With layers of rich chocolate surrounding a smooth peanut butter filling, these fudgy chocolate peanut butter brownies are the ultimate show stopping dessert recipe!
Are you looking for an easy chocolate treat that everyone will love?
These triple layer peanut butter brownies absolutely will not let you down!
Each peanut buttery bite tastes like eating a homemade Reese’s peanut butter cup packed into an indulgent gooey chocolate brownie crust, making it the perfect nostalgic recipe for both kids and adults.
You may also like these Sweet Potato Brownies
Watch the peanut butter brownie recipe video above
Easy peanut butter brownie recipe
The best part about the brownies is how easy they are to customize.
In fact, you can use pretty much any brownie recipe you want for the base, as long as the recipe you choose fits a standard eight inch baking pan.
For the pb brownies in the photos, I made everything from scratch. But feel free to go with a box brownie mix if you are low on cocoa powder or are running short on time and need to quickly whip up an impressive fancy dessert.
No one will ever know!
Readers also love these Peanut Butter Muffins
Ingredients for the recipe
To make the brownies, you will need peanut butter or a nut free substitute, powdered sweetener, butter or plant based butter, optional oil and chocolate chips, and the ingredients for your favorite brownies.
The recipe works with natural peanut butter or conventional brands like Skippy or Jif. Or change the flavor by substituting almond butter, cashew butter, or coconut butter.
The chocolate ganache topping can be left off completely if you wish. Or if you want an oil free chocolate ganache, feel free to simply skip the oil. The chocolate sauce still tastes delicious. It just won’t be as smooth or easily spreadable.
Peanut butter frosting
For the three ingredient peanut butter filling, cream together six tablespoons each of peanut butter and regular butter with one and a half cups of powdered sugar or powdered erythritol for sugar free brownies.
For vegan peanut butter brownies, it is fine to use a vegan butter spread and this recipe for Vegan Brownies as the chocolate brownie base.
If the peanut butter frosting is too thick, add a half tablespoon milk of choice.
The frosting recipe makes enough to cover one batch of brownies. If you want to make extra, store leftover frosting in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Cheesecake frosting
Prefer a cream cheese frosting instead of a buttercream?
Simply whip up eight ounces of softened cream cheese with half a cup of peanut butter, a pinch of salt, one cup of powdered sugar, and one and a half teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.
You can use this instead of the buttercream frosting above if you wish. The recipe was adapted from both my Peanut Butter Dip and Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.
How to make peanut butter brownies
Start by preparing and baking your chocolate brownie base. This can be done the day before to save time if you wish.
Blend the peanut butter frosting ingredients in a stand mixer or with hand beaters until completely smooth. Spread this peanut butter filling over the brownies.
If desired, melt three ounces of chocolate chips or broken up chocolate bars with half a teaspoon of vegetable or coconut oil. Swirl or smooth this over the frosted brownies, then chill in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate hardens.
The resulting tasty brownie treat is chewy, soft, dense, fudgy, and packed with rich chocolate peanut butter flavor!
Peanut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- You can use any brownie recipe that fits an 8-inch pan, such as Black Bean Brownies or Keto Brownies
Peanut Butter Filling
Chocolate Coating (Optional)
- 3 oz chocolate chips or broken-up chocolate bar
- 1/2 tsp oil
Instructions
- Bake brownies according to recipe directions. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Make sure butter and peanut butter are soft, then whip all filling ingredients together until completely smooth. (I used a hand mixer for smoother results, but technically you can use a fork if you're very patient.) Spread over brownies. If desired, carefully melt chocolate, stir in oil, smooth over peanut butter layer, and freeze to set. View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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Liv13 says
These look very good!
Alexandra says
I can’t wait to make these. They look so delicious. Peanut butter and chocolate is a perfect combination in my opinion.
Susan Skidmore says
I just made the brownies and how long should they cool before topping with peanut butter mixture?
Mary says
Ooh-maybe we swap out your pb mouse for a slightly healthier option than the butter:)
Alana says
I was so excited bc my brownies looked just like Katie’s! The only problem is the bottom layer turned out way too dry. I followed Katie’s brownie’s from scratch recipe and I baked them for 18 mins instead of 20 mins like the instructions said, other than that, I followed both recipes to the T! What can I do different next time to make the brownies moist?
I love your recipes💛
Thank you!
Candace says
For this would you use salted or unsalted butter? I always get confused 🙂
CCK Media Team says
Salted butter 🙂
Angie says
These have to be refrigerated after making, correct? They can’t be left on the counter and forgotten?
CCK Media Team says
We refrigerate for freshness. But they can definitely be left out for a few hours with no harm 🙂
Seamus says
Advertised as the full brownie, but needs an actual brownie recipe.
lollo says
I made these with gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour, and they were excellent. My peanut buttercream was a bit loose, maybe because I used natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt, the kind that needs to be stirred) and not peanut butter with added oils. Could that be it? Either way, it wasn’t really an issue.
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for making them! Hmm, what other specific ingredients/brands did you use in the frosting? We almost always use natural peanut butter too 🙂
lollo says
Sorry for the late reply. Thank you for responding to my comment. Your email was marked as spam, and I only saw it now. I used Adam’s natural peanut butter, Country Crock buttery spread, Kroger powdered sugar, and unsweetened Silk soy milk (from what I remember).
Cakey says
WoW! These peanut butter brownies were SO GOOD!
Alison says
I used sunflower butter because my peanut butter was too chunky & ganached the chocolate topping oh boy was this crummy absolutely divine will use p/nut butter in future but this was a great success
jen says
These are delicious. Peanut butter and chocolate are a perfect combination in my opinion.
Barbara says
I am wondering if anyone has tried this sort of recipe with the powdered peanut butter. If so, how did you adapt the recipe and did it turn out well?
Debra says
I made these and they are delicious! The peanut butter filling is less than the thickness of the brownie for sure. Overall, they were very good.
Leah Nicole says
This was delicious! I followed a recipe elsewhere I found for ooeygooey brownies. I subbed the oil for vegetable shortening and I’m so glad I did. So yummy !
Phala Bowles says
You claim to be Vegan yet recommend ” conventional” peanutbutter are you kidding. How very destructive we all know this if you are Vegan you definitely would know.
Christina says
These are amazing!! Made them with your black bean brownie recipe and they turned out sooo good! Even had some people that “don’t like healthy desserts” love them (although I did not tell them about the black beans ;-)). Highly recommend!