These layered Peanut Butter Brownies have a fudgy chocolate base filled with roasted peanuts. Topped first with an amazing peanut butter frosting and then a chocolate layer, what’s not to love!
Peanut Butter brownies have kept me going while working at home this past month. They’re rich and decadent without being overly sweet. Cut them into small portions and grab one out of the freezer when you need a pick me up. It just takes a few minutes for them to thaw and you’ll be rewarded with a fabulous layered chocolate brownie treat.
All my friends have been getting some version of these fudgy brownies as I’ve experimented with the recipe trying to get the proportions just right, and I’ve been getting very favorable reviews. If you love peanut butter then you’ve got to try these, if you want a fancier dessert with these flavors, my gang is always asking for peanut butter pie. Need something in a hurry, go with peanut butter Chex cereal bars.
For the frosting, I started with the filling that I use in my sandwich cookies, but used crunchy peanut butter and added some vanilla and nutmeg.
To keep them from being too sweet, a layer of chocolate is added to the top. The brownie layer itself is made with bittersweet chocolate and no cocoa powder for a different texture than my favorite fudgie brownie recipe. But you don’t just get the great peanut taste in the frosting, there are also chopped roasted peanuts throughout the brownie layer making them crunchy.
These are pretty rich and the recipe makes a lot so you can share and still have enough to keep some stashed in your freezer.
How do you make three layered brownies
Step 1: Brownie layer – Melt butter and chocolate and whisk in sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk in eggs until it’s glossy.
Fold in flour and then chopped peanuts, it will be thick. Bake and let cool completely.
Step 2: Peanut butter frosting – Mix peanut butter and butter and then add powdered sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and a little milk and mix until combined. Spread on top of cooled brownies.
Step 3: Chocolate layer – Melt butter and semisweet chocolate and spread over the top of the peanut butter frosting. Refrigerate until set then cut into squares.
What type of chocolate should you use
For the brownie itself, I used 60% bittersweet chocolate bars, this gives them a rich chocolate flavor. For the chocolate top layer I wanted something a bit sweeter since there’s no added sugar, I used semisweet. You can substitute whatever type of chocolate you like best. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please know that I only provide links to things that I use on a regular basis and think you might find helpful.)
This chocolate and peanut butter combination is not as sweet as brownies with Reese’s cups, or turtle brownies, instead you get rich chocolate layers with a crunchy peanut butter frosting that’s just sweet enough to compliment the chocolate without giving you too much of a sugar rush.
Since these freeze so well, you can make them in advance for the next time you’re having friends over, it’s the perfect ending to any dinner and while they have a couple of steps, this recipe is fool proof.
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Peanut Butter Brownies
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons butter
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup roasted salted peanuts chopped
- 1 ½ cups chunky peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 7 ounces semisweet choc chopped
Instructions
- BROWNIES: Preheat oven to 325º. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.
- In a microwave safe bowl add the butter and chocolate and cook on 50% power for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until the chocolate has melted.
- Whisk in the sugar, vanilla and salt. Add cold eggs, one at a time, whisking after each. Fold in the flour and mix, just until combined. Fold in the peanuts and pour into prepared pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. Let it cool on a wire rack.
- FROSTING: Once the brownies have cooled, add peanut butter and 6 tablespoons of softened butter to the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat until well blended. You can also use a hand mixer. Add powdered sugar, salt, and nutmeg and then add milk and vanilla.
- Using an offset spatula or a knife, spread the frosting over cooled brownies.
- GLAZE: Add 4 tablespoons butter and semisweet chocolate to a microwave safe bowl and cook at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until melted, smooth and shiny.
- Spoon it over the frosting and smooth with an offset spatula or knife. Refrigerate until the frosting and glaze have set, About an hour. If you wait too long and the glaze is hard, let it warm up until the glaze is pliable before cutting.
Nutrition
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