Peanut Butter Brownies (or are they cookie bars?)

If you can melt butter, you can make this recipe. I love a quick recipe, but I really love a quick peanut butter recipe. If you haven’t already noticed, I’m pretty much a peanut butter junkie. At least I’ve accepted this about myself. I am who I am.

That being said, I think anyone, even those moderate peanut butter lovers out there (if there is such a thing), will devour these. They have a brownie consistency and the recipe is pretty much identical if you sub the peanut butter for the chocolate. But major point here: there is no chocolate in them. Can it still be a brownie if there is no chocolate? Does that make it a cookie bar? Ahh one of life’s great questions! I’d have to say this question is right up there with evolution, what came first - the chicken or the egg, and what the heck is tofurkey?!?! Take a few days, make this recipe and ponder the cellular structure of a brownie vs. cookie bar. Or do what I did. Slap some chocolate on top and call it a day. Vuala: brownies.

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1-¾ cup white sugar
4 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut butter (I used smooth)
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13” baking pan with cooking spray. Set the pan aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter heating it 30 second at a time. Using a large whisk, stir in the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Switch to using a large spoon and stir in the peanut butter, flour and salt. Your batter will be about the consistency of cake batter.

Pour the batter and spread it evenly in your prepared baking pan. Place the pan in the preheated oven and let it bake for about 3 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the top of the brownies. Allow them to sit for about 5 minutes until they just start to melt. Using a spatula, smear the chocolate evenly over the top. That might be the easiest glaze you’ll ever make.

Allow the brownies to cool and then slice into squares.