Bring eggs, peanut butter, and milk to room temperature before mixing to ensure smooth, lump-free batter and even protein powder distribution throughout.

Fold ingredients gently until just combined—overmixing develops gluten and creates dense, cake-like brownies instead of the desired fudgy texture.

Reserve half your chocolate chips and sprinkle them on top after pouring batter into the pan, so they stay intact and create gooey pockets rather than fully melting into the mixture.

Use pure maple syrup at room temperature and whisk it thoroughly with wet ingredients first to prevent it from sinking to the bottom and creating uneven sweetness.

Remove brownies from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center has just a few moist crumbs—they'll continue cooking as they cool, delivering that prized gooey, fudge-like texture.