Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

I don’t usually have kitchen disasters (not to sound like The Most Interesting Man in the World), but when I do, I learn from them. Last week I baked peanut butter swirl brownies, and although the recipe said to pull them when they still jiggled in the middle, I ignored my baker’s instinct to discover, once cooled, that they were raw in the middle. Not gooey or fudgy like a brownie should be, but actually raw. Inedible raw. Food-poison-risk raw.

To the internet I went, in search of another recipe, and I found this one at Mike Bakes NYC. I’m pleased to say that this turned out very well, even if they are likely to spike your blood sugar in dangerous ways because they’re so rich. Seriously friends, it’s probably a good thing they only bake in an 8×8 pan.

Ingredients

For the brownies:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the swirl:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 tin with parchment paper or foil; if using foil, spray with baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. In a medium bowl, whisk butter, eggs, and vanilla; add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined; pour into prepared baking tin.

To make the swirl, whisk the peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined. Drop by large spoonfuls onto the brownie batter and swirl with a dull knife.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in a non-swirl part of your brownies comes out with a few fudgy crumbs. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Store at room temperature. Makes 16.