After reading a few comments from people who tried to make Southern Living’s Peanut Butter Streusel brownies but had problems with the bake time, I decided to test the peanut butter streusel on Gloria’s banana brownies. It worked perfectly and the peanut butter partnered well with the banana.
For kicks, I left peanut butter streusel off one quadrant of the brownies and tried swirling peanut butter on top (top left). To keep the peanut butter from drying out, I mixed it with a little melted butter, softened it, then drizzled it on.
Unfortunately, the peanut butter still dried a bit and I ended up having to rub more plain peanut butter over the hot brownies just to make them look good, but the end result was still great. Next time, I might try mixing the peanut butter with a little vegetable oil instead or might even just rub the peanut butter mixture after baking like in this recipe.
Another thing that might work with Gloria’s brownies is the peanut butter ribbon technique. Melted peanut butter chips add sweetness and help the ribbons hold their shape while baking. I haven’t made peanut butter ribbons in a while because I’ve been out of peanut butter chips, but I think they’d work well here.
UPDATE: This recipe has been updated and improved! Here’s the recipe.
Gloria says
October 10, 2009 at 10:45 amWell, I tried the modified version after a night of cooling. Not bad and I like the 2T cocoa, 1 oz unsweetened, 5 oz semi sweet chocolate combo with the whole banana. I didn’t miss the chocolate chips. I will cut down on the extra flour I added as they were just a tad dry (maybe from over baking though…) It’s too bad you are the only banana=eater in your house!
Gloria says
October 9, 2009 at 10:28 pmMy proof reader is on vacation….baseballt?? And I definitely don’t have lemons in my whipping cream!!!
Gloria says
October 9, 2009 at 10:23 pmHi Anna! I’m just coming down off of a MN Twins loss to the Yankees, but they put up a good fight into the 11th inning. It was an exiting baseball game if you like baseballt!
Yes, the pb I used has no sugar and is the refrigerated kind. It is almost liquidy at room temp so I probably didn’t need to add the extra butter. I didn’t use the streusel, just the plain pb marbled around on top. I like it too much not to try it again with different pb or no butter added next time. Switching to lemon….I’ve got my lemons whipping cream all ready for the lemon loaf this weekend. It is supposed to snow here tonight so it is a perfect baking weekend…but snow????? Yuck…..!
Anna says
October 9, 2009 at 9:36 pmHi Gloria,
Thanks for logging the changes. I’ll have to try your variation. I’m not sure whey the streusel got holey. The only time that happens to me is when I use to much fat in proportion to the other ingredients. Did you use a peanut butter with less sugar? Maybe one with a higher percentage of fat than sugar?
Gloria says
October 9, 2009 at 9:22 pmI tried a modified version of the brownie above with swirled crunchy pb. Don’t use crunchy! The nuts got too crunchy! I modified the brownie doing this: Added 1 whole *small* black-ripe banana, 2 T cocoa, 1 oz unsweetened rather than bittersweet chocolate, a 1/4 cup more flour, and did not add choc chips or nuts. Everything else the same. I think I got a more intense chocolate flavor even with the additonal banana. Next time I would add nuts and maybe only 1/8 cup extra flour to make up for the extra moisture the extra banana provides….Also my pb swirl got kind of holey…like the top of pancakes before you flip them.. Any idea why? I like the salty pb with the sweet brownie! Just llike a Reeses,
Valerie says
September 10, 2009 at 8:50 pmIt looks really delicious and has to be with so many great ingredients packed into one dessert.
Gloria says
September 8, 2009 at 8:23 pmHas anyone tried cutting mini reeses cups in half and poking them into the batter before baking? Are they good or too rich? I’m always looking for the easy way….
Krystle says
September 8, 2009 at 9:51 amWow my boyfriend would die for these!
alyssa says
September 7, 2009 at 11:55 amThanks Anna! Appreciate that… Hee! a 100g or so banana is usually considered a “large” here, so I’m glad I asked, or I would have ended up using just a teeny weeny bit of banana in the brownies… and maybe the texture would have come out different?? Thanks again.
Maura says
September 7, 2009 at 1:17 amLOUISE–why not swirl with Streusel too. I think thats where im going with this! Go for the home run I say!!!
Kathy says
September 6, 2009 at 11:16 amThey look delicious!
dani says
September 6, 2009 at 10:30 amoh i can’t decide which one i would start with, but i do know i would be having one of each 🙂
Anna says
September 6, 2009 at 8:19 amGloria, I emailed you a recipe. But yes, you would need an egg.
Louise says
September 6, 2009 at 7:53 amSo, which was better — the pb swirl or the pb streusel? I’m feeling the need to bake something sweet. 🙂
Anna says
September 6, 2009 at 7:45 amAlyssa, I’ve been using bananas that are about 3 1/2 to 4 oz/100-114 grams, so if you want to weigh the banana, go with 50 to 55 grams.
I don’t think you have to be too precise with the banana, but I’ll go ahead and add that to the recipe above.
shelly (cookies and cups) says
September 6, 2009 at 6:44 amyum and double yum!
clumbsycookie says
September 6, 2009 at 3:48 amI will count the days until Katrina tries these ahahah! Those are just great! Maybe you can even do the peanut butter swril and streusel together for serious pb love!
alyssa says
September 6, 2009 at 2:46 amThe PB streusel brownies look so good – i just love the PB choc combo… and to add banana to the mix… wow!
Anna, just wondering how big/small is a “small banana” in the US? Would you have an estimate weight of the amount of banana you used in this recipe? Thanks so much!
cal orey says
September 6, 2009 at 1:20 amScrumptious looking but ithis chocolate book author is finally chocolated out–just for a day or two. The other day, I did receive about 16 macaroons–10 dipped in dark chocolate…Yes, to die for but moderation is a challenge, huh? Fruit and veggies on a chocolatey day. I’ve got pie on the brain–for the poster who wants to bake something. Uh oh, chocolate pie comes to mind. Veggie girl…make an rhubarb-apple pie!
CindyD says
September 5, 2009 at 9:40 pmGloria, I think you’d need an egg. I’d find a recipe for cheesecake brownies and try it with strawberry cream cheese. Did you check the Kraft site?
Valerina says
September 5, 2009 at 6:17 pm3 powerhouse ingredients in one brownie! Brilliant. :>
HeartofGlass says
September 5, 2009 at 5:32 pmYou had me at “streusel.”
Gloria says
September 5, 2009 at 5:08 pmI love reeses peanut butter cups so I’ll love these! On another note, does anyone know how I would incorporate strawberry cream cheese into these banana brownies? I just want to buy the already made up flavored cream cheese.. Do I need to add an egg to the cream cheese? I am unable to find a pink/strawberry-swirled chocolate brownie on the web….maybe one of you adventurous bakers could try it and let us know if it is good!!!!
(That is the lazy me talking now.)
Sara says
September 5, 2009 at 4:11 pmAmazing! My three most favorite flavors all in one dish. WOW. 🙂
Katrina says
September 5, 2009 at 4:08 pmYa killin’ me here! Sigh. Added to the top of “the list”. Love pb/choc/banana combo, but you already knew that didn’t you! I really need to try that streusel!
VeggieGirl says
September 5, 2009 at 3:00 pmMMMMM those look heavenly.
I have an urge to bake, but I don’t know WHAT to bake 🙁