Peanut Butter Brookies

Okay I am really setting the bar high for 2023. This recipe is SO GOOD. I have for you peanut butter brookies. Just like your typical brookie, which is if you are not familiar, part brownie, part chocolate chip cookie. Amazing, right? However, these are part brownie and part peanut butter cookie. They are divine. A perfectly fudgy brownie and a soft peanut butter cookie are a match made in heaven. 

The brownies:

The first layer of our peanut butter brookies is a dense and fudgy brownie. These brownies are very easy to make, and use just cocoa powder instead of a combination of cocoa powder and melted chocolate. For best results use a high quality unsweetened cocoa powder, I used Ghirardelli.

Start by combining melted butter and granulated sugar in either a stand or hand mixer on medium speed for about a two minutes. Next, add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed for another two minutes. It should be pale and frothy. The incorporation of air into the eggs and sugar helps give your brownie that typical “crackly” top. In a separate bowl whisk together all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on the lowest speed to thoroughly combine. Avoid over mixing. Set the brownie batter aside and make the peanut butter cookie dough.

The peanut butter cookie dough:

Using a clean bowl and your stand or hand mixer, add room temperature softened butter, creamy peanut butter, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed using the paddle attachment for about two minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and mix on the lowest speed just to combine. 

Assembly:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place the oven rack in the middle position while you are preparing your brownie batter and peanut butter cookie dough. Next, line an eight by eight inch pan with nonstick spray and parchment paper. Dump all of the brownie batter into the pan and use a spatula to smooth to the edges into an even layer. It’s a bit thick so just gently press out to the edges.

Next using a cookie scoop, or even just your finger, pick up globs of the peanut butter cookie dough and scatter all over on top of the brownie batter. Do this until all of the peanut butter cookie dough is gone. Press the globs of dough down into the brownie batter slightly. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes. The brownie batter will appear set and no longer wet. But make sure not to over bake! Otherwise your brownies won’t be fudgy. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes and then use the parchment paper to lift them out of the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. They are much easier to slice if cooled to room temperature, but they are SO good warm out of the oven. Enjoy!

Check out my recipe for chewy fudge brownies here.

Peanut Butter Brookies

Part cookie, part brownie, these peanut butter brookies have a fudgy brownie base and globs of soft peanut butter cookies.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 16

Ingredients

  

Brownie batter

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Peanut butter cookie dough

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Instructions

 

Brownie batter

• Preheat oven to 350° and place oven rack in middle position. Line an 8X8 baking dish with nonstick spray and parchment paper. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer add the melted butter and sugar. Mix on medium speed for two minutes. Next add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for another two minutes. It should be pale and frothy. Incorporating air at this stage is important for the texture of the brownies, so don't skip out on the mixing times.
• In a separate bowl whisk together all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on the lowest speed until just incorporated. Set aside and make peanut butter cookie dough.

Peanut butter cookie dough

• In a new bowl using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer add room temperature butter, creamy peanut butter, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for two minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together all purpose flour, and baking soda. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on the lowest speed until fully incorporated.

Assembling your peanut butter brookies

• Dump all of the brownie batter into the 8X8 pan you prepared earlier. The batter will be somewhat thick. Use a spatula to spread to the edges in an even layer. Using a cookie scoop or even your fingers, grab globs of peanut butter cookie dough and drop on top of the brownie batter. Do this until all of the peanut butter cookie dough is gone. Press down slightly into the brownie batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, being careful not to over bake. The brownies will appear set and no longer be wet on the surface. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. They are easiest to cut when they have cooled completely.

Notes

Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Make sure to use regular creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter is far too oily and will not work in this recipe. 

Keyword brookies, Brownies, Cookies, peanut butter cookies