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Jan 26, 2022

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

With their decadent dark chocolate filling, these peanut butter cup brownies are the perfect dessert for chocolate lovers. 

Three plates with peanut butter brownies.



These peanut butter cup brownies are actually a twist on peanut butter cups, because the outer cookie shell is made with a butter cookie, and the filling is basically flourless peanut butter chocolate cake. 

Regardless, these little packages of chocolate and peanut butter deliciousness will fly off the platter. 




How to Make Peanut Butter Cup Brownies:

These peanut butter cup brownies are comprised of a cookie crust, a flourless chocolate and peanut butter cake, and a peanut butter ganache drizzle. 

Cookie Crust:

First, you make the cookie crust for these brownie cups. The ingredients include butter, dark brown sugar, an egg yolk, vanilla, salt, and whole wheat flour. 

To make the crust, you cream the butter and brown sugar, add the egg and vanilla, and then mix in the flour and salt. 

Next you press the dough into the greased cups of a 12 cavity muffin tin. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake:

Next, you make the "brownie" part of the cups. The ingredients include a full four ounces of bittersweet chocolate, butter, peanut butter, three eggs, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and Dutch process cocoa (more chocolate!). 

You melt the butter, chocolate, and peanut butter over a double boiler. Then you beat the eggs and the sugar together until you have a pale mixture. Fold the chocolate mixture into the eggs and sugar, and add the salt, vanilla, and Dutch process chocolate. 

Divide the batter among the cavities of the muffin tin and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Peanut butter cups with chocolate bars and peanut butter.



Peanut Butter Ganache Drizzle:

The final step, once you've let the brownie cups cool, is to drizzle them with the peanut butter ganache. 

To make the ganache, you heat milk and peanut butter together in the microwave in ten second bursts, stirring in between. You will know when the ganache is done when it is smooth and shiny. 

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookie Cups on plates.



When you bake these brownies, the chocolate will rise up and be nicely mounded when you remove them from the oven. Once they cool, they will fall in the middle. Don't be sad! They are supposed to do this. This makes the centers extra fudgy. 

The recipe calls for using 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate. I had discovered a large bar of Sharffen Berger 70 percent cacao that had a "sell by" date that had long passed in my pantry while cleaning out a shelf, so I mixed two ounces of it with new bittersweet chocolate. 

I had done the same with my orange curd brownies earlier in the week and it worked out perfectly. 

For the cocoa powder, I used Dutch processed, but I'm sure natural cocoa powder will work as well. 

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookie Cups interior.



Tips for Making these Peanut Butter Cup Brownies:

Use a kitchen scale both to measure out the cookie crust as well the filling. This will help you evenly distribute everything and produce uniformly-sized brownies. This is especially helpful with the cookie crust. 

To tamp down the cookie shell, I used a wooden tart tamper. While you will still need your fingers to make sure the dough is evenly distributed in the muffin cavities and the edges are even, this tool really sped up the process for me. 

To turn the baked and cooled brownies out of the pan, place a wire rack over the top and then turn the whole thing over and tap it, holding it together, lightly on your counter. Lift the muffin tin and the brownies should fall out, landing upside down on the rack. Just flip the brownies over to continue to cool. If some are resistant, just gently tap the pan upside down on your counter. 

To drizzle the peanut butter ganache, I used a condiment squeeze bottle, which made it easy to drizzle. 

Welcome to Chocolate Week! All week long, food bloggers will be posting recipes to celebrate chocolate. Our organizer is Christy of A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.


Chocolate Week logo.



More Chocolate Recipes


Peanut Butter Cup Brownies on plates with a peanut butter ganache drizzle.




Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Yield: 12 brownies
Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 50 Min
With their decadent dark chocolate filling, these peanut butter cup brownies are the perfect dessert for chocolate lovers.

Ingredients

For the Cookie Crust
  • 150 grams (2/3 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 73 grams (1/3 cup packed) dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 219 grams (1 3/4 cups) whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Brownie/Flourless Chocolate Cake
  • 113 grams (4 ounces) bittersweet chocolate (60 percent cacao), roughly chopped
  • 113 grams (unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 64 grams (1/4 cup) creamy peanut butter
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 150 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 43 grams (1/2 cup) Dutch process cocoa, sifted
For the Peanut Butter Ganache
  • 128 grams (1/2 cup) creamy peanut butter
  • 120 grams (1/2 cup) whole milk

Instructions

To Make the Cookie Crusts
  1. Spray a 12-cavity muffin tin with spray oil.
  2. Beat the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the egg yolk, the vanilla, and beat for about 2 more minutes on medium.
  4. Add the flour and salt and beat on low until just combined.
  5. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, about 38 grams each (2 tablespoons).
  6. Press the dough into the cavities of the muffin tin to line the bottom and up the sides.
To Make the Brownies
  1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Combine the chocolate, butter, and peanut butter in the top of a double boiler and cook over simmering water, stirring regularly, until melted. Remove the top pan and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs on medium. Slowly pour in the sugar and salt in a steady stream and beat until pale yellow, about 2 minutes.
  4. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla until fully combined. Fold in the cocoa powder.
  5. Add about 3 tablespoons (50 grams) of the mixture to the molded cookie cups.
  6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The tops should be round, and possibly cracked.
  7. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
  8. Turn the brownies out on a wire rack to cool completely.
To Ice the Brownies
  1. Add the peanut butter and milk to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the mixture in 10 second intervals, whisking in between.
  2. Continue until the mixture is creamy, smooth, and shiny.
  3. Drizzle over the brownies.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

369.59

Fat (grams)

21.34

Sat. Fat (grams)

10.77

Carbs (grams)

39.01

Fiber (grams)

4.69

Net carbs

34.33

Sugar (grams)

19.68

Protein (grams)

7.93

Sodium (milligrams)

165.63

Cholesterol (grams)

74.43
brownies, peanut butter
Dessert
Did you make this recipe?
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Recipe adapted from Bake From Scratch Magazine. I've probably made half of the recipes in every issue. If you love baking, subscribe. 

Would you like to comment?

  1. These have my name written all over them. They look amazing!

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  2. Oh my....these are screaming at me to eat them. PB and chocolate is my favorite.

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  3. Ohhhh boy! These look and sound amazing! Peanut butter and chocolate are the perfect duo.

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  4. Peanut butter ganache drizzle? Wow!

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  5. My husband would adore these! Who wouldn't like peanut butter and brownies?

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  6. I make similar cookies we call tassies. I love your cookie version!

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  7. Oh my gosh! That combo is amazing and these look amazing, too.

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  8. Drooling, love your comment about not being sad when the middles fall! I know I sometimes will actually tap my pan! Haha! Love these brownie cups, the flavors are tremendous!

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    Replies
    1. I've heard that tapping the pan with chocolate chip cookies is a really cool trick.

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  9. Karen, now I don't know which one to make for next week... the orange curd brownies or these???? Maybe I can make one for my department and one to donate...... see the serious issues you are causing me? ;-)

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    Replies
    1. I'm so sorry! Not!!! They are both very portable =)

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  10. Showstopper! Love this addictive dessert! Amazing one, Karen!

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  11. These have my name written all over them! They look so delicious. And that peanut butter drizzle. YUM!

    ReplyDelete

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