Big, excited hello from an all-new Desserted Girl! Over the last two weeks I battled a stomach bug and spent a ridiculous amount of time tinkering with self-hosting, custom CSS and other techy things that, frankly, should probably come with a warning. The site makeover was worth it — it felt like a stressful transformation until someone finally held up a mirror and I liked what I saw.
On the whole, making brownies is still more fun.
While I was wrestling with both my stomach and the website, new posts had to wait. I moved to a new platform and server and gave the blog a fresh look because I needed a change and because I wanted more flexibility. There are a lot of practical reasons behind the switch, but mostly I was craving freedom to try new things here. There’s fun stuff coming 🙂
If you’re new here, welcome! A few quick notes to help you explore: subscribe using the box on the right to get updates; use the social icons on the right to reach me; the recipe categories are still the same — check the menu at the top; and there’s a handy recipe box that lets you print recipes if you like and keeps me organized. I’m still adding a few finishing touches, so check back often.
Now let’s eat some brownies.
This recipe uses a double batch of my favourite brownie batter, swirled on top with peanut butter and strawberry jam for a playful PB&J twist. These brownies are thicker and less gooey than the single-batch version, but you can halve the ingredients or spread the batter across two pans if you prefer thinner, fudgier squares.
After you pour the batter into the pan, drop spoonfuls of melted peanut butter and spoonfuls of strawberry jam across the surface, then swirl them together with a knife or toothpick. Depending on how deep the jam’s color is, it might become faint after baking, but the strawberry flavor is unmistakable — sweet and slightly tangy amid rich chocolate.
The result is a dark, chewy brownie packed with classic PB&J flavors. Why choose between a brownie and a sandwich when you can have both? You deserve both. Get baking!
For clean slices, let the brownies cool completely — preferably overnight. If you can’t wait to enjoy warm brownies straight from the oven, I won’t judge. Go ahead and dig in.
Please read the recipe notes before beginning.
Peanut Butter & Jelly Brownies
25 mins
35 mins
1 hr
16 brownies
Ingredients
- 170 gms butter, at room temperature (about 12 tbsp)
- 240 gms finely chopped dark cooking chocolate
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 1 1/2 cups caster sugar (see notes)
- 4 eggs (see notes)
- 2 tsps vanilla essence
- 1/2 cup melted creamy peanut butter (I used a honey-roasted variety)
- 1/3 cup strawberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease and line an 8×8-inch baking dish and set aside. Lining with baking paper makes removal and slicing easier.
- In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate and cocoa powder, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale and frothy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat until combined.
- Fold in the flour and salt (if using) until just combined — do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and level the top.
- Drop spoonfuls of melted peanut butter over the batter, alternating with spoonfuls of jam. Use a sharp knife or toothpick to swirl them together.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter. Avoid overbaking or the brownies will become dry.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing — preferably overnight for the cleanest cuts — then enjoy.
Notes
*This is a double batch of my go-to brownie batter, which explains the relatively large amount of sugar. Sugar helps form a nice crust and contributes to a gooey texture. If you prefer less sweetness, taste and adjust but I don’t recommend reducing below 1 cup.
*If you want slightly taller brownies, try adding 1/4 tsp baking powder with the flour.
*If you need an eggless version, see my eggless brownie recipe for an alternative method.