Why have to decide between cookies and brownies when you can have both in these Peanut Butter Brookies (or, Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies)?! They take a few steps, but the steps are surprisingly easy... and the end result is totally worth it!Just make sure to melt your chocolate chips in the microwave at 40% heat. If you go full strength you risk burning and ruining your chocolate.
¼c.unsalted buttersoftened/brought to room temperature
½cupnatural peanut butterbrought to room temperature
1cupgranulated sugar
½teaspoonvanilla extract
1large egg
1 ½cupwhole wheat flour
½teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonsalt
Brownie Batter
½cupunsalted buttercut into ½" chunks
1cupsemisweet chocolate chipsdivided
2jumbo eggs
1cupgranulated sugar
1teaspoonvanilla
⅔cupcocoa powder
¾teaspoonsalt
⅔cupwhole wheat flour
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9 x 13" baking pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.
Make the peanut butter cookie dough:
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter, and granulated sugar on medium speed, until it's a light tan mixture or for about 30 seconds.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the egg and vanilla. Mix on medium speed for 30-45 more seconds, or until the mixture is creamy.
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together with a fork until the powder and salt are worked in.
Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture in the mixer and run on low speed for 20-30 seconds, or until the flour starts to absorb into the creamed mix and there are no more streaks of flour in the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and run another 20-30 seconds, or until the flour is thick and forms large crumbles.
Make the brownie batter:
Combine the unsalted butter cubes and ½ cup chocolate chips in a medium to a large size mixing bowl. Heat in the microwave at 40% heat in 30-second intervals for 1.5-2 minutes, stirring between intervals, or until the mixture is fully melted, glossy, and the chocolate incorporates into the butter.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar to the chocolate mixture and whisk them in until the eggs are fully worked in, for about 15-20 seconds.
Add the cocoa powder, flour, and salt to the chocolate batter and whisk in rigorously for 30-45 seconds, or until no streaks of flour or cocoa remain and the batter is getting thick.
Gently fold in the remaining ½ cup chocolate chips into the batter.
Assemble the brookies:
Scatter large (~2 tablespoons) chunks of half of peanut butter cookie dough over the bottom of the parchment paper-lined baking pan. Drop about 2 tablespoon dollops of half of the brownie batter between the cookie batter.
Scatter a second layer of the dough and batter on, trying to scatter peanut butter cookie dough on top of the previous layer of brownie batter and brownie batter on the previous layer of cookie dough.
Gently pat the dough into place to push the dough and batter into any empty spaces in the pan.
Bake the brookies for 33-35 minutes, or until the peanut butter cookie chunks around the edge are golden.
Let the pan of brookies cool on a cooling rack for 1-2 hours, or until the brookies stick together when you scoop them out (if you try to serve them before they're done cooling they will crumble a bit. Once they're cooled, though, they won't crumble).
Notes
These cookies can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for 4-5 days or can be frozen for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. For best results, use whole wheat flour. You can substitute in 1-to-1 gluten-free flour or all-purpose flour, but I haven't tried it so I can't guarantee it.