Sometime last year, I worked on a brownie recipe for VegNews Magazine, as part of my regular Sweet Eats column. Now, after failing literally nine times – NINE TIMES – I made the most luscious, rich, chocolatey brownies and was so excited. Are these brownies healthy? They most definitely are not. Are they crazy delicious? Hell yeah, they are! That being said, I thought I’d use up some beautiful, fresh strawberries and switch up this recipe just a tad. Thus, born unto this blog: Peanut Butter Jelly Brownies! *Insert 5 heart eye emojis*

Need a gooey, decadent dessert? Peanut Butter Jelly Brownies to the rescue! Plus, they’re vegan & soy-free

These brownies are straight up show stoppers. Swirls of strawberries and creamy peanut butter, embedded into a rich, chocolate, brownie base. Because of this they take a little longer to bake, but it is SO worth it. I’ve now made variations of these brownies for a few different occasions, and they’ve always been a hit. They evoke funny responses from non-vegans like, “how is this so rich without dairy?” and “how are these vegan?” That’s always a good sign, right? 😉

Now, with Spring coming to an end pretty soon (sad face), strawberries will be at their ripest and most-gorgeous. So, take advantage and get-to-gettin’ with this recipe, and maybe try some of the many others I have on here, while you’re at it.

If you find yourself making these, know that you will need a large glass of almond milk on deck. It really pairs perfectly with the peanut butter jelly brownies, with its cool, smooth flavors. Have a nut allergy? Use creamy sunbutter in place of PB, and roasted sunflower seeds instead of peanuts! I haven’t tried it yet, but I can imagine it being super tasty.

And before I give you the recipe, know that a sparkling mimosa post and a giveaway are coming up in the next week! Keep your eyes peeled, because you will not want to miss them. <3

Tips and Substitutions:

Unbleached All-Purpose Flour – you could use a GF All-purpose flour, but you may need to add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to thicken the base for a faux gluten effect. Also, remember when measuring flour to scoop fluffed (not packed) flour into a measuring cup and then scrape off the top to level it. This is the most accurate way to measure flour besides weight.
Cocoa Powder – here I used whatever generic, fair-trade baking cocoa was at the store. You are welcome to use Dutch-processed.
Coconut Oil – you could likely use melted vegan butter in its place, but make sure to adjust the salt added if the butter is not unsalted.
Ground flaxseed – ground chia seed will also work.
Vegan chocolate chips – during the holiday season Costco sells Kirkland Brand, dairy-free, semi-sweet chocolate chips and I find that they’re very affordable!
Natural peanut butter – I specify this because typically, at room temperature, natural peanut butter is runnier and therefore easier to spread around on top of the brownie batter.

1 year: Strawberry Banana Protein Muffins // 3 years: Southwestern Kale Salad // 4 years: Spicy Vodka Lemonade // 5 years: Vegan Memorial Day Recipes

Yield: 16 brownies

Peanut Butter Jelly Brownies

Name: Peanut Butter Jelly Brownies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Dairy-free
Ingredients: 2 cups (260 g) unbleached all-purpose flour; 2/3 cup (63 g) cocoa powder; 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup (235 ml) non-dairy milk; 1 cup (220 g) sugar; 7/8 cup (128 g) brown sugar; 5/8 cup (136 g) melted coconut oil; 2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup (95 g) vegan chocolate chips; 1/3 cup chopped, roasted peanuts; 1/2 cup natural, smooth peanut butter; 1 cup diced strawberries; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 tablespoon water

Need a gooey, decadent dessert? Peanut Butter Jelly Brownies to the rescue! Plus, they’re vegan & soy-free

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Strawberry Jelly

1 cup diced strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon water

Brownies

2 cups (260 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (63 g) cocoa powder
2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (235 ml) non-dairy milk
1 cup (220 g) sugar
7/8 cup (128 g) brown sugar
5/8 cup (136 g) melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons (14 g) ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (95 g) vegan chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped, roasted peanuts
1/2 cup natural, smooth peanut butter

Instructions

For the strawberry sauce, in a small pan, warm strawberries, sugar and water over medium heat. Once simmering, adjust heat to medium-low and simmer for 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and lightly mash the strawberries down into smaller pieces. Move to a bowl and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
For the cake, preheat oven to 350F. Line one 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In a small mixing bowl, whisk non-dairy milk, sugar, brown sugar, coconut oil, flaxseed and vanilla until combined.
Add wet mixture to dry, and stir until just combined. Fold vegan chocolate chips and peanuts into batter. Pour batter into baking dish, smooth out to fill dish, spoon strawberry sauce and peanut butter into repeating lines across the batter. Using a butter knife, drag it through the PB&J lines to make swirls.
Bake for 42-50 minutes, less if you like very soft/slighty undercooked brownies, or until the top has risen and is not too jiggly. Place baking dish on a cooling rack for 45 minutes. Once brownies have cooled, carefully lift them out of baking dish by pulling up parchment paper. Slice into 16 squares, and serve immediately, or refrigerate brownies for up to one week.

Notes

I have made some edits to ingredients and timing in the instructions. This was because I believe that the first oven I developed these in may have been a little under-temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 piece
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 156Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 125mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 5g

The nutrition information is calculated by a plug-in, and isn't always accurate. Please calculate your own with the products that you use, as it will be different for everyone.