Whenever I’m feeling stressed, I turn to my two comfort foods — peanut butter and chocolate. These fudgy Peanut Butter Cup Brownies are the perfect combination! Imagine a gooey chocolate brownie with a peanut butter cup in the middle. These brownies will definitely cure a peanut butter craving.
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This dessert is incredibly easy to make because I used a brownie mix from a box.
What?! I used a box brownie mix? But I run a baking blog!
That’s right! And as a baking blogger, I hereby give you permission to make brownies (or anything you like) from a box mix. Mixes are easy, quick, and affordable. Also, brownie mixes taste really good, especially when you mix in peanut butter cups and chocolate chips. If you’re busy or just don’t have the energy to cook, a box mix is a great option.
If you do want to make these brownies from scratch, just substitute the box mix with your favorite recipe! No matter what mix you use this recipe for peanut butter brownies is a tasty dessert with a winning combination of flavors.
Fun brownie facts
- Brownies are considered a bar cookie
- Brownies are an American dessert
- Of all places, the first brownie recipe was published in 1897 in the Sears catalog
Just 6 ingredients
Brownie Ingredients
This easy brownie recipe uses a few ingredients that you’ll find in your pantry. To make them, you’ll need:
- A box of brownie mix – use your favorite
- Vegetable oil
- Large Eggs
- Water
- Chocolate chips – semi-sweet or dark chocolate tastes the best
- Peanut butter cups – I used eight Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
Let’s bake brownies
The great thing about this recipe is that it takes no time to make, so it’s perfect for those times when you want a quick dessert.
Step 1. Grease an 11″ by 8″ baking dish. You can add a piece of parchment paper to the pan so that once the brownies are baked, you can pull them out for easier cutting.
Step 2. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Combine the brownie mix, oil, beaten eggs, and water in a large bowl. Mix with a spoon until the ingredients are just combined.
Step 3. Stir the chocolate chips into the chocolate mixture.
Step 4. Unwrap the peanut butter cups and cut them in half.
Step 5. Pour half of your brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Now, lay the cut peanut butter cups on top of the batter. Pour the rest of the batter over the peanut butter cups and spread to cover.
Step 6. Bake the brownies for 25-30 minutes until baked through.
Step 7. Let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes then cut them into your desired sizes.
Brownie cutting tip: An easy way to cut brownies is with a plastic knife. The reason, plastic is nonstick so you will get nice clean cuts. It really works!
These are the best peanut butter brownies and they have the classic crackle top, chewy edges, and fudgy center we all love. So Yum!
More chocolate desserts to enjoy!
- Nothing but chocolate with this Chocolate Cake Torte.
- Decadent Chocolate Chips Cookies are rich and chewy.
Want more nutty desserts, One Hot Oven has them too!
- Peanut Butter Cupcakes With Caramel Frosting is just plain decadent and honestly drool-worthy.
- If muffins are your thing try these easy-to-make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins.
And one more stuffed brownie because you can’t have too many. Bake a pan of these Cookies and Cream Stuffed Brownies for all the Oreo lovers out there.
Baking tips
- You can definitely use the mini-sized peanut butter cups, just space them out depending on the size of your baking dish.
- You can use the whole peanut butter cup for a big bold peanut butter taste.
- For the baking dish, I do not suggest any dish larger than 11″ x 8″, otherwise, you will not have enough batter for the two layers. Even though the box says you can use a 13″ x 9″ pan that is too big.
- Store the brownies in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Add some espresso powder for some more in-depth flavor.
- Try chopping the peanut butter cups and layering them over the batter
- Instead of adding chocolate chips to the batter add white chocolate chips
If you are a big peanut butter lover, try using the whole peanut butter cup for a big bite of peanut butter flavor.
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A great dessert needs a pretty baking dish; this classic white 11 x 8 baking pan is the perfect size.
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Easy To Make Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 18 ounce brownie mix
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs beaten together
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 8 peanut butter cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F
- Prepare a baking dish that will hold 16 halved peanut butter cups. I use an 11" x 8" dish. Grease the bottom of the dish, or line with parchment paper.
- Unwrap eight peanut butter cups from their wrapper and cut them in half.
- In a small bowl beat the two eggs.
- In a large bowl add the brownie mix, water, oil, and the beaten eggs and mix with a spoon just blended.
- Stir in the chocolate chips
- Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking pan, then top with the 16-halved peanut butter cups. Pour the rest of the brownie batter over the top of the peanut butter cups and spread to cover.
- Bake the brownies for 25 – 30 minutes. When done let cool for about 30 minutes then cut into squares.
- Cover the leftover brownies with plastic wrap.
Notes
- Mini peanut butter cups, just space them apart on top of the first layer of batter and top with the second layer of batter.
- Use eight whole peanut butter cups.
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Nutrition
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About Jere’ Cassidy
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place. I am glad to be sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
These look so so perfect and delicious. I will make this tomorrow as Wednesday is our official brownie day! Thanks for the recipe.
I think I need an official brownie day too!
The peanut butter cup inside a brownie is a genius idea. I loved this interesting brownie recipe.
Oh goodness, chocolate and peanut butter a my total weakness. I’ll definitely be making these this week while baking like a mad woman to not go crazy during quarantine.
Luckily, I can find boxes of brownie mix so we have made this recipe several times while we are stuck at home.
I’ve made this before and it’s a fav at the parties.
This time I used mini peanut butter cups and some Reese’s peices on top of the cups and then poured the rest of the batter on top.
Another fav!
Ok, I have to try Reese’s pieces in the batter, that some awesome.
You had me at peanut butter!! What a great flavor combination. This looks so tasty. Love your easy instructions too.
all of my favourite things together!! Looks so decadent and delicious! Thanks for sharing
Wow these sound so delicious! I love that you made them so simple by using the brownie mix!
I thought this would be a good, quick recipe and perfect for kids to make.
Wow, this is so delicious, chocolate and peanut butter are a perfect flavor in making brownies.
It is a perfect pairing.
Whilst I am not keen on peanut butter on its own, I love it in a brownie! And the kids will devour these!
This is a great kid recipe and perfect for kids to make.
You combined two of my favorite desserts – peanut butter cups and brownies! I’m loving this creative and delicious recipe!
We feel the same. My family is in love with these brownies.
I love and would thoroughly enjoy the double delights of peanut butter and chocolate in this fabulously tasty brownies!
My kids loved these! My son made these for us since he has started baking while at home and they were eaten up same day!
Glad to hear your son is baking. This is definitely a kid-friendly recipe.
Chocolate and peanut butter is a delicious combination. Your brownies look so rich and moist – they’re making me drool!
This has my two favorite sweets of all time: brownies and peanut butter cups. I’m making this for our family movie night dessert.
I know chocolate and peanut butter are just perfect!
I sometimes like the convenience of using a box of brownies too. Especially if I could have them with peanut butter cups too, yum!
I actually have a box of brownies sitting on my counter. I think my husband is giving me a suggestion to make them for him.