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.
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Peanut Butter-Swirled Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 1/4 sticks, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ 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
- ¼ 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
- ¾ 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
- ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ 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
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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.