Incredibly gooey and delicious, this brownie recipe has a peanut butter swirl that makes them irresistible and takes these fudgy bars up a million notches! They keep for days and can be frozen. And I added a variation with almond butter and cocoa nibs.
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Originally posted in November 2014, this post has been updated to serve you better with video, text, and some images.
The combination of peanut butter and chocolate never ceases to amaze me for how delicious it is.
I took them to the office and boy, were they a hit!
People raved about them and at one point I had a shadow following me around the office asking for an encore, not the recipe mind you, just another batch 'whenever you feel like baking them again'.
And they are as easy to make as they look. No need for fancy equipment or complicated techniques. Just two simple mixtures baked together until gooey.
How to make peanut butter brownies
- Make the brownie base. This recipe is one bowl, which means you melt the chocolate and butter and add the rest of the ingredients to the same bowl.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
- For the peanut butter swirl, mix all ingredients in a bowl.
- Put dollops over the brownie base (image below). Don't add a layer as it will not have the same effect.
- Marble or swirl using the tip of a knife (second image below). Do this lightly for better results.
- Bake until dry but the center is still jiggly.
- Let cool and cut. I like to eat them the next day. I find the flavor is much better.
Vintage Kitchen tip:these brownies are extra fudgy, so take into account that they will need refrigeration time to set properly. I recommend eating them somewhat cold for better consistency.
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Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Peanut butter: I always make them with commercial peanut butter, the traditional type, but they do work with natural peanut butter also.
- Swirl: when marbling or swirling the peanut butter mixture do so lightly. We want two distinctive batters to appear.
- Pan size: it's very important to ensure a fudgy and gooey brownie that bakes well.
- Baking: brownies, in my opinion, should be slightly underbaked to ensure that soft and gooey bite we all love. That means the center should still jiggle when they are removed from the oven.
- Storing: I suggest eating brownies the next day that they are baked. The flavor is deeper and the texture has time to settle. These can be frozen, well wrapped, for a month at least.
Almond butter brownies
I have made this recipe with almond butter and nibs (they are fantastic and a tad healthier) many times by substituting the following:
- Almond butter for the peanut butter, same amount.
- Cocoa nibs for the cocoa powder: I finely grind 2 tablespoons of cocoa nibs and substitute them for the cocoa powder.
- Coconut sugar: I use it instead of brown sugar.
The rest of the recipe remains the same.
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The Best Peanut Butter Brownies
Incredibly gooey and delicious, this brownie recipe has a peanut butter swirl that makes them irresistible! They keep well and can be frozen.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 medium squares
Ingredients
For the brownie base:
- ¾ cup (4.5oz) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Drops of almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
For the peanut butter swirl:
- ⅔ cup peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla (optional)
- 2 or 3 tablespoons cream (double, whipping or heavy)
Instructions
For the brownie base:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
- Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper and spray the sides that aren’t lined.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a large glass bowl. I do it in the microwave oven, stirring every 10 seconds, until the chocolate is smooth. You can also do it over a pot of boiling water, careful the bottom doesn’t touch the water, stirring until it's melted.
- Mix both sugars into the chocolate.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, almond extract if using, and cocoa. Mix until well combined.
- Add the flour in 2 parts and mix carefully, but don't overmix.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
For the peanut butter swirl:
- In a medium bowl, mix together peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and cream. Make sure no lumps remain.
- Drop spoonfuls on top of the brownie base, then swirl lightly with a knife, making sure you leave whole chunks of peanut butter mix intact. Otherwise it all blends together and it’s not the same effect.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, until a tester comes out with fudgy remains and the top looks dry. It's important not to over bake them.
- Let cool on a wire rack completely.
- I find that they are better the next day. I keep them wrapped in plastic.
- They can be frozen, well wrapped.
Notes
Peanut butter: I always make them with commercial peanut butter, the traditional type, but they do work with natural peanut butter also.
Swirl: when marbling or swirling the peanut butter mixture do so lightly. We want two distinctive batters to appear.
Pan size: it's very important to ensure a fudgy and gooey brownie that bakes well.
Lining the pan: I strongly recommend you only use a strip of parchment paper wide as the pan. It will only cover the bottom and two of the sides. If you line the whole with a square of paper and end up folding it in the corners, chances are the brownie will stuck in the corners because it is very fudgy.
Baking: brownies, in my opinion, should be slightly underbaked to ensure that soft and gooey bite we all love. That means the center should still jiggle when they are removed from the oven.
Keeping: I suggest eating brownies the next day that they are baked. The flavor is deeper and the texture has time to settle. These can be frozen, well wrapped, for a month at least.
