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The holidays just got a little bit sweeter with these Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies. Homemade fudgy, crinkly brownies, baked, then layered with sweet peanut butter chocolate truffle ganache. And to finish? An extra drizzle of melted chocolate and a sprinkling of salted caramel brûlée candy. Every last bite of these indulgent brownies are melt in your mouth delicious. Package them up for gifting, or serve as your Christmas dessert. They’re simple to make and guaranteed to be hit!
I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’m really loving the holiday baking this year. Something inside me just wants to bake up the sweetest things and share each and every recipe with you guys. It’s true what that say, tis’ the season for all things sweet!
Or is that not the saying and I just made that up? Either way, my excitement for holiday sweets is strong, but here’s what I am realizing. I only want to make the recipes that feel overly special or sound overly delicious. With limited time before Christmas arrives, I want to make sure I’m sharing only my favorite recipes with you guys. The ones I love the most. The ones my family will be asking for once they arrive. And most importantly, the ones I think YOU guys will enjoy the most.
Enter these brownies.
The truth is that I have so many other recipes I could have shared with you guys today. Recipes that require more time, recipes that are maybe a bit more creative, and recipes that I’m sure will be good. But in the end? These brownies really excited me the most. I knew they had the potential to turn out better than I pictured in my head. And I knew that my family would thoroughly enjoy these.
So after confirming with my younger brother, Kai, that yes, these indeed sounded really good. I was convinced. And here we are!
The Idea.
This is a version of a brownie I made a while ago. I’m talking almost eight years ago, but it’s been a brownie that has been in the back of my mind for what feels like forever now.
I just loved the thought of an extra crinkly and very fudgy brownie topped with a layer of sweet, creamy, and peanut butter truffle layer. I knew exactly what I wanted this brownie to be, so I didn’t stop testing it until these were perfect. Or as close to perfect as I could get.
Here are the details, these are simple.
The holiday season is always busy, but having simple recipes on hand is key.
I took my favorite crinkle top brownie, layered them with a simple…but perfectly rich and creamy peanut butter chocolate truffle ganache. Then I finished these off with homemade salted caramel brûlée candy.
This brownie mix is my go-to. The KEY is whisking the eggs to get that extra crinkly top. The eggs should have lots of bubble on them before you stir them into the chocolate mix.
Then just bake and patiently wait for these crinkly, fudgy brownies to bake up.
And while they bake? Make the truffle layer!
This is simple…chocolate, cream, and peanut butter. It’s rich and creamy, feels very decadent. And most importantly, it’s delish.
That extra special Christmas touch.
That final touch? Salted caramel brûlée candy, which I stole from my caramel latte that I shared the other week.
Simply melt granulated sugar on the stove until it turns deep caramel in color, then spread the caramel out over a piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle with sea salt and let the caramel sit for a few minutes. And then? In almost no time at all, the caramel has hardened and can easily be smashed into small shards for sprinkling over your finished brownies.
It. Is. Delicious! Indulgent, and not needed by any means, but delicious.
What I love about these is that they’re easy to make, but yet they feel fancy. Everyone thinks they likely took hours to make, when they’re actually super simple.
But my favorite part? These are just perfectly crinkly on top, but also soft and gooey in the center. With an extra sweet sprinkle of caramel on top. The best kind of brownie…decadent. But it’s what we need today. Perfect for Friday night baking, holiday cookies boxes, and Christmas baking.
A little tip? If you need to impress anyone over the next couple of weeks…make them these brownie treats. They’ll win just about anyone over.
Looking for other chocolate holiday desserts? Here are my favorites:
Chocolate Hazelnut and Caramel Stuffed Brownie Cookies
Hot Chocolate Party (with 4 Hot Cocoa Recipes!)
Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars
Lastly, if you make these Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Kahlúa, (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee, (optional)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Peanut Truffles
- 2 (3.2 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate bars, chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 (3.2 ounce) milk chocolate bar, chopped
Caramel Brûlée
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9x9 inch square pan with parchment paper.2. In the microwave, melt together the butter and 1 cup chocolate chips (stirring at 30-second intervals) until melted and smooth. Stir in the sugar, Kahlúa (if using) vanilla, and instant coffee. 3. In a small bowl whisk the eggs for 1 minute until bubbly on top. Stir the eggs into the chocolate mix. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir until just combined. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the brownies are just set. Let cool.4. Meanwhile make the truffles. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt together