Peanut Butter Brownies are great. Peanut Butter STUFFED Brownies are next level! With a thick layer of creamy peanut butter neatly sandwiched inside, every bite is fudgey, chocolatey, peanutty heaven. Somebody stop me – I went back for “just one more” five times…….😩
Peanut butter stuffed brownies
Visions of a peanut butter sandwiched neatly inside a brownie invaded my dreams recently. I mean, creamy peanut butter and fudgy chocolate brownie. They are dream-worthy, no?
To make this dream into reality, ordinarily I’d go straight to my default brownie stuffing method – freezing a slab of peanut butter which makes it easy to sandwich between loose batter.
But, against my better judgement, after googling to see what “everybody else does”, I tried spreading the peanut butter on brownie batter, then covering it with more brownie batter.
The internet is lying.
It does not work! Brownie batter is too soft to spread the peanut butter across the surface, and the brownie batter is too thick to spread over the peanut butter! 🤯
So, I reverted back to my usual freezing method and it worked perfectly. And so easy. Yes, you have to wait for the peanut butter to freeze. But once that’s done, just place the frozen peanut butter slab on a layer of brownie then cover with more brownie.
What was I thinking? Stick with what I know! 😅
PS Yes you spy sea salt flakes on the peanut butter slab. Those subtle little pops of salt work so well here!
PPS Proof of fudginess:
Ingredients in Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
Here’s what you need to make this. It’s just my classic chocolate brownie recipe plus peanut butter. You can also use the flourless chocolate brownies batter – some might even think it’s even better because it’s even fudgier plus you get that subtle flavour from the almond meal!
1. the peanut butter
Use regular peanut butter spread, the commercial brands you put on sandwiches which has salt and sugar added, like Bega, Skippy. Natural peanut butter (or pure peanut butter) which is just, as the name suggests, plain peanut butter (plus maybe a pinch of salt), is too runny for this recipe and the flavour is more intense.
If you want to use natural peanut butter, it is better to swirl it through the brownie. I did try a thinner layer of natural peanut butter sandwiched in the middle but I wasn’t thrilled with the mouthfeel when you get a good hit of the peanut butter, it’s a bit cloying (because it doesn’t have sugar or salt added like regular peanut butter).
Peanut-free alternatives – Anything with a peanut butter texture can be used (pictured above). For example, Nutella (recipe here), Dulce de Leche (try this Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies!), Biscoff and nut-free spreads, as long as they are not runny. Even jam would work!
2. the BROWNIE PART
Don’t be tempted to posh this up by using higher cocoa % chocolate (like 70%), it messes with the fudginess of the brownie and alters the texture in not a good way, edging towards pasty and away from fudgy. Stick with regular dark chocolate (which is usually around 45% cocoa). I don’t even use 50% cocoa chocolate for brownies anymore, I’m so particular about this!
Dark chocolate – Per ranting above, use regular dark chocolate (US: semi-sweet chocolate), not chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage above 45%. Also, use chocolate chips or melts from the baking aisle which is made for melting smoothly, whereas chocolate in the confectionary aisle is designed to not melt!
Cocoa powder – Just regular cocoa powder, not dutch processed (dries the brownie out a bit). Make sure you sift out lumps!
Brown sugar rather than white, for fudgier texture.
Flour – Just plain / all-purpose flour. No baking powder in brownies – makes it puffy and cake like which we don’t want!
Vanilla extract rather than vanilla essence (imitation).
Eggs – Large eggs, which are 50 – 55g each (2 oz) sold in cartons labelled “large eggs” that are 600 – 660g for a dozen. If you use eggs that are much larger than this, like jumbo, then it makes the brownies a bit less fudgy. Unlike most baking recipes, there is no need to bring them to room temperature.
Butter – I alway use unsalted butter so I can add the amount of salt I want myself. Please don’t use margarine, the flavour is just not the same!
Salt – Just a bit, to bring out the flavours. Pretty standard baking practice these days!
Salt flakes – Forgot to photograph! I really like to add a sprinkle on the peanut butter slab and on the surface of the finished brownie. It adds little pops of salt that cut through the richness beautifully – especially with indulgent treats like these brownies.
No flakes? You can use regular salt on the peanut butter layer, but I wouldn’t use it on top. It doesn’t have the same delicate touch – it’s a bit too harsh.
