I’m obsessed with peanut butter and have no shortage of peanut butter desserts in my recipe index. You guys know this already!
However sometimes the most frustrating part of baking with peanut butter is that the intensity of that distinct nutty taste is subdued with baking.
Unless you’re making my No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake or Peanut Butter Frosting, you just lose some of that peanutty goodness once it enters the oven.
Especially when you add another strong flavor like chocolate to the mix. So I took the challenge for making Peanut Butter Brownies that maintained the integrity of the peanut flavor even after baking.
I thought about just topping chocolate brownies with a PB frosting. But I wanted them to be ultra rich, fudgy, and slightly gooey. I wanted them to be like a peanut butter cup, but with brownie instead of solid chocolate enrobing the PB. Because this is how my mind works.
So I came to the conclusion that stuffing the brownies with peanut butter would do the trick. But how do you prevent the peanut butter from melting into the batter as it bakes and losing its distinct taste and texture?
Well you basically freeze a layer of peanut butter in advance of stuffing! Doing so gives you the best peanut butter has to offer.
I got the idea from Recipe Tin Eats, she did the same thing but with Nutella! So I took that technique and coupled it with PB and my favorite simple brownie base and the results were nothing short of mouthwatering.
Make sure you have a glass of cold milk handy when serving. These babies are so thick, rich, and fudgy they practically require it 🙂
Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies Recipe Tips & Tricks
How to Stuff Brownies with Peanut Butter
This is the fun part of this recipe! To get the best peanut butter flavor AND texture, we basically melt down peanut butter, pour it into a parchment lined baking pan, then freeze it for 1 hour until we have a sheet of solid peanut butter.
Use enough parchment to create an overhang so that you can lift the sheet of peanut butter out of the pan and place it back in the freezer while you mix up the batter and pour half of it into the pan. Top the batter with the PB sheet then pour the remaining batter on top. Bake immediately!
Important: be sure to use conventional creamy peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. Any kind of “natural” peanut butter in which the oil separates won’t work in this recipe.
How to make fudgy brownies
A couple things in this recipe make the brownies ultra fudgy. First, there’s no shortage of butter. Second, I use an extra egg yolk to add even more richness.
You’ll also notice there’s no baking soda or baking powder in this recipe. That’s because we’re making fudgy rich brownies, not cake. Whisking the eggs vigorously for a full minute as the recipe instructs will add enough air to slightly leaven the brownies without creating a cakey texture.
Whatever you do, be sure not to accidentally over measure the flour and cocoa powder. For perfect measurements, weigh both ingredients with a digital kitchen scale.
If you don’t have one, then lightly spoon each ingredient into the measuring cup and sweep off the excess. This will prevent you from compacting too much into the cup and creating dry brownies.
What pan is best for baking brownies?
A square light colored reflective metal baking pan is always my go to for practically any brownie recipe. Metal (namely high quality heavy aluminized steel or anodized aluminum) conducts heat more quickly and efficiently than glass or ceramic pans.
Avoid metal pans that are darkly colored as they conduct heat too aggressively and will likely lead to burnt or dried edges.
If you must use a glass or ceramic pan please note that the texture of the brownies may become gummy or overly dense and they’ll likely take significantly longer to bake. You run the risk of the center never cooking through with glass or ceramic.
Are brownies supposed to be gooey in the middle?
I like my brownies to remain slightly gooey and soft in the middle. Especially these ones since they’re stuffed with peanut butter! However, they should still bake up so they’re safe to eat and solid enough to eat by hand once cooled and sliced. Make sure to allow your brownies to cool completely if they seem gooey. You can always let them cool, cut into squares, then nuke in the microwave if you want them so gooey they require a fork to eat.
How to store brownies?
Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. They’ll become more like a thick fudge in the fridge. You can reheat the brownies in the microwave until they’re gooey again, if you’d prefer.
More Homemade Brownie Recipes
Peanut butter filling:
-
1 1/4
cups
(336 grams) creamy conventional peanut butter
(NOT 'natural')**
Brownies:
-
10
tablespoons
(142 grams) unsalted butter
-
4
ounces
(113 grams) semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
-
1
cup
(200 grams) granulated sugar
-
2
large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
-
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
1/2
cup
(64 grams) all-purpose flour
-
1/4
cup
(25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
-
1/4
teaspoon
fine salt
Make the peanut butter filling:
-
Place the peanut butter in a heat safe bowl and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, or until pourable but not super hot.
-
Line a metal 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Spread the peanut butter into an even layer in the pan. Freeze for 1 hour or until solidified. Use the parchment to remove from pan and return peanut butter sheet to freezer. Keep frozen while making the brownie batter.
