You can do some pretty amazing things with a cast iron skillet and this fudgey brownie skillet with peanut butter swirls has worked its way straight to the top of that list…
This brownie skillet is something else. It is fudgey with bold chocolate flavor and a beautifully moist texture. The peanut butter swirl adds that classic flavor combination that so many of us crave and if you add a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream then this becomes a truly perfect dessert. Hot, cold, sweet and savory with crisp edges and tender center.
Let’s get started…
We are adding real chocolate and cocoa powder to this batter, which adds to both the texture and the depth of chocolate flavor in the brownie.
Begin by combining 3/4 cup of butter and 6 ounces of chopped semi-sweet chocolate into a large heat safe bowl. You can melt the butter and chocolate either using a double boiler method or by microwaving in 15 second increments until everything is soft enough to whisk smooth.
Once smooth and fully combined, set the mixture aside for about 5 minutes to cool down a bit.
Once the mixture has cooled slightly, add 3 large eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and whisk until fully incorporated.
Add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar and whisk until the sugars have been fully incorporated and the batter feels thick and creamy.
Add 2/3 cup of all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of espresso powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. I like to add the dry ingredients into a mesh sifter and sift them into the bowl to combine them before mixing them into the batter, but you can whisk them together in a separate bowl and add them that way too.
Once the dry ingredients have been added, mix only until you no longer see anything dry in the batter…
Now transfer the batter into a greased 10″ oven safe skillet. I love using a cast iron skillet for this dessert, but any oven safe skillet or 10″ deep round baking dish will work.
Now comes the fun part… drop tablespoons of softened creamy peanut butter throughout the batter and then use a knife or a chopstick or anything long and thin to swirl the peanut butter into the brownie batter.
Now bake this beauty uncovered for 28-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until the edges are set and a toothpick will come out of the middle with just a few moist crumbs. If you shake the skillet and the middle looks wobbly, let the brownie bake for another 2-3 minutes.
Let the brownie rest on a cutting board or cooling rack for 5-10 minutes and then add a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream over the middle while it is still nice and warm.
There is something magnificent about the way that the melted ice cream settles into the soft brownie texture in the middle of the skillet, so don’t worry if things start to get melty. Just let it happen….
If you happen to have any peanut butter left over, drizzle it over the skillet along with some extract chocolate shavings. Is it necessary for flavor? Absolutely not, but it makes this fudge peanut butter brownie skillet even more gorgeous and inviting and thats always a good thing…
When you scoop a wedge out of the skillet, be sure to get some of the crispy edges from the outer area of the skillet too, because every part of this skillet is truly delicious.
If you are looking for a dessert simple enough to whip up on a Tuesday night, but also fabulous enough to wow a table full of friends and family then this fudge peanut butter brownie skillet should be at the top of your “to-bake” list.
Fudge Peanut Butter Brownie Skillet
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup of butter
- 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar, tightly packed
- 2/3 cup of all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons of natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon of espresso powder (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter, softened
- vanilla ice cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Grease a 10" oven safe skillet or deep round baking dish and set aside for now
- In a large bowl, melt 3/4 cup of butter and 6 ounces of chopped chocolate using a double boiler or with 15 second increments in the microwave until soft enough to whisk smooth and set aside to cool for 5 minutes
- Once the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly, add 3 large eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and whisk until fully incorporated
- Add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar and whisk to combine
- Sift 2/3 cup of all purpose flour with 3 tablespoons of natural unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of espresso powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into the chocolate mixture and mix until just combined
- Transfer the batter into the greased skillet
- Drop tablespoons of softened creamy peanut butter over the batter and use a butter knife or chopstick to swirl the peanut butter into the batter (see photos above)
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick will come out of the center with only a few moist crumbs (be careful to avoid over-baking the brownie)
- Transfer the skillet onto a heat proof surface and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream
