Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

There's a reason peanut btter and chocolate make such good partners, I don't know the mechanics of this perfect union of flavours or who discovered it , but I know not to quibble when it comes to deliciousness. Case in point, these brownies, made by dividing a brownie batter into a chocolate brownie and peanut butter blondie batter and then swirling them together to create a delicious treat with the dense fudgy texture of a brownie and the salty satisfying taste of a Reese peanut butter cup. To call these "epic" is an understatement.


I was a little overzealous in my swirling technique. Mine came out less like swirls and more like layers. Not really a problem it just meant equal parts chocolate and peanut butter in each bit, no need to debate which piece i want, i always get the best of both worlds. If only non- dessert things were this equitable. It took quite a lot longer to bake than the original recipe stated but that may have been my oven acting weird . Once baked, they have the firm texture and crackly topping that I think ought to be the marker of a perfect brownie, with a tan coloured swirl of peanut butter. Each bite is layered with the salty sweet and rich combo of peanut butter and chocolate. The addition of the peanut butter chips was an inspired decision on the recipe developers part they add textural complexity and really enhance the peanut butter flavour.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Makes: about 16 brownies, one 9 inch square

Time: about 1 hour total

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup peanut butter chips
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Grease 9-inch square pan. Beat sugars, butter, milk and eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide batter in half (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons for each half.) Stir peanut butter and peanut butter chips into one half. Stir cocoa and chocolate chips into the remaining half.
2. Spoon the chocolate batter into the pan in 8 mounds in a checkerboard pattern. Spoon peanut butter batter between mounds of chocolate batter. Gently swirl batters with knife for a marbled design.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes (I needed about 45 minutes) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

From: Betty Crocker's Cookie Book