Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies

When making the oatmeal raisin cookies that I posted a few weeks ago I was also looking for a bar/brownie recipe that I could bake to accompany them to the homes of my friends. While scouring my baking cookbooks I came across a picture for Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies and thought they looked visually appealing and sounded different enough in ingredients from the cookies I was already baking. Not only that but I actually had all the ingredients on hand.

They were very easy to bake but I had difficulty swirling the batter for a marbled effect. Instead, as you can see from the photo, it ended up that the chocolate pretty much just covered the top layer. Oh well. Not every recipe can turn out like the photo in the cookbook, right? In case you hadn't guessed I am one of those visual people who always wants her food to look just like the picture. Ask my husband about Black Forest Cake and he'll have a story for you.

There is also an option to make Double Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies by adding peanut butter chips into the batter. If you want a stronger peanut butter flavor I would suggest adding the chips. While these brownies tasted good, there was not an overwhelming flavor of chocolate or peanut butter that I could detect. For me they were something that grew on me instead of a "wham these are great right out of the pan the very first bite" type of reaction. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies
Makes about 3 dozen brownies

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (5.5 ounce can) chocolate syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend butter and peanut butter in large mixer bowl. Add sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to peanut butter mixture.

Spread half the batter in greased 9x13 inch pan. Spoon syrup over top. Carefully spread with remaining batter. Swirl with spatula or knife for marbled effect. (I found that half my batter didn't even fill the bottom of a 9x13 pan so I ended up putting all of it in, pouring the syrup over the top and trying to marble it with a knife. It ended blending instead of swirling.)

Bake for 35 to 40 mninutes or until lightly browned. Cool; cut into squares.