I’ve been making lots of peanut butter recipes recently. Even more so than usual.
But I doubt you’re complaining.
I’m on vacation and make things that I know will turn out and that we like. This isn’t the time I want to experiment.
And I’ll never say no to peanut butter and chocolate, especially by way of dense, fudgy, rich, one-bowl brownies.
I have three main brownie base recipes on my site, that all others are derived from.
They’re each one-bowl, no-mixer recipes, that you can make in less than 5 minutes. As fast as using a boxed mix and they include:
Three eggs with melted chocolate in a 9×9 pan
Two eggs with cocoa powder in a 8×8 pan
Two eggs with cocoa powder in a 9×9 pan
I went for option two because the smaller the batch size, the better. I’m getting into a swimsuit daily.
Also, I tend not to keep chocolate bars on hand here in Aruba because they melt, whereas I always have cocoa powder stashed.
I melted the butter in the micro, whisked in the rest of the ingredients, and since I didn’t want to be bothered with having to frost them after baking, I swirled in peanut butter before baking.
I’m a big fan of peanut butter swirls and swirls in general. They’re a time-saver and they taste good. A win-win.
There are two major turnoffs for me with brownies, cakey and dry, and these are neither. They’re thick, dense, rich, ultra-fudgy, with zero traces of cakiness nor dryness.
Although cocoa powder sometimes gets a bad rap compared to melted chocolate, thousands of people love these cocoa powder brownies as I wrote about. You’ll change your mind about cocoa powder after trying them.
They’re not too sweet, very chocolaty, and I amp the chocolate intensity with a splash of coffee and espresso granules to bring out and enhance the chocolatiness, but they don’t make the brownies taste like coffee.
The peanut butter adds a touch of saltiness and balances the chocolate intensity.
And everything is better with peanut butter.
Pin This Recipe
Peanut Butter-Swirled Fudgy Brownies
These one-bowl, no-mixer brownies are thick, dense, rich, ultra-fudgy, with zero traces of cakiness nor dryness. Stir the batter together faster than you can open a boxed mix. The peanut butter swirls add a touch of saltiness, balance the chocolate intensity, and everything is better with peanut butter. Plus, it saves you from having to frost them later. If you’ve never tried cocoa powder-based brownies or think they’re somehow inferior to melted chocolate, these brownies will change your mind.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee (leftover from the morning brew is fine), optional but recommend to enhance chocolate flavor and does not make brownies taste like coffee
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee (leftover from the morning brew is fine), optional but recommend to enhance chocolate flavor and does not make brownies taste like coffee
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process, I used Hershey’s natural
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules, optional but recommend to enhance chocolate flavor and does not make brownies taste like coffee
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang on the sides, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute. Allow butter to cool momentarily so you don’t scramble the eggs.
- Add the eggs, sugars, optional coffee, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the cocoa powder, optional espresso granules, optional salt, and whisk to combine. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, it could take a couple minutes of vigorous whisking.
- Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan; set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the peanut butter and heat on high power to melt, about 45 seconds.
- Drizzle peanut butter over batter to create swirls. To create the marbled pattern shown, drizzle peanut butter over batter in 5 wide, evenly spaced, parallel lines, each spanning the length of the pan. Like 5 rows of long train tracks. Rotate pan 90-degrees. With a toothpick, starting at the top of the pan, “draw” 4 or 5 evenly spaced lines through the peanut butter. You’re dragging the toothpick perpendicularly through the first set of lines to create the marbling.
- Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until done; don’t overbake. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow brownies to cool in pan for about 1 hour before lifting out with foil overhang and slicing.
- Brownies will keep airtight at room temperature or refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I prefer to store them in the fridge and serve them slightly chilled.
