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Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Brownies

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If you love fudgy brownies and you love peanut butter, then you’ll love these peanut butter cream cheese brownies! Rich and chocolate-y, they’ll feed all your chocolate and peanut butter cravings!
overhead shot of peanut butter cream cheese brownies after they've been sliced

Pinterest image of peanut butter cream cheese brownies with text overlay on a pink background

Today’s lesson: how to take something already delicious and make it, oh, maybe a million times better.

Where do you fall in the great brownie debate? Fudge-y or cakey? I’m firmly in the fudge-y camp. If I want cake, I’ll have a piece of cake. (In fact I have some of this cake in my freezer. Still. Feel free to stop by and help me out!)

But when I want a brownie I want a decadent, fudgy brownie. And these are fudgy to the extreme.

I adapted a Cook’s Illustrated recipe because I know from experience just how perfect their brownies are. They’re simple to make, require no special equipment, and they have that crackly top that brownie connoisseurs go crazy for. So we’re off to a good start.

But to make this brownie truly something special, we’re going to stuff it with cream cheese, peanut butter, and peanut butter chips.

overhead shot of the filling for peanut butter cream cheese brownies after it's been swirled into the bottom layer of brownie batter

Can you even handle it? I know. It’s delicious overload. I actually think I blacked out for a few seconds after my first bite.

All I know is that one minute I was taking pictures of brownies and the next I was sitting on the couch and Cookie was licking brownie crumbs off of my jeans.

I have zero idea what happened in the intervening time; either it was a legit chocolate blackout or Cookie drugged me so she could eat all the brownies herself. Since she’s not racing around the house on a chocolate high I’ll go with the former.

Side note: should I be worried that this is the sign of a real chocolate addiction? Please tell me no.

If you love fudgy brownies and you love peanut butter (and cheesecake!) you owe it to yourself to try these peanut butter cream cheese brownies soon. I just know you’ll love them!

photo of a brownie sitting on a piece of parchment with more peanut butter cream cheese brownies in the background

Adapted from The New Best Recipe

5 from 1 vote
overhead shot of peanut butter cream cheese brownies after they've been sliced
Print
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Brownies
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 
These peanut butter cream cheese brownies are a must for all chocolate and peanut butter lovers!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 brownies
Author: Kelsie
Ingredients
Filling:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Brownies:
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks
  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder optional
Instructions
Filling:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, allowing several inches of excess to hang over the sides. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set pan aside.
  2. Place the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor and process until very smooth. Set aside.
Brownies:
  1. Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
  2. Combine the butter and chopped chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then stir in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder (if using). Stir in the dry ingredients until just incorporated.
  3. Warm the peanut butter in the microwave until it is liquid-y. Pour half of the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Drop dollops of filling over the batter and gently spread into an even layer; sprinkle the peanut butter chips over the top. Dollop the peanut butter over the filling mixture and use a knife to swirl the peanut butter into the filling. (Take care not to swirl it into the brownie batter.) Use an offset spatula to (gently) spread the remaining batter over the top of the filling.
  4. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool brownies in the pan set on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Remove brownies from the pan using the excess foil, then slice into bars and serve.

Comments

  2. lindenandlavender says

    I definitely fall into the fudgy category as well. Cream cheese just ups this recipe!! Yum.

    Reply

  3. evolvewithmary says

    You say brownie I say yes please. Add peanut butter and cream cheese, now your just blowing my mind. I’ve had peanut butter brownies, I’ve had cream cheese brownies, now I’m craving your tasty brownies.

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      WHYYYY are brownies so good? And if they have to be so good, can’t they be healthy? 🙂 Thanks, Mary!

      Reply

  4. Ben|Havocinthekitchen says

    I’m 100% with you, Kelsie (Well, probably even 100,5%). Brownies are about a fudgy texture. And you’ve got pretty perf brownies. Combined with peanut butter and cream cheese, they are irresistibly delicious (and utterly dangerous too)!

    Reply

  6. kitchenriffs says

    Peanut butter and chocolate is such a classic combo, isn’t it? And cream cheese, too? Swoon! I’ll take my brownies however the baker wants to make them — fudgey or cakey. I like ’em both. 🙂

    Reply

  7. hummingbirdthyme says

    Oh, Kelsie, I’m fudgy all the way with brownies! These look as perfect as can be! And for what it’s worth, I don’t think you show any signs of “chocolate addiction”. I’ll say that for me (whose middle name is Chocolate) as well.😉 Pinning this!

    Reply

  9. ingoodflavor says

    These brownies are love at first sight / love at first bite! I love chocolate and peanut butter, and adding cream cheese to the combo sounds crazy good!! Pinning.

    Reply

  11. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    You know I can’t have brownies because of my pesky cocoa allergy, but when I have blondies I like them on the gooey side, so I’d say I would be a fudgy brownie gal! And the hubster is definitely team fudgy all day, every day! He would flip over these!! They look incredible, girlfriend!!!

    Reply

  14. annie@ciaochowbambina says

    Welp, as I look out the window at the snow (still) lightly falling – these brownies are definitely all that will do!! Wish I had a plateful sitting in front of me at this very moment! 🙂

    Reply

  15. David @ Spiced says

    Haha! I’d black out after a bite of these delicious brownies, too, Kelsie. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just proof that you created what is quite possibly the greatest brownie in the history of brownies. I mean PB + chocolate are just meant to go together like Sonny and Cher….err, something like that. 🙂 Now I just wish I had some of these bad boys in my freezer b/c I’d be thawing ’em out right about now!

    Reply

  19. crumbtopbaking says

    Chocolate and peanut butter are the ultimate pairing! And in brownie form is even better! Love how fudgy these brownies are, and those crackly tops are calling my name! Would it be too much to ask to have some sent over for my breakfast right now?! 😉

    Reply

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