These Buckeye Brownies feature a decadent fudge brownie, with a smooth and thick peanut butter filling, topped with a rich chocolate ganache and drizzled with melted peanut butter!
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*Photos Updates: 03/01/2020*
Alright, I’m obsessed with layered brownies. These Nutella Pretzel Brownies are pretty much the only single layered brownies I’ve shared on this blog. Even then they were loaded with a ton of hazelnuts, pretzels and Nutella so they didn’t need another layer.
Other than that, every other brownie recipe I’ve shared has been topped with a layer of delicious fudge. This time, instead of topping my perfectly fudgy brownies with an even more perfect fudge, I’ve decided to top them with a layer of peanut butter filling and chocolate ganache!
Buckeye Brownies
I have combined chocolate and peanut butter in a few different desserts now — cupcakes, hot chocolate, truffles and now brownies!
The chocolate and peanut butter combination were just meant to be. It’s dessert perfection no matter what form it’s enjoyed in! If you’re a lover of those two iconic flavours AND brownies, you’ll definitely love this recipe that combines the three in one ultimate dessert!
What are Buckeyes?
If you’ve never heard of Buckeyes before, they’re basically creamy peanut butter balls that are halfway dipped in a rich chocolate coating. My Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Truffles are pretty much a fancy version of the classic peanut butter candies, just with some yummy Reese’s Pieces mixed in.
These brownies are another version of the Buckeye Candy, but with a little more pizzazz! One bite is enough to satisfy all of my deepest cravings!
3 Layers in these Brownies
There are three layers to these decadent bars:
- Fudgy brownie base
- Creamy peanut butter filling
- Rich ganache topping.
For the brownies, I made my go-to dense and fudgy brownie recipe that originally made their debut in these Oreo Fudge Brownies. You can get away with using a box mix in a 9×13-inch pan, but my brownies are just as easy to throw together and the taste/texture is a million times better!
The chewy texture and the deep dark chocolate flavour pair perfectly with the smooth and creamy peanut butter centre and rich ganache topping!
Peanut Butter Filling
The peanut butter filling is the same recipe I used for my Reese’s truffles, with less powdered sugar and a little more vanilla. There is a lot of powdered sugar, but thankfully the peanut butter helps balance the sweetness — which is perfect since the brownie and ganache provide enough sweetness as is.
Ganache Topping
We then top these brownies off with a simple 2-ingredient ganache. I prefer using a ganache rather than melted chocolate, because the ganache will stay nice and smooth even when chilled. Melted chocolate would harden and the texture wouldn’t flow as well with the other layers.
To make these brownies extra special, I decided to drizzle some melted peanut butter on top. Now we have 2 layers of chocolate and 2 layers of peanut butter!
Wait for the ganache to chill before drizzling on the peanut butter. You can also do this before slicing the bars, then let them chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes to allow the peanut butter to harden.
When you need a quick and easy dessert recipe, give these Buckeye Brownies a try. I just know you’ll obsess over them!
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Let’s get baking!
Yield: 9 Brownies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
These Buckeye Brownies feature a decadent fudge brownie, with a smooth and thick peanut butter filling, topped with a rich chocolate ganache and drizzled with melted peanut butter!
Ingredients
Brownies:
- 6 oz bittersweet chocolate (70%), chopped
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanillaextract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Peanut Butter Filling:
- 1 and ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 and ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Ganache Topping:
- 2 cups dark or semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Additional:
- ½ cup melted peanut butter, for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
For the Brownies:
- Preheat the oven to 350F (325F for dark [non-stick] pans) (180C). Line a 9x9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving about 2-inches hanging over the sides and spray with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Place chocolate and cubed butter in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir constantly until the butter and chocolate are completely melted.
- Remove bowl from heat and immediately add both sugars and whisk until dissolved and mixture is smooth.
- Add eggs, egg yolk and vanilla and slowly whisk until combined. Do not overmix. Add flour, cocoa and salt and stir with a rubber spatula until well blended.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the brownie comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
For the Peanut Butter Filling:
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the peanut butter and softened butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat on low speed until combined. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of cream or milk and beat until combined. If the mixture is still too thick, add another tablespoon of cream and beat until your mixture comes together. The filling should still be thick enough to shape into a ball.
- Press the filling into an even layer over the cooled brownies and transfer to the refrigerator while you prepare the ganache.
For the Ganache Topping:
- Put the chocolate chips into a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil.
- Remove hot cream from heat then pour it over the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
- Remove cover and stir ganache until smooth. Pour ganache over peanut butter layer. Cover the pan with foil and transfer to the refrigerator to set completely, about 1-2 hours.
For the Peanut Butter Drizzle:
- Microwave the peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Remove brownies from the refrigerator and lift out of the pan. Slice into even squares.
- Pour melted peanut butter into a squeeze bottle, or a small ziploc bag and snip off a small tip. Drizzle over brownies. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tools Used: 9x9-inch Square Pan | Stainless Steel Bowls | Balloon Whisk | Rubber Spatula | Hand Mixer |
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 997Total Fat: 70gSaturated Fat: 36gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 172mgSodium: 254mgCarbohydrates: 87gFiber: 8gSugar: 62gProtein: 16g
BON APPÉTIT!
Love, Dedra
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