Want to indulge in the irresistible combination of peanut butter and chocolate? Oh hell yes! A perfect sweet treat even for gluten-free eaters, as their is no flour. In an online search featuring the winning combo, I ran across an adaptation of a Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownie recipe from Trish on her “Mom On Timeout” blog.
Basically I never eat dessert, but I love to bake and try out new recipes. However, I do indulge in dark chocolate occasionally, and love peanuts. I first made these for a “girl’s weekend” and let’s just say, they were an instant hit.
Making these triggered an “aha” moment as to what I would bring to an upcoming Seder, which of course does not allow flour. (The family is not kosher.)
My over-the-top addition was a smattering of Reese’s pieces and mini peanut butter cups as a final flourish, not only for color, but because who doesn’t like more peanut butter and chocolate?? Did you know you can purchase these packaged together in the baking section of your local supermarket? Imagine them in cookies, on top of vanilla ice cream, or just straight from the bag. I know, these are a lethal diet buster…
I sliced the little “cups” in half before sprinkling over the ganache.
Just before I popped the brownies into the oven to bake, I realized I neglected to add the mini chocolate chips to the batter, so I quickly spread a cupful on top. For the ganache, the store was out of bittersweet and I didn’t want to use semisweet or unsweetened so I bought “special dark chocolate” instead.
The aroma is heavenly, so waiting until they are frosted and completely cooled is akin to torture. Yielding the most decadent, fudgy, rich and chewy brownie EVER, you’ll want to make these time and again; and they don’t even require a mixer!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Filling
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
Brownies
- 12 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Gancahe
- 10 oz bittersweet chocolate (or special dark), chopped or chips
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper leaving an overhang for easy removal. Set aside.
- Peanut Butter Filling—In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, sugar, and egg. Mix until throughly combined. Set aside.
Brownies
- In a large bowl, combine chocolate chips and butter. Melt in 30-second increments, on high heat in the microwave, stirring in between.
- Stir in sugar and vanilla until completely combined.
- Add eggs one a time, stirring in between until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt.
- Add dry mixture to wet mixture and stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. This will take one or two minutes.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Pour two-thirds of the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Drop small spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture on top of the brownie batter.
- Spoon on remaining brownie batter and smooth with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. It doesn’t have to be perfect. (If you forgot to stir in the mini chips, add them now.)
- Bake for 33-37 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. (Watch the brownies closely after 30 minutes. Don’t rely on the time so much as the inserted toothpick. Mine took 38 minutes.)
- Let brownies cool completely on a cooling rack or in the fridge.
Ganache
- Place bittersweet (or special dark) chocolate in a heat-proof bowl.
- Heat whipping cream until scalding hot and pour over the top of the chocolate.
- Cover and let sit for 5 minutes and then stir until smooth. (If chocolate hasn’t melted all the way, heat on high heat in 15 second intervals in the microwave, stirring in between, until chocolate is fully melted.)
- Pour mixture over the top of the cooled brownies and use an offset spatula to spread over the top until smooth. Sprinkle on the Reeses’s pieces.
- Refrigerate until the ganache has completely set up.
- Use the parchment paper overhang to pull the brownies out and cut 5 rows across and 5 rows down to make 25, 1 3/4″ (approximately) squares.
Accounting for Taste 
These look amazing!! 🙂 I’m a huge fan of PB and chocolate!
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I know, it’s an irresistible combination!
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