Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies
I love putting a new spin on a classic recipe. I had the pleasure of enjoying these Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies when I was hanging out with my friends Fiona, Aimee, and Katie one night a couple months ago. Fiona had whipped up quite the unique recipe. Her recipe involves cutting the brownies in half after they’ve been baked and cooled. When it came right down to it, I was just too lazy to commit to that kind of effort.
I know, it really isn’t that much additional effort, but that’s the decision I made. Instead of following Fiona’s recipe exactly, I decided to just use peanut butter chips in the brownies and top it with jelly, just like Fiona did. The outcome is a great combination of the classic peanut butter and jelly flavors mixed into a brownie. These were a huge hit, as to be expected.
One Year Ago: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls and Indian Spiced Beans
Two Years Ago: Cranberry, Caramelized Onion, and Goat Cheese Dip
Peanut Butter and Jelly Brownies
Yield: 16 bars
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp espresso powder, optional
1/2 Tbsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup red raspberry jelly
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x9" pan
In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat briefly, just until it's hot, but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
Transfer the sugar mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, if you've heated it in a saucepan. Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla.
Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth.
Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth.
Spoon the batter into a lightly greased pan.
In another pan or microwave dish, heat the jelly until warm and melted. Spoon warm jelly on top of brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl around to mix into brownies.
Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool completely prior to cutting.
Recipe adapted from A Boston Food Diary
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I NEED to make these. I might just start on them tonight!
These look amazing! I would go into a sugar coma because I would probably want to eat at least three of these gems…haha.
Oh wow these are my dream dessert! I hope you bring these ones to Cupcake Camp!!
I too have been meaning to make these cupcakes since I first saw them on the internet. I love that you combined several recipes from different bloggers. Awesome recipes, unite!
Like I said, it’s a multi-step process, so starting part of it tonight might be a good idea. If you make them, I definitely want one. These were so good.
Oh that’s a thought… I still haven’t decided what I’m baking for Cupcake Camp…
Definitely give it a shot. They take some time, but it’s SO worth it.
I’ve been wanting to make these for quite a while as well. My mother-in-law LOVES cookie dough and her birthday is coming up. From all the versions I’ve seen floating around on the internet, I really like yours since you have the LOTS of cookie dough in the middle of your cupcakes. So, you baked the cupcakes with the frozen cookie dough inside? No problems with it baking up? I’m definitely trying this!
Yep, just dropped the dough into the cupcake batter before baking it. The cupcakes did rise up quite a bit and then sank back down as they cooled. I was a little concerned I had underbaked them, but they were delicious. Definitely let me know how they turn out for you if you make them.
oh my Lord these look amazing! I’m having a girls night next weekend and I’m def going to try these! Thanks!
Once again Jen, you impress me with your creativity!
I want, no NEED, to make these. Does it matter what size your cookie scoop is? Mine is a medium size with about 1.5 tbsp volume. Want to make sure it won’t be too much that it prevents the cupcake from baking up (because honestly, it’s not possible for it to be too much cookie dough).
I’m honestly not sure what size my cookie scoop is. It doesn’t have any markings on it to give an indication! I think it’s the standard cookie scoop you’d get at the grocery store if that helps at all… I think 1.5 Tbsp sounds about right though.
I’m already trying to decide what occasion to make them for.
I’m still waiting to try these. Just sayin’. 😉
WOW! Talk about decadent!
Well I *might* be making these for Cupcake Camp. So, if you make the trip into Boston for that, you might be able to have one! Too bad they’re not appropriate for Passover.
Who needs dessert at 8am???
I’ll give you one hint.
Me.
😉
Bookmarking this! I’ve been meaning to make these cupcakes for a while now!
Will be making these soon. What a great twist.. the cookie is actually a cookie in the baking process. Yum!
OH. EM. GEE. I’m SO making these for euchre night on Saturday, just to have an excuse.
I found this recipeast summer and have made it several times for my oldest child, who has requested it again-for her sweet sixteen birthday. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
beantownbaker — April 16th, 2014 @ 6:01 pm
So glad you enjoy it! This is one of our favorite cupcake recipes of all time.