Corcoran Street Kitchen: Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

These brownies are super decadent. Chewy, meltingly soft, salty and sweet. Peanut Butter and Chocolate are my best friends together. On their own, I love them both dearly, but together we three are inseparable. I made these brownies to take into the office for a meeting and I wanted a special, but simple treat. The brownies come together easily with no need to bust out the stand mixer or any high tech equipment (unless you count the microwave, which I don't). This makes it an easy treat to make the night before, allow to cool on the counter overnight, covered in plastic wrap and then sliced up the next day. It would be great for a bake sale or other potluck event where you want to make something great, but you also want to make it ahead and you don't want to drive yourself crazy to make it. I loved these brownies and I can't wait to make them again and again. I might even try out new swirl options next time!

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
10 Tbs. butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs (cold)
1/2 cup flour
Peanut Butter Swirl
4 Tbs. butter (melted)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Melt butter in the microwave in a medium, heatproof bowl.
2. Add sugar, cocoa, and salt and microwave for another 1 minutes. Stir the mixture and set aside to cool slightly.

3. Add the vanilla and whisk in eggs one at a time. The batter will become smooth and thicken up as you whisk in the eggs.
4. Add the flour and stir until just combines.

5. To make the peanut butter swirl, melt the butter and whisk melted butter together with the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. It will be thicker than the batter, but this is what you want..

6. Line an 8x8 baking pan with waxed paper and spray well with non-stick spray. You do not want this sucker to stick.

7. Pour batter into baking dish and then dollop the peanut butter mixture all around.

8. Run a knife lengthwise and across the pan, swirling together the batter and peanut butter. You don't want to "over-swirl" so that you mix the batters together. Just a few passes with the knife in each direction will do the trick.

It doesn't have to be perfect, either. Notice that I have areas with more peanut butter than others. This just makes each bite unique and delicious.

9. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
10. Cool completely on a rack.