These Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies Are So Good You'll Throw Away Regular Brownies

What's better than chocolate and peanut butter?

Nothing.

Well, except these chocolate and peanut butter stuffed brownies! About four years ago I went on a baking hunt, trying to figure out how to get peanut butter to keep it's strong nutty flavor after baking. Strong flavors like chocolate tend to cover up some of that deep flavor, so when making something like brownies or cake, I needed to solve the riddle.

And, according to friends and family, this is it!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. These fudgy brownies and distinct peanut butter filling taste just like peanut butter cups, and will make your house smell amazing!

Peanut butter stuffed browniesPhoto byRichelleg

Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies

Ingredients:

Stuffing:

1 1/4 cups creamy regular peanut butter, regular, not the "natural" kind

Brownies:

• Ten TBSP unsalted butter
• 4 ounces of chopped semisweet baking chocolate or chips
• One cup of granulated sugar
• One egg yolk, plus two large eggs
• One tsp of vanilla
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup of sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt

Pouring the batterPhoto byRichelleg

Directions:

Prepare the filling of peanut butter:

• Microwave the peanut butter for 20-30 seconds. You want it pourable but not boiling hot.
• Leaving an overhang, line an 8-inch square metal pan with parchment paper.
• Evenly distribute the peanut butter throughout the pan. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Keep it frozen until you're ready to bake the brownies.

Prepare the brownies:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Again, line the square pan with parchment paper, allowing an overhang.
• Add the butter and chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir the ingredients between each 30-second microwave interval until smooth and melted.
• Add the sugar and whisk vigorously until incorporated. Let cool to slightly warmer than room temperature.
• Whisk in the eggs plus additinal yolk and vanilla extract to the chocolate and butter mix, approximately 60 seconds, or until thoroughly blended.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and salt together in a big bowl, then fold into the batter mixture with a rubber spatula, gently.
• Smooth out half of the batter into the prepared pan. Gently place the frozen peanut butter sheet on top of the batter. Pour the rest of the batter on top, smooth out.
• Bake for approximately thirty minutes in a preheated oven, or until cooked but with a somewhat gooey middle. Give the pan 30 minutes to cool. Take out of the pan and let it cool for a further half-an-hour before slicing and serving.
• Brownies keep well for up to three days at room temperature or five days in the refrigerator when kept in an airtight container.

Chocolate and peanut butter!Photo byRichelleg