How to make Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
Shockingly easy – freeze the peanut butter to make a slab that you put in the brownie batter. As for the brownie batter? One bowl and a handheld whisk. So easy. 🙂
1. Frozen peanut butter slab for stuffing
Warm peanut butter in the microwave to make it pourable.
Pour into a paper lined 20cm/8″ pan then spread. Because it’s loose, it’s easy to spread evenly – just tilt the pan or spread with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with salt flakes, if using – the little pops of salt is a nice touch but not a deal breaker if you forget (which I keep doing).
Freeze for 3 hours until it is frozen solid so you can pick it up without flopping at all.
Remove from the pan by lifting it out with the paper then keep it in the freezer on the paper until required. Re-line the pan with paper, we’re going to use it for the brownies.
2. brownie batter and stuffing
This part is a breeze!
Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave and mix together until smooth (I use a whisk – it combines them quickly). It takes me 3 x 30 second increments on high.
Make batter – Whisk the sugar in first, then add the eggs and vanilla and whisk in until smooth. Add the flour, cocoa and salt, whisk until combined.
Stuff – Pour half the batter into a pan and spread out.
Top with the peanut butter slab (straight from the freezer) and place it on top.
Peanut butter for swirls – Pour over the remaining batter and smooth out. Warm the 2 tablespoons of peanut butter in the microwave to loosen. Drizzle/dollop randomly across the surface.
Swirl – then make swirls by dragging a butter knife or back of a teaspoon across the surface. Make shallow grooves if needed using the flat side of the knife or the back of a teaspoon to reveal sufficient brownie batter. The brownie batter firms up because it gets chilled from the frozen peanut butter slab, but it will melt and level out in the oven. No need to stress about this step – be bold and brave! It always looks pretty. 🙂
Bake for 32 minutes, until the edges are a bit set but the middle is still jiggling. It’s a little longer than classic brownies (which take 27 minutes) because the brownie batter gets chilled by the frozen peanut butter slab so it needs more time to come up to temperature.
Cool for 1 hour on the counter then at least 3 hours in the fridge to let it set before cutting, else the peanut butter will ooze out. Oh! Also, sprinkle with sea salt. It works so well here!
Just a quick note on cutting and eating matters. It has to be chilled to firm up the peanut butter layer so it doesn’t ooze out everywhere when you cut it. So it will feel a bit firm as you cut it, but once it is brought back to room temperature it softens into a fudgy brownie texture and the peanut butter goes creamy.
And actually, though I recommend bringing it to room temperature so it goes a bit gooey,it is really, really good even fridge cold. The texture is more like fudge, you know, the candy type, where it’s a bit firmer to bite into but once in your mouth it melts into a river of rich molten goodness.
In summary – you just can’t go wrong with these brownies, however you eat them.
I challenge you to stop at one. – Nagi x
Peanut butter stuffed brownies FAQ
Can these be made gluten free?
Absolutely, they work perfectly using my Flourless Chocolate Brownie batter. Same baking time and temperature.
How long do they keep?
They were still fresh after 5 days! Keep them in an airtight container in the pantry, though if it’s very warm where you are it is better to keep them in the fridge.
Why don’t you use natural peanut butter instead of the sweetened commercial spread?
Couple of reasons (and I did try!). Firstly, natural peanut butter is runnier so it even if you fridge set after baking, it runs out everywhere when at room temperature. To avoid this, you’d have to use less and have a thinner layer, which kind of defeats the stuffed-layer high impact goal. Secondly, natural peanut butter is just peanuts with maybe a pinch of salt, and the flavour is more peanut intense than the commercial spreads that have oil, sugar and salt. While I can eat the commercial spreads by the spoonful, I don’t with natural peanut butter, the mouthfeel is too cloying.
If you only have natural peanut butter, the better way to use it is to swirl it through. To do this, pour half the batter in, swirl some peanut butter through, top with more batter then swirl again. I only used 1/2 a cup.
You didn’t tell us how the failed brownie came out!
It was salvaged! I swirled it:
And yes, I know it looks great, and it tasted pretty good too. But swirling peanut butter through means you get some large pockets of plain peanut butter which was just too much, too cloying in the mouth. A sandwiched layer is just better!
What other methods did you try?
I tried swirling less through (and I did it in layers – half the batter in first, swirls, more batter then swirls again) but I still felt that you get some large pockets of peanut butter that was just too much in a mouthful (like the above noted issue).
