If chocolate and peanut butter are your thing, this buckeye brownies recipe is for you! The rich fudgy brownies and thick peanut butter layer are just meant to go together. They may just become your new favorite dessert.
This recipe combines two of our favorite treats, chocolaty brownies and peanut butter buckeyes. Let me tell you, this is definitely an instance where two good things are even better together!
As happens with a lot of these recipes, it started with a request from my brother. When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday dessert, he requested some sort of brownies with peanut butter frosting.
While that would have been delicious, the idea evolved inside my head. And that is how these beauties were born.
Some peanut butter buttercream or even peanut butter cream cheese frosting would have been good, but I am quite comfortable telling you that these were even better.
But, don’t take my word for it. Make some to see for yourself!
The Brownies
Of course you need some tasty brownies to build on. Ever since we started making homemade brownie mix, that is our go to.
You can make up several batches and keep it in your pantry. And make a few to gift while you are at it.
Or do what we do, and just use that as the base recipe without making the mix separately. They are so easy to put together and they taste great.
However, you can certainly pick up a box mix from the store or use your favorite recipe. Just make sure it is sized appropriately to make in a 9×13-inch pan.
Or you can halve the toppings and make a recipe that works for an 8×8-inch pan. You can do that easily by pushing the button in the recipe card.
Just take a couple of minutes off the bake time if you are reducing the size of the recipe. Or just go for it and make the whole thing, you won’t regret it!
The Peanut Butter Layer
I am a sucker for good peanut butter recipes, so of course this layer is the star of the show for me. It is based on our favorite buckeyes.
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In order to make it spreadable, I went ahead and melted the butter. That helps to make it a little easier to work with, but it also sets up nicely.
I find it easiest to spread over the brownies if you drop it by the small spoonful over the brownies. Then all you have to do is smooth it together.
Chocolate on Top
To really bring the buckeye theme home, we put a little bit of extra chocolate on top.
Is it gilding the lily a bit? Probably.
Am I ashamed? Not one little bit.
We have come this far, we might as well make them as good as possible.
I wanted them to have the feeling of biting through the chocolate shell of buckeyes, but also wanted it to be soft enough to cut through.
Melting a little bit of butter into chocolate chips helped to find that balance. It is more solid than a frosting, but cuts instead of shatters.
My family prefers milk chocolate, especially Little Dude. But you can use whatever you like best.
They are going to be good no matter what!
Well, that’s it! I hope you enjoy these buckeye brownies as much as we have. For more tasty brownie inspiration, check out my collection of brownie and blondie recipes.
Buckeye Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie layer:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup melted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Peanut Butter Layer:
- 1 16 oz. jar creamy peanut butter or 2 cups
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 Tablespoon milk
Chocolate Topping:
- 1½ cups chocolate chips
- 6 Tablespoons butter
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9×13-inch pan
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1½ cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup cocoa powder.
- Stir in 1 cup melted butter , 3 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Add ½ cup chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.
- Spread in the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool before proceeding.
Peanut Butter Filling
- In a large bowl, stir together 1 16 oz. jar creamy peanut butter and melted ½ cup unsalted butter.
- Stir in 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt, and 1 Tablespoon milk. It should be a really thick frosting consistency, soft enough to spread but stiff enough to easily hold its shape. If needed, add a few more drops of milk so that it comes together.
- Drop the peanut butter mixture by the spoonful over the cooled brownies. Spread until it forms a smooth layer.
- Put in the refrigerator to chill while you melt the chocolate.
Chocolate Topping
- In a medium glass bowl, melt together the 1½ cups chocolate chips and 6 Tablespoons butter. Microwave in short 20-30 second bursts until you can stir it smooth.
- Spread over the peanut butter layer.
- Allow to set for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
Video
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Great recipe, these are addictive, I add 1 tsp. of coffee to the brownies and 1 tsp. coffee to the ganache. Natural peanut putter worked fine for me. 10/10. Tastes perfect with ice cold milk.
Adding coffee is a great idea! I am so glad you liked them!
“Am I ashamed?” lol!! Ok, I’m officially stalking you now! Hope you don’t mind, but these look too good not to comment on!
Mollie
They are worth every calorie!
This is brilliant! I never thought to make the buckeyes in brownie form! They look so good!
It’s the combination of two of our favorite desserts, and they are even better together!