Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

I firmly believe that there is nothing that a jar of peanut butter and a spoon can't solve. There's nothing like scooping up some creamy, salty, sweet, peanutty-goodness and licking it off the spoon...

Go ahead, I usually tell myself, double-dip that spoon-- you live alone, it's your personal jar, go for it. You can always buy another jar to bake with.

This mentality is exactly why I had to run back out to the store to buy a new jar of peanut butter to make these brownies for Bachelorette night with the girls. Whoops.

These brownies are almost perfect. I say almost, because I think they could be smidge fudgier (they turned out a bit more cake like than I prefer), but the salty crunch of roasted peanuts baked in to the batter contrasts beautifully with the creamy, warm peanut butter swirl on top. They come together super quickly-- faster than two male Bachelorette contestants can take off their shirts.

So get your girlfriends together, throw these beauties in the oven, and enjoy with a cold glass of milk and the (mostly) hot men who grace your TV screen Monday nights.

(If I'd had my druthers, I would have picked up some Reese's pieces to throw in there. Hindsight is 20/20, right?)

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Adapted from Flour

5 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
5 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup chopped salted peanuts
1/2 cup peanut butter (Skippy works great!)

Preheat oven to 325F. Spray a 13x9 baking pan with baking spray and set aside.

Place the chocolates and the butter in a glass, heatproof bowl over barely simmering water in a saucepan, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring occasionally. Set aslide to cool slightly once completely melted and smooth.

Place eggs and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat for 1 minute, until thick and light in color. Fold in chocolate mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly fold in flour mixture to chocolate mixture. Stir in the peanuts, and pour batter into the baking pan.

Melt the peanut butter for 30 seconds in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Pour the melted peanut butter over the top, and swirl into the batter with a knife.

Bake the brownies for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs. Remove from oven, allow to cool completely (if you can wait), and serve immediately. With milk. Trust me.