Brownies with Peanut Butter Swirl

Funny story...  I used to not like peanut butter and chocolate together.  I know...  that makes me a weirdo.  I always liked chocolate and I always liked peanut butter.  I just didn't like them together.  Then when I was pregnant with my second child, I craved peanut butter like crazy!  I wanted it all the time and even wanted it with chocolate.  It was during this pregnancy that I figured out why everyone else in the world loved this crazy combination so much!  Haha.  So, now I am normal like the rest of you.

So, I decided to make my brownies with a peanut butter swirl!  They are so good.  I have made them twice already.  Our non-allergy friends also really like them.  But then who doesn't like peanut butter and chocolate together, right?!

This is my Brownie recipe and I found the ingredients for the peanut butter swirl from Crazy for Crust.  I reprinted both below for easier reference.

Brownies with Peanut Butter Swirl

½ c sugar

½ c brown sugar

½ c vegetable shortening

1 c flour

½ c unsweetened cocoa powder

½ t baking powder

½ t salt

½ c milk

1 t vanilla

½ c semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the peanut butter swirl (Source: Crazy for Crust)

½ c peanut butter

2 T butter, melted

1/3 c powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Lightly grease the bottom only of an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan and set aside.  Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, blend shortening and both sugars until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  Add flour mixture blending until mixture resembles a course meal.  Slowly add milk and vanilla, blending constantly until smooth.  Batter will be thick.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread batter into greased baking pan. 

Mix together peanut butter, melted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Drop spoonfuls on top of the brownies then swirl with a knife. 

Bake brownies for about 35 minutes or until the top is no longer shiny.  Set pan on a wire rack until the brownies are mostly cool and cut into squares.

Makes 16 2 inch brownies.

Dairy-free notes:  I haven't tried it but I think this recipe could easily be made dairy-free.  If anyone tries it, please let me know how it works out and what substitutes you used for the milk, butter and chocolate chips.