Tuesday, May 26, 2009

{TWD} Peanut Butter Chipster Topped Brownies


In my nearly one year of Tuesdays With Dorie participation, the group has made multiples of pies, cakes, cookies, and even puddings. But this is the first true brownie recipe! in her Chipster-Topped Brownies Dorie combines two treats which are classic and beloved on their own: a chocolate brownie with a chocolate chip cookie layer on top! I love both, and I was interested in seeing how they would be together.

From reading this week's P&Q I knew going into this week's recipe that (1) the cookie layer on top was thin and got quite crispy and brown, and (2) the brownie layer took a long time to cook through. Crispy chocolate chip cookies are never my cup of tea, so I came up with a plan that I hoped would provide for a thicker softer cookie layer and a thinner brownie layer that would bake a bit quicker.

As for flavor, Dorie suggested peanut butter chips in the "Playing Around" section of this recipe, so I decided to create a peanut butter and chocolate combination with a few simple adjustments to Dorie's recipe.

n.o.e.'s notes:

- I made 1/3 recipe brownie base, 1/2 recipe of the cookie topping, and baked the combination in a 7.5 x 7.5 inch square pan.

There are still a lot of egg parts hanging around my kitchen (and the June TWD recipes will leave a bunch more egg yolks orphaned!). For the eggs in the brownie, I used egg yolk from the freezer and egg white from the fridge.

- To make peanut butter cookie out of Dorie's cookie recipe, I swapped half the butter for smooth peanut butter. I folded both chocolate chunks and peanut butter chips into the cookie dough.

- To further carry out the theme, I stirred peanut butter chips into the brownie layer.


- It took forever (and a day) for these to bake. Maybe because of the cookie sheet underneath and/or the ceramic baking dish? I lost track of how many times I set the timer for 5 more minutes.

- The cookie layer was so crispy that it cracked and crumbled as I cut it, even with a serrated knife, and lots of care.

the verdict:

I enjoyed these brownies warm, but they were even tastier at room temperature. They had a solid shot of peanut butter flavor, supported by dark chocolate goodness. I'm nearly always a soft and chewy cookie person. The cookie layer on my brownies was quite crisp, which I didn't mind as much with the peanut butter cookie, as I would have with regular chocolate chip cookie as the top layer.

JDE, who's home this week (yay!), and her friend G sampled the brownies. They thought that the peanut butter flavor predominated - in a good way. I am having to pack these up tightly and freeze them or give them away so I don't nibble them all away! However, at the end of the day, I know I'd rather have a brownie, a chocolate chip cookie, and/or a peanut butter cookie, rather than a combination rolled into one.


Thanks to Beth of Supplicious for choosing this week's brownies. You can find the recipe on her post, or on page 94-95 of Dorie Greenspan's book Baking From My Home to Yours.

40 comments:

Charli said...

I'm usually not a big crispy cookie fan either, but somehow it really worked as a crust in this recipe. Peanut butter and chocolate is one of my main weaknesses, so those look simply divine!

What's for Supper? said...

I used peanut butter chips too. Mine were so underdone though. I feel guilty eating these though. So.much.butter!

mike said...

A baking sheet? Was that in the recipe that I obviously read too fast. LOVE peanut butter + chocolate combo. Sounds like you had this down to a science. Weird thing - my cookie batter was gooey in the center, not the brownies. I was worried about overbaking and instead I underbaked. I used the edges and called it a day (or night) when all was said and done. I'm going to give the P. Butter a try - AND your measurement revisions. Thanks Nancy - they looks fantastic!

Marthe said...

oooh, penaut butter chips: another item to go onto my shopping list for my trip to Canada!

Unfortunately my brownies didn't turn out as good as yours....

Audrey said...

What a great combination (and they look perfect! Great experimenting, as always. I think I'm with you on the one-cookie-at-a-time philosophy of life, though.

Amanda said...

They look wonderful! I wasn't sure how impressed I was with this recipe until they sat overnight. Very tasty!

Jessica said...

I really liked these so looking at your pictures makes me wish that I had more to nibble on. I love that you played with the peanut butter option -- what a great idea.

vibi said...

Argh... those must have been totally decadent with peanut butter added! WOW!

I hadn't even read, seen or thought about it... hum, darn me. That's what I get for not paying attention.

Perfect, Nancy! I'm also glad you and everyone else, enjoyed those.

Hindy said...

I love the idea of swapping out some of the butter for peanut butter. I'm sure that added to the taste.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you tried it with the peanut butter topping, because I had the same thought. It was fun to experiment, but you just can't beat a chocolate brownie or chocolate chip cookie on its own (or with a cold glass of milk).

Lady Baker said...

