Ali Bakes: Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

Brownies.  The best dessert to shortcut the cook time (in my opinion).  I mean, c'mon, how can you beat an ooey gooey brownie?!  (...you can't...)

Leftover cream cheese chillin in the fridge meant something sweet and delicious needed to be whipped up ASAP.  And since Brian was at work, it also meant that I got to lick the entire batter bowl and mixing spoons all by myself!  (Highly recommended with this recipe.)

Peanut butter and chocolate must be the most popular combination ever.  I really feel for those who can't eat nuts.  (But for those of you who don't like chocolate...I really don't know what to say.)

Watch out with these brownies, though.  The smell can be intoxicating (in the best possible way), and I had to have Brian cut them so that I wouldn't serve us ginormous brownies for dessert.

But...I'm willing to say that these brownies are worth a little stomachache if you do happen to go crazy with your brownie cuts.  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

*adapted from PinchOfYum.com and SprinkleCharms.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

 2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
10 Tbs. butter, melted

3 eggs

&

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

⅓ cup sugar
1 egg
½ cup peanut butter
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
2 Tbs cream or milk

Instructions:

 Combine the melted butter and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl.  Melt the semisweet chocolate chips and add them to the butter and cocoa powder mixture.  Add the oil, sugar, and eggs, as well.

After mixing, add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the batter.  Mix by hand until just combined.

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the brownie batter into a greased 8x8 baking dish.
Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, egg, and sugar.  Add the peanut butter, and cream/milk to make the mixture more smooth. The consistency should be thick, but smooth enough to easily mix with the electric mixer.  Finally, add the vanilla and salt.

Pour the peanut butter mixture over the brownie batter and marble with a knife.

 

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool, cut, and enjoy!