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Peanut Butter Brownies

5 from 124 votes

With layers of rich chocolate surrounding a smooth peanut butter filling, these fudgy chocolate peanut butter brownies are the ultimate show stopping dessert recipe!

Easy Peanut Butter Brownies 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

Three Layer Reese's Peanut Butter Brownies

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!

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Stirring Brownie Ingredients In A Bowl with a spoon
Chocolate Ganache Topped Brownies

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.

Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies

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.

The Best Peanut Butter Brownie Recipe

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.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Bars

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 Cup Brownie Recipe
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Peanut Butter Brownies

These fudgy homemade peanut butter brownies are a delicious dessert recipe that everyone will love!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield 10 -14 brownies
5 from 124 votes

Ingredients

Brownies

Peanut Butter Filling

  • 6 tbsp peanut butter, or allergy friendly sub
  • 6 tbsp butter (butter free options listed above)
  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar or erythritol
  • 1 1/2 tsp milk of choice

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

Still craving a chocolate dessert? Try this Brownie In A Mug.
 

Have you made this recipe?

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Published on August 21, 2022

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Reader Interactions

28 Comments

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  1. Alexandra says

    I can’t wait to make these. They look so delicious. Peanut butter and chocolate is a perfect combination in my opinion.

  2. Alana says

    5 stars
    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!

  3. lollo says

    5 stars
    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 🙂

  4. 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).

  5. Alison says

    5 stars
    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

  6. 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?

  7. 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.

  8. Leah Nicole says

    5 stars
    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 !

  9. 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.

  10. Christina says

    5 stars
    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!

  11. Alana Tuttle says

    5 stars
    5 stars ⭐️ are for you and for the recipe itself, but they’re not for me and my experience. I followed everything in your recipe and my brownies filled up my entire kitchen with that homemade fudgey brownie smell that you remember as a kid…we couldn’t wait to try them! When the layers were complete and everything was done I couldn’t believe how perfect they looked, I mean exactly like your beautiful photos!! Once I took a bite I was so disappointed I actually cried! I really messed up somewhere so I will try again and will let you know how they turn out! But for now there are new recipes to try because pumpkin🎃 season is on its way and Autumn is my favorite time of year!!

  12. Teddi Armstrong says

    5 stars
    I plan to make a 9×13 pan of brownies. Can you provide ingredient amounts for the peanut butter filling to cover a 9×13 size? Thanks!

  13. Leslie says

    Making them now. How to you cut them so perfectly with the hardened chocolate on top? I made them before and they were delicious but didn’t look half as pretty as yours! What is your secret to cutting them ?

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