Peanut Butter Brownies
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
If you love a good chocolate and peanut butter combo as much as I do, these Peanut Butter Brownies might just become your new favorite dessert. They’re rich and chocolatey, with an incredible peanut butter swirl.
Table of Contents
- Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Peanut Butter Brownies
- More Brownie Recipes
Brownies and bars are so easy to make, and the result is always a huge hit! Some of our favorites include these Rice Krispie Treats, Caramel Apple Oatmeal Carmelitas, and Oreo Cheesecake Brownie Bars.
But of course, chocolate and peanut butter trump them all. I don’t know a single person who doesn’t swoon at the mere mention of peanut butter brownies.
This recipe is so easy to make, and the result is so ooey-gooey, fudgy, and peanut buttery! If you know a peanut butter lover, you’ve gotta make them these peanut butter brownies!
It all starts with the best-ever brownie recipe. This Simply Perfect Brownies from Scratch recipe is all I ever use.
It’s so easy to make, in just one bowl, and you don’t even need a mixer. Just grab a few simple ingredients from your pantry and stir them all together. It’s incredible just how rich, dark chocolate-y, and fudgy these brownies are.
My dad loved anything with peanut butter, so whenever I think of Father’s Day, peanut butter desserts are always the first thing to pop into my mind.
Check out my Father’s Day category for lots more peanut butter and dad-friendly dessert ideas.
And here’s an idea for you…If you really want to take this recipe to the next level, try topping a peanut butter brownie with No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream and drizzling it with Hot Fudge Sauce.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These brownies have an ultra-fudgy texture with rich chocolate flavor!
- You’ll love the creamy peanut butter swirls in every bite.
- This recipe is easy to make from scratch. No boxed mix required.
- No mixer required, either! Simple for beginners or experienced bakers.
- Perfect for anyone who loves chocolate and peanut butter together!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you’re cooking.
For The Peanut Butter Swirl
- Peanut butter: The star of the swirl. Use a creamy peanut butter for the smoothest texture and easiest marbling.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the peanut butter layer and helps thicken it.
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter loosens the swirl mixture, giving it a silky consistency.
- Kosher salt: Adds balance and keeps the peanut butter flavor from tasting flat.
For The Chocolate Brownie Batter
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the brownies and helps create that shiny, crackly top.
- Unsalted butter: If you use salted butter, omit the additional Kosher salt called for in the recipe.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Adds a deep chocolate flavor without using melted chocolate.
- Kosher salt: Enhances the cocoa and rounds out the sweetness.
- Eggs: Give the brownies structure while keeping the texture soft and dense.
- All-purpose flour: Bread flour can be substituted in if that’s all you have, but it will impact the final texture a bit.
- Baking powder: Adds a little lift and keeps the crumb tender.
- Vanilla extract: Softens and rounds out the chocolate flavor beautifully.
Can A Different Type Of Peanut Butter Be Used?
You can use whatever you have on hand. Creamy peanut butter, crunchy peanut butter, natural peanut butter, or just regular old peanut butter like you ate on your sandwiches as a kid. You could even substitute almond butter or any other kind of nut butter.
If you are using a natural nut butter, there are just a few things to be aware of:
- Be sure to stir it well to blend the oils and solids.
- The consistency might be a little runnier. This is totally fine, and the peanut butter brownies should still bake up perfectly.
- It will be a little less sweet, so taste it and add more powdered sugar if you think it needs it.
How To Make Peanut Butter Brownies
Step 1: Make the peanut butter swirl
In a medium bowl, stir together 3/4 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix the brownie batter
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9×9-inch pan with nonstick spray, then line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a large bowl, stir together 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/4 cups melted unsalted butter, 1 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until fully combined.
Stir in 4 large eggs until incorporated.
Add 1 cup all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder, then mix just until smooth. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Step 3: Layer and swirl
Pour half of the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
Drop about half of the peanut butter mixture over the top in dollops. Use the tip of a knife to gently swirl it through the batter.
Spread the remaining brownie batter on top, then add the rest of the peanut butter mixture in dollops and swirl again.
Ste 4: Bake
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the edges look set but the center is still slightly soft. You want them baked through, but not overbaked.
You’ll know your peanut butter brownies are done when they’re set around the edges but still soft towards the middle. The toothpick test doesn’t work very well for this recipe because the brownies are so fudgy.
I like to bake these in a 9×9-inch square pan. In my oven, they take about an hour.
But you can use a 9×13-inch pan too, and because they’ll bake up thinner, they probably won’t need quite as much time. I recommend checking them after about 45 minutes.
