Would you like a decadent treat for Christmas? One that you don't have to feel entirely guilty about because you can control the quality of the ingredients? Would fudgy chocolate brownies topped with peanut butter frosting fit the bill?
I know, this is a health-focused blog, and brownies wouldn't be considered healthy in any world. However, I also strive to make real-life just a little healthier, and splurging on goodies for holidays like Christmas are part of my real life.
Cooking from scratch is always healthier than using a box mix, and it's not difficult either. True, these brownies contain an extra step, but that step also makes them gooey instead of dry, so it's worth it.
Here's the recipe. Make sure to read the tips AFTER the recipe (because I hate when recipes are buried at the bottom of the page just as much as you do!)
Fudgy Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
(adapted from a brownie recipe by The Baking Fairy)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. chocolate (chips, chunks, baking bars – use your favorite type – I like milk chocolate)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter (honestly, I use salted because that's all I buy)
2 Tbs. water or milk
1/2 c. brown sugar (make your own brown sugar to save money)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract (make your own endless homemade vanilla extract)
2/3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 c. powdered sugar
¾ c. peanut butter
¼ c. softened butter
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
3 tsp. whipping cream (milk works, too – I don't buy cream for 3 tsp.)
Directions:
1 – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2 – Butter a 9x9-inch baking pan (butter is better for you than sprays or Crisco).
3 – Melt chocolate, 3 Tbs. butter, water/milk, and brown sugar in a double boiler (or very carefully in a saucepan on low heat).
4 – Transfer to a mixing bowl, let cool slightly, and mix in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract.
5 – Stir in flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
6 – Pour batter into pan and bake 25-30 min. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs but not liquid.
7 – Mix powdered sugar, peanut butter, softened butter, and vanilla until smooth.
8 – Add cream by teaspoonful to achieve desired consistency.
9 – Spread over cooled brownies.
Recipe Doubling Tip
When I make these brownies, I often double the recipe, but instead of baking them in two separate 9-inch square pans, I will make them in a 13x9-inch cake pan. You'll have to adjust the baking time a bit longer, but you'll end up with thicker, even gooier brownies!
How Making Brownies from Scratch is Better
Fudginess
I must credit The Baking Fairy, where I got the base brownie recipe, for teaching me the difference between normal brownies and fudgy brownies. Though it's easier to use powdered baking cocoa, it will produce the "normal" drier brownies known to come from box mixes. In my opinion, they are good but not great.
However, using actual melted chocolate produces luxuriously fudgy, gooey brownies, which are far superior. They require the extra step of melting the chocolate, but I think it's well worth it!
Controlling Ingredient Quality
Box mix brownies aren't likely to have the best quality ingredients, but by making them from scratch, you can change all that.
Use any of the following to replace the "common" versions:
- Grass-fed and/or organic butter
- Coconut sugar
- Free-range and/or organic eggs
- Non-GMO whole-wheat or ancient grain flour
- Celtic or pink Himalayan sea salt
- Peanut butter made from only peanuts
If you're like me and have trouble finding quality ingredients locally, check out my source for quality baking supplies.
Cooking from Scratch Resources
If you're ready to dive into making more foods from scratch to control ingredients and quality, click on the "cooking from scratch" label to see all the posts and recipes I've shared.
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