Mocha Peanut Butter Brownies

Back in November, I wrote a post about some innovative measuring cups that utilized measuring spoons as their handles, calling them Double-Duty Measuring Cups. I also mentioned that I would love to get a set of those measuring cups for Christmas. Well, Santa wasn't just checking his list twice, he was reading my blog twice. Guess who received the Hemisphere Measuring Cups by Tovolo for Christmas??

(In this case, Santa was my brother, who admitted to me after I had opened the present containing the measuring cups, that he reads my blog every day. Do I have an awesome brother, or what?)

Last night was the night I decided to test-drive the measuring cups. Initially, I was going to make a batch of biscuits, but by the time I motivated myself enough to stop watching Little House on the Prairie on DVD and get into the kitchen, I wanted something sweet. So, I prepared a variant of the recipe for Fudgy Cocoa Brownies by SACO Foods that I posted back in August, when Taste As You Go was still new. The perfectly rounded cups made them extremely easy to use and then to clean, especially when I had to get the peanut butter out! The rubber trivet that comes with the set was an absolute necessity in terms of balancing the cups while measuring ingredients. And, as silly as it sounds, it took me a few minutes to realize that I didn't have to get out my measuring spoons, too! I love these cups! (Thank you, Michael!)

As for the brownies, they came out with a milder flavor than I thought they would. They weren't sickeningly sweet or overly chocolatey (if that's, at all, possible). The coffee and peanut butter I added to the batter combined nicely and offered a subtle flavor in the final product, so I was expecting a richer brownie. Because of this, I was a bit disappointed after I ate the first brownie. But I got over the disappointment after eating the second brownie (a few hours later...) since I now knew I could go back from another one without risking an awful stomachache. Nearly guilt-free second helpings of desserts? Fantastic!

Go on... bake up a batch of these brownies, pour yourself a tall glass of milk or a cup of fresh coffee, and enjoy!

Mocha Peanut Butter Brownies

Printable Recipe


INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup cold, strong coffee
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat over to 350°F.
   
2. Grease an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan with the stick of butter being used in the recipe.
   
3. In a large microwavable bowl, melt butter. Remove from the microwave. Add cocoa and stir until well blended.
   
4. Add sugar and mix well.
   
5. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.
   
6. Stir in vanilla, coffee, flour, salt, and peanut butter. Stir until just combined.
   
7. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
   
8. Cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

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