Almond butter brownies variation: Almond butter for the peanut butter, same amount. Cocoa nibs for the cocoa powder: I finely grind 2 tablespoons of cocoa nibs and substitute it for the cocoa powder. Coconut sugar: I use it instead of the brown sugar. The rest of the recipe remains the same.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Brownies & Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12
- Calories: 332
- Sugar: 33.6 g
- Sodium: 27 mg
- Fat: 16.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.1 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 3.8 g
- Cholesterol: 79.8 mg
Keywords: peanut butter brownies
Adapted from Good Housekeeping Cookbook
Sergio Villarreal says
These were fucking magical! Seriously one of thee best things to ever come out of my oven. Easily in the top 3 contending only with my mom’s smothered chicken and my wife’s pumpkin gooey bars. Hats off to you! If you ran for president I would vote for you just off these alone. No seriously…if I were important enough I would consider this my endorsement. All jokes aside we renamed these in our home and places of employment where we shared such divine delights. We call them “Black Mountain Brownies”. A homage to The Chef of course. If politics does not suit you, you should go on that show Beat Booby Flay (I said what i said). In a brownie throw down and my professional opinion I’m confident you would kick his ass. Thanks again and welcome to the family. I mean we’ve eaten your brownies which in my book makes us related! Sorry, you’re stuck with us. Be on the lookout for an invite to our next family reunion❤️
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Sergio, you made me laugh! Black mountain brownies made my day. Thanks so much for the compliments and for loving these brownies so much. We're also huge fans around here. Have the best holiday season with your family. Happy baking!
Kathy says
Absolutely delicious. I had to use a brownie mix - I was at Target, they only had Hershey's Cocoa Powder :0(. Can't wait to try out full recipe with homemade brownie base. These turned out great, cut into smaller squares. Thanks for recipe
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
So glad you liked them Kathy!
Angela says
Hi Paula
Could I make a double batch but use a Sheet Pan? Or would they overflow on a sheet pan?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Angela, it would not overflow, but you might have issues with the edges overbaking too much before the center starts to set.
For home ovens, I always recommend using two pans. It's what I do at home. Double the ingredients when making the batter, but then bake them in two separate pans. Hope this helps.
Anya says
These are without a doubt the best brownies I’ve ever made. When they’re cooked and refrigerated overnight, they feel EXACTLY like fudge. If you’re going to make any brownie recipe, MAKE THIS ONE
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
SO happy you loved them Anya! And I couldn't agree more, we're huge fans also. Have a great week.
pam says
These look wonderful! If you want to double the recipe to make for a crowd... Can you double recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 and will it work?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Pam! You can, but double the recipe will be too much for a 9x13 inch pan. I would recommend making 1 and 1/2 recipes. If you want to double it my recommendation is to use two 9-inch square pans. The brownies will bake much better. Usually, when brownies are baked in large pans, the edges are overbaked by the time the center is baked enough to take the pan out, especially in home ovens.
Lynne says
Can I use almond milk instead of cream to peanut butter swirl since I don’t have cream?
Paula Montenegro says
Hey Lynee, I haven't tried it but you shouldn't have issues. I suggest you start with half the amount as it's thinner than cream and add more if needed. The consistency should be easy to swirl. Hope this helps!
Natalie says
These are very good, and I really tried to mess them up (unintentionally of course, lol). I accidentally measured the cocoa & Powdered sugar with a 'tsp,' not the 'Tbsp' in the recipe. So, I'm posting these comments for folks who like less sweet desserts. For a sweet addict like myself, they were still satisfying enough, even though I'd describe the chocolate flavor as mild bc of my screw-up. I'm sure these are just awesome using the correct measurements. Idk how I made such a novice mistake, but I guess it can happen to anyone. My only other comment about the recipe is (for those looking for something quick to make), these require several bowls & lots of measuring. They are NOT difficult, but they aren't quick to 'throw together' either. Imho, though, they are worth the effort. Note: I did use choc chips (equivalent in ounces per recipe) instead of the chocolate, bc that's what I had on hand.
I will definitely make these again & can hardly wait to try them as they were intended. Ty for the recipe =)
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks for the comment Natalie! A little more cocoa powder will add a lot of flavor, especially because it's used together with chocolate. Hope you have many more great batches to eat of these!.
Michaela says
Is that correct that there is no baking powder in the recipe please?
Paula Montenegro says
Yes Michaela, there's no baking powder.
Luke says
I have been making this recipe with melted peanut butter swirl and a different taste smash 2 dead ripen bananas into the brownie batter mixed well then add swirl bake as usual. Many positive comments
Robyn Farley says
How does using or not using the almond extract make a difference in the taste of these brownies
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Robyn, it adds a subtle flavor, sort of liquor-ish if you ask me, so I like it in desserts that have a lot of sugar. The brownies are still amazing if you don't use it. You might add a few teaspoons of amaretto liquor, or brandy if you want to.
Robyn Farley says
Thank you I will try the almost and extract when I make them they look so tasty and sound scrumptious