Incredibly gooey and delicious, these brownies with peanut butter swirl are irresistible and the combination of chocolate and peanuts 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.
The combination of peanut butter and chocolate never ceases to amaze me for how delicious it is.
I took them to the office, and they were an instant 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. There is 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.
Peanut butter swirl
- Put dollops over the brownie base.
- 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 consider that they will need refrigeration time to set properly. I recommend eating them somewhat cold for better consistency.
Type of pan to use
I don't normally specify a certain pan to make brownies, but in this case, it's necessary.
I always use metal pans, the ones you see in the images.
But a few readers commented that the brownies never fully baked and that they were fudgy not in a good way, almost raw. It turns out they use a glass pan.
I tested the recipe again in said pan, and it turns out that the middle never quite sets. It remains extremely soft and underbaked.
So use a metal pan, NOT a glass pan.
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, too.
- 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 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 variation
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: 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.
Related recipes you might like:
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Fudgy Peanut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
For the brownie base:
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- few drops almond extract, optional but recommended if you have some
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the peanut butter swirl:
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla, optional
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream, double also works
Instructions
For the brownie base:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter or spray an 8-inch square metal pan (don't use a glass pan). Line it with a piece of parchment paper covering the bottom and two sides. Two sides will remain unlined.
- Melt ¾ cup semisweet chocolate, chopped, and ¾ cup unsalted 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, being careful the bottom doesn't touch the water, stirring until it's melted.
- Mix ¾ cup white sugar and¾ cup packed brown sugar into the chocolate mixture until well integrated. This helps bring the temperature of the chocolate down before adding the eggs.
- Add 3 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, a few drops almond extract if using, and 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Mix until well combined.
- Add 1 cup all-purpose flour in 2 parts and stir until well combined, but don't overmix.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
For the peanut butter swirl:
- In a medium bowl, mix together ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter, 5 tablespoons powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Make sure no lumps remain.
- Drop spoonfuls on top of the brownie base, then swirl lightly with a knife, ensuring you leave whole chunks of peanut butter mix intact. Otherwise, it all blends together, and it won't have the same effect.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, depending on the pan you use, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with very fudgy crumbs, the top looks dry, and the center still jiggles. It's important not to overbake them.
- Let cool on a wire rack completely.
- I find that they are better the next day. I keep them wrapped in plastic.
- These bars can be frozen, well wrapped, for a month at least.
Notes
Adapted from Good Housekeeping Cookbook
Shelley says
Oh wow! I bet the people in your office LOVE you! What a wonderful treat - I was practically drooling on my keyboard from just a peek at the first photo in the post! Yum! Even better that these can even be frozen, so I always have a little stash of them for chocolate emergencies LOL!
Amanda says
These brownies were so perfectly decadent! Everyone loved them, and they were as easy as can be. Will definitely make another batch soon!
Alex wencel says
Is there really no rising agent in this recipe?
Paula Montenegro says
No. You can add some if you want to.
Haley says
Can you use semi sweet morsels instead of chopping chocolate up?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Haley, yes you can.
mollie says
I will never ever buy a boxed version of brownies again after making these! AMAZING!!!! Thank you!
Paula Montenegro says
So glad you loved them Mollie!
Lisa Barger says
These brownies look so dang good I have to make them! You have the best brownie selection I have ever seen! I LOVE a CHEWY brownie. What makes a brownie chewy? Which of your brownie recipes are the chewiest? Thank you!
Paula Montenegro says
Hey Lisa! I'm a brownie lover too! As for chewiness fudge-style, I think the mint brownies are my favorite. You can omit the mint extract and bake a great plain brownie.
Sarah says
These were so easy and delish! I added a teaspoon of salt to the brownie batter and some flaky salt on top because I love salty sweet and they were great!
Paula Montenegro says
That's a great idea Sarah! Glad you liked them! Stay safe.
Maria says
I see that you add cream to the peanut butter swirl, what kinda cream do you use?
Paula Montenegro says
Maria, you can use heavy, double or whipping cream.
kita says
OK OK ok, I know it said let cool - but seriously fresh brownies still warm from the oven with peanut butter in them? I am sooo slicing these babies and devouring one as soon as they are cool enough to try. 😀
Danielle says
I think I can see how gooey these are just by looking at the images. I love that you can freeze these - that alone can save me so much time during a busy week! Delicious, practical and looking amazing!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
Peanut butter, chocolate, swirled together in one harmonious delicious brownie?! I'm SOLD! These look so good and moist!
Veronika says
What can be better then a freshly baked batch of brownies with peanut butter! Perfectly gooey inside and chewy outside! Saving the recipe!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Wowza. These brownies are all of my favorite things wrapped into one - chocolate, peanut butter, gooey, fudge, deliciousness. They were incredible. So incredible that I had to pass them out to my neighbors to keep myself from eating the whole pan! Thanks for a great recipe!
GUNJAN C Dudani says
You got me at peanut butter. How could I not make these brownies. These were absolute delish and were gone within minutes in my house.
Paula Montenegro says
So glad you liked them!
shobee says
Boy this brownie looks so moist and delicious. And, it is so easy to make. Will be making a batch of this for my son's school lunch.
Denise says
This is the brownie of my dreams! It really does look perfect and satisfying for when chocolate & peanut butter is needed in my life. (which is at least once a week). Thanks for sharing!
Kita Roberts says
Hmm yum! I really love brownies and these Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies are just so perfect! They are actually mouth watering!
Elaine Benoit says
I love swirl brownies and these look so moist so delicious! I will be making these with almond butter as I prefer it over peanut butter.
Analida Braeger says
Thank you so much for adding the healthy substitutions for this recipe. I would love to try these with almond butter.
Megan Ellam says
All the good stuff in one tasty recipe. Thanks so much for a beautiful recipe