These Peanut Butter Cup Brownies are thick, fudgy, and loaded with reese’s peanut butter cups. If you want more peanut butter flavor, swirl a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter into the brownie batter.

Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe

This homemade brownie recipe is a dream come true for anyone who loves the classic combination of chocolate and smooth peanut butter! The fudgy brownies have INCREDIBLE flavor, and are loaded with peanut butter chips and gooey melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter cups. They key to being able to eat them without making a huge mess is to let them cool completely! If you’re looking for the perfect potluck or bake-sale dessert, look no further than this recipe!

If you’re a chocolate & peanut butter fanatic, these peanut butter brownies are for you!

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Brownies

• Flour: Be sure not to use too much flour! Too much flour causes cake-y brownies. The best way to measure flour is with a digital kitchen scale. Or lightly spoon into a measuring cup – never pack it!
• Cocoa Powder: Use Dutch-process for darker brownies or unsweetened natural for lighter brownies. I suggest measuring this ingredient with a digital kitchen scale as well. Or lightly spoon it into a measuring cup – ever pack it!
• Salt: A small amount balances sweetness and helps bring out all of the other flavors in this recipe. I also love sprinkling flaky sea salt on top of the baked brownies while they cool in the baking pan.
• Chocolate: This recipe calls for 12 ounces of quality chocolate bars. You can use dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. I don’t suggest using chocolate chips.
• Unsalted Butter: A little secret to enhancing peanut butter flavor without adding peanut butter? Brown butter… it adds a nutty and delicious flavor you’ll fall in love with!
• Sugar: Both granulated sugar and light brown sugar help sweeten this recipe.
• Vanilla Extract: This superstar ingredient helps enhance all of the other flavors in the recipe.
• Eggs: Be sure to bring your eggs to room temperature before adding them to the batter.
• Peanut Butter Chips: These chips of peanut butter are swirled throughout the batter to add incredible peanut butter flavor to every bite! If you cannot find pb chips, you can swirl a little smooth peanut butter in the brownie batter. I suggest using JIF or skippy, not natural peanut butter.
• Peanut Butter Cups: Reese’s peanut butter cups are probably the easiest to find, but you can use any brand or variety you want! If you can’t find peanut butter chips or peanut butter cups, you can skip both and instead frost these brownies with peanut butter frosting.

How to make Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

1. Brownie Prep: Preheat the oven and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Be sure to spray the paper and any exposed pan with non-stick baking spray so your brownies don’t stick to the pan.
2. Make the Brownie Batter: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the melted butter with the chopped chocolate and whisk smooth. Whisk in the sugars, vanilla, and eggs. Then fold in the flour and peanut butter chips.
3. Assemble the Brownies: Scrape the brownie batter into your prepared pan, then press the peanut butter cups into the batter. Use a spatula to cover each peanut butter cup with brownie batter.
4. Bake the Brownies: Your brownies will be ready in about 32 to 35 minutes, but this time can vary greatly depending on the baking pan you use. So be sure to use the insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies comes. They’re ready to come out out when the toothpick is comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs sticking to it.
5. Decorate your Brownies: Press peanut butter cups on top of the warm brownies! This is 100% optional but makes the brownies look irresistible and taste even more out of this world delicious. You could press some peanut butter chips on top, too. And sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
6. Don’t be a Fool/Let the brownies Cool: Seriously, you must let these brownies cool completely in the pan, set on a cooling rack, before digging in. Otherwise you’ll be slicing into chocolate peanut butter lava!

These brownies will take about an hour to an hour and a half to cool, so plan ahead time wise. But you can speed up the cooling process by placing the baking pan in the fridge. When you’re ready to slice in, lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper handles. Then slice into squares and serve.

How to Store Your Brownies

So you didn’t devour these delicious brownies in one day? You have way more self-control than me! You can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also simple wrap the individual brownies in Saran Wrap and store at room temp.

You can also freeze leftover brownies for up to 2 months. Just be sure to wrap them tightly in Saran Wrap, then in aluminum foil, and place them in a freezer bag. Thaw them completely before enjoying!

Tools for this Recipe:

• Baking Pan: I suggest using a 9×13-inch light colored metal or aluminized steel baking pan. If you use a ceramic pan or glass pan, you’ll most likely need to add a few minutes onto the bake time.
• Parchment Paper: this helps easily remove the brownies from the pan and makes cleans up a breeze!
• Digital Kitchen Scale: This is the BEST way to measure ingredients, especially dry ingredients like flour and cocoa powder.
• High-Quality Chocolate Bars: I love using dark chocolate in this recipe, so the brownies don’t taste overly sweet.
• Peanut Butter Cups: Obviously you can use Reese’s or grab some from Trader Joe’s!
• Peanut Butter Chips: If you can’t find these in your local grocery store, you can stock up online.

More Peanut Butter Recipes:

• 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups
• Easy Peanut Butter Fudge 
• 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Blondies 
• Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cheesecake
• Ultimate Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes 

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Ashley Manila

Thick and fudgy Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Brownies!

5 from 2 votes

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 dozen

Ingredients

 

• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (not packed)
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces semi-sweet OR dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted until browned
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs, at room
• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 15 full-size peanut butter cups plus more for decorating, optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper; spray paper and any exposed pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; whisk well and set aside. Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking butter, stirring frequently, until it’s a light amber color and smells slightly nutty. Remove from heat at once and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let the chocolate/butter mixture sit for 2 minutes, then whisk smooth. Add both sugars and vanilla and whisk smooth. Add 3 of eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey. Sprinkle the flour/cocoa powder mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible. Fold in the peanut butter chips. Don’t worry if they melt into the batter! Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Press the peanut butter cups into the batter, making 5 rows with 3 peanut butter cups in each row. Use a spatula to cover each peanut butter cup with brownie batter. You don’t want any of the peanut butter cups showing.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 32 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Press peanut butter cups on top of warm brownies, if desired.
• Let the brownies cool completely in the pan (this will take about an hour to an hour and a half), then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve. *To speed up the cooling process, you can pop the tray in the fridge.
• Store at room temperature, in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

Notes

Total time does not include cooling, which will take at least an hour. For tips and tricks on recipe success, please see post!

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