Double Chocolate and Peanut Butter Brownies Click for Recipe

You just can’t go wrong with Chocolate and Peanut Butter! My apologies go out to everyone who is trying to start their New Year’s resolution diets, but I couldn’t help myself.

I am self-proclaimed cookie addict, but lately I have been having too much fun testing brownie recipes. Maybe it is the colder weather that's making me crave rich, dense, chocolate, fudgy brownies! Did I get your attention yet?

Brownies are really easy to make, and not as temperamental as many other baked goods. The beauty of this recipe, it can be all done by hand, no need for a mixer. These Double Chocolate and Peanut Butter Brownies are more dense than cakey. I like when brownies are chewy, dense, and filled with different flavors and textures. The double chocolate part of these brownies starts with unsweetened chocolate, which adds depth, and then dark (or semi-sweet is good too) chocolate chips for an added level of rich chocolate flavor. Then, the peanut butter…ahhh the peanut butter! I add peanut butter chocolate chips to the batter, which is a perfect balance to the chocolate. Slightly salty, and nutty!

Keep this recipe in your back pocket when you are ready for a “cheat” day!

Tips for the perfect Double Chocolate and Peanut Butter Brownies

*Make sure to let the chocolate cool before adding in the other ingredients. It doesn’t have to be cold, but slightly warm is ok! If it is too hot, then it will scramble the eggs when you add them in.

*Use room temperature eggs. This way they will incorporate into the batter nice and evenly.

*Don’t over-mix! When stirring in the flour, make sure to stir JUST until it is mixed in. Over-mixing will create a tough brownie.

*Butter and flour the baking dish. This assures that the brownies won’t stick to the pan when you want to take them out.

*Lean more towards under-baking. The baking time is 25-30 minutes, but check on the brownies around 20 minutes by placing a toothpick into the center, if it comes out somewhat clean it is done, if it has batter on it still, give it a few more minutes. Under-baked brownies are so much better than over-baked!

Double Chocolate and Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients

Under-baked brownies are so much better than over-baked!
1 cup unsalted butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark, or semi-sweet, chocolate chips
1 ½ (or about a 10 oz bag) peanut butter chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Butter and flour a 13x9x2 inch baking pan; do this by wiping the entire inside of the pan with butter, then sprinkle in enough flour to coat all of the butter by swirling it around; flip the pan over the sink, and lightly tap it to remove excess flour
Place the butter and chocolate into a large, heatproof bowl over a pan with simmering water, making sure the water isn’t high enough to touch the bowl; this is called a double boiler; you can also melt the chocolate and the butter in the microwave, but be careful not to overcook and/or burn it
Once melted together, set aside to cool
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, and whisk together to combine
Once the butter and chocolate has cooled, whisk in the sugar
Then, whisk in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is well incorporated
Whisk in the vanilla
Pour the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture in small increments, whisking each time
Mix until just combined; I like to switch to a spatula at this point
Stir in the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips until evenly mixed
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan; use a spatula, or knife, to evenly distribute the batter around the pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean; it is ok to under-bake these slightly; usually you can tell they are done if the middle is set