I had baking issues too-but for me the brownies were fine--the cookie dough, on the other hand, was a great golden top and immediately underneath remained unset/uncooked. THankfully I still saved most of the 9x13 pan...just threw a few away that were smack dab in the middle.

I love bar cookies and brownies..but can't say I LOVED this recipe. I think they are best when left to their own devices. But with that said, I know I'll be enjoying another one with a glass of milk come this afternoon!!

Anonymous said...

Nice photo of the stack of bars! The peanut butter version sounds right up my alley.

Jules Someone said...

The pb version sounds just yummy! I agree that these are more of a theory cookie than a reality one. I wanted to like them more.

Kara said...

OH the pb chip idea sounds good. I do agree, though, that I'd rather have a really good brownie and/or a really good cookie, than have the two together. I guess this one just wasn't my thing! :)

Sara said...

gosh, you are so smart! They look great, and I love chocolate and PB. Send me some!!

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said...

What a fun flavor combination. That looks delicious!

Katrina said...

Love the pb cookie layer idea. I concluded the same thing though. I'd rather have a cookie in one hand and a brownie in the other, rather than all in one. I almost had to look at the "nutrition" info on Kim's Scrumptious blog! ;) I purposely made them when I knew lots of company would be eating most of them.

dharmagirl said...

i like your adaptations! your bars look fabulous and delicious, and what fun to have daughters and friends to indulge. I foisted mine on a teenage boy:)

Di said...

Yum. I love the idea of adding the peanut butter chips. I think you must have joined TWD shortly after my pick; it was the French Chocolate Brownies. I'm beginning to think I should take the rest of my pan of brownies to the daycare this afternoon so I don't eat them all... =)

Leslie said...

What smart revisions! I also like chewy cookies over crisp, so the crispy cookie layer paired with the brownie layer may not have been a great pairing for me. I like your idea of increasing the cookie layer with respect to the brownie layer. Mine looked (and tested!) done but oozed uncooked cookie after cooling for an hour. I'm looking forward to next week.

Anonymous said...

I love the peanut butter subs. They sound delicious. Luckily I gave mine away or I may have nibbled away at it until it was gone.

Cathy said...

Great idea to make these peanut buttery. I'm with you - I can tolerate a crispy PB cookie much more than a crispy CCC. I had all kinds of problems with these and didn't love them as much as I expected to. Yours really look perfect though; I'd probably feel differently about them if I tried one of those!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love the peanut butter idea! Yours look great!

Madam Chow said...

I totally agree - these were good, but at the end of the day, I'd rather have a plain brownie or a plain cookie.

Tammy said...

I love the idea of adding the peanutbutter. Your two layers look perfect

NKP said...

Looks good! I am like you, I think, I would like just the brownie without the crispy cookie on top.

Engineer Baker said...

Good to know these turned out well - wish I had had the guts to try out the pb cookie version too, yours look wonderful!

Fit Chick said...

Your flavor combo sounds so good, I love peanut butter cookies.

Kayte said...

I know, let's just use those peanut butter chips and peanut butter and just forget the chocolate...LOL. Yours look beautiful...all that stress and worry, it definitely looks like it was worth it. They look great!

Jamie said...

Yours look absolutely delicious...I want to try these with PB chips!!

margot said...

I'm so impressed with your innovation, they look and sound fantastic!

I thought they needed peanut butter, too, so I made pb ice cream. And I want to thank you for giving me the idea to make smaller batches of ice cream, which you mentioned you did in your SMS post last week. Since last Sunday, I have tried two new flavors.

Megan said...

Um, can you send some of those to me? Seriously, all the peanut butter - I think I'm in heaven!

Anonymous said...

Peanut Butter? You didn't! Oh my. I don't think I can allow myself to try those during the summer. yum.

Sara said...

I love this recipe, but I had the same issues as you mentioned others had. I really like your variation!

Anonymous said...

Wow, your brownies look fabulous and I love the adjustments you made, especially the peanut butter!

Pamela said...

Great idea, Nancy. Thye look wonderful. I liked this recipe very much, but I think you're right. I'd rather eat each item on it's own.

AmyRuth said...

Nancy,
I like you PB variation! Might have to try that. I haven't baked yet because of a prior baking commitment . However, I am so looking forward to trying out the recipe.
They do look so delicious.
AmyRuth

Unknown said...

I love your peanut butter substitution! Your layers look wonderful. I wish I'd been so lucky!

TeaLady said...

PB cookie. PERFECT. And less butter - fantastic. The only thing to make it even better. PB Ice cream.

Baked forever - never did get real done. But tasty.

Yours look grand.

Jaime said...

i will have to try this w/the PB next time!! great job :)