They’ll be quite soft in the center while they’re still warm, but as they cool, they will firm up. I know it’s torture, but wait until they’re completely cool before you cut into them! You’ll get much nicer squares if you can just be patient!
My favorite tool for cleanly cutting brownies is this pastry scraper. Push straight down and wipe the blade clean after each cut. Your squares will be perfect!
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Use a creamy peanut butter for the smoothest swirl.
- Don’t overmix the brownie batter after adding the flour.
- For clean, defined swirls, drag the knife gently through the layers without overworking them.
- Start checking near the lower end of the baking time if your oven runs hot.
- Cool completely before slicing so the brownies have time to set up properly.
More Brownie Recipes
- Cheesecake Brownies
- Salted Caramel Brownies
- Brownie Pudding Cake
- S’mores Brownies
- Brownie Cookies
- Oreo Cheesecake Brownie Bars
- Junk Food Brownies
Peanut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
For the peanut butter swirl
- 3/4 cup (193.5 g) peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) half a stick unsalted butter, , melted
- 3/4 teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) kosher salt
For the chocolate brownie batter
- 2 1/2 cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (283.75 g) unsalted butter, , melted
- 1 3/4 cups (150.5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the peanut butter swirl:
- Stir the powdered sugar, peanut butter, melted butter, and salt together in a medium bowl.
To make the chocolate brownie batter:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, mist a 9×9-inch pan with non-stick spray, and line it with parchment.
- Place the sugar, melted butter, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl and stir together until combined.
- Stir in the eggs.
- Add the flour and baking powder, and mix until smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla, then pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
- Drop about half the peanut butter swirl mixture in dollops over the surface of the brownie batter. Swirl with the tip of a knife.
- Layer the remaining brownie batter on top, and repeat the peanut butter swirl.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until set around the edges but still soft towards the center.
- Cool completely in the pan, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into squares.
your recipe say then pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
Drop about half the peanut butter swirl mixture in dollops over the surface of the brownie batter. Swirl with the tip of a knife.
Layer the remaining brownie batter on top, and repeat the peanut butter swirl.
but in the video you didn’t do that
This was one super rich brownie, that’s for sure!
I subbed peanut oil, although not the really good expeller pressed, for the butter (for both the brownie part and the peanut butter part), especially since I didn’t have unsalted butter. I liked the peanut oil v. butter, so I think I’d use it again, but the nice expeller pressed, so it will have a bit of peanut flavor.
Unfortunately, perhaps because of the substitution, the batter was super dry, so I added 1/8 c. heavy cream and 1/8 c. filtered water. It was still absolutely not pourable, rather quite a bit, instead, like fudge or a truffle.
I forgot to layer it, so I just put dabs of the peanut butter mixture on top and swirled it. Since it’s just hubby and me, I also halved the recipe – and we will most likely have to freeze some. (Some guidance on how to do would be nice!)
It turned out to be a bit cakier than the photos, which is fine, since I like brownies a bit more like cake. But still definitely fudge-like, so, really, a happy medium between the two. The chocolate was Dutched, so, with the amount of sugar, the brownies came out a bit bittersweet. But with the peanut butter, sufficiently sweetened, it made it almost perfect – except for a slight cocoa aftertaste.
I made this because almost all other recipes called for at least one other type of chocolate (e.g., chopped semi-sweet chocolate), which seemed a bit excessive to me.
Quite good – but definitely more expensive than a boxed version. So my suggestion would be to go all the way and use all top quality and/or organic ingredients.
Hi! I want to make this tomorrow for Mother’s Day… But I only have salted butter, is it possible to substitute then omit the salt in the recipe? Hope I can get your advice. Thanks!
Hi there! You can do that but it’s tough to say how much salt you should add or if you should completely omit it. Not all butter brands use the same amount of salt so it’s very inconsistent.
Wow! Thank you Allie for getting back at me… Wasn’t expecting coz it’s Mother’s Day! I know you are celebrating with your family. I hope you are having a great time. I made them anyway this morning, skipping the salt. It wasn’t as gorgeous as yours but they it taste sooo good!! We topped it off with vanilla ice cream. They are THE best! I baked mine in 9×3 pan & checked it at 45min-mark. The only thing I noticed is that when I cut one corner (I love the corners!) it breaks easily. Did I overbaked it? Is that what they call “cakey”? What did I miss? Any tips??
I meant 9×13 baking pan… Sorry!
Very happy you enjoyed!