Peanut Butter Cup Brownies (Printable Version)

Fudgy brownies layered with rich peanut butter cups for an indulgent dessert experience.

# What You’ll 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 or 8 standard peanut butter cups, halved

# Step-by-Step Guide:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The peanut butter cups stay just soft enough in the center that they practically melt on your tongue without disappearing entirely.
  • You don't need special equipment or advanced baking skills, just basic ingredients and maybe 50 minutes of your time.
  • These brownies feed a crowd or keep in an airtight container for days, getting even fudgier as they sit.
02 -
  • Overbaking by even two minutes turns these from fudgy to cakey, so set a timer and check at 28 minutes rather than waiting the full 32.
  • If your peanut butter cups are at room temperature, they stay firmer inside the brownies instead of turning into chocolate soup.
03 -
  • Letting your eggs sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before beating them into the butter-sugar mixture helps them incorporate more smoothly and creates a better texture.
  • If you're worried about the peanut butter cups sliding around, lightly press them into the first layer of batter before adding the second layer on top.
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