Buckeye Brownies are inspired by the classic Buckeye treat, a popular candy made of creamy peanut butter balls coated in chocolate to resemble the nut of an Ohio Buckeye tree.
This decadent dessert combines a rich homemade brownie base with a peanut butter ball layer, topped off with a chocolate coating, mimicking the iconic candy’s flavors. A very rich and yummy dessert!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Brownie Layer
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup water
- 2 oz Baker’s chocolate, chopped (or any unsweetened chocolate)
- 4 Tbsp salted butter *see note
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup oil vegetable or canola
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Peanut Butter Layer
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter *see note
- ½ cup salted butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces *see note
- 2-3 Tbsp milk *see note
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Layer
- 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
How to Make Buckeye Brownies:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 metal baking pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. You want the brownies to be able to be removed from the pan easily for pretty slices so let the parchment have an overhang over the edges if you can.
Brownies
1. In a large saucepan over medium low heat add the cocoa powder, water, baking chocolate, and butter. Continually stir slowly until all has melted together. Remove from heat. Do not overheat.
2. Add the sugar, oil, and salt and stir again until well-combined.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir again until well-combined. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined.
4. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake on the middle oven rack for about 33-38 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
5. Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool in the pan sitting on a wire cooling rack until totally cooled. This will take at least an hour up to 2 hours.
Peanut Butter Layer
1. In a microwave safe bowl add the peanut butter and butter. Heat in 20 second increments, stirring between each time in the microwave until smooth and creamy.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of milk, vanilla extract and stir to combine. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time and use a hand mixer to mix until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if needed to get a spreadable consistency. It still needs to hold its shape though and be “moldable”.
3. Dollop and spread over the completely cooled brownie layer. Be gentle to try and not smoosh the brownies down as you do so.
Chocolate Layer
1. In a microwave safe bowl combine the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave at 50% power in 30 second increments until smooth. Stir between microwaving.
2. Spread over the top of the peanut butter layer and let it set up. This will take about 60-90 minutes.
3. Remove from the pan once set up and cut into your preferred size squares.
Notes:
- You can use 2 box brownies mixes instead of making the brownie layer for a quicker recipe.
- If you use unsalted butter add an additional ⅛ teaspoon salt to the brownie mix.
- I’ve tried this using both all-natural peanut butter and it doesn’t work very well. The peanut butter layer ends up super crumbly. I suggest using a processed peanut butter like Jiff or Skippy.
- If you use unsalted butter in the peanut butter layer, add ¼ teaspoon salt.
- If you need more milk to make the peanut butter layer spreadable, add an additional ½ tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach a thick but spreadable consistency.
- These brownies are extra rich so smaller squares will be sufficient for most people.
Buckeye Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup water
- 2 oz Baker’s chocolate chopped (or any unsweetened chocolate)
- 4 Tbsp salted butter *see note
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup oil vegetable or canola
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Peanut Butter Layer
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter *see note
- ½ cup salted butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces *see note
- 2-3 Tbsp milk *see note
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate Layer
- 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 metal baking pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. You want the brownies to be able to be removed from the pan easily for pretty slices so let the parchment have an overhang over the edges if you can.
Brownies
- In a large saucepan over medium low heat add the cocoa powder, water, baking chocolate, and butter. Continually stir slowly until all has melted together. Remove from heat. Do not overheat.
- Add the sugar, oil, and salt and stir again until well-combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and stir again until well-combined. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake on the middle oven rack for about 33-38 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool in the pan sitting on a wire cooling rack until totally cooled. This will take at least an hour up to 2 hours.
Peanut Butter Layer
- In a microwave safe bowl add the peanut butter and butter. Heat in 20 second increments, stirring between each time in the microwave until smooth and creamy.
- Add 2 tablespoons of milk, vanilla extract and stir to combine. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time and use a hand mixer to mix until smooth and creamy. Add more milk if needed to get a spreadable consistency. It still needs to hold its shape though and be “moldable”.
- Dollop and spread over the completely cooled brownie layer. Be gentle to try and not smoosh the brownies down as you do so.
Chocolate Layer
- In a microwave safe bowl combine the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave at 50% power in 30 second increments until smooth. Stir between microwaving.
- Spread over the top of the peanut butter layer and let it set up. This will take about 60-90 minutes.
- Remove from the pan once set up and cut into your preferred size squares.
Notes
- You can use 2 box brownies mixes instead of making the brownie layer for a quicker recipe.
- If you use unsalted butter add an additional ⅛ teaspoon salt to the brownie mix.
- I’ve tried this using both all-natural peanut butter and it doesn’t work very well. The peanut butter layer ends up super crumbly. I suggest using a processed peanut butter like Jiff or Skippy.
- If you use unsalted butter in the peanut butter layer, add ¼ teaspoon salt.
- If you need more milk to make the peanut butter layer spreadable, add an additional ½ tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach a thick but spreadable consistency.
- These brownies are extra rich so smaller squares will be sufficient for most people.
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