Buckeye Brownies

Buckeye Brownies are like my favorite chocolate peanut butter candy turned into a rich, fudgy brownie! We start with a brownie base and top it off with a thick, creamy peanut butter layer, and then pour melted chocolate over the top. These are rich, decadent, and oh so irresistible to all peanut butter lovers!

I’ve always been an absolute fiend for all things chocolate and peanut butter. The two were made to be BFFs if you ask me!

Y’all knew this was only a matter of time, right? I mean, the Buckeye Cake was such a hit, that I couldn’t not make Buckeye Brownies.

These are simple to make, but they look beyond impressive. And let me tell you…if you have a chocolate peanut butter lover in your life, this recipe will cement you in as their best friend, without a doubt.

I love that this recipe can be kept super simple by starting with a box of brownie mix, or you can go all Betty Homemaker and make my homemade brownies.

While both options are fabulous, my homemade brownies do bake up ridiculously thick and fudgy – a must make recipe, if you ask me.

Ingredient Notes:

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For the brownies:

Prepared Brownies – This recipe starts with already prepared brownies in a 9×13 baking dish. You can keep it simple and use a family sized box mix from the store or make homemade brownies and modify them with this recipe!

For the peanut butter:

Creamy Peanut Butter – I would definitely recommend using a creamy peanut butter and not chunky for this, but it’s up to you. Any brand works, but make sure to use processed peanut butter that doesn’t need to be stirred. The natural stuff tends to separate too much.

Butter – Make sure to start with softened butter for easy mixing!

Powdered Sugar – To add some extra sweetness to the peanut butter layer!

Salt – Just a bit to help balance out the sweetness. This is a must – when you leave out the salt, you really lack flavor in the peanut butter layer.

Vanilla Extract – For flavor!

For the ganache:

Heavy Whipping Cream – It’s what makes the chocolate ganache so rich, creamy, and flavorful!

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – You can use any brand of chocolate chips that you prefer! You could also use milk chocolate chips for a sweeter chocolate experience or dark chocolate chips for a more bitter chocolate topping.

How To Make Buckeye Brownies:

Brownies: Bake up a batch of your favorite 9×13 brownies, whether that’s from a box mix (do use the family size box!) or brownies made from scratch. Let the brownies cool completely before moving on.

Peanut Butter Filling: Add the peanut butter, softened butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla to a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Spread: When the peanut butter mixture is ready you can start spreading it over the top of the brownies in an even layer.

Chocolate Ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat until just begins to bubble around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. Let this cool for 10 minutes and then pour it over the peanut butter layer and use an off-set spatula to smooth it out.

Cool: Let the brownies chill for a bit either on the counter (for a soft set chocolate topping) or in the fridge (for a hardened layer of chocolate). Slice them up and serve!

FAQ’s:

This recipe was originally published in September 2011. It was updated with new photos in June 2023.