Adapted from The Ultimate Fudgy Caramel Brownies
Related Recipes
The Ultimate Fudgy Caramel Brownies
Homemade Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies
Fudgy Nutella Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Oreo Cookie-Stuffed Brownies with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Banana Bread Brownies with Vanilla Caramel Glaze
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache – The best, fastest, and easiest chocolate cake
Soft and Chewy Brownie Cookies
Frozen Chocolate Pudding and Wafer Cake (No-Bake, 3 ingredients)
Chewy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cereal Bars (no-bake, vegan, GF) – Tied with two bars below as one of my top 3 favorite bars this year
Nutella-Swirled Peanut Butter Chip Blondies
My cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort
What’s your favorite brownie recipe?
These were so good! I love that the brownies have a really intense chocolate flavor and aren’t overly sugary-sweet. This will definitely be one of my go-to desserts. Thanks!
Thanks for trying them & glad you really enjoyed them – and you’re right, not overly sugary sweet!
These look so good. I am definitely not complaining about the peanut butter!
These look so tasty! I will definitely make them once the weather isn’t so hot out. Chocolate and peanut butter are always a winning combination! :)
These look wonderful! Went out & bought some cocoa powder & realized I don’t see a baking temperature. Hate to assume things… could it be the good’ol default temp of 350? Thanks
Gah! Sorry about that! Yes – 350F. I updated the post. Not sure how I managed to omit that when I copy/pasted much of the recipe from my own recipe that I adapted it from. But that’s what happens when I have chocolate on the brain :)
Enjoy the brownies & LMK how you like them!
Do we bake these at 325F?
So sorry about that – someone else just told me I didn’t add a baking temp. It’s 350F
I used just “half” of your recipe cause I added cheese and blackberries. I baked at 170C (about 340F). It turned out delicious. Thanks
cheese, blackberries, peanut butter, and brownies – that’s such a unique combo of flavors for brownies! Glad you enjoyed them!
I love the peanut butter swirls on top Averie – these brownies look just incredible! Pinned :)
I love chocolate and peanut butter together. I’m not usually a fan of cocoa powder brownies, but if you say they’re awesome, I’ll give them a try. Also, please tell me you didn’t cut out little squares of parchment for your photos. You’re supposed to be on vacation. :)
Yes, I did. Or else they would literally turn into a melted fudge puddle all over my table but such is life :) I lived.
And I never!!! thought that cocoa powder could stand a chance to melted choc in brownies but this recipe (adpated from Alice Medrich) made a believer out of me!
Oh my, Averie! These brownies are the best! You’ve really outdone yourself here. And that mile-high stack there? Yeah, that needs to get in front of me!
I wish I could have shared with you!
Yum, yum! These brownies look perfect and you can’t beat chocolate with peanut butter in my opinion.
There can never be enough peanut butter recipes. I aim for at least one a week!
I adore cocoa powder brownies. I think I actually prefer them to ones made with bars of chocolate. Love those peanut butter swirls too!
yeah, no complaints here!!! So much yumminess, seriously, gorgeous& delicious. As always!
These wont help my peanut butter addiction, they look too good!!
They’re the easiest brownies if you ever just need a small pan and want super fudgy brownies that you swear use 10oz of melted chocolate, but use 0!
I loooove all your PB creations! Your cookbook is da bomb diggidy!!!! And I am so addicted to Peanut Butter, it’s becoming an obsession!
Glad you like my cookbook! :) LMK what you try from it!
You are the peanut butter queen! Your peanut butter recipes always look amazing. I need to get your book asap!
Thanks, Jaclyn! If you pick it up, you have to tell me what you make first!
My go-to recipe for brownies also uses cocoa powder. I don’t keep bars around because a) I have no space, b) tropical heat. But cocoa works so so well for me I don’t think I’ll try chocolate bars again. And I’m gonna nick your peanut butter swirl idea for my next batch ;-)
In San Diego, chocolate doesn’t melt just…sitting on the counter. In Aruba, it does! So I totally understand about not wanting the hassle!
I am having a serious craving for brownies right now. First I saw them on Family Fresh Cooking and now on your blog as well. Yum, I would love one right now. :)
Thanks for clicking over and saying hi!
