peanut butter and fluff swirl fudge brownies w/ salty cookie crust

I gotta be honest I'm really beginning to like the creativity one can have with these Baked brownie mixes.
At first taste I was blown away at how deep the chocolate flavor was and also, some you might be able to relate to this, I was so happy that this mix did NOT have any of that chemically-after taste that most brownie mixes have.
These are fudgy, rich, deep chocolate, with great texture on the tongue, a real brownie that just happens to be in a mix.
Is it like the infamous baked brownies found at the bakery? Pretty much yes. Trust me, you need to give these a go Baked brownies. Found online and in store at Williams Sonoma.
Created by by some of the best and MOST creative bakers I know in the baking business; the boys over at the infamous Baked Brooklyn bakery in Brooklyn, New York.
And some will say to me, hey you know them, of course you're gonna give them a thumbs up. Yes of course, because their product is stellar!! I know they went through a lot of testing, creating, and recreating to get all their Baked products just right. If I didn't like it, I would not have this post up; I would have given away the brownie mixes to friends.



What inspired me to do the brownies this way? What makes my head say "oh yeah, hey, let's do a peanut butter and fluff version of chocolate brownies!" I bet you're expecting some kind of fun, wild answer? Like I was touring the fluff factory one day and accidentally dropped my brownie in a vat of fluff? Nah, just eating a peanut butter fluff sandwich one day and wanted to have some brownies chunks in it. Although touring and taste-testing the fluff factory is on my bucket list.



Head over to Williams Sonoma to get a couple. And don't forget to check out Baked's infamous Brookster. A brownie meets chocolate chip cookie. The same cookie Martha Stewart fell in love with.



Let's make some kicked up brownies. First up, a nice crispy, salty cookie crust, ready for the brownie mix layer.



After the brownie mix comes the pb & fluff mixture, lined up and ready for mixing.


Make some swirls! This is the best part.



The peanut butter and fluff topping bakes up with a crispy outside and a chewy inside. Just fabulous.



peanut butter & fluff swirl fudge brownies with salty cookie crust
from vanillasugarblog.com
print recipe

cookie crust:
3 cups of crushed shortbread or butter like cookies (I used Lorna Doone)
1 stick butter, melted, cooled a bit
Generous pinch of sea salt

peanut butter & fluff topping:
1 cup smooth pb
1 cup fluff

fudgy brownies:
1 box of Baked Deep Chocolate Brownie mix (or use your own favorite brownie mix/recipe)

Cook notes:
These are fudgy brownies, so they will be a bit gooey when finished baking--this is good.
Feel free to use your own brownie mix too! Just watching baking times.

Mix the melted butter with the crushed cookies, adding a nice generous pinch of salt. Place mixture in well greased or parchment lined 9 x 13 brownie pan. Make sure to pat down and get into all the corners. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until set. Set aside.

For the brownie mixture:
Mix according to box directions. Set aside.

For the pb & fluff swirl:
Put the pb and fluff in a bowl, heat up in microwave for about 15-20 seconds, to get nice and soft.
Mix a bit, don’t mix all the way as we want to see the different colored swirls.

When ready to bake, pour in the brownie mixture on top of cookie crust.
Then take the pb & fluff mixture and using a spoon, dollop three lines of mixture down the longest part of pan. Make sure to leave enough space in between lines to see brownie mixture. Using a chop stick, gently make swirls going the opposite direction of the three lines. Or however you wish to do this. Try not to make too many swirls as we want to see the various colors of the mix after they’ve baked.
Bake brownies at 325 for 45-55 minutes (mine were done at the 49 minute-mark). Let cool in pan for at least an hour. For easier cutting place in fridge for 30 minutes.
Using a wet sharp knife, slice up into small squares.
You should get about 25-30 brownies, depending on how you slice them.