If you can’t decide between chocolate, peanut butter, and cheesecake, now you don’t have to! These rich, fudgy chocolate brownies are laced with a hint of peanut butter, and then topped with rich and creamy no-bake peanut butter cheesecake.
Back in the day (before I started eating low carb, lol), Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory was one of my favorite desserts. It was my go-to dessert there; after trying it, I don’t think I ever ordered a different kind of cheesecake! But after going low carb, it was of course out the window.
I’m a firm believer that low carb and keto desserts are a great tool to help keep you on track. I wanted to come up with a recipe that simulates that deliciously sugar-crazed chocolate peanut butter cheesecake, and these brownies do a great job!
I used my Almond Butter Brownies as the base and basically just swapped out peanut butter for almond butter (both work great here!). And then the real fun begins. These fudgy, deeply chocolatey brownies are topped with a no-bake velvety-smooth peanut butter cheesecake topping! Or maybe it’s frosting, who knows? All I know is that it’s a little over two cups worth of peanut butter cheesecake bliss sitting atop chocolate brownies. I’m telling you, that’s a lot for just an 8 by 8-inch pan, lol! That’s why this is the perfect dessert if you can’t decide whether you want cheesecake or brownies. Or peanut butter, for that matter!
Baking with Peanut Butter
From personal experience, I’ve noticed that baking with peanut butter can sometimes lead to dry baked goods. In order to yield a deliciously moist result, it’s important to include other ingredients that lend moisture to a recipe. In these Cheesecake Peanut Butter Brownies I use avocado oil and extra egg yolks so the resulting brownies aren’t dry at all!
Peanut Butter Substitute
In this recipe, almond butter works as a great substitute for peanut butter. Look for unsweetened runny almond butter (I like Costco’s Kirkland brand), and use the same amount (1/2 cup for this recipe). You can also substitute SunButter for peanut butter in this brownie recipe.
Sugar Free Brownies
In addition to sweetness, sugar adds bulk and helps yield the right texture for baked goods, and also helps with browning. When you take sugar out of the formula, baking can get a little tricky! These brownies are sugar free; they’re sweetened with a combination of Swerve Confectioners and stevia glycerite. I like to use a combination of these two sweeteners because the stevia helps reduce the cooling effect of erythritol that’s in Swerve Confectioners. Also, the erythritol helps cut the bitterness that stevia can sometimes have. It’s literally the best of both worlds in terms of flavor, and bonus, using these sweeteners instead of sugar helps keep the carbs down quite a bit.
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Tiramisu
- Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding
- Low Carb Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- Healthy-Enough-For-Breakfast Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below because I love hearing from you! You can also tag @anediblemosaic and #healthysweeteats on social media. To stay up-to-date FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Xoxo, Faith
Cheesecake Peanut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened smooth peanut butter
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder dissolved in 1 teaspoon boiling water
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia glycerite
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup Swerve Confectioners
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsweetened smooth peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons Swerve Confectioners
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia glycerite
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F; line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Beat together the peanut butter, oil, water, egg, egg yolks, vanilla, dissolved espresso, and stevia glycerite in a large bowl.
- Sift in the cocoa powder, Serve Confectioners, salt, and baking powder and mix to combine (the batter will be thick).
- Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, 15 for gooey brownies and 17 for more set. If you let these brownies cook until a wooden pick comes out dry, they’ll be overcooked.
- Cool the brownies completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter in a large bowl. Beat in the Swerve Confectioners, stevia glycerite, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Lastly, beat in the cream until smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour so the frosting can stiffen a bit, and then briefly beat it again before frosting the brownies.
- Once the brownies are cool, spread the cheesecake frosting on top.
- Serve, or store wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days before serving.
Helpful Tips
Nutrition
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Hello and welcome! I'm Faith and I believe you can have your cake and eat it too. For breakfast.
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