Make the brownies:
-
Preheat oven to 350°Line the square pan again with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
-
In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the butter and chocolate. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Add the sugar to the hot butter mixture and whisk vigorously until combined. Allow to cool until just barely warm.
-
Add in eggs, yolk, and vanilla extract and whisk for about 1 minute, or until very well combined.
-
Use a rubber spatula to stir in flour, cocoa powder, and salt until just combined.
-
Pour half of the batter into prepared pan and smooth out. Carefully place the frozen peanut butter sheet over the batter. Pour remaining batter on top, covering completely.
-
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through but still very slightly gooey in the center. Let cool in pan 30 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool for another 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
-
Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Feel free to reduce the amount of peanut butter to 1 cup or 3/4 cup if you want less.
These were so good!!! I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter so these brownies were perfect. So gooey which are you favorite kind of brownies. If you don’t like them that gooey just keep them stored in the refrigerator and they still have a good soft texture. Will definitely make again once I recover from all the brownies I just ate
So yummy! Thank you Tessa 🙂
Absolutely fantastic. I love that the peanut butter stayed peanut buttery! A bit difficult to eat when warm and requires a fork, but once they’ve solidified they’re wonderful.
This recipe was super easy and super delicious. I ate way too much of it and made myself feel a little ill! In a good way of course. Definitely going to make them again. I also topped them with a little flaky sea salt just to get a little extra flavour.
Haha! A little goes a long way here. LOVE the sea salt idea!
Delicious. You really taste the peanut butter!
I would’ve liked this recipe better if the peanut butter has been sweetened a bit. Also the tops of my brownies wanted to fall off. Still tasted good!
Hi Alyssa! If you use a conventional peanut butter spread like Skippy or Jif (which I mention specifically in the blog post) they are already sweetened 🙂
I really love this recipe!!!! It feels like I found my other half! you made it perfect. With the peanut butter.
Oh my gosh! These are amazing. That layer of real peanut butter is perfection!
so so SO yummy! My whole family is lining up for a piece, I’ll be making another batch tomorrow at this rate!
I made these for a 4th of July party. They were really, really good!!
Yum! Very rich and tasty. Super easy to make too!
This brownies are so good. I changed with hershey dark cocoa (that’s why the colour get darker ) and peanut butter I use the cruncy one because I like it more than the creamy one
I doubled the recipe to make in a 9×13 pan and made these to sell at my local farmers market! They came out perfect and I know are going to be a big hit. Very easy recipe to follow, great results, and so unique to have the pb inside the brownie
The perfect indulgent treat!
Soooo gooey and fudgy
Peanut butter and chocolate. wow!
This was a super easy to follow recipe and turned out wonderfully even using a glass pan and doubling the recipe to fit a 9×13! Definitely a repeat recipe!! 🙂
I knew I had to make these the second I saw them. They did not disappoint! Such a great idea to add the peanut butter this way.
These are delicious! I maybe would have added powdered sugar to the peanut butter for a little extra sweetness, but they’re great as is too!!
Peanut butter fans will love this. It is almost overwhelmingly peanut buttery. Next time I plan to double the batter for the brownie portion only as I (not being a huge peanut butter fan) think the ratio of chocolate to peanut butter was skewed. I really enjoyed the concept of stuffed brownies, though. Cheesecake stuffed brownies? Cookie dough stuffed brownies? Cookie butter stuffed brownies? Endless options.
This recipe is truly made for real peanut butter lovers like myself. Loved how easy this recipe is and the result is absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for sharing it.
This peanut butter brownie is so rich and decadent, it’s definitely a keeper!
Yummmmmy. I always love the peanut butter and chocolate combination
I love these brownies! They were so fun to make. For some reason, the big peanut butter slab excited me. And my whole house smelled like Reeses. How could it get much better than that?!
Good recipe with a yummy result! Maybe a little too much peanut butter? (Can’t believe I’m saying that, but it was a pretty thick layer…)
Delivers on everything Tessa says about them! Ooey, gooey, peanut buttery.
Very decadent. Peanut butter sounded tasty but I simply could not pass up a Nutella filling. I would definitely make this again. The only tricky part is deciding how long to cook. My oven is gas and not very precise. The toothpick method of testing is a no go since the Nutella remains liquid. I did have to cook longer than recipe called for and took it out just as the first crack appeared about an inch from edge. It was perfect. Thank you so much for an awesome brownie recipe!
These are so decadent and rich and gooey! Chocolate and peanut butter are one of my favorite combinations, and these are simple to make, though I think they may be too peanut buttery. Next time, I would halve the peanut butter. Still totally yummy!
Depending where you fall on the peanut butter lover category will determine your appreciation for these. My son loves PB and thinks these are the best thing ever! Next time (for my sweet tooth) I’m going to try add a little powdered sugar to the PB for a slightly sweeter and firmer texture. Either way, these are a winner!!
Hi Tessa,
I made these and are divine. For a brownie and pb lover this is just the ultimate dessert. I used 90% dark chocolate and also brown sugar instead of white(reduced sugar to 3/4cups). I could also see that these were more of a darker shade like mentioned in your brownie guide.
So incredibly delicious! I think they tasted better the following day. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing Tessa!
This recipe was super easy to make and a hit at my family’s July 4th outing! I plan to make these again because I can’t deny a peanut butter chocolate craving when one hits.
Delicious and easy. I was able to whip these up before dinner and they were a perfect dessert. Even my picky 5 year old loved them!!
Baked these for the first time and they were delicious. I also added a drizzle of homemade Nutella to the layer of peanut butter before freezing it. Such a great combination of peanut butter and chocolate.
These are amazing!!! Best brownies ever and so easy to make!!
I really loved this recipe! I’m not a big fan of peanut Butter… but when i saw the picture i got curious about how it tastes… and i was very surprised because it was so so good! Now I love peanut Butter ❤️
I really loved this recipe! I’m not a big fan of peanut Butter… but when i saw the picture i got curious about how it tastes… and i was very surprised because it was so so good! Now I love peanut Butter ❤️ THANKS Tessa
These peanut butter stuffed brownies are so good! I almost didn’t get a chance to take a picture for the challenge. I will definitely make this recipe again.
These brownies are delish, the only thing I would change and that’s de reason for the 4 stars is that the peanut butter on the middle was too thick (I never expected to say that) and my brownies took much time in the oven, so a little less is the deal for me.
The Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies were so fun to make. They taste wonderful too (how can you go wrong with that combination?) I love these challenges and look forward to them each month. Thanks for another spectacular recipe!
My grandparents enjoyed these brownies, but my grandmother thought there was too much peanut butter. The recipe was easy to make and easy to clean up. This is also a great brownie recipe on it’s own.
Very peanut buttery! Baked for 30 minutes and was under cooked when cut
These brownies were so good! They were so quick and easy to make as well. My whole family loved them! I will definitely make them again 🙂
Delicious!! Tastes like a Reese’s peanut butter cup but better!!! So good. Can’t wait to make it again thanks Tessa ❤️
Delicious! Easy to make and already had all the ingredients. My husband even put some ice cream on top of his piece..YUM.
Would make these brownies again in a heart beat! They are delicious!!
This recipe is so easy and the results are very yummy.
After salivating over the pictures, I had to go buy the supplies to make these brownies. They are absolutely delicious, and I plan on making another pan tomorrow.
OMG!! Awesome, fudgey, flavorful, and any other descriptor for brownies. My husband could not stop eating them. I finally put them in the freezer so he could not find them. They are sooooooo good. Thanks for another winning recipe!!!
OMG heaven. Super rich, only small pieces required!
Delicious and easy! Sometimes homemade brownies don’t turn out as fudgy as box mixes, but these a were amazing!
So delicious!
Hands down the BEST brownies I have ever made! The recipe is so easy to make, too!
1st time I made brownies that weren’t from a box, lol! These are the best brownies I have ever had! I will probably need to cut each one in half, they are so rich! Will definitely make these again!
This brownies was so good. I like the combination between peanut butter and chocolate. It was not too sweet.
These are so good! They’re really thick, so next time I think I’ll try making them in a 9×9 pan because I prefer them to be slightly thinner. I’m also considering adding powdered sugar and a little but of butter to the peanut butter to lighten it up and make it sweeter, while using a dark chocolate bar instead of semisweet for the brownie batter. But I will definitely be making these again!
Easy and tasty!
This was a straightforward and super delicious brownie recipe. I don’t have the greatest electric oven and needed to bake these for 33 mins as the batter was still jiggly after 30 mins. I’d highly recommend waiting until the brownies have cooled in the fridge before cutting into them as the layers slide around when they’re still warm. I also added some flakey sea salt to the top for something extra. I’d make these again any time, they’re ridiculously decadent!
I made these in a round cake pan for a birthday cake and they turned out great! Guest of honor was very happy. You really know how to write a recipe for success! – thank you!
These were great! Made them for a girls night and they were rich and gooey. Perfect with a glass of cold milk!
Just the right balance of sweet and salty!