Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Brownies
These Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Brownies are the perfect combination of decadent chocolate, sweet peanut butter filing and moist chocolate brownies.
There are certain combinations in life that just are meant to go together. Levi jeans and Converse sneakers, Disco and the Bee Gees, peanut butter and chocolate. That’s right!! Today’s post is not about springtime salads and healthy eating. I have to tell you about an amazing recipe from The Blonde Buckeye.
As we talked about in my Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie post, peanut butter and chocolate together is honestly my favorite flavor combination and in my mind, absolute heavenly perfection! The sweetness of the chocolate, the creamy, saltiness peanut butter … every day, all day. That’s how often I could attack helpless packages of peanut butter cup candies (you KNOW the ones I mean)… but alas … my waistline will not allow such foolish dreams so moderation must come into full play.
But let me find a legitimate excuse…….
Now, I have to say that I have been blessed with two amazing Aunts in my life, my Aunt Patti and my Aunt Terri. I also have a ridiculously cool Uncle Timmy but that’s a whole different post.. haha
Both of my Aunts are strong willed, funny, outspoken, determined, amazing women and I owe a lot of who I am today to their credit. They are my role models and who I look up to and who I reach out to in good, bad or just need a laugh.
They also keep Miller Lite in business and for that, I am sure we are all thankful.
Most of my family live far away in Michigan, so when the weather starts turning nice down here in Florida, I know vacation time is not far off and that one or the other of my Aunts will soon be heading my way. A smile creeps across my face, the change in the Force can be felt and I know I can look forward to having a lot of fun with my family.
I knew that Terri & my Uncle Ed (who is so awesome in his own right!) would be coming down in a few weeks so my search for the perfect ‘something’ to cook began. We are real laid back people, give us some cold beer and a bowl of chips and salsa and we are happy for hours. But now, there’s the legitimate excuse factor to remember, right? So, Terri and Ed loaded up the truck and made the trek down, all the while my chocolate peanut butter wheels are turning. But in the interest in being a responsible person, I need to make sure that this is a flavor combination that will go over well. I mean, I am sure there are people out there that don’t care for the two together and Terri is all about food that is cute and little baby water bottles so could it be possible that chocolate and peanut butter wouldn’t be appreciated? Is that possible in my own family? So I had to do it.. I had to ask. So I fire off a text and ask my aunt do you and Uncle Ed like chocolate peanut butter together.. and I waited … and waited … because I really want to try this dessert but me and Big Scary Mike CERTAINLY do not need an entire container of these laying around the house… why isn’t she answering??… she’s trapped in a car, driving 1900 miles.. what else does she have to do???… answer me!!!!!! Then it came and her answer was classic. “Of course we do. We are American” Now that made me laugh out loud so that being said, there is probably nothing more American than this dessert with the exception of Detroit Tiger baseball, Miller Lite and apple pie.
And I have a recipe for that too. Haha!
I sincerely wish I could take credit for this recipe because it is ridiculously amazing! But alas, I found this recipe for Buckeye Brownies on Pinterest. The only change that I could see to make to this recipe was adding just a little bit of instant coffee to the chocolate components to bring out the richness but other than that, this recipe is pretty much as she wrote it and it is it will knock your socks off! I mean really, is there anything more perfect than putting together the taste of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg and a brownie. Let me assure you, there is not. And if you can find something wrong with those two things being together, I just don’t think we can be friends anymore.
Just kidding.
So finally, an excuse to try this recipe and I can assure you, the wait was worth it. Nothing but love for these little squares of perfection! So the next time that you need a quick, easy, amazing dessert recipe.. this is it!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Brownies
Start by making your brownies. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Also line the pan with parchment paper, enough so that it hangs over the sides a bit as this is very helpful in removing your brownies so that you can frost them.
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Set aside. In a sauce pan, melt your chocolate chips and butter over medium heat.
Continuously stir until smooth and then add in the instant coffee, if you are using it.
Remove from the heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly. After the 5-10 minutes go by, whisk in the sugar and vanilla. Add in your eggs, one at a time and then fold into the flour mixture until it just barely comes together. Take care not to over mix the batter. Pour your batter into your baking pan and cook for 25-30 minutes.
When done, remove from the oven and set pan on a cooling rack, letting your brownies cool completely (at least 2 hours)
When your brownies are cool, start your peanut butter filling. In a large bowl, beat together butter and peanut butter until smooth.
Add in the confectioners sugar, little by little until all is incorporated.
Add vanilla, whipping cream and salt and continue to beat together for another minute. Carefully remove your brownies from their pan using the parchment paper to lift them up so that your brownies are one solid sheet. Spread the peanut butter filling over the cooled brownies, creating a thick layer.
Now make your chocolate topping. In the same saucepan you used earlier, combine your chocolate chips, peanut butter and instant coffee, if you are using. Continuously stir until everything is melted and smooth. Again, allow your mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes and then pour the topping over the peanut butter layer and smoother evenly, pushing the chocolate out to each edge of the brownie.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Yes, ONE HOUR!
At that point, I removed the brownies and cut off the very edges so that all of the brownies were perfect squares. Don’t worry, those edges didn’t go to waste (#qualitycontrol)
Please believe me when I say that these brownies are amazing and you will love every bite of them! No go find an excuse to make them.. even if that means asking a relative to drive 1900 miles to just to see you. Trust me, they are worth it.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Brownies
Ingredients
- Brownies
- ¾ cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chopped or Chips
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Eggs
- 1/2 tsp instant coffee (optional)
- Peanut Butter
- ½ cup butter , softened
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2½ cups confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbl heavy whipping cream
- 1 pinch of Salt
- Chocolate Topping
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chopped or Chips
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 tsp instant coffee (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, enough so that it hangs over the sides
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt and set aside.
- In a sauce pan, melt your chocolate chips and butter over medium heat.
- Continuously stir until smooth and then add in the instant coffee, if you are using it.
- Remove from the heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool slightly.
- After the 5-10 minutes go by, whisk in the sugar and vanilla.
- Add in your eggs, one at a time and then fold into the flour mixture until it just barely comes together.
- Take care not to over mix the batter.
- Pour your batter into your baking pan and cook for 25-30 minutes.
- When done, remove from the oven and set pan on a cooling rack, letting your brownies cool completely (at least 2 hours)
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and peanut butter until smooth.
- Add in the confectioners sugar, little by little until all is incorporated.
- Add vanilla, whipping cream and salt and continue to beat together for another minute.
- Carefully remove your brownies from their pan using the parchment paper to lift them up so that your brownies are one solid sheet.
- Spread the peanut butter filling over the cooled brownies, creating a thick layer.
- In the same saucepan you used earlier, combine your chocolate chips, peanut butter and instant coffee, if you are using.
- Continuously stir until everything is melted and smooth.
- Again, allow your mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes and then pour the topping over the peanut butter layer and smoother evenly, pushing the chocolate out to each edge of the brownie.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
