Inside Out Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Do we need to go into all the reasons why peanut butter and chocolate are the most amazing combination? I think that's fairly well-documented here. And if you're new here, a quick glance at the recipe index will show you I'm serious about this rich, sweet and salty combo. Seriously, I will try alltherecipes that include these two lovely flavors. Which is why I needed to try these brownies with the peanut butter goodness on the outside of a fudgy brownie, including a peanut butter shortbread crust and a sweet peanut butter candy coating on top. These are glass of milk brownies because you'll need one to help wash down these rich and dense brownies that hit all the right notes on both flavor and texture. I honestly can't remember why I made these the first time (I think they were birthday baking and then I didn't see the birthday girl, so we ate them all?), and then second time I felt bad about eating them all, plus I didn't take a picture so I made them again, but I still can't remember if we shared them with anyone. Bottom line: these brownies are so good you'll want to share but then they will cast a spell on you that you'll forget who you wanted to share them with and eat the whole pan. Twice.

Peanut Butter Nougat Brownies

We are buried. For real we've gotten about 7 feet of snow in 3ish weeks and I keep finding myself stuck in the house. Even when I can go out, I'm kind of afraid because the snow banks are so tall it's a hazard to go to an intersection. Unless I'm in Dave's bright orange Jeep. But being stuck in the house means I have to occupy my time, so I might as well bake. Sigh. As a result I ended up with these delicious brownies with a layer of peanut butter marshmallow nougat through the center and I swooned. The brownies are a cross between fudgy and cakey, with a perfect chocolate flavor. And the peanut butter filling  shows up in every bite, so it's almost like the brownie equivalent of a Reese's cup. Which is to say these brownies are amazing.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bread

So it's the day before Valentine's Day and you'd think I'd be posting something red velvet like most everyone else. But the thing is, I know the way to Dave's heart isn't paved with red velvet. It's paved with peanut butter and chocolate. So the only thing I could think of was to make him something to show him I love him and give him the chocolate and peanut butter he deserves. And for some reason, I can make pretty decadent breads that are usually consumed for breakfast and he doesn't complain about me trying to sneak dessert into breakfast. I call it Dave Logic. But, Dave Logic aside, this break is delicious and you really can (and will want to) snack on it any time of day. Tender chocolatey bread with lots of peanut butter flavor, and I think it's rather pretty. I love that the bread isn't just chocolate or peanut butter, but really has both flavors in the batter. And then it's speckled with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, not to mention a healthy dose of chopped peanuts on top. Yes, this is perfect of the chocolate peanut butter feign in your life.

Brownie Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

We were invited to dinner with friends at their home and I wasn't about to go without cookies, because, well, cookies. Even though I made another bar dessert, I knew cookies would be expected. And since chocolate and peanut butter is always a win, of course I went with those. But not just any combo, a fudgy, brownie-like cookie dotted with peanut butter chips. And would it really get any easier than starting with a boxed brownie mix? Sometimes when you get invited somewhere at the last minute, you have to cut corners. And no one will fault you for that when the result is this delicious. Let's just say I'm glad these were easy to make because I certainly didn't eat enough of them while at dinner and most of the leftovers went to our friends.

Fluffernutter Cupcakes

Dave's birthday is this weekend, but since our little guy is on his way any day now, I threw him a party a couple of weeks ago just to be sure we'd get a chance to celebrate. And to make sure I got an opportunity to make his birthday cupcakes. I think choosing his cupcakes from my insanely huge board on Pinterest is one of his favorite things about his birthday. He didn't have to scroll far to find these fluffernutter cupcakes--a peanut butter cupcake with a surprise inside, topped with a marshmallow buttercream (yup, marshmallow and butter!). What's the surprise? A full sized Reese's cup nestled into the bottom of each cupcake. These taste amazing and if you've ever sat with a jar of peanut butter, a jar of fluff and a spoon, these are your cupcakes. I'm told that when Dave was a toddler, he couldn't wait for someone to make him a fluffernutter sandwich, so he just sat on the floor with the jars and a spoon and helped himself. Although apparently he was kind enough to share with the dog as well. But going back to these cupcakes--they are tender on the inside, perfectly flavored with peanut butter and the frosting is spot on. A lot of fun and full of flavor, I'm guessing Dave will be asking for these again.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

Ok, so I've talked about the little peanut butter pretzel nuggets I can't get enough of. So of course a cookie was in order. These chunky cookies offer two types of peanut butter flavor--actual peanut butter cookie dough and Reese's Pieces strewn throughout for crispy, crunchy fun. And the salty pretzels offer more crunch and flavor. These were a hit with the peanut butter feign in my house (that'd be Dave) and I loved everything about them too. Didn't even miss chocolate! All kinds of peanut butter goodness from a cookie with a tender inside and tons of crunch. Yum!

