Peanut Butter Cup Brownies are thick, fudgy brownies loaded with creamy peanut butter chips and chopped peanut butter cups — a dream for chocolate and peanut butter lovers.
If you love a classic fudgy brownie, this recipe builds on that base and turns it into something even more indulgent. The chocolatey batter is studded with peanut butter chips and packed with chopped peanut butter cups for texture and rich flavor.
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies — The Best Combo of Chocolate & Peanut Butter
These brownies combine a dense, fudgy chocolate base with creamy peanut butter chips and plenty of chopped peanut butter cups. If you enjoy peanut butter and chocolate together, these brownies deliver on flavor and texture without being overly complicated.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
You can make these brownies from scratch for the best texture and flavor, but if you need a shortcut, a family-sized boxed brownie mix works too—just stir in the peanut butter chips and chopped cups and bake in a 9×13 pan following package directions.
From scratch, this recipe gives you chewy, intensely chocolate brownies that hold up to the added peanut butter pieces.
Milk Chocolate vs. Semi-Sweet
The original recipe uses semi-sweet chocolate for depth, but you can substitute milk chocolate for a sweeter, milder flavor. You can also combine semi-sweet and milk chocolate to taste.
Make the Chocolate Flavor More Intense
If you prefer a deeper chocolate profile, stir a small amount of espresso powder into the batter along with the salt. It enhances chocolate without adding coffee flavor.
Mix-Ins and Variations
These brownies are delicious as written, but you can customize them with a few simple changes:
- More peanut butter cups: Increase the chopped cups if you want more peanut butter in every bite—avoid adding more than about 1/2 cup extra so the structure stays balanced.
- Chocolate chips: Swap peanut butter chips for chocolate chips for extra chocolate pockets.
- Chopped peanuts: Add up to 1/2 cup for crunch and contrast.
- Reese’s Pieces: Use these instead of peanut butter chips for a colorful, crunchy option.
- Snickers pieces: Replace the peanut butter cups with chopped Snickers to create a candy-themed brownie variation.
Ingredients
- 2 cups semisweet chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
- 1 (10.5-ounce) bag peanut butter cups (about 14), coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with foil and coat it with nonstick spray; set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Stir constantly until melted and smooth, then remove from heat immediately.
- Whisk the brown and granulated sugars into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until fully incorporated after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Mix in the salt and flour until just combined. Fold in the peanut butter chips and half of the chopped peanut butter cups. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and press the remaining chopped cups into the top.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge comes out clean. Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven; the center should be set but still fudgy.
- Cool the brownies completely in the pan before lifting out the foil and cutting into squares.
Notes
Store brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For an even fudgier texture, let them rest overnight before serving.
Nutrition (approx.)
- Serving Size: 1 brownie
- Calories: 257
- Sugar: 24.6 g
- Sodium: 87.3 mg
- Fat: 14.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50.4 mg
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
- Author: Shelly
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 20 brownies
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
