Peanut Butter Cup Brownies have a gooey brownie base, peanut butter cups, and a rich peanut butter-chocolate topping for a show-stopping dessert.
author’s note
Peanut Butter + Chocolate = The Best Brownies Ever!
Every Halloween, I snag all the extra Reese’s from my kids’ candy bags (plus whatever’s left from handing out candy) and we turn them into these peanut butter cup brownies. It’s one of our favorite traditions now.
My kids even grab way more than they need just so we have extras to bake with. If we’re in a hurry, I’ll pull out a boxed brownie mix, but if the kids are in baking mode, we go all in with my recipe for the fudgiest homemade brownies.
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies Ingredients
| Ingredient | Why It Matters / Swaps |
|---|---|
| Brownie mix (9 × 13 in. size) | Any brand works. Make it from scratch too; just keep the pan size. |
| Eggs, oil, water | Follow the box. Try melted butter or cooled coffee for deeper flavor. |
| Original-sized Reese’s cups | Large cups give generous PB pockets. Mini cups or chocolate-hazelnut cups also work. |
| Milk chocolate chips | Classic sweetness. Swap semi-sweet or dark to reduce sugar. |
| Creamy sweetened peanut butter | Avoid natural PB; texture separates. |
| Coconut oil or shortening | Helps chocolate melt smoothly; butter works in a pinch. |
Fun Variations
- Bake in muffin tins for brownie “cups.”
- Swirl ¼ cup peanut butter into the batter for ripples.
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the warm topping.
- Fold chopped salted peanuts into the topping for crunch.
How To Make Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
- Prep Pan: Line a 9 × 13 in. pan with parchment and heat the oven per the mix.
- Mix & Bake: Make the batter and bake two minutes less than the box says.
- Add Cups: Gently press pb cups into the soft top, then bake two more minutes.
- Top It: Cool completely. Melt chocolate with one tablespoon oil and spread over brownies. Melt peanut butter with the remaining oil, drizzle, and marble.
- Set & Slice: Let the topping firm up, then slice with a hot knife for clean edges.
Tips For Success
- Use room-temperature eggs for a shinier crust.
- Melt chocolate in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring well between rounds.
- No peanut butter cups on hand? Press peanut butter chips plus a drizzle of warm PB into the half-baked brownies.
Quick Tip
Streaky or spotty chocolate is simply the cocoa solids separating out and rising to the top. If the brownies do end up with white spots, they are still perfectly safe to consume.
Storage
Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Storage
Room temperature: Cover tightly and enjoy within four days.
Freezer: Wrap squares in parchment, place in a zip bag, and freeze up to two months. Thaw at room temp; white “bloom” on the chocolate is normal.
More Chocolate-Peanut Butter Recipes:
Desserts
No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Desserts
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Desserts
Peanut Butter Brownie Bites
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies are indulgent treats—gooey brownies loaded with peanut butter cups and topped with a rich, fudge-like peanut butter chocolate layer.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (18.3-ounce) package fudge brownie mix plus ingredients called for on the brownie mix, see note 1
- 15 regular-sized Reese’s peanut butter cups unwrapped
- 2-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter I love Skippy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 2-1/2 tablespoons shortening or coconut oil, divided
Instructions
- Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven according to brownie mix instructions.
- Prepare the brownies according to package directions. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 2 minutes less than the package directs. Meanwhile, unwrap the peanut butter cups.
- Working quickly, press the unwrapped peanut butter cups evenly into the brownies—3 rows of 5 each.
- Return the brownies to the oven and bake for the remaining 2 minutes. Remove and allow to fully cool to room temperature. If you refrigerate or freeze them, allow them to come back to room temperature before topping with the melted chocolate (otherwise you’ll risk streaky/spotty chocolate—see note 2).
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons (23g) of shortening or coconut oil. Microwave in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring between bursts for 20 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted (see note 3). Melt slowly, stirring well between bursts to avoid burning chocolate. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of the chocolate onto the cooled brownies. Smooth the chocolate into an even layer.
- In another small microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter and remaining 1/2 tablespoon (6g) coconut oil or shortening. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir until smooth. If desired, stir in the vanilla extract. Pour in long stripes over the melted chocolate. Using a knife, marble the top by running the knife horizontally from left to right just through the top chocolate and peanut butter layers. Don’t go deep enough to hit the brownies.
