Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
These Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Brownies feature a chewy brownie base topped with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups!
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Ah, Halloween is almost here! Less than 24 hours left to plan out my costume and go get some Halloween candy. Hah…who am I kidding? My Roman gladiator costume is ready to go and I bought an inordinate number of bags of Halloween candy back in September (it was for “research”). Today’s recipe is a perfect dessert if you happen to have leftover Reese’s cups after Halloween. (I never have that problem. But I may or may not pick up some clearance bags of Reese’s the day after Halloween. Just sayin’.)
The best part about these Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Brownies is you can use your favorite brownie recipe (even a boxed mix) and just finish it with this fun little peanut butter cup technique. So it really doesn’t take all that long to make…and your family and friends will most certainly be impressed! The peanut butter cups get added for the last 5 minutes, so they only get kinda melty and gooey.
I ended up using a knife to gently chop the peanut butter centers after the brownies came out of the oven. Then just grab an offset spatula and spread the peanut butter chunks and melted chocolate into a gooey, delicious topping for your brownies. Let the whole thing cool (or better yet, throw it in the fridge and chill them slightly) and you’ve got an easy and fun dessert with your leftover Halloween candy. (I haven’t tried this with other candy…yet. I suspect it would be delicious with Twix, Snickers, Almond Joy, Kit-Kat, Symphony, etc, etc.)
After listing all those other fun variations, I think I might need to go make another batch of these brownies now.
Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1¼ cups cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder optional
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2¼ cups sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- 12 snack-size Reese peanut butter cups unwrapped
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add eggs, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, vanilla, and espresso powder (optional). Beat until fully combined.
- Using a medium saucepan, melt the butter and then add the sugar. Stir and continue heating until sugar is mostly dissolved into the butter.
- Add the sugar/butter mixture to the cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.
- Add the flour and chocolate chips and stir until smooth.
- Transfer the batter into a greased 9"x13" pan.
- Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and place Reese peanut butter cups on top of the brownies.
- Return pan to oven and continue baking for 4-5 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out clean.
- Use a knife (or edge of an offset spatula) to coarsely chop the peanut butter centers of the Reese cups. Use an offset spatula to spread the melted Reese cups into a smooth topping. Let cool (or chill slightly) before cutting and serving.
Looking for more tasty brownie recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Chocolate Brownies with Strawberry Buttercream
Bourbon Pecan Brownies
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Stuffed Brownies
What a fun idea! Halloween is the time of year I feel totally justified in baking with candy bars, and peanut butter cups are my favorite!
Thanks so much, Jennifer! There’s something about Halloween that just brings my inner candy monster out. (or just makes it socially acceptable to be out) 🙂
Yeah, I can pretty much get down with these! Good thing too, since we have tons of Reese’s in the house (our halloween got rained upon)!
Haha…thanks so much, Aimee! (and for the record, I’m a wee bit jealous that you had a Halloween candy thunderstorm) 🙂
Like that old commercial, “Two great tastes that taste great together….Peanut Butter and Chocolate, the perfect Love Affair!”
I think I gained 2 pounds just reading this. 🙂
Sounds delicious!
Haha…great quote on the old commercial, SueAnn! And we all know that calories from Halloween candy aren’t real calories! 🙂
Why have I never put peanut butter together with brownies? I must rectify this at once! 🙂
Haha, you most definitely need to rectify that ASAP! Thanks for stopping by, Rachel!