Buckeye brownies! Chewy chocolate brownies with a peanut butter fudge topping covered in a silky, buttery, chocolate fudge frosting.
I’m a little surprised it’s taken me so long to share this recipe with you. I have a whole pile of peanut butter & chocolate recipes, (even two peanut butter-infused brownies) on this site, and yet one of my oldest and favorite recipes somehow doesn’t even have its own space on the blog.
I used to make these buckeye brownies as a potluck staple when I worked at Hopkins. Every time I brought them in, the neatly cut squares flew out of the Tupperware container before any other dessert, and I even had one of the cleaning ladies offer to pay me to make her a batch for a party.
Instead, I gave her the recipe, because though they are decadent and impressive, they’re actually pretty darn easy to make!
Instead of using my standard favorite Best Ever Brownie Recipe, I went with a quick and easy chewy, chocolaty recipe that takes a little less time. You can get away with using a box-mix baked in a 13×9 pan if you’re really in a time-crunch, but the brownies come together so quickly I really recommend making them as written.
This chewy recipe works really well with the fudginess of the peanut butter layer, and the “frosting” is a simple, two-ingredient, chocolate spread made by melting together chocolate chips and butter.
Quick confession: I’ve never had an actual buckeye candy on its own before, but the peanut butter filling is true to the ingredients used to make the candies.
Considering how wonderful the peanut butter tastes sandwiched between the chocolate of the frosting and the brownie base, I don’t know why you’d ever want to make it without the brownie layer, anyway!
Enjoy!
Buckeye Brownies
Ingredients
- 12 Tbsp butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces, 170g
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder 75g
- 1 2/3 cup granulated sugar 345g
- 1 Tablespoon water 15ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5ml
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 170g
- ½ teaspoon baking powder 2g
- ¼ teaspoon salt 2g
Peanut Butter Fudge
- 2 cups creamy peanut butter 475g
- 1/2 cup butter chopped into about 8 pieces, 113g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5ml
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar 360g
- 1 Tablespoon milk 15ml
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 265g
- 6 Tablespoons butter cut into pieces, 85g
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and lightly grease/spray a 13x9 pan (or line with parchment paper).
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In a large, microwave-safe bowl, heat butter in microwave until melted.
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Stir in cocoa powder and sugar.
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Add water and vanilla extract and stir until combined.
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Add eggs and egg yolk, stir well.
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In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
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Gradually add to butter mixture until completely combined.
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Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake on 350F (177C) for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before covering with peanut butter fudge.
Peanut Butter Fudge
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Combine peanut butter and butter in large heat proof bowl and microwave at 15-second increments (stirring between each) until butter is completely melted.
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Stir in vanilla extract.
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Gradually add/stir in powdered sugar.
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Add milk and stir well. Mixture should be fudgy enough that you can mold pieces into a ball, but not too stiff that you won't be able to spread it over the brownies (feel free to add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if mixture is too stiff, or more powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time if mixture is too soft).
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Drop peanut butter mixture by heaping spoonfuls over the cooled brownies and use a knife to gently spread until the brownies are evenly covered with a thick layer of fudge.
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Prepare chocolate fudge frosting by combining chocolate chips and remaining butter in a medium heat-proof bowl and microwaving at 15-second increments (stirring well between) until completely melted.
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Evenly pour chocolate over fudge, spread with a knife.
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Allow chocolate to set before slicing and serving (30-60 minutes).
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Sues says
I don’t know how anyone could resist these! All of my favorites together in one pan 🙂
Sam says
Thanks, Sues! 🙂
Lucy @ Globe Scoffers says
Mmm these look delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Sam says
Thanks, Lucy! 🙂
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
These brownies look awesome- definitely not your average brownies with some peanut butter thrown in there… the fudge and frosting really take these to the next level! 🙂
Sam says
Thank you, Medha! 🙂
Zerrin Günaydın says
These look so tempting. Will definitely try!
Mary S. says
Delicious! They were surprisingly easy to make too!
Sam says
I’m so glad that you enjoyed them, Mary! 🙂
Joyce says
Oh, man, am I glad I don’t have all the ingredients, and no time to get the few I’d need; these look and sound utterly FABULOUS, and my family would love them for Thanksgiving…but in the meantime, I live alone, and would just have to make a “sample” batch, don’t you know, in order to try them out—yeah, just a good thing I don’t have all the ingredients :-). Will make them for the family gathering in December, though!
Sam says
Haha, I love the idea of a “sample batch”! Unfortunately for me, the full-sized recipe usually turns into a “sample batch” (I have no self control). I hope you love them when you do make them, Joyce! 🙂
Keys says
I just want you to know my daughter and I made these Christmas eve. They are Fantastic!!!!
Sam says
I’m so glad to hear it!! Glad you loved them, and I hope you had a fantastic Christmas! 🙂
Liz says
What kind of chocolate chips did you use for the chocolate topping. Wondering if they are semisweet or milk chocolate or something else.
Sam says
Semisweet 🙂
Tracy says
I just made these today and they are sooooo good. I didn’t have enough butter and were in the middle of a blizzard, so I substituted vegetable oil. All of the layers compliment each other perfectly. Very rich without being too sweet. They came out so amazing, I can’t wait to make them again!
Sam says
Yay! Glad to hear they were such a hit! 🙂
Kevo says
Garsh Danget I ran out of butter…
Ginny says
These look amazing. I am thinking of making several batches for an event. Do you know if they freeze well?
Sam says
I haven’t personally frozen mine but I don’t think it would be a problem to freeze them 🙂