This recipe for Lucy's Peanut Butter Brownies that Joanna Gaines shares in the Magnolia Table Cookbook Vol. 2 is sure to become a quick classic. You can see her make this recipe in episode 4 of her cooking show, also called Magnolia Table. She says while making them on the show that she makes these about once a month to satisfy her sweet tooth, something the rest of the family doesn't share, so I assume so she gets to enjoy most of them alone.
The review...
As far as the recipe goes, the brownie base takes all of about 5 minutes to whip up. You melt some butter, whisk some cocoa powder into it and blend your dry ingredients. Add some eggs and whip it all together and it is done.
A little more work comes in later with the chocolate frosting. You need a few more ingredients, another stick of butter, and a lot more sugar. Get your whisking arm in shape and whip away at the frosting, stir, stir, and stir some more until it is completely smooth.
By no means is this recipe hard. The hardest part is probably the waiting you have to do for the brownies to cool, the peanut butter to harden, and the frosting to set. It has a few added steps to it, but it isn't hard.
The reaction...
OM-I might have said a few expletives in my mind at first bite. The brownie is so good and has the perfect texture. The creamy peanut butter (I personally would use crunchy in the future) adds some needed salty softness. And the super sweet fudge-like frosting just rounds everything out.
I would honestly like to eat these all day long if they wouldn't put me into a diabetic coma! But so I can enjoy them better in the future, I might cut the whole recipe in half and make this in an 8 or 9-inch square and only make ¼th of the frosting for a think sweet layer on top. Sooooo good, just a little much to enjoy much more than a bite,
The TIPS...
The one tip that you really want to heed, that Jo doesn't call to be done in her cookbook is to sift your powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. I made sure to follow the recipe exactly as it is written as I have had some comments recently about how I didn't on one of her recipes I reviewed.
But, my frosting just never seemed to get totally smooth and I had some cocoa and powdered sugar lumps in it. I mean, it will eat the same no matter what, but if you want that picture-perfect finish, sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
And as beyond delicious as they are, to cut the SUPERSWEET I think it would be nice to sprinkle in a layer of flaky sea salt, like Maldon, on the peanut butter or on the frosting layer. It would cut the sweetness down and boost the flavor of the peanut butter. I am such a peanut butter lover I would love to see that flavor a little more upfront.
Overall, I am not sure I would make these quite as often as "once a month" as Joanna mentions in her cooking show, but Lucy's Peanut Butter Brownies do mix my very favorite combo of chocolate and peanut butter.
Until next time, Happy Cooking!
Kendell
If you watched Joanna makes this recipe on Season 1, Episode 4 of her new cooking show'Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines'you can get the recipe byCLICKING HERE, she shared it on her blog so you can make it at home!
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READ MY OTHER REVIEWS OF EPISODE 4 HERE…
Philly Cheesesteaks
French Onion Dip
Hasselback Potatoes (coming soon)
FOR MORE OF MY MOST POPULAR MAGNOLIA TABLE REVIEWS!
If this recipe review was valuable to you, take a look a some of my other reviews that have been super popular!
Jo’s recipe for1919 Pimento Cheeseis by far my most read review. I have adjusted to the recipe to replace the Velveeta, which I just can’t bring myself to bring into my kitchen.
HerZucchini Breadis my next most popular review, and it is one of my very favorites to pick up when visiting Waco.
And to ready my full ranking of every recipe in the first cookbook check out this post…Magnolia Table Cookbook…my overview!
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