Have you ever had Magic Middle cookies? If not, you are missing out. I’ll be baking some in the next few weeks to share with you. Basically, it’s a chocolate cookie with a peanut butter center. It’s the best thing ever!
Well, along with these brownies. I’m a big fan of putting peanut butter cups in everything, and these are no exception. Except instead of using just mini-cups, I’ve used two sizes. Why not? Sometimes a girl just needs to go that one step too far!
I have a daily chocolate hankering. Okay, I won’t lie. It’s not daily. It’s hourly. But in the interests of health and blah blah blah, I limit my chocolate intake to twice daily. Please don’t pity me. I’m happy!
Sometimes that chocolate fix needs to be kicked up a couple of notches or I just don’t feel satisfied. That’s what these brownies are for. I promise you that after you eat these, that craving will head back into its little corner until, well, the next time.
The brownie base is my favorite, and all I did was layer the cups in between, mix the mini-cups into the batter itself, and cover the whole thing with milk chocolate. Simple as anything, and incredibly rewarding. Try it yourself!
Listen, it’s Sunday. I’m in weekend mode, which means I’m not going to babble on and on about these brownies. I’m just going to tell you as quickly as I can how to make them!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 4 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 12 snack-sized Reese’s peanut butter cups
- 1 package mini peanut butter cups (I used Trader Joe’s)
- 1 and 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray.
To make the brownie batter, melt the butter in the microwave and then stir in the cocoa until it dissolves completely. Add the sugar and stir until combined. Then, add the eggs and vanilla, and stir again until the mixture is smooth. Finally, add the salt and flour and mix again. Fold in a cup of the mini peanut butter cups.
Layer half of the batter in the pan. Press the snack-sized peanut butter cups in even rows and then fill in any gaps with more mini peanut butter cups.
Pour the remaining batter on top, spreading it out carefully to the edges.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the milk chocolate chips on top. Wait five minutes and spread the now melted milk chocolate chips around the surface of the brownies.
Allow the top to cool and harden. You can speed this process by putting the brownies in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.
OMG! These look so incredibly amazing! My husband and I are HUGE chocolate peanut butter fans, so these would be absolutely perfect for us!
Thanks, Cate! I can never resist PB cups. They should be classified as an addictive substance.
Visiting from Hit Me With Your Best Shot Link Party. This looks amazing, I’d love one right now!
Thanks, Laura! I’m very much all about chocolate and PB!
These brownies look amazing!! I especially love the melted chocolate on top! 🙂
Thanks! I love chocolate with my chocolate!