Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies

If you're a chocolate and peanut butter lover you have just got to try these! They are totally out of this world. I made them a while back for my extended family and haven't made them since for fear I would eat the whole pan if I did. Well, I found occasion to make these again recently but I didn't have any plans for sharing them-BIG mistake! I kept eating and eating them. Luckily my husband came home during his dinner break the day after I made them and asked if he could take the rest back with him. Whew! That was a close one. I quickly packed the rest up for him and they were outta my hands.

For the brownies:
1 box of your favorite brownie mix (13x9 size)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 pouch peanut butter cookie mix (1 LB 1.5 OZ)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg

For the Ganache:
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of *13x9-inch pan. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.

Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center come out ALMOST clean. Cool.

To make ganache, pour chocolate chips into a medium sized mixing bowl. Heat cream and butter in small saucepan until just a boil. Pour over chocolate chips and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Stir until the cream and chocolate are completely incorporated and ganache is smooth and glossy. Pour over brownies and cool completely.


*I always cook my brownies in a smaller pan because I like them thick. I used an 8x11.5-inch pan and had to bake them for about an hour, but I was checking every 5-7 minutes after they had been baking 40 minutes. I also halved the ganache recipe but I think I would even go for a little more and do 2/3 the recipe next time. If you use a dark, non-stick pan, decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

SOURCE: Adapted from Betty Crocker