For the past few months, I had an ancho chili pepper sitting on the kitchen counter. I’d bought it on impulse and just didn’t get around to using it. Sometime last week, I got tired of looking at it and threw it away not realizing how sorely it would be missed. First, at Fuzz’s party, her little friend Zachary came to the kitchen and asked if he could look at the pepper (I forgot to tell his mom, he’s fascinated with anchos) and then today, I realized I could have ground it up and used it as a topping for these brownies. That is, Southern Living’s topping of ancho, maple syrup, cinnamon and pecans.
But things worked out well, because without my ancho, I had no choice but to make the peanut butter streusel variation mentioned yesterday.
The brownies were very good and as a commenter pointed out, were very similar to Austin’s famous Miles of Chocolate when underbaked by about 5 minutes. I also quick cooled them in a water batch, which may have played into it as well, because I’d describe the texture as fudgy, but not soft and gooey. The streusel part was phenomenal with a texture like the top of a crumb-cake, but moister and with loads of peanut flavor. Has anyone ever put a topping like that on brownies or did Southern Living do it first? At any rate, I’d put this in the bake sale file for sure.
A variation I just thought of would be to add chipotle powder and cinnamon to the brownie itself and a pinch of chipotle to the peanut butter streusel. Peanut butter and chipotle go surprisingly well together.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
That brownie looks great. How is the Goodness to Work ratio? Was the streusel quick to come together?
Well, the brownie part was a simple on-bowl recipe — no creaming required. The peanut butter streusel came together in a snap as well, so I’d say the ratio was pretty high goodness, low work.
Ooh, THEY do look good. I’m going to have to “steal” that one.
I’ll let you know if I do and put it on my blog, I’ll be sure to link you here! 
BTW, I put a comment on that post, but thought I’d let you know the 101 Cookbook PB Cookies that you made with EVOO, I made today and used coconut oil. They are wonderful. I love the pb taste without too much sugary taste by using maple syrup. They are so good that I just made a quick ganache and sandwiched some of them. You’ll have to try them again sometime with coconut oil. I also used whole wheat pastry flour.
Those look really really good!
YOU MADE THEM!! Holy yum.
I’m so in love with your blog… though it is dangerous to see these wonderful goodies each morning! Love the great photos, the reviews, the variety. You’re a baking hero! Thank you!
The PB streusel sounds interesting but your thoughts about the ancho sound even more interesting!!
Darn, you beat me to it. I was developing a similar recipe of my own.
these look DELICIOUS! going to whip up a batch tomorrow- thanks!
Peanut butter streusel?? Amazing! They look wonderful.
The peanut butter streusel is genius. I’m trying to think up other ways to use it right now…could you add it to a berry cobbler for a peanut-butter-and-jelly kind of thing? Hmm…
I LOVE this idea!
Anna,
I saw this recipe in SL but haven’t tried it yet. Do you have a recipe for a cakey brownie? I’ve tried about a half dozen from scratch recipes and would like one that compares to Betty Crockers box…..can you help, Oh baking guru? TIA…Ann
I dug out my copy of SL and your photo of the PB Brownine really outshines theirs!!
Hi Anna, I made these and while they are amazing, I found that they did not cook fully in the middle of the pan. Maybe I simply underbaked them, though I wonder if they’d be a little better in a slightly larger pan. Just a thought…the struesel is SO good. YUM!
Mine turned out soft and gooey… like they’re underbaked and I followed the recipe exactly too – adding on an extra 5 minutes. Maybe I need an oven thermometer. Any tips?
Tanis, maybe because mine is so close up
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Holly, it sounds like you and Emma had the same issue. I like your idea of baking them in a larger pan…maybe a nine inch?
Emma, it’s possible your oven is running slow, but you would probably know it. Usually people say their ovens are running fast! But yes, it sounds like they were underbaked. Try putting them in the refrigerator to firm them up and if that doesn’t work, try making them again and baking longer.
I just had an idea, and that is that this peanut butter topping would be really good with the banana brownies I just posted earlier.