Peanut Butter Cup Brownies (Printable)

Fudgy brownies enriched with peanut butter cups for an irresistible flavor and texture combination.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Mix-ins & Filling

09 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 - 16 mini peanut butter cups

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly blended.
03 - In a large bowl, combine melted butter and sugar, whisking until glossy and well incorporated.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Gently fold in chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
07 - Spread half of the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.
08 - Arrange peanut butter cups in a single layer over the base batter, spacing them evenly.
09 - Spoon the remaining batter over the peanut butter cups and smooth the surface with a spatula to ensure complete coverage.
10 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges with a few moist crumbs.
11 - Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into 16 squares.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They look restaurant-worthy but come together in under an hour with zero fancy techniques.
  • The peanut butter cups stay melty and gooey in the middle, creating those pockets of surprise that make people lose their minds.
  • One pan, minimal cleanup, and enough brownies to feed a crowd or keep yourself very, very happy.
02 -
  • The toothpick test is everything—underbaked and they're gooey in a bad way, overbaked and the peanut butter cups harden into plastic-like discs, which defeats the entire purpose.
  • Don't skip the complete cooling step even though it's tempting; warm brownies fall apart, but cooled ones cut into perfect squares that look like you actually know what you're doing.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs mix in easier and create better texture than cold eggs straight from the fridge—take them out 30 minutes before baking.
  • The parchment paper overhang is your secret weapon for lifting out perfect brownies; it prevents that annoying crumbling at the edges that happens when you try to cut them in the pan.
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