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Rich and fudgy Peanut Butter Brownies
Easy to make and impossible to resist!
If you’re a fan of the ever-popular peanut butter chocolate combo, you’re going to love our chocolaty, rich and fudgy peanut butter brownies!
These luscious brownies are complete with the perfect chewiness, crackly top and swirls of tasty peanut butter all wrapped up in an easy to make recipe.
Brownies are one of the all-time best desserts that anybody can make. They travel well and are great for events, parties, pot lucks or bake sales!
Once you try these one-bowl homemade brownies, you may never go back to boxed.
Ingredients overview:
- Boiling water to mix with the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder
- Bittersweet or unsweetened bar chocolate, chopped fine
- Dutch-process cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder will work too
- Granulated sugar or a combination of granulated and brown sugar. Start with 1/2 cup brown sugar with the remaining in white granulated sugar. These brownies are already fudgy so the added moisture from brown sugar can easy take them over the top.
- Vegetable oil for creating extra-fudgy moist brownies
- Large eggs at room temperature for better blending
- Unsalted butter, melted
- Vanilla extract for flavor
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Smooth creamy peanut butter like Jeff, Peter Pan or Skippy. We don’t recommend using natural peanut butter with oil on top.
Overview: How to make peanut butter brownies
1. First prep your baking pan and preheat the oven
Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Make an aluminum foil or parchment paper sling for a 13×9-inch baking pan. Generously coat the foil with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Next whisk together the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, pour the boiling water over the cocoa powder and chopped baking chocolate to melt. Whisk until all the chocolate is melted and well blended.
Add the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients
Gently fold in the flour and salt until incorporated. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan.
4. Finally, swirl the peanut butter into the brownie batter
Dollop small teaspoonfuls of peanut butter over the brownie batter. Swirl the peanut butter into the chocolate until no large clumps remain.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with not wet batter. A few moist crumbs is good.
Cool for a few hours before cutting into squares.
Warm from the oven brownies are pretty fantastic to eat so I won’t blame you if you dig in right away. However, the slices will be cleaner if the brownies are allowed to cool before cutting.
Since I know you won’t listen to me about eating hot brownies, try one topped with vanilla ice cream. What a treat!
Cooks Notes:
Baking chocolate: we recommend using a good quality baking chocolate that comes in a bar form. Some of our favorite brands include those recommended by Cook’s Illustrated such as: Baker’s, Scharffen, Ghirardelli, Hershey’s and Guittard.
Don’t overbake – when it comes to these bars it’s always best to under-bake rather than overbake. In addition to watching the baking time carefully, we also bake these on the lower middle oven rack. This helps prevent the edges from overcooking and drying out.
Add-ins: Feel free to stir in more chopped baking chocolate just before baking if desired. Chocolate chips or mini-chips also work well but we recommend using a less-sweet variety like bittersweet. Milk chocolate or semi-sweet might be too sweet.
Replace the peanut butter with peanut butter chips if desired. They’re a little sweeter than peanut butter but add a nice pop of flavor.
Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts on top before baking for a nice crunchy bite.
Make ahead and freezable
As mentioned above, brownies are a great choice for making ahead. For pretty cuts and nice clean pieces allow the brownies to cool for a few hours before cutting.
Therefore, bake the day before they’re needed and cool to room temperature before storing.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
These brownies are also freezable and keep well for up to 3 months if well sealed in an airtight container.
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Peanut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
- â…” cup boiling water (5-1/2oz)
- 2 ounces bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate chopped fine
- ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa (54g) or natural cocoa
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar (554g)
- â…” cup vegetable oil (5oz)
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (2oz or 56g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter (265g)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to the middle-low position and heat to 350°F.
- Make a foil or parchment sling for a 13×9-inch baking pan. Press the foil into the corners and up the sides of the pan, smoothing the foil flush with the pan. Spray the foil generously with vegetable cooking spray and set aside.
- Whisk the boiling water, chocolate and cocoa in a large bowl until all chocolate is melted. Add the sugar, oil, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Gently fold in the flour and salt just until blended. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- Dollop teaspoons of peanut butter over the brownie batter then swirl with a knife. Try not to leave the peanut butter in giant clumps.
- Bake for 33 to 38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Transfer to a rack to cool before cutting. Lift the brownies out of the pan using the foil or parchment sling. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Brownies can be frozen, well sealed in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
The perfect Peanut Butter Brownie recipe
These bars have a fabulous chewiness, crackly top and a rich, fudgy flavor. They’re easy to make in one bowl and disappear in a flash!
Peanut butter desserts are always at the top of my list, especially when they combine chocolate and peanut butter.
These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are a personal favorite of mine. They’re hearty and chewy and loaded with flavor.
Our Peanut Butter Blondies are another easy, one pan dessert that travel well and are loaded with peanut butter flavor.
Let us know what your family thinks about these brownies!
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