Is there anything better than chocolate and peanut butter? It’s one of my favorite dessert combinations! I decided to make these Peanut Butter Brownies when we were headed to a friends for dinner. They are very rich so a little goes a long way, but they are AMAZING. The only obstacle of note is that each layer needs to set before you can continue, so be sure to make these the night before or plan accordingly.
My failures: I definitely did NOT add enough powdered sugar to the final layer. I was in a hurry because I was running out of time before we needed to leave for dinner. Don’t rush that last layer!! It needs to be a lot thicker than I made it and it needs the full amount of time in the freezer. Because I didn’t add enough powdered sugar it wouldn’t set right. So please be aware and cautious when you make it, don’t skimp on the powdered sugar! 🙂
You also want to make sure you heat your knife before cutting the brownies. They have been in the freezer for a while so this will make it easier for you to cut. I just run the knife over warm water and then wipe off excess water before cutting. Repeat as necessary to make cleaner cut brownies.
Overall Review 4.5/5
These peanut butter brownies are amazing! They are fudgy, with the perfect balance of chocolate and peanut butter. This recipe makes plenty because they are a very rich brownie. They would be perfect for a get together, party or if you wanted to hand out treats to friends. A little goes a long way with these brownies! I do think that if you are in a time crunch and don’t want to spend the time making the homemade brownies, you could do a box brownie and still get a good taste. The homemade brownies are fr superior in my opinion, but getting that top layer correct is more important!
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Lucy’s Peanut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies (bottom layer)
- 1 cup Unsalted butter 2 sticks
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 4 Large Eggs
Topping (Middle Layer)
- 1 16 oz Jar of Creamy Peanut Butter
Frosting (Top Layer)
- 8 tbsp Unsalted Butter 1 stick
- 10 Large Marshmallows
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar More for thicker frosting
- 1/3 cup Whole Milk
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Instructions
Brownies (bottom layer)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray
- Heat a small saucepan over low heat and add butter. Wait until butter has melted and whisk in the cocoa. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, combine granulated sugar, flour and salt. Add the cooled cocoa butter mixture and mix on medium speed until well mixed. Add the eggs and vanilla slowly and mix until well combined.
- Spread your brownie mixture evenly over your prepared baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted only comes out with a few crumbs. (if your oven runs hot, watch carefully so it doesn't over bake)
- Let brownies cool completely. This can take anywhere from 30-40 minutes.
Topping (Middle Layer)
- Take your peanut butter and place in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 15 seconds to soften and make easier to spread. Stir heated peanut butter and spread on top of cooled brownies. Once this layer is on, put brownies in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.
Frosting (Top Layer)
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and marshmellows. Once melted add powdered sugar, milk and cocoa. Stir until completely smooth. I recommend using more sugar to make it a thicker frosting (but this is up to you).
- Spread this mixture on top of the peanut butter layer and freeze for another 30-40 minutes.
- Once completed, heat a knife under warm water, wipe off excess water and cut brownies into squares. It's up to you how many you want and how big the squares are, but it should make at least 20-24 brownies.
