Buckeye Brownies – Rachel Cooks®

Only a warning, you might fall in love with these buckeye brownies. The chocolate! The peanut butter! The candy temptation! Who can resist that impossible to resist easy peanut butter confection sandwiched between fudgy home made brownies and wealthy chocolate? Not me!

Why You’ll Love Buckeye Brownies

• As a result of they’re stinkin’ good! Actually, you may’t go too fallacious with these bars. Marrying brownies with buckeyes is a genius transfer. So good! Three layers of deliciousness!
• A lot simpler to make than the candies. A lot of you might be acquainted with buckeyes, the chocolate peanut butter sweet that’s so widespread. The sweet is hand-rolled into small balls, after which partially dipped in melted chocolate, leaving an “eye” open on the highest, just like a nut by the identical identify. The sweet is scrumptious, little question about it, however buckeyes are a bit of time-consuming to make with all that rolling and dipping. Buckeye brownies require a lot much less fussy hands-on time!
• Makes an enormous batch. Though you may minimize the pan of brownies into 24 squares, these bars are fairly wealthy. I discover that they are often minimize into a lot smaller items, extra the scale of the candies. I’ll depart that as much as you!
• Freezer-friendly. Buckeye brownies freeze effectively. They will safely be stowed away behind your freezer the place you gained’t be tempted to eat one each time you take a look at the fridge. However simply saying, these candy treats are as nice frozen as they’re thawed so the freezer will not be a lot of a deterrent.

Ingredient Notes

Make sure to consult with the recipe card beneath for the entire record of components and measurements.

• Butter: All three layers in buckeye brownies comprise butter so that you’ll want nearly 16 oz. (4 sticks). I at all times select unsalted butter when baking. In case you solely have salted butter, omit the added salt within the recipe. Don’t fear about softening the butter forward of time since you’ll be melting it for this brownie recipe.
• Cocoa Powder: Search for cocoa powder within the baking part of the grocery retailer. Cocoa powder is unsweetened. (It’s not the identical factor as on the spot cocoa powder that you just use to make scorching chocolate.) I attempted each Hershey’s Cocoa and Ghiradelli Cocoa to check; Ghiradelli has a richer chocolate taste which we most popular.
• Sugar: The brownies are made with common granulated white sugar.
• Eggs: I discover that having the eggs at room temperature works finest when making baked items. Merely take them out of the fridge an hour earlier than you start (and don’t fear in case you neglect, the brownies will nonetheless end up!).
• All-Objective Flour: You’ll want just one cup of flour to make these fudgy brownies.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: As at all times, select the actual vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla which is made with who is aware of what. You’ll want vanilla for each the brownies and the peanut butter layer.
• Peanut Butter: There’s loads of peanutty goodness in these bars! You’ll want 2 cups of creamy peanut butter, resembling Jif or Skippy. Pure peanut butter that must be stirred doesn’t work effectively for this brownie recipe.
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar): Finely floor powdered sugar offers the peanut layer a velvety easy texture.
• Semi-Candy Chocolate Chips: For the ganache-like chocolate topping, you’ll want a bundle (2 cups) of chocolate chips. I desire semi-sweet for these brownies however you need to use milk chocolate if that’s your desire.

Find out how to make Buckeye Brownies

This brownie recipe has three layers. Enable further time to relax every layer earlier than including the following one.

1. Do-it-yourself brownies
2. Creamy candy peanut butter (like the within of a Reese’s sweet)
3. Chocolate layer (just like ganache)

Put together the brownies. Begin preheating your oven and prep a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper and nonstick spray. In a big microwave-safe bowl, soften the butter within the microwave. Add the granulated sugar and cocoa powder. Stir the three components collectively till easy. Mixing the cocoa powder with the nice and cozy melted butter helps it to “bloom” or develop a deeper chocolate taste.

Stir within the eggs and vanilla extract. Combine effectively. The combination ought to look shiny. Set the bowl apart.

In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk collectively the flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir the dry components into the chocolate combination till simply mixed. You shouldn’t see any dry flour however don’t overstir the batter.

Unfold the brownie batter into the pan you ready. Bake for 25 minutes within the preheated oven. Enable the brownie layer to chill utterly earlier than continuing with the following step. This may occasionally take one to 2 hours.

Add the peanut butter layer. Soften the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and the powdered sugar. Stir effectively till easy and blended. The combination shall be considerably dry, just like cookie dough.

Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter combination onto the cooled brownies. Pat it down in an excellent layer along with your fingers, utterly overlaying the brownies. Set the pan apart.

Prime with the chocolate layer. In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, soften the chocolate and butter collectively in 20 second intervals. After every interval, stir the combination vigorously. Cease when each the chocolate and butter are melted and you may mix them collectively.

