Everyone will chip in to eat these brownies

If I had to identify one problem with my pantry (and I doubt I’m alone in this), it’s that I have these bags and containers of partially used ingredients from new recipes I tried that didn’t call for an entire package of whatever special item that particular kitchen experiment needed.

Recently, I found myself with just a bit more dark cocoa powder and half of a bag of peanut butter chips sitting around.

Knowing that there was undoubtedly a recipe that could rid me of both ingredients simultaneously, I found an amazing brownie recipe.

Not only were these easy brownies to whip up, but I got tons of compliments on these. They were seriously good. I was so glad I had other people willing to help us eat them, or I might have finished the entire pan by myself.

This comes from the blog “Sally’s Baking Addiction.” She has a great blog with lots of neat recipes, and she’s published two cookbooks. You can find the original recipe at http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/12/30/ultimate-fudge-brownies-with-peanut-butter-chips-2/. I doubled the vanilla in my version, and I used dark cocoa powder, but regular would still be great in these, if that’s what you have on hand.

* * *

Fudge Brownies with

Peanut Butter Chips

Ingredients

10 tablespoons butter

1-1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 cup peanut butter chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 and line an 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper to lift out the brownies (you could probably just spray the pan with cooking spray and get them out just fine, too).

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Heat 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the butter is melted and you can stir everything into a delicious, chocolaty sludge.

Let it cool for a moment and then, using a stiff rubber scraper, stir in the vanilla. Then mix in the egg until they’re well-combined, and finally stir in the flour until everything is just combined.

Now fold in the peanut butter chips, reserving a handful to sprinkle on the top.

Dump the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Then sprinkle the extra peanut butter chips around on the top.

Bake for 25 minutes (mine took about 15 minutes longer than that, but my oven tends to run a bit cooler). Remove when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without liquid batter on it.

Let them cool a bit and then use the parchment paper to remove them from the pan and slice them how you wish. Store them in an airtight container.

* * *

When I shared these, one person was convinced there was a secret ingredient hidden in them that made them so good. He seemed a bit disappointed that I didn’t have any tricks up my sleeve with these (that didn’t stop him from eating them, though).

I suppose I should have told him the secret ingredient was love, but really, it was just a very, very successful attempt at cleaning out my pantry. Hopefully I’ll find a good solution to my extremely full spice cabinet next.

Lindsey Young is managing editor of The Clarion, the Kansas Publishing Ventures newspaper in Andale. She can be reached at lindseyclarion@gmail.com.

Written By
More from Lindsey Young
Cauliflower soup is good for more winter
If you missed it, let me fill you in on one of...
Read More