Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Brownies with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Glaze

This page contains affiliate links. 

Good morning! I don't know about you but I love chocolate and peanut butter, especially when paired together. I recently found a bag of peanut butter cups in my pantry and I thought I why add them to my favorite brownie recipe. Once I did that I thought why not add another layer of chocolaty, peanut butter goodness to the brownies by drizzling melted peanut butter over the top. Then I made chocolate peanut butter and drizzled that over the top as well. The result? Chocolaty, peanut buttery perfection. 

These brownies are fudgy, creamy, moist and filled with peanut butter goodness. You will love them. 

Brownie Base
Recipe from: Baker by Nature

Ingredients

11/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa
11 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 teaspoon Espresso Powder 

11/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

5 eggs. at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

9 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 9 x 13" baking pan with butter or cooking spray, then line parchment paper and butter or spray that as well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa, set aside.
In a heat proof bowl put the chopped chocolate, the butter and the espresso powder, place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the butter and chocolate are melted and well combined and smooth.
Turn the heat off and leave the bowl over the water, add both sugars and whisk until combined. Then remove the bowl from the water and let cool to room temperature.
Once chocolate mixture is room temperature, 3 room temperature eggs and whisk until combined. Add the last 2 eggs, whisk until combined, then whisk in the  vanilla extract.
DO not over-beat the batter or the brownies will be cake like and not fudgy.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture, with a rubber spatula fold the flour mixture into the chocolate, until just a bit of the flour is visible. Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups. 
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, ROTATE the pan after 15 minutes, then bake for another 15 minutes.
Bake only until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Let cool on a wire rack.

Drizzle coold brownies with melted peanut butter, followed by melted chocolate peanut butter. 

Peanut Butter Drizzle

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter melted

Chocolate Peanut Butter

1/4 cup dark chocolate

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Melt the peanut butter and the chocolate together. 

Then remove from pan, cut into squares and enjoy!

Chocolate Guinness Stout Brownies

This week is St. Patrick's day and there are a lot of great recipes out there to celebrate with. One of my absolute favorites are these Chocolate-Guiness Stout Brownies from Bon Appetit. This recipe is easy and delicious! The brownies are dense, moist, and fudgey, more like a baked fudge than a regular brownie. The stout gives a little bit of a nutty flavor and the coffee makes the chocolate more rich.

Chocolate Guiness Stout Brownies

Recipe from Bon Appetit

1/2 cup of Guiness Stout or chocolate Stout

1/4 cup strong coffee(my addition)

12 oz. chocolate, semisweet, bittersweet or a combination

1 cup butter

11/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with foil and cooking spray. In a medium saucepan bring stout and coffee to a boil and reduce to 1/4 cup. 

In a double boiler or a bowl set over a pan of simmering water melt the chocolate and the butter and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool a little. 

Whisk eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl to blend. Then add the chocolate and the stout/coffee mixture. Once smooth, fold in the flour and the salt. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. 

Cool on wire rack then enjoy.

Note: The original recipe does not include coffee, I add it because I think it makes the brownies taste richer. Also, the original had a chocolate stout glaze/frosting. I just drizzles mine with a little melted chocolate I had. You can obviously do whatever you like. 

I hope that you have a great day! Enjoy!

Linking to:
The Scoop
Talk of the Town
Ducks in a Row
The Essence of Home

Fluffernutter Brownies

Good Morning! Happy Saturday! I hope that you have wonderful plans for the day. My weekends always include baking. Last week I was still trying to rid my pantry of some Reese's Easter Eggs, not because I don't love them but because I do not think a person is supposed to eat one after each meal including breakfast. Especially if they want to fit in their Summer clothes.

Inspired by many layered brownie recipes I made these using, three main ingredients, a brownie mix, Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs, and some marshmallows. It is that easy, and I have to tell you that you will have to give some away ASAP or you will eat the entire pan.

Fluffernutter Brownies:

Ingredients:

1 Box Brownie mix for 13 x 9 pan  (plus ingredients listed on package, eggs, oil, water)

8-10 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

1 cup of mini marshmallows

1 cup of chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to directions on brownie mix. Prepare 9 x 9 pan, not 13 x 9.

Mix brownies according to directions, spread half of the batter in the bottom of prepared pan. Place peanut butter cups/eggs over the brownies mix and gently push into the batter. Arrange marshmallows around the peanut butter butter cups, almost like grout. Sprinkle with chocolate chips if preferred.  Pour remaining batter over the top and bake about 45 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack. 

Do not over bake and if you like gooey brownies than cook less time. 

These brownies are moist and chocolaty but also creamy from the marshmallows and have a burst of peanut butter in each bite! I prefer them warm and think they taste the best just after they cool but  obviously enjoy them as you prefer. Perhaps plain or even in a  brownie sundae.

Enjoy your day!

Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

1. Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies
   Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
   
   
   Pumpkin Swirl:
   
   
   4 ounces cream cheese, softened and room temperature
2. 1 tablespoon butter, softened
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 1 egg
5. 11/2 cups canned pumpkin
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
7. 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8. 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

   1/4 teaspoon allspice

   
   

   Brownies:
9. 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
10. 11/4 cups all-purpose flour

    3/4 teaspoon baking powder
11. 1/2 teaspoon salt
12. 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
13. 3/4 cup butter, cut up
14. 21/4 cups sugar
15. 4 eggs
16.                    1/4 cup milk
17. 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

    1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

    
    

    OR

    Use one Box Ghirardelli Brownie Mix for 13 x 9 Pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 13x9  baking pan with foil, extend foil over the edges of the pan. Grease the foil or spray with cooking spray then set pan aside.