Funky Monkey Pancakes

My entire life I have thought that Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream was banana, chocolate and peanuts. So you can imagine my surprise when I was searching for a pancake recipe using those flavors, I kept coming up with versions of the same name using walnuts. Recipe after recipe, all with walnuts and not a single one using peanuts or peanut butter. I didn't understand how so many cooks would have the same variation, but not one was using (what I thought was) the "original" combination. Not that walnuts are bad, but I was now convinced peanut flavor was a necessity and my heart was set on it. So after confirming that after all these years I was wrong (what?!?), I decided my version needed to be made. Changing the name slightly was all it took, plus some peanut butter, to make me happy with the end result. Fluffy pancakes full of flavor with both bananas and peanut butter as well as a healthy speckling of chocolate chips thought.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Gluten Free)

I'm lucky that I've never had a need, due to allergy or intolerance, to cook gluten-free in our home. Sure, we make healthier choices and cookie to reduce certain "bad" things from our diets (so we can enjoy all of the yummy, butter-laden things I like to bake), but gluten free baking in particular has always eluded me because I see a lot of recipes that require substitutions with ingredients I just don't have on hand or come across in my regular grocery shopping. But when I do see an accessible recipe, I'm happy to jump on board and give it a try. Like these cookies I made for my coworker, Laura's birthday. Laura isn't gluten free but does make conscious decisions about her food choices, so while I wanted to celebrate with a sweet treat, I also thought I'd try something new with a little adjustment. Now, these cookies are by no means "healthy," but they do work with the idea of using simple ingredients and only a few of them--six to be precise. And they're delicious. I'll admit, I was skeptical about a flour-less cookie and more than a little concerned they'd be incredibly sweet with that much sugar. But I was pleasantly surprised. Sweet--but not overly so--and full of perfect peanut butter and chocolate flavor (THE baking flavor combo in my opinion), these cookies are the sure for anyone who needs a treat but looking for something without gluten. And I'm happy to have a new recipe in my arsenal for this need.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Krispies Treats

 

So there's these little nugget-like pretzels filled with peanut butter that are a sneaky little addictive snack. You can get them just about anywhere and all the brands I've had are good. It wasn't until I started eating these by the handful that I realized how peanut butter and pretzels make an excellent combination. Of course, when you toss both of them into some krispies treats you really can't go wrong. Crunchy, sweet, and salty, these krispies treats are delicious and topped with just a smattering of chocolate, they really are perfect for summer cookouts, pot lucks and general no-bake goodies.

Peanut Butter Mini Donuts with Chocolate Frosting

Holy peanut butter, Batman! These donuts are awesome! Seriously, Dave has it so good to wake up and get these little babies on a Saturday morning. Soft, cakey peanut butter flavored donuts are topped with a creamy chocolate glaze and dusted with chopped peanuts for a perfectly yummy breakfast treat. We may have devoured several of these before I put a stop to it and packaged the rest up for friends. And then didn't take them to our friends. (Sorry--I promise you'll get treats soon!) Super simple recipe, big flavor to win over any peanut butter and chocolate fan, and mini donuts alone are enough to make anyone smile. Seriously, I could make these every week (assuming I would be giving up on pants altogether).

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Waffles

Dave isn't much of a morning person. He doesn't wake up ready to start the day. During the week, I don't mind because I'm out of the house before he even gets out of bed. But on the weekends it can be a bit of a challenge. But I have a secret weapon against morning grogginess and the grunts and grumbles that come along with it. Breakfast. If I know we've got a lot to do and I want Dave to get his but in gear, I can usually win by getting up a little early to make something delicious and smile-inducing for breakfast. And I know it'll go over well if I can include his favorite flavor combo--peanut butter and chocolate. So on a Saturday morning when Dave came down the stairs to find these big, fluffy peanut buttery waffles dotted with mini chocolate chips on his breakfast plate, sudden the grinchiness subsided and was soon replaced with the happy husband I appreciate. Breakfast for the win.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let's play a game where you try to jam as many things as possible into one cookie. Ready? I'm going to start with these sweet, soft, nutty cookies with peanut butter, oatmeal and chocolate chips. Boom. Jam packed cookie for the win. At first glance, this may seem like a pseudo-monster cookie, but really it's different in texture and in flavor because it doesn't have the M&Ms, nuts or some of the other things indicative of a monster cookie. These peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are soft and the chocolate chips dot a peanut butter based oatmeal cookie so each element has a clear part to play in flavor and texture. Yes, these cookies are all good down to the last crumb.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Dave gets cupcakes for his birthday. Because I love him and he loves cake. So for his birthday this year, I made him these amazing cupcakes with a peanut butter cake speckled with chocolate chips and topped with a fluffy peanut butter buttercream frosting. I don't know how or why, but when these cupcakes baked up, the tops became firm and cookie-like in texture and the bottom half of the cupcakes were soft, fluffy and perfectly cakey. Maybe it was my stone muffin pan or maybe this recipe is magic, but either way, it's fine. The frosting is delicious on it's one, but I had a bit of chocolate buttercream frosting left over from a previous dessert, so for a few of these, I put both the chocolate and the peanut butter frosting in the piping bag for a yummy buttercream swirl of peanut butter and chocolate. Topped with some fun chocolate sprinkles and ta-da! Awesome peanut butter chocolate chip cupcakes for my honey's birthday.

