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Peanut butter brownies offer a decadent twist on the classic, combining rich chocolate with creamy peanut butter for a truly delicious treat.
A Classic Flavor Pairing
Peanut butter and chocolate are a favorite flavor pairing and not just for our family! Today’s brownies take classic Homemade Brownies and layer in that salty addition of creamy peanut butter for an irresistible dessert that the whole family loves.
The classic flavor combo of this dessert is definitely one that should be made for all PB + chocolate lovers because it’s not only chewy and delicious, but it’s another easy dessert recipe to enjoy! And if you love this treat, do not forget to try our Reese’s Brownies.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Peanut butter lovers. The classic chocolate and peanut butter combo is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
- Fudgy texture. Brownie recipes have a deliciously dense texture.
- Easy to make. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, these brownies are easy and tasty.
Ingredients
- PREP TIME: 15 minutes
- COOK TIME: 35 minutes
- COOL TIME: 30 minutes
Peanut Butter Batter
- 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup peanut butter – use regular creamy peanut butter, don’t use natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg – room-temperature eggs will incorporate better than a cold egg.
- 2 tablespoons milk- whole milk or 2%
Brownie Batter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1½ cups butter, melted – unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs – room temperature eggs incorporate better than cold eggs
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour – How to Measure Flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder – use natural unsweetened cocoa powder or unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips – or milk chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt, if desired
How to Make Peanut Butter Brownies
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- PB BATTER. In a medium bowl, make peanut butter batter by beating 6 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup peanut butter, ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg, and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix until smooth.
- BROWNIE BATTER. In another bowl, make the brownie batter by mixing 2 cups sugar, 1½ cups melted butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until combined. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
- In another bowl, combine 1 ¼ cups flour, ¾ cup cocoa, ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix until combined and then add to the wet ingredients of the brownie batter. Stir until combined, and then fold in 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Scoop out ½ cup of brownie batter and set aside.
- BAKE. Spread the remaining brownie batter into the prepared baking dish. Carefully pour the peanut butter mixture over the brownie batter. In spoonfuls, drop the reserved brownie batter over the top of the peanut butter layer. With a knife, gently swirl the top layers, inserting the knife a little into the batter and swirling up and down to create a marbled effect.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt if desired. Let cool completely before cutting into bars
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Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Batter
- 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
Brownie Batter
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1½ cups butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, make peanut butter batter by beating cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, egg, and milk. Mix until smooth.
- In another bowl, make the brownie batter by mixing sugar, melted butter, and vanilla until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
- In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined and then add to the wet ingredients of the brownie batter. Stir until combined, and then fold in chocolate chips.
- Scoop out ½ cup of brownie batter and set aside.
- Spread the remaining brownie batter into the prepared baking dish. Carefully pour the peanut butter mixture over the brownie batter. In spoonfuls, drop the reserved brownie batter over the top of the peanut butter layer. With a knife, gently swirl the top layers, inserting the knife a little into the batter and swirling up and down to create a marbled effect.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Sprinkle with some flaky sea salt if desired. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
Video
Notes
- Short-term storage: Store your peanut butter brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
- Longer storage: If you need to store the brownies for a longer period, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to a week. However, refrigeration can slightly affect the texture.
- Freezing: For longer-term storage, you can freeze brownies. Wrap individual brownies tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Natural peanut butter doesn’t have the same texture as regular peanut butter and the results may vary if you use this substitute. For this reason, I would not recommend using Nutella or almond butter either as I can’t guarantee how the brownies will turn out.
> Store your peanut butter brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
> If you need to store the brownies for a longer period, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to a week. However, refrigeration can slightly affect the texture.
Wrap individual brownies tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
