About 75% of the time when I ask My Cowboy what sounds good for dessert, he asks for Peanut Butter Brownies. A lot of the time I don’t even ask, because I know what his response will be. In preparation for this post, I asked him to verbalize how they rank on his list of favorite desserts. As no surprise to me, he says these are tied for first with a skookie (recipe coming soon)!
Peanut Butter Brownies are an important part of our life. My obsession with chocolate and peanut butter really began with this recipe. Reese’s had long been my favorite candy, and I always really liked the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, but these really kicked my adoration for the two into gear.
It all started on a Sunday afternoon, six years ago this spring. Is it weird that I remember that? Mostly I just remember it was shortly before I graduated high school. Plus this recipe is that memorable. A family friend from my hometown brought these Peanut Butter Brownies to share with the ladies in her Sunday class. That was where my mom and older sister tested them. Her daughter was my age and a good friend of mine. After church, she passed me in the hall with her Mom, who was carrying the leftovers. She shared one of these luscious, moist, peanut butter-y, delicious, fantastic, extraordinary brownies with me.
That same afternoon, once I got home, my Mom and sister informed me their lives had been changed just as much as mine by these brownies. Not only that, but we needed the recipe. We didn’t just want it, we absolutely, positively needed Peanut Butter Brownies. I called up my friend (the one whose mom made this batch of divinity) and asked for the recipe. She shared it and I made my first batch that afternoon.
In the months that followed, before I left for college, between my mom, my sister, and myself, we must have made Peanut Butter Brownies at least ten times. Fortunately, we all trained for a 5k that summer, or else these bad boys might have reconstructed our thighs.
Let’s talk a second about boxed brownie mixes. I like them, but prefer they have frosting, ice cream, or some mix-ins. I use them a lot in recipes like this, even though I won’t deny homemade are the best. For some reason though, I just like Peanut Butter Brownies best with a brownie mix. I don’t know why, I just do. So there. Use what you like!
In the last three or four years, these brownies have flooded the internet. There are many recipes out there and the most common title seems to be Buckeye Brownies, but I just can’t call them that. They have always been Peanut Butter Brownies to me and they always will be.
Happy Friday! Go and make these quick 🙂
- -1 box brownie mix and the ingredients on the package, or your favorite brownie recipe
- -1/2 cup butter, soft
- -1 cup peanut butter
- -3 cups powdered sugar
- -1 teaspoon vanilla
- -milk, for consistency
- -12 oz milk chocolate chips
- -1-2 tablespoons Crisco
- 1. Make box brownie mix according to directions on the back of the package for a 9x13 pan. Cool completely.
- 2. For the peanut butter frosting: Mix butter and peanut butter until smooth and well combined. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and combine. Add milk, as needed for consistency. I usually use about 1/4 cup. Spread on top of cooled brownies
- 3. Melt chocolate chips, with the Crisco, on top of the stove or in the microwave. If using the microwave, reduce the power to sixty percent, and melt in thirty second increments. Stir in between each thirty seconds. Carefully spread on top of the peanut butter frosting. Let sit until chocolate hardens. Serve and enjoy!
