Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe
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Why have brownies when you can have peanut butter brownies? Creamy peanut butter is swirled into the brownie batter, creating a fudgy, chocolatey treat that melts in your mouth. This 5-ingredient recipe comes together in no time, perfect for holiday celebrations, special occasions, or just because.
My family and I are huge fans of both chocolate and peanut butter. They’re just a match made in heaven! We love any dessert with either of those flavors and we don’t wait for Christmas to make 3-ingredient fudge or peanut butter fudge. So I wasn’t surprised when I first made peanut butter brownies and the whole batch was gone in minutes! These perfectly moist, chewy brownies are our new family favorite.
The brownies taste amazing and come out with beautiful marbling from the peanut butter swirls. They’re the perfect after-meal dessert, afternoon pick-me-up, and comfort treat. They also look gorgeous on any party or holiday spread and make a nice homemade gift for family and friends year-round. Either way, you need these gooey, fudgy squares of goodness in your life.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: Prep the batter, add the peanut butter, and your oven will take it from there.
- Perfect flavor combo: Name a better duo than chocolate and peanut butter. I’ll wait.
- Perfectly fudgy: These brownies are ultra-fudgy with creamy peanut butter swirls, making every bite melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- Show-stopping swirls: The peanut butter marbling not only tastes incredible but also makes these brownies look bakery-level fancy.
- Customizable: Easily make these brownies your own by adding your favorite mix-ins. Add chocolate chips, nuts, or even a drizzle of caramel, depending on your mood!
- All-around treat: Enjoy them at home, share them at a gathering, or box them up as gifts for holidays, birthdays, or just to say thank you.
How to Make Peanut Butter Brownies
Few things are as comforting as the combination of chocolate and peanut butter in one delicious treat – it’s like happiness baked into a brownie! Take your baking game to a whole new level by making these incredibly delicious peanut butter brownies.
Just mix, swirl, and bake, and you get a dessert that’s crisp on the outside, fudgy on the inside, with a rich flavor but not overly sweet. Just the right amount of indulgence for all your sweet cravings!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Peanut butter brownie mix: For that rich, chocolatey flavor and structure. We’ll be using a pre-made mix for ease and convenience.
- Peanut butter: Adds creaminess and creates beautiful swirls in the batter. The brownie mix will come with a pouch, but you can use your favorite. Creamy, no-stir peanut butter like Jif or Skippy is ideal. I don’t recommend using the “natural” kind that separates.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together, giving the brownies a slightly cakey texture while keeping them fudgy.
- Water
- Oil or butter: Adds richness and gives the brownies a tender, moist crumb.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Can you believe such a delicious, gorgeous-looking dessert takes just 30 minutes or less? If you follow the 3 simple steps below, I guarantee you’ll have perfectly baked peanut butter brownies to serve and enjoy.
Step 1: Make the batter
Preheat the oven to 320 F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
Use an electric mixer or whisk to mix the brownie mix with water, egg and oil. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
Step 2: Add the peanut butter
Next, drizzle peanut butter over the brownie batter and swirl it in with the tip of a butter knife. Gently drag the knife across the top of the batter to make a pretty swirl pattern. You can add as little or as much peanut butter as you like. I sometimes prefer to add 2 extra spoons to make brownies even creamier.
Step 3: Bake
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire cooling rack before slicing into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Substitutions
You only need 5 simple, easily available ingredients for this recipe. In case you’re missing one or prefer to use an alternative, check out these easy ingredient substitutions:
- Peanut butter brownie mix: If you can’t find peanut butter brownie mix, you can use regular brownie mix and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder along with a few tablespoons of peanut butter.
- Peanut butter: No creamy peanut butter? Try crunchy or chunky instead. You can also use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a different flavor profile.
- Butter: If you don’t want to use butter, substitute with coconut oil.
Expert Tips
- Use a room temperature egg: Room temperature eggs will mix more smoothly into the batter than cold eggs. Take an egg out of your fridge ahead of time or quickly warm it in a bowl of warm water to bring it to room temperature.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing can lead to dense, tough brownies. Stir just until all ingredients are combined, especially after adding the dry mix. This keeps your brownies soft and fudgy.
- Customize your swirls: Get creative with your peanut butter swirls! Use a toothpick to create unique patterns on the surface in more detail, or add dollops of chocolate or Nutella for a marbled effect.
- Cool before cutting: The brownies are good to go fresh out of the oven, but I always allow at least 15 minutes for them to cool and set before I cut and serve. If you can make clean slices, that means they’re ready.
- Make perfect cuts: Run a knife under hot water to heat it up then use it to cut into the brownies, wiping it clean in between cuts. This way, you’ll get slices with clean, smooth edges.
- Serve immediately: These brownies taste most fantastic fresh out of the oven when they’re warm and gooey.
How to Store This Recipe
Place leftover peanut butter brownies in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also wrap them individually in plastic wrap or layer them with parchment paper before placing in a freezer-safe container and storing in the freezer for up to 1 month.
These brownies can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature, or warm. If you prefer warm, pop back in the oven and warm until heated through.
What to Serve with Peanut Butter Brownies
Peanut butter brownies are amazing on their own, but you can serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a snack or with your favorite toppings like whipped cream, warm chocolate sauce, or salted caramel drizzle for dessert.
Want to enjoy them for breakfast? Crumble the brownies on top of some Greek yogurt. Add a sprinkle of granola and some fresh berries for a filling meal.
More Dessert Recipes To Try
- 3-ingredient peanut butter blossoms
- Pumpkin brownies
- Puff pastry apple hand pies
- Saltine toffee
- Cinnamon palmiers
If you make these peanut butter brownies, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Fudgy Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box peanut butter brownie mix any brand
- 2-4 tbsp peanut butter pouch was included with my cake box
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp butter melted or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320 °F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
- Use an electric mixer or whisk to mix the brownie mix with water, egg and oil. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
- Drizzle peanut butter over the brownie batter and swirl it in with the tip of a butter knife. Gently drag the knife across the top of the batter to make a pretty swirl pattern.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire cooling rack before slicing into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs will mix more smoothly into the batter than cold eggs. Take an egg out of your fridge ahead of time or quickly warm it in a bowl of warm water to bring it to room temperature.
- Don’t overmix the batter to prevent dense, tough brownies. Stir just until all ingredients are combined, especially after adding the dry mix. This keeps your brownies soft and fudgy.
- Get creative with your peanut butter swirls! Use a toothpick to create unique patterns on the surface in more detail.
- Allow at least 15 minutes for the brownies to cool and set before cutting and serving. If you can make clean slices, that means they’re ready.
- Run a knife under hot water to heat it up then use it to cut into the brownies, wiping it clean in between cuts.
- These brownies taste most fantastic fresh out of the oven when they’re warm and gooey.
