Peanut Butter Brookies

This chocolate peanut butter recipe is cut into bars; These chewy brownie cookies bars are so delicious and easy to make!

My brother, the peanut butter addict, literally has the worst ideas for birthday gifts on the planet.

He and his wife both have birthdays in the same month, so we usually have a family party for both of them at the same time.  This year, when we asked them what they wanted, they gave the same answer as last year.  And the year before.  And the year before that.

Gift cards.

Yeah, yeah, gift cards are easy, and my sister in law loves shopping, so that makes the gift cards extra fun, but I can’t be alone in feeling like they are super duper boring to give, can I?  I mean, there’s nothing to open, AND there’s no personal touch.  You don’t get the satisfaction of giving them something you think they would love and enjoy.

It’s a real downer for me.  And as everyone knows, my brother’s birthday is all about me.

I went ahead and told him his gift ideas were terrible, and he promptly sent me a new idea:  peanut butter baked goods.

Now THAT, I can do.  Good call, little bro.

I had this brilliant idea to pair a peanut butter cookie with a brownie, and make them into fun little muffin-shaped bites.  BUT, of course, despite my generous (and I do mean generous) greasing of the muffin pan, those things just did not want to let go.  They came out in crumbly pieces.  See the photographic evidence of this here.

FAIL.  I actually just put all the crumbs in a bowl and let the kids dig in.

For attempt number two, I layered the cookie dough and the brownie batter in a pan, baked, and cut them into squares.  This was a much better plan, and the one I highly recommend.

They were really fun to give away, and a much more personal birthday offering than the gift card I paired with them.

I hope they conveyed the message to my brother that I wanted conveyed:  that I love you, you peanut butter eating dork.  Don’t ever change.

Want more?  These bars will knock your socks off!

Nutella Swirled Peanut Butter Bars

Scotcheroos (PB Krispie Treats)

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Brookies

 

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Cook time

35 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

A peanut butter and chocolate bar, with peanut butter cookie layer on the bottom and a brownie layer on top.

Author: Jen @ Jen's Favorite Cookies

Recipe type: Brownies

Serves: 20

Ingredients

FOR PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE LAYER:

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ cups flour

FOR BROWNIE LAYER:

• 1 box brownie mix, with ingredients listed on the box
• (OR you can use this recipe, and double it.)

Instructions

1. For cookie layer, cream butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
2. Add salt, soda, and flour, and mix until combined.
3. For brownie layer, prepare batter by mixing ingredients as described on the brownie mix box.
4. In a 9x13 pan, press cookie dough into the bottom, spreading to cover the entire pan. Pour brownie batter over the top, spreading to cover the entire pan.
5. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes, until edges are dry and pulling away from the pan, and the center is not runny.
6. Let cool, then cut into 12 large or 20 small bars.

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