Moose Tracks Cookies

Wow. This is a delicious, fudgy, almost brownie-like cookie loaded with white chocolate and chopped peanut butter cups.  A perfect cookie replica of an ice cream classic.  Barely enough batter to hold the mix-ins together, but that chewy chocolate cookie is still perfect. Yes, these cookies are awesome, and how could they be otherwise? Baking chocolate, chocolate chips, white chocolate and peanut butter cups jam pack into these cookies for an excellent treat. Small, sweet and full of flavor--that's my kind of cookie.

Monster Cookie Dough Truffles

You realize there are a lot of cookie and candy recipes from the holidays that I haven't yet shared, right? I'm just so crazy that there are not enough days for me to share it all. So over the next few weeks, they'll trickle in here or there, but I think this one I saved--a Monster Cookie Dough Truffle--would be awesome for New Year's Eve. They are quick to make and you can eat them one handed with the rest of your party appetizers. And something about peanut butter and chocolate goes well with a celebratory beer to ring in the new year. We love these truffles and I had to hide them from Dave for fear no one else would get a chance to try them. The eggless cookie dough is sweet, soft and loaded with monster cookie goodness. Dipped and milk chocolate and topped with sprinkles, swap out the holiday colors for rainbow or anything that works for your party theme.

Peanut Butter Fudge

"Holy crack-filled fudge!" This is one of the responses I got to this recipe, which is by far an awesome compliment (because the fudge does not in fact have crack in it). I've been looking for a peanut butter fudge recipe for a while and I'm glad to have finally found one just about as easy as my Mom's Perfect Fudge recipe. Now I have both chocolate and peanut butter in my fudge arsenal, which is definitely a good arsenal to keep full. I might have kept some of this peanut butter fudge back just for me so I could enjoy it's smooth creamy texture and big peanut butter flavor.

Peanut Butter Lover's Cookies

Soft, chewy, peanut butter cookies that are almost overloaded with peanut buttery goodness.  Almost.  Peanut butter, peanuts, peanut butter chips, and chopped peanut butter cups all mix in to this batter with amazing results.  These cookies are more than good.  They're heavenly, and a completely different way to enjoy peanut butter than the monster bars I made last month..  Sweet without being sugary and all the peanut butter goodies you could want, these cookies represent perfection in birthday baking for my nephew Aidan who hit double digits yesterday.  He could survive on peanut butter alone and as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew he'd love it.  Dave did, too, so that was a good indication I was on the right track.  Perfectly soft cookies and bit peanut butter flavor are just about all you need to turn 10, right?

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

I'll admit it: this combination simultaneously intrigued and scared me.  I mean, I thought it could be tasty, but the back of my mind told me that pumpkin and peanut butter just didn't belong together.  But I ignore that little voice in my mind and went with it for these bars.  They are soft, moist, chewy and nutty with sweetness and spice.  Neither the pumpkin or the peanut butter overpowers the other, but compliment each other, making and excellent duo paired with the oats.  Dave and I both enjoyed them, as did the ladies as work when a took a few in to share at a training.  What can I say?  I'm a believer in the pumpkin/peanut butter combo.

Peanut Butter Lover's Monster Bars

Oh these bars are good.  You know Dave and I are peanut butter junkies--it's Dave's favorite for desserts and right up there with chocolate for me.  So a peanut butter blondie stuffed to the gills with peanut butter goodies?  I'll take two, please.  We had game night with our friends Felise and Nick, so I made these bars when we went to their house.  These bars have everything--peanut butter, peanuts, peanut butter chips, milk chocolate chips, toffee candy bits, and peanut butter M&Ms.  They are so loaded with peanutty mix-ins that there's barely any batter--which is just fine.  There is exactly enough batter--peanut butter flavored, that is--to keep all the tasty bits and candies together.  So much so I wouldn't be surprised if Dave asked for these for birthday baking.  Or because it's a day that ends in 'y'.  One of those.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Peanut butter and chocolate are the consummate flavor couple when it comes to sweet treats.  A little sweet, a little salty, a little nutty and a lot of yummy, I can't help myself from marrying these two flavors.  I've done a couple other bars lately (these and these and these) but they're just so easy and yummy and a one shot deal to get a big pan for sharing.  Easy and delicious.  I amped these Peanut Butter Brownies with not only a peanut butter swirl, but peanut butter chips mixed in and a sprinkling of peanuts on top.  I'm pretty sure I shoved in enough peanut butter to perfectly pair with the sweet, fudgy brownies.