I also tried mixing peanut butter into the chocolate brownie mixture and there was just no way you can do this and get enough peanut flavour in. Chocolate is actually a very dominant flavour.
Watch how to make it
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Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 32 minutes
Cooling: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 47 minutes
Sweets
South Western
Servings16
Tap or hover to scale
Cook ModePrevent screen from sleeping
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
Save 2 tbsp peanut butter for swirling, warm to loosen then freeze rest in lined pan. Melt butter and chocolate, mix in sugar, then eggs + vanilla, then flour + cocoa + salt. Pour half in pan, top with peanut butter slab, cover with remaining batter, swirl through warmed reserved peanut butter. Bake 32 min at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Cool 1 hr on counter, 3 hrs+ in fridge, cut.
FULL INSTRUCTIONS
Line pan – Grease a 20cm/8″ square pan with butter then line with baking paper (parchment).
Frozen peanut butter slab – Set aside 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter for the swirls. Warm the remaining peanut butter in the microwave to loosen (~30 sec on high), then pour into the pan. Spread evenly, sprinkle with half the sea salt flakes. Freeze for 2 – 3 hours until it’s so firm you can pick it up. Lift out of pan using the paper, then put it back in the freezer on the paper while you make the batter (it softens quickly).
Line pan again with baking paper, with overhang so you can lift the brownie out.
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan forced).
Melt – Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between (takes me 1m 30 sec) until melted and smooth. Stir to combine.
Batter – Add sugar, mix, then add eggs and vanilla and mix well until smooth and molten. Add flour, cocoa and salt. Stir until smooth.
Stuff – Pour half the batter into the pan. Top with frozen peanut butter slab, spread with remaining batter.
Swirl – Randomly dollop/drizzle the 2 tbsp peanut butter across the surface. Use a butter knife or teaspoon to make random swirls, make grooves if needed to reveal brownie batter – Note 3 for tips!
Bake for 32 minutes. The middle will still jiggle (it sets when cool) but the edges should be firmish.
Set – Cool in the pan on the counter for an hour, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours to let it properly set, else the peanut butter will ooze out when cutting. Cut into 16 squares. Let it come to room temperature for 15 minutes+ then devour! Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Recipe Notes:
2. Chocolate – Use cooking dark chocolate melts or chips from the baking aisle, not eating chocolate. US: semi-sweet chips is the equivalent. Milk chocolate is too sweet so not recommended.
Stick with regular dark chocolate (which is 45% or under), this recipe isn’t designed for higher cocoa % (like 70% cocoa chocolate), it affects fudginess and surface shine.
3. Swirls – Be brave and bold, no need to be meticulous, it always comes out looking pretty! The frozen peanut butter slab will instantly chill and thicken the batter, so if dragging a knife across the surface doesn’t make visible swirls/streaks of brownie & peanut butter, turn the knife 90° to drag the face through (rather than sharp cutting edge) or use a teaspoon to make brown brownie ditches (batter melts in oven so surface will level).
4. Baking measures – Cup sizes differ slightly between the US (1 cup = 236ml) and the rest of the world (250 ml). While the difference is not enough to make a difference in most recipes, for some baking recipes it can mean the difference between success and failure. This recipe works fine whether using US or rest of world cups, or the weights. So the difference in cup sizes does not matter for this recipe!
Exception – Japan, please use weights provided.
5. Storage – airtight container for 4 days, refrigerate only if it’s very hot. Or freeze for up to 3 months. Always, always eat at room temp, for fudgy goodness and creamy peanut butter!
Nutrition per brownie, assuming 16 pieces.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 48gCalories: 671cal (34%)Carbohydrates: 61g (20%)Protein: 12g (24%)Fat: 44g (68%)Saturated Fat: 30g (188%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 58mg (19%)Sodium: 263mg (11%)Potassium: 628mg (18%)Fiber: 4g (17%)Sugar: 38g (42%)Vitamin A: 364IU (7%)Vitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 255mg (26%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
I like to stuff my brownies (I also love them plain!)
Life of Dozer
Work home move day! Actually, a double move. I’ve moved in too. This will also be my home until Dozer’s forever home is finished. It’s been quite a week. I plan to sleep all weekend to recover!
But – a little move isn’t going to stop me from getting these Peanut Butter Brownies out! Settled in while I was waiting for the removalists to arrive to finish today’s post. 🙂
Lost him at one stage, he got buried in the packing room 😅