In a medium mixing bowl beat room temperature cream cheese and the 1 tablespoon butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add  sugar. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in 1 egg, the pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, and all of the spices, until combined. Stir in the 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.

Prepared Box Mix:

If using  Ghirardelli brownie mix or your favorite brand then prepare according to directions on the back of the box and pour mixture into greased and foiled pan. Add cream cheese pumpkin mixture in spoon fulls to the top of the brownie batter, swirl with a knife.  Bake 1 hour.

Directions for Brownies from Scratch:

In a small bowl stir together the 1-1/4 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a saucepan combine the chocolate and 3/4 cup butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add sugar, beating with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk and the vanilla bean paste. Gradually beat in flour mixture just until combined DO NOT OVER MIX! Spread chocolate mixture evenly in the prepared pan.

***Spoon cream cheese mixture in several dollops on top of the chocolate batter. Using a knife, gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the chocolate batter. 

Bake about 60 minutes or until center is just set when pan is gently shaken. Cool in pan on a wire rack, then life brownies out of pan with foil, cut into squares and serve. 

See the little chunks of cream cheese?

I made these brownies recently and I have to tell you they are my favorite  brownie ever! They are that good! Now, if you do not like pumpkin or cheesecake, than you will not like these brownies. 

That said, the recipe is easy and if you want you can even use a prepared mix and just add the pumpkin swirl on top. I have made them both ways and they are good whichever way you make them. But,  I prefer them made with the Ghirardelli box mix, maybe it was the addition of the chocolate chunks or the fact that I was hungry, I do not know.

Do make sure that your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature, as you can see in the photos I did not, that is why there are little white chunks of cream cheese, they do not detract from the taste but they look a little funny.

I hope you enjoy these brownies! Have a great day!

Linking to:
O so she Says..

Joy the Baker Chocolate Brownies with Whipped Butter Cream Frosting

Yes, another brownie recipe. I have been frantically pinning on Pinterest and I have noticed a disturbing trend, all of my recipes are either filled with sugar or cheese. Obviously this one is filled with chocolate and sugar.



I have been a follower of Joy the Baker for some time now and see her beautiful recipes and creations all over blog land and Pinterest. After seeing these brownies countless times I decided to order her beautiful cookbook and then to make a few things, these brownies are the first recipe I tried.

If you like chocolate, and I think you might because otherwise you would not be reading a blog called Once Upon a Chocolate Life, you will LOVE these brownies. They are chocolaty, filled with chocolate chips and then over the top with whipped chocolate butter cream frosting.

Chocolate Brownies
adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of butter
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Buttercream Frosting:

3/4 cup of butter softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
21/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup malted milk powder (Kraft, Ovaltine, etc)

Directions:

Grease a 8x8 inch baking pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.

In a over a double boiler, melt the butter and the chocolate. Once melted stir to incorporate. Remove from heat, add brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix. Add eggs, and yolk and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and FOLD together until well incorporated. Do not over mix. Then fold in chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until skewer in center comes out clean. Cool completely and then frost.

Frosting:

In a stand mixer, cream together butter, cocoa powder and sugar. Mix for 3 minutes on medium.

Turn off the mixture and add the powdered sugar, turn mixer on slow otherwise you will have the powdered sugar everywhere. Add milk and vanilla. Scrape down side and continue to mix. In separate cup, add your malt powder or Ovaltine to the heavy whipping cream. Add slowly to the mixture to desired consistency. I did not use all of the cream.

Use 1/2 of the frosting to frost the brownies. Save the rest for another project.

These brownies are scrumptious! I loved them, and the frosting is creamy, rich and has a hint of malt. If you do not like malt than leave it out.

Do you have a favorite brownie recipe? I would love to hear it. I am always looking for new recipes. Thank you to all of those who send me emails to say they have tried the recipes. I am not the source of the recipes, and I always site the place I found the recipe, but I love when you come back and tell me you made something you saw here or on my other blog Pine Cones and Acorns or what changes you made.

I hope you have a great day! Enjoy a little chocolate!

P.S: Joy's cookbook is available on Amazon and her BLOG is beautiful. I am in awe of her wonderful photographs and her sunny personality.

Linking to:
DIY by Design
Savvy Southern Style
Stone Gable
No Minimalist

4th of July Idea: Super Easy Brownies

Are you looking for an easy, "kicked" up brownie? Perusing Pinterest recently I came across this recipe from Pinch of Yum. It is SO Easy that even if you do not have the time or think you cannot bake you can handle this! These brownies would be a great addition to your 4th of July picnic, trip to watch the fireworks or around the campfire.

I love brownie batter! Brownies right out of the oven and brownies of any kind, especially at Summer picnics, but I do not like to have to make things from scratch all the time. This recipe is my answer.

A Ghirdelli box  brownie mix or your favorite box brownies with chocolate chips in the mix, and about 14 Oreos! You simply make the boxed mix using the instructions on the back of the box and add crushed Oreos, then pour into a prepared baking pan. Easy peasy!

The Oreo's melt into the batter for the most part, the chocolate chips stay soft and the whole thing is DELICIOUS! Lindsay at  Pinch of Yum makes these a little gooey in the middle, she cooks these about 25 minutes, I cooked mine about 30 minutes, and they were yummy.

Bake up a batch of these for your picnic! Enjoy your brownies and enjoy your day.