Peanut Butter Brownies

The best peanut butter brownie recipes prioritize the chocolate and peanut butter flavors equally. The base needs to be as rich as possible, with a pronounced cocoa flavor that rivals the darkest of chocolate cakes. But the peanut butter also needs to stand on its own and provide a bold enough counterpart to the richness of the chocolate. This recipe manages to strike that balance.

A simple brownie batter made with both melted chocolate and cocoa powder creates an intensely flavored base that stands up to nutty, creamy peanut butter. The melted chocolate lends the brownies a dense, fudgy texture while the cocoa powder emboldens its bittersweet flavor. Using a combination of granulated and brown sugars creates a textural dream: The brown sugar provides a chewy bite while the white helps to create a glossy, reflective top. The key to creating the most striking peanut butter swirl is freezing the batter. After you spread the brownie batter in the pan, popping it into the freezer and letting it chill for 10 minutes firms it up and prevents the peanut butter from sinking. This allows you to create a striking marbled pattern that remains pristine even after baking.