Ooey, gooey peanut butter tucked inside a fudgy, chocolate brownie—what’s not to love? These Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies deliver a rich, dense chocolate base with a sweet, creamy peanut butter core, finished with a decorative peanut butter swirl on top.
How to make the peanut butter center
The peanut butter center is the highlight of these brownies and it’s incredibly simple to prepare. Combine creamy peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until the filling is smooth and spreadable. Set it aside while you prepare the brownie batter.
How to make the fudgy brownie batter
1. Make the peanut butter center: Prepare the peanut butter filling as described above and set it aside.
2. Melt the chocolate: Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (bain-marie). Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Combine sugar and eggs: In a large bowl, whisk together the white sugar, dark brown sugar and eggs until the mixture becomes creamy and uniform.
4. Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate: Whisk in the melted butter, vanilla extract and the slightly cooled melted chocolate until well combined.
5. Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, sifted Dutch-processed cocoa powder and salt.
6. Fold dry into wet: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth, thick, and well combined.
7. Layer the batter: Pour half of the brownie batter into a prepared 9×9-inch pan lined with parchment. Spread the peanut butter filling evenly over that layer, then spoon the remaining brownie batter over the top and smooth to an even layer.
8. Top with peanut butter and swirl: Dollop 1–2 teaspoon-sized spoonfuls of peanut butter across the top and use a skewer to create swirls in the batter.
9. Bake: Bake at 350°F for 40–50 minutes until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. The brownies will continue to set as they cool.
Peanut butter swirled top
The swirl on top adds both flavor and visual appeal. I recommend using natural peanut butter for the swirl because it tends to keep its shape and creates a neater pattern. Regular creamy peanut butter works fine too but will spread more and produce a looser swirl. If you prefer, you can omit the top swirl entirely—the brownies are delicious without it.
When are the Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies done baking?
For the best fudgy texture, avoid overbaking. The brownies should be removed from the oven when the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle—similar to the wobble in a just-baked pumpkin pie. This underdone feel is intentional; the brownies will continue to firm up as they cool in the pan, resulting in a perfectly fudgy center.
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Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
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Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup (420g) Smooth Peanut Butter, such as Kraft or Jif
- 1 ⅓ cup (160g) Confectioners’ Sugar
- 8 oz (225g) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, finely chopped
- 1½ cups (300g) White Sugar
- 3/4 cup (165g) Dark Brown Sugar
- 3 Large Eggs
- 3/4 cup (170g) Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 cup (90g) All-Purpose Flour
- 2/3 cup (66g) Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Optional: 6 tbsp (90g) Natural Peanut Butter (Regular peanut butter can be substituted; natural peanut butter holds its shape better for the swirl.)
Equipment
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Hand mixer
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9 × 9-inch baking pan with two sheets of parchment and lightly grease.
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In a medium bowl, combine smooth peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.
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Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
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In a large bowl whisk the white and brown sugars with the eggs until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and melted chocolate and whisk until combined.
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Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into the wet ingredients. Fold with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth and thick.
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Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Evenly spread the peanut butter filling over it, then top with the remaining batter and smooth.
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If using, dot the natural peanut butter across the top and swirl with a skewer. Bake for 40–50 minutes. The center should still be slightly jiggly when removed from the oven.
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Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan. For clean slices, run a knife under hot water, dry it, and then slice.