Unfold the chocolate over the peanut butter layer. I discover that it really works finest to work in sections. Spoon a number of the chocolate on, unfold it with an offset spatula, then add extra chocolate and unfold that, till the highest is roofed. The chocolate layer shall be skinny however you’ll discover that it’s excellent!

Chill the bars within the fridge till the chocolate is about, about half-hour. The floor of the chocolate appears to be like shiny when it’s heat however it’ll seem boring when it’s chilly. Reduce the bars into squares.

• Measure dry components precisely. Use a measuring cup that’s made for dry components. It is going to have a flat high, not a spout. Spoon the flour (and powdered sugar) into the measuring cup and stage it with the flat aspect of a knife. Don’t shake it all the way down to stage it as a result of that may compact the flour.
• Enable sufficient time for chilling. It’s important to chill the brownie layer earlier than including the peanut butter layer. If it’s nonetheless heat, the peanut butter will soften and make a soupy mess. Chill the chocolate layer so it corporations up earlier than you narrow the bars.
• Rating the bars earlier than reducing. To assist stop the highest layer from cracking after chilling, I take advantage of a pointy knife to attain the hardened layer into squares. Then I make the minimize by the opposite layers utilizing the rating strains as guides.

Recipe Variations

• Use a brownie combine. In case you’re in a rush, use your favourite brownie combine to make the primary layer. A plain family-size brownie combine is finest, with no added extras like chocolate chips, nuts, or caramel.
• Make it nut-free. Substitute sunflower seed butter (resembling SunButter) for the peanut butter.
• Substitute milk chocolate. In case you’re not a fan of darkish chocolate (semi-sweet), be at liberty to make use of milk chocolate chips.
• Make particular person buckeyes sweet.

Retailer brownies in an hermetic container, with parchment or waxed paper between layers, for as much as 4 days or within the fridge for as much as 1 week (you may even desire them chilled). The brownies may be frozen in a freezer-safe container for as much as 3 months. My household enjoys consuming the brownies proper out of the freezer, or you may thaw the brownies in a single day within the fridge earlier than serving.

Prepare dinner ModeForestall your display screen from going darkish

Brownies:

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Flippantly spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with nonstick spray, line the pan with parchment paper, and frivolously spray it once more. This can stop the brownie layer from sticking when chilling. As a result of the brownies are extra fudgy than cake-like, they are often stickier.

• In a big microwave-safe bowl, soften 1 cup butter. Combine in cocoa powder and granulated sugar till effectively mixed.

  1 cup unsalted butter, ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups granulated sugar

• Add eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla, and blend till shiny and shiny. Put aside.

  4 giant eggs, room temperature, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• Whisk collectively flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and baking powder in a separate mixing bowl; add to the egg combination, mixing till simply mixed. Unfold into the ready pan.

  1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder

• Bake for 25 minutes. Cool utterly earlier than transferring on to the peanut butter layer.

Peanut Butter Layer:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, soften ½ cup butter. Add peanut butter, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and powdered sugar; combine till easy..

  ½ cup unsalted butter, 2 cups easy peanut butter, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 3 ½ cups powdered sugar

• Sprinkle the peanut butter combination on high of the brownie layer and press into place utilizing your palms. Put aside.

Chocolate Layer:

• Place semi-sweet morsels and 6 tablespoons butter right into a microwave-safe bowl. Warmth for 20-second intervals, stirring completely after every interval, till utterly melted. Do not overheat the chocolate.

  12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Unfold chocolate over the peanut butter layer evenly utilizing an offset spatula. I discover it really works finest to spoon a part of the topping on and spreading it so far as it will go, then including extra to fill the following space. It might seem to be you do not have sufficient however it is going to be loads for a skinny layer overlaying the highest of the brownies.

• Chill till the highest layer is about, about half-hour (chocolate will flip boring and lose the shiny look). The chocolate topping is firmer and extra substantial than a ganache.

• Reduce brownies into squares. To assist stop the highest layer from cracking after chilling, I take advantage of a pointy knife to attain the hardened layer; then minimize by the opposite layers utilizing the rating strains as guides.The brownies are very wealthy and may be minimize into bite-sized treats (as much as 96) as an alternative of 24 bars.

• Shortcut: Substitute a boxed brownie combine (18.4 oz.) for the brownie layer. I like to recommend plain brownies with out add-ins. 
• Storage and Freezing: Retailer brownies in an hermetic container, with parchment or waxed paper between layers for as much as 4 days or refrigerate for as much as 1 week. The brownies may be frozen in a freezer-safe container for as much as 3 months. My household enjoys consuming the frozen brownies however they are often thawed within the fridge in a single day earlier than serving. 

Serving: 1giant brownie, Energy: 507kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 8g, Fats: 32g, Saturated Fats: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 4g, Monounsaturated Fats: 11g, Trans Fats: 1g, Ldl cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 214mg, Potassium: 261mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 41g, Vitamin A: 494IU, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 2mg

Vitamin info is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

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