Peanut Butter Brownies

Some things just go together. Frauline Maria and Captain Von Trapp. Crossword puzzles and pencils. Puggles and vacuums. Chocolate and peanut butter.

Last night I was craving something sweet, but being in a minor food rut, I didn't have too much in my cupboards to draw from. So I turned to Martha Stewart and her many brownie options and found just one where I had everything. And this, is how peanut butter brownies came to be.

Now, I'll tell you, there is a lot of peanut butter in these. I would argue, they are 40% peanut butter and 60% brownie, so you have to be committed to this flavour combination. I wholeheartedly am, so I proceeded and didn't look back. The result is a rich and very sweet treat, to be enjoyed with a tall glass of milk or a steaming hot cup of tea. It hit the sweet spot and then some. Even my peanut-butter loving puggle wanted some. Sorry Cooper, these are just for mom. And dad. And any guests. But not for puggles.

Peanut Butter Brownies
Makes one 9x9 pan
Printable Recipe


Ingredients


Batter

• 8 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces 
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling

• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9x9 square pan with parchment paper, allowing two inches to hang over the sides. 
• Make the batter: Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Let cool slightly.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and set aside.
• Whisk the granulated sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture stirring well until incorporated.
• Make the filling: Stir together the butter, confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, salt and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.
• Pour one-third of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula. Place dollops of filling on top of the batter. Drizzle the remaining batter on top and gently spread to fill the pan. Place dollops of remaining filling on top.
• With a butter knife, gently swirl the filling into the batter running the knife lengthwise and crosswise through the layers. 
• Bake about 45 minutes; until a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet.
• Let cool slightly in the pan. Lift out brownies and let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Recipe from Martha Stewart: The New Classics

Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

This recipe looked right up my alley: you can't go wrong with peanut butter and oatmeal and I was right!

These cookies were pretty simple but look impressive so you could easily make them for a party. If you were doing that though, you'd probably want to make them smaller because it is a lot of cookie and cream -- but that's not always a bad thing.

Printer-friendly version of recipe

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 cup quick oatmeal
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• scant 1/4 cup butter (really, more like 1/8)
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 4-5 tbsp heavy cream

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and mix to combine.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the butter, peanut butter and both sugars until smooth.

Add the egg and vanilla.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients (not the oatmeal yet) and mix until combined.

Fold in the oatmeal.

Next, roll into small balls and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Leave space between each ball so they can spread out. Mine were about the size of timbits, but I found them a bit large for the sandwich cookies.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and let cool on wire rack.

While they're in the oven, you can make the filling. In a mixing bowl, blend the peanut butter, butter and icing sugar. Slowly add the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time. You want the consistency to be like icing, so not too thick and not too runny.

Spoon the icing into a piping bag or even a ziploc bag. (in the ziploc, cut off a small tip in the corner). On half of the cookies, pipe the icing on.

Place another cookie on top and press down so the icing oozes out to the sides. 

Grab a glass of milk and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats