“Chubby Hubby” Brownies (with Peanut Butter & Pretzels)

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a small (8×8 or smaller) baking dish.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, microwave the butter for 30 seconds. To the melted butter, add the vanilla extract and granulated sugar. Stir in the eggs. Add the unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Finally, mix in the all-purpose flour.

Pour the thick mixture into your greased pan and distribute until the surface is mostly even. In a small measuring cup, microwave the peanut butter for 30 seconds. Use a butter knife to begin swirling dollops of the melted peanut butter into the surface of the brownie batter.

Next, take about a dozen regular-sized, salted pretzels (I used Rold Gold) and mash with your hands in a bowl until pieces are about 1 cm long. Sprinkle the pretzel bits over the batter, pressing some gently into the surface here and there, if desired. Place pan in the 350ºF oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the center does not jiggle when shaken. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature.