Extremely fudge-y, rich, dark chocolate brownies that are marbled with lightly salted peanut butter, and sprinkled with crushed dye-free candy-coated peanuts. Also, flakey sea salt, never forget the flakey sea salt!
Hi everyone! Passover is ovaaaaa, and I feel like its been a tad too long since I’ve been able to post a new recipe on here. Not for lack of baking and cooking, simply because I’ve been so incredibly busy during the days, with hardly any quiet time to focus on writing. Of course, when I try to sit down at my laptop after putting all three kids to bed and tidying up that days’ mess, I’m beat, and fall asleep into my computer. But, here we are, finally able to share this killer Peanut Butter Marbled Brownie recipe with you, because you need it in your life!
What makes these brownies so rich and irresistible?
No surprises here, guys! It’s all about the chocolate! But did you know that the percentage of pure cacao in your chocolate bars really matters? I always use chocolate bars with 60-70% cacao, made from high quality chocolate makers, like Valrhona, Scharffenberger, or Guittard. This super dark chocolate has really a beautiful, complex flavor profile that even tastes a bit fruity, and elevates brownies (along with everything else!) so much!
Another important element in this recipe is using Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder. What do I mean, aren’t all cocoa powders the same? They are not. You can find 2 types of cocoa powders, Dutch Processed and Natural. The difference is the Dutch processed cocoa powder goes through an alkalizing process that seriously minimizes the acidity of the cocoa. The color is also MUCH darker.
How to make the best brownies you’ve ever had:
I think we can all agree on what makes a perfect brownie: crackly crisp top layer, fudge-y center, and chewy edges and corners are a must! Believe it or not, there’s a good amount of science that goes into the perfect brownie, and the whole is certainly greater than the sum of its parts. What you really need to know is that whipped eggs and white sugar are responsible for that signature crackly brownie top that we all know and love. Adding espresso powder and vanilla extract to this recipe is like boosting the flavor level by 10! They are natural flavor enhancers and bring out the rich chocolate flavor even more, along with flakey sea salt.
First, I start by melting butter on its own. Then I pour it over the chopped chocolate, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, and espresso powder to create a mind-bending delicious liquid mixture, that you probably shouldn’t taste test, because if you do, you may not make it all the way to the brownies. It’s SO good.
Then, I mix up the eggs, sugars, vanilla, and salt with an electric hand mixer for a whopping 7-8 minutes! I know that sounds like a lot, but it is necessary to airate those eggs, and create an almost meringue mixer, which will make the brownies very fudge-y, chewy, and moist. I stream in the butter chocolate mixture, sift in the dry ingredients, pour into a prepared baking pan, and dollop on big spoonfuls of room temperature smooth peanut butter. Use a sharp pairing knife to create an impressive marble pattern. The last piece de resistance is adding dye-free candy coated chocolate peanuts. The crunch that these little gems add in SO good! You could skip this part, but I wouldn’t. Then, I pop the pan into a 350 degree F oven for about 35 minutes, and your whole house will smell like chocolate factory heaven. I promise.
Want to take Instagram-worthy shots of your brownies?
Of course you do. We all do. It’s almost impossible, but try to wait until these Peanut Butter Marbled Brownies have totally cooled until you slice them up. Use a sharp chef’s knife, and wipe the blade between cuts for nice, clean edges. Set the brownies by a window with natural light, and snap away. Good food pics happen in natural sunlight, not overhead kitchen light.
Love these brownies?? Be sure to check out:
Flourless Double Chocolate Brownies with Roasted Hazelnuts
Himalayan Salted Dark Cocoa Brownies with Dulce Ganache Marble
Make sure to tag me @leanne.shor on Instagram if you make these Peanut Butter Marbled Brownies! I love seeing my recipes come to life – To pin this recipe and save it to your favorite boards, simply Tap any image on this page and the ‘Pin It!’ icon will appear, or click the icon at the end of each post.
Happy baking! xoxo, L
Peanut Butter Marbled Brownies
Extremely fudge-y, rich, dark chocolate brownies that are marbled with lightly salted peanut butter, and sprinkled with crushed dye-free candy-coated peanuts. Also, flakey sea salt, never forget the flakey sea salt!
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, 2 sticks
- 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 6 oz. good quality chocolate, chopped finely
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup smooth, lightly salted peanut butter
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped dye-free, candy coated chocolate peanut candies Trader Joe's
- flakey sea salt
Instructions
Spray an 8x8-inch metal pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. Grease the parchment with a bit more nonstick cooking spray.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine ¼ cup of cocoa powder, chopped chocolate and espresso powder in a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan, and gently boil it (bubbles!) for 3-4 minutes.
Pour the melted butter over the chocolate/espresso mixture, and let stand for 2 minutes. Then, whisk to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixture for about 8 minutes. The mixture will be thick and slightly glossy. Stream in the melted chocolate/butter mixture with the hand mixer on low speed, and beat for another minute, until smooth.
Sift in the flour and remaining cocoa powder. Use a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients in. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, and use an offset spatula to make sure the top is even.
Spoon large dollops of the room temperature peanut butter on top of the batter. Use a small, sharp knife to create a marbled pattern. Sprinkle the chopped candy-coated peanut candies on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt. Allow to cool completely, the lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment overhang, and slice with a sharp chef's knife.