use chopped peanut butter cups.
How to Make Peanut Butter Brownies
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Melt the chocolate and butter. Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-seconds at a time, stirring between each interval, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Cool slightly before adding to the batter.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour and salt in a small bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, beat the chocolate mixture and 2 & 1/2 cups of sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Beat the flour mixture into the wet mixture, just until combined. Fold in the peanut butter chips, then spread the batter into the pan.
- Make the peanut butter swirl. Combine the peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Swirl the brownies. Drop teaspoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture onto the brownie batter. Use a butter knife to create swirls.
- Bake. Sprinkle the top of the brownies with peanut butter cups, then bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out just slightly sticky. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool.
Tips for Success
- Use unsweetened chocolate. This recipe was developed with unsweetened chocolate, so using a sweet variety will upset the flavor balance!
- Don’t substitute chunky peanut butter. Chunky peanut butter doesn’t swirl as nicely, and it can give the swirls an unpleasant, gritty texture.
- Mix just until combined. Over-mixing will yield a tough brownie, rather than chewy! (Be sure to read my Tips for Baking Brownies from Scratch too for more tips.)
How to Store
- Room temperature: These Peanut Butter Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Place the brownies in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw them on the countertop before serving, or warm them up in the microwave.
Peanut Butter Brownies
Rich brownies swirled with peanut butter and dotted with mini peanut butter cups. Absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups (339g) unsalted butter
- 5 ounces (141g) unsweetened chocolate
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 & 1/2 cups (500g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
- 1/2 cup (127g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup miniature peanut butter cups (or chopped peanut butter cups)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9″x 13″x 2″ pan and line with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk together the flour and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the chocolate mixture and 2 & 1/2 cups sugar using an electric mixer at medium speed. Mix until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until combined or a few streaks of flour remain. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Combine the peanut butter and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.
- Drop the peanut butter mixture by teaspoonfuls over the brownie batter. Use a thin knife to swirl the peanut butter mixture into the brownie batter. Sprinkle the top with peanut butter cups.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out still slightly sticky. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Southern Lady.
These Peanut Butter Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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8 Comments on “Peanut Butter Brownies”
Love your blog and photography….looks like we were thinking alike today! Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Tiffany
Nice recipe! 🙂
They are irresistible!!! 🙂
i can’t believe this.this was exactly what i was looking for.can you read minds?
You can never have enough chocolate and peanut butter desserts! Looks delicious!
Never thought to try that with brownies. Great idea!
did something similar with fudge that was really easy. take 2 cans condensed sweetened milk and 3 cups chocolate chips. heat on low in a heavy sauce pan. stir until it all comes together then cut the heat dump in 2 cups of peanut butter cups and pour into a baking pan. don’t stir too much after mixing in the peanut butter and you will get some nice wave like textures in the fudge.
You were my 2011 dessert destination, and it’s clear you will be seeing much more of me in the new year. Thanks for this. Delicious!!!!!
Gary
Gary, you’re very kind! 2012 should be a busy year for Bake or Break, so keep coming back!
OK…so the plan when I found this reciepe was to make them to go in the care package for my son who is away at college. The great part was he loves peanut butter, loves brownies, and I really thought I had all the incredients at home already. Once I got set to bake I realized that I did not have the peanut butter cups (thanks to Hubby) and the morsels I thought were peanut butter were not. I went on with the receipe anyway adding a 1/2 of chocoalate chips and some walnuts (already in the pantry). THESE ARE THE BEST BROWNIES EVER! They are so moist! I can’t wait to try them again with all the right incredients! Thanks so much for this post!!