- Allow brownies to completely set up at room temperature (do not chill!) before enjoying the bars. Cut into bars—this can get a little messy! I recommend using a sharp knife and running it under hot water for 10 seconds, drying it off, then making a cut. Repeat this process for each cut. Use a metal spatula to remove brownies.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: I love Betty Crocker’s Fudge Brownie Mix best in this recipe. Be sure that whatever brownie mix you use, it will bake properly in a 9×13-inch pan.
Note 2: If the brownie base is chilled when the chocolate is added on top, it can cause spotty or streaky chocolate. Additionally, if the brownies are chilled after adding the chocolate and peanut butter topping, it makes these brownies very difficult to cut out—the top cracks instead of cutting smoothly. Finally, I think these brownies taste best at room temperature, not chilled. If you do end up with streaky or spotty chocolate, it’s perfectly safe to eat; this is simply cocoa solids separating and rising to the top.
Note 3: Keep in mind that chocolate is still melting even after it has been removed from the microwave. I like to microwave it as little as possible, focusing instead on stirring to melt the chocolate with residual heat.
Nutrition Note: Nutrition information does not include the ingredients called for in the brownie mix, since that will vary by brand.
Storage: Enjoy these bars within 3–5 days. Store tightly covered at room temperature; no refrigeration needed. Freeze if desired, but thawing may cause harmless white spots from separated milk solids.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Whoa! These look so awesome.
Thank you ?
I stumbled upon this recipe while looking for goodies to bake for Mother’s Day.. I gave them a go and oh my gosh they are incredible!! They’re incredibly rich but oh so yummy! Guaranteed to be a favourite with any peanut butter lovers like me! Thanks so much for this recipe, one of my all time favourites and I will definitely be making them again.. sadly they didn’t last long around my family!
Super rich right?! 🙂 I’m thrilled you enjoyed these and you’ll be making them again! Thanks for the comment!
Tried these and OMG, they were absolutely delicious! If I could I would give them 10 stars, I would! I could only eat half of a half, they are so rich! Best brownie recipe ever! Trying to figure out the nutritional value as I am trying to watch my weight, but even the small amount I had was awesome! LOL Husband and kids LOVED them. Will definitely be a go to recipe in the future! Thanks!
What a compliment!! I’m seriously thrilled these were such a huge hit! And, I’ve added the nutrition information right below the recipe. Thanks for the comment Denise 🙂
Hi Chelsea, , I abhor boxed mixes with the exception of brownies. Somehow they are so much better than homemade. Ghirardelli is my favorite. I heard that America’s Test Kitchen/Cook’s Illustrated has come up with a homemade recipe to rival the box, but I haven’t seen it. I can’t wait to try all your PB/Chocolate desserts. Thank you. And phooey on husbands. The only thing mine likes is plain cheesecake with a berry topping.
Hey Brisa! I 100% agree!! I think I’ve tried no short of 30 brownie recipes and none are as good as the mix for me! I need to try and find that ATK brownie recipe and try that out sometime 🙂 I hope you love the PB/Chocolate desserts, they are my favorite to create (and eat!) HAHA! I think our husbands would be friends, he loves plain cheesecake with berries too 🙂 Thanks for your comment!!
Hello, these look amazing. I don’t have chocolate chips but have lots of Hershey’s kisses. If I chop those up do you think they will be okay to substitute for the chocolate chips!
Thank you Lyn! I’ve personally never tried that, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Enjoy!
Does it matter whether you use semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips?
No, whichever you prefer! 🙂
Will you marry me?
I’m flattered 🙂 But already taken by a guy I’m pretty crazy about! 🙂
I have a question Chelsea…the brownie mixes we buy here are for a 8×8 inch pan…would you use 2 of them for the 9×13?
I can’t wait to try these ..they look scrumptious!
Thanks so much Brenda!! Yes try 2 brownie mixes 🙂
OMG!!Those brownies r sooo heavenly & I’m sure soo yummy-licious!!but also a torture for a chocoholic like me who’s on her 18th day of “NOOO choco..NOO nutella”days!!tnx a lot for sharing the mouth watering recipe & pictures,I will certainly make these for my 3 children..me??just smell & imagine eating them!hahaaa
Oh, Yum!!! Nothing better than peanut butter and chocolate!! Can’t wait to try these.
I hope you LOVE them! 🙂