This is one of my favorite brownie recipes! I love how dense and rich they are – not overly sweet, not lacking flavor, and definitely NOT dry. One of the fudgiest, moistest brownies I have ever eaten! I can only imagine how amazing a hunk of peanut butter would be swirled on top. I love all your pretty swirl recipes Averie! What amazing photos, too. You capture every single little detail. What I wouldn’t do to reach through the screen and grab one right now! Pinning. Thought of you all day! xo
Thanks for pinning & you have no idea how much I HATE these photos. Like, I almost didn’t post them. Nothing I take in Aruba turns out well. It’s yellow, dark, shadowy, and I try to work with it; hence cooking brown/dark or golden food – but it just never quite works out. So thanks for saying you actually like the pics. And I know you love this Alice Medrich recipe too. I would have never believed cocoa powder could be this moist until I tried it!
You can never have too much peanut butter! These brownies look so fudgy and perfect.
BTW – I can’t wait to get your cookbook, I have heard so many great things about it!
Thanks Erin! LMK what you make from it!
Loving this extra-super-fudgy brownie recipe with those ooey-gooey PB swirly ribbons throughout, Averie! Can one use the word stunning to describe such a homey treat? I say “yes” when dolled up like this. Beautiful and striking photography here, girl! Cannot wait to make these. Thanks for sharing! xo
You have no idea how much I HATE these photos. Like, I almost didn’t post them. Nothing I take in Aruba turns out well. It’s yellow, dark, shadowy, and I try to work with it; hence cooking brown/dark or golden food – but it just never quite works out. Thank you for saying you like them – means a lot! :) The brownies TASTE great; I just don’t like the way they look in the pics!
It’s such a pet peeve of mine when brownies are dry and cakey! It’s so disappointing. I love rich, dense and intensely fudgey brownies that are incredibly sinful ;) My all-time favorite brownie recipe is Barefoot Contessa’s fudge brownies with walnuts. OMG. They are awesome. These are even better looking because they have the addition of peanut butter- my favorite thing! You’re so right on how you can never go wrong with peanut butter. It honestly makes everything better :) These remind me of Sally’s Skinny Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies. It’s so funny how similar you guys are sometimes.
They’re probably similar to Sally’s brownies (I didn’t even check her recipe) but I know she has made a recipe very similar to these; it’s the Alice Medrich recipe. So many people from Deb/Smitten Kitchen to a zillion bloggers have made these cocoa powder brownies/Alice M brownies or a version on a theme. But yes, we are really good friends and we never talk about recipes actually :) and it’s crazy like on the same day, we will both post banana bread. Or fruity yeast rolls or PB cookies. Stuff we couldn’t plan if we tried!
I love fudgy brownies and even more so when a PB swirl is involved!
Thanks, Laura!
Great photos and post! They look delicious!
Thanks, Dave! Not my fave photos I’ve ever taken but the brownies TASTE great, even if the photos are just…meh :)
I just recently stumbled across your website while searching for a s’mores cookie recipe. And now I’m beyond obsessed. I could seriously sit here at the computer all day and just read your blog and stare at your AMAZING pictures of all the decadent and yummy treats you concoct. I am obsessed with anything chocolate and peanut butter and am actually making your peanut butter nutella no-bake bars today. I think I will go hit the gym in preparation for the goodies I’m about to make….and then gorge on. These brownies will be next!! Can’t wait to try them! Thanks and keep up the great work! :)
Thanks for finding me, Kelly! And for the wonderful and glowing compliments. I appreciate it! Please keep me posted what you make! I love hearing the field reports!
These brownies are just calling (SCREAMING!!) my name. So moist, so flavorful, so beautiful! Truly, I’ve never seen brownies that are as pretty to look at as they are delicious to eat. Gorgeous!
I HATE these photos. Like, I almost didn’t post them. Nothing I take in Aruba turns out well. It’s yellow, dark, shadowy, and I try to work with it; hence cooking brown/dark or golden food – but it just never quite works out. So thanks for saying you actually like the pics. The brownies TASTE way better than they look :)
Darn you! lol You’ve got me craving giant slices of fudgy brownies now and there are none in sight!! Must remedy that asap
I still need your fruit leathers. Which I saw on FG and they’re killin’ it :)
I love a good brownie and I always forget about them until you post a recipe for one. I need to make some soon. Really soon.
I like that these use cocoa powder too, because I like the taste and texture that brownies made with melted chocolate have, but I am far too lazy to do the whole melting step. I know it is easy, but I’ve burnt far too much chocolate in the microwave in my days. It makes me want to cry, ruining chocolate.
I always melt my chocolate with the butter in a bowl in the micro. Takes 90 secs and I never have an issue. IF I am using bar chocolate, i.e. TJ’s or baking chocolate. Chocolate chips are much more finnicky so I rarely will melt them when I am going to make brownies, bars, cakes, etc that I need melted choc for. Every single brownie recipe in my cookbook starts off with about 6-8 oz chocolate + 1.5 sticks of butter, melted together. Makes a 9×9 pan of brownies. Stir in 3 eggs, 2 cup sugar, 1 c flour, that’s it. SO EASY. I know you wouldn’t make them b/c of the sugar but they’re not really ‘that’ sweet; it’s an adaptation of the Kraft/Baker’s Brand Chocolate brownie recipe I’ve tinkered with for 5 yrs. Long way to say, I don’t burn the chocolate and I don’t think you would either. But…in Aruba, chocolate melts at room temp! so I can’t keep it around easily so it’s cocoa powder to the rescue!
You had me at “one bowl” <3 haha
Ugghhh those look incredible…i have a weakness for chocolate and peanut butter!
You’re so good at the One Bowl Magical Goodness brownies and cookies. Very impressive!
Yum, these look good, I love fudgy brownies! I have a recipe on my site using both avocado and pumpkin to make fudgy brownies, I love brownies like this. :)
Avocado brownies – check. Me too https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/07/healthy-dark-fudgy-avocado-brownies.html LOVE the fudge factor
Pumpkin brownies – check, stay tuned, fall 2015 :)
I will never turn down a PB Chocolate brownie – like, EVER!! YUM!
Oh goodness, I am drooling over here! These brownies look divine, and I need one now!
I’m with you… brownies should never be cakey or dry! These look particularly fudgy and well, you can never go wrong adding peanut butter to brownies.
I just need to back up a Uhaul into my mouth and let you start shoving stuff in.
These look absolutely PERFECT, Averie! They look unbelievably moist and fudgy!
Alice Medrich’s brownies made a cocoa powder believer. I’m also a believer in groovy peanut butter swirls! :D
Yes she did for me too. I never!!! would have thought cocoa powder could be fudgy. I thought it would be…dry and bland. Boy, I was wrong!
Man, I really wish my boyfriend liked PB. I love it, but he can’t stand it, so I never make any of your PB recipes as I’d have to take them all down myself (not that I’m complaining…ok, well I guess I am!) Anyway, these look delicious.
These look amazing, Averie. I loved the Alice Medrich recipe you told me about, and I am positive that adding a swirl of peanut butter (or Nutella or Biscoff) would be phenomenal as well.
I am a believer of the Alice M brownies like you, and yes, a big swirl of PB or Nutella or Biscoff can do no wrong!
Totally agree about the whole cocoa powder vs. melted chocolate argument. I’ve had incredible chocolate-y desserts that only used powder. I think it all depends on the quality and recipe!
These brownies look superb. All that peanut butter goodness :)
These are derived from the Alice Medrich recipe, which Deb at Smitten Kitchen has posted about. And she has like 750+ comments on the post of people who’ve made them and are happy. So if it’s good enough for all those people, I figured it can’t be bad! And I use Hershey’s :)
My husband is getting tired of all the peanut butter goodies I’ve made lately. Personally, I think he’s crazy. ;) There can never be enough pb goodies around in my opinion!
So lovin’ these pb brownies! Fudgy…yes! PB…yes! I’m sold. :)
He would have died in my house the year I was writing my PB cookbook. Lol
This is so painful to read while I’m in the throes of eating Paleo! Ugh.
This is crazy. Two secs after I read this, my dear friend Marla’s post popped up and you’re in serendipitous luck!! http://www.familyfreshcooking.com/2013/08/14/flourless-chocolate-brownies-recipe
Suh-weet! Thanks =)
These sounds fantastic! Who doesn’t like chocolate pb combo!
I love a good, dense, rich FUDGY brownie. I actually made my own favorite brownie recipe at the beach and it just hit the spot. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, of course.
Great thinking to just DIY with your own recipe!
Peanut butter swirl brownies sound amazing! Love pb desserts of all kinds. There are lots of days when I make things I know will work. Of course there are days when I experiment. When the recipes work it is super rewarding but when they don’t …
I am all about things working, with the least amt of ‘wondering if…” when on vacation!
Nice and classic combination: peanut butter and chocolate. Yum! I love making bars, but I’ve actually never made brownies before- thank for you posting this and saying how easy these are to make!
So easy! ALL of my brownie recipes are EASY – I don’t do mixers or anything complicated for brownies!
Bring on the PB recipes!! I can never resist them. Chocolate and peanut butter is my very favorite combo!! These brownies are insane and I love them. They look fudgy and just down right amazing!
I am still thinking about your cupcakes from yesterday (and I saw them on EVERY food site too – congrats!)
What a delicious looking brownie! I keep an open mind with recipes, so cocoa powder sounds just fine to me.
I love your Aruba photos. I have never been and it looks like paradise.
It’s gorgeous, yes – thanks! And I was skeptical about the cocoa powder til I tried it and am so happy I did!
No complaints here about more PB recipes! I’ve used brownie recipe option #1 so many times and they’re so perfect. Need to try your other go-tos! Oh, and can you please come swirl my PB for me? Mine always looks like a hot mess!
Option #1 was what every brownie in my cookbook is based off – so you are on the right track :)
These brownies are gorgeous Averie! Lovely recipe – I’m definitely saving this!
Your brownies look FANTASTIC! Peanut butter and chocolate is simply divine – and you added coffe to the chocolate – oh my – talk about partay in my mouth! :)
I’m so excited about these – and I’m glad you’ve been all about the pb recipes lately!!! These look so moist and out of this world!!!
Even after writing a cookbook about it, I still don’t get sick of it! So I roll with it :)
I am ALWAYS in support of swirls in my brownies! Yet another amazing looking recipe. I love how fudgy and dense these are!!!!
Super fudgy & dense which is why I love them. Nothing cakey or dry here!
Amazing and looks like the perfect brownie! Fudgy, quick, AND peanut buttery = WINNER. :)
Amen, and yes!
I love the PB swirls baked right in (and of course the fudginess too)! I know my husband would like these because whenever I make plain brownies, he always smears PB on top. Plain PB is always his “frosting” of choice. I tried your caramel apple white cc bars last night. One of my patients gave me some homemade applesauce so I wanted to try it in something. The apples she used were more of a tart variety but it worked so well in the bars and was balanced out by the white chocolate and caramel. YUM!!
Oh gosh, I haven’t made those bars in a long time but fall is just around the corner (sniff, I’ll miss summer) and those bars are a great way to use apples. Thanks for trying them and so glad you liked them! Homemade applesauce sounds so good!
And if your hubs like plain PB on brownies, he’d love these. I have a PB-frosting topped brownie recipe I once guest-posted on another lady’s site that’s really good but for just fast, easy, and PB, this is the way to go!
They look great! loving the swirl on the top, makes it so pretty but i still love crackly top brownies better ;). Fudge, melting belly goodness is were brownies should always be at.
These must be fantastic, the pb + chocolate combo is a wonderful one! I have to try this recipe soon, because I hate it too when I get dry and cakey brownies yuk. But these look perfect!! c:
Thanks & yes try these for FUDGY brownies – they are anything but dry or cakey!