Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirled Brownies

Peanut butter and chocolate is a classic combination.  I'm also a fan of cheesecake swirled brownies, which meant that peanut butter cheesecake swirled brownies had to be a winning combination.

I did cheat a little and use a box mix for the brownie base - I went with a Hershey's dark chocolate brownie that you add the special dark syrup to - since I was short on time.  The peanut butter cheesecake swirl was easy to mix up, and these brownies baked up beautifully!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirled Brownies
from Annie's Eats
For the peanut butter cheesecake swirl:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
6 tbsp. sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Prepare your favorite brownie batter.  Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula.


To make the peanut butter cheesecake portion, combine the cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until completely smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the egg and vanilla until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture over the brownie batter in the pan, creating a cobblestone appearance.  Use a knife or wooden skewer to gently swirl together the peanut butter mixture and brownie batter.  Bake 30-35 minutes, until the center is just set.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate until well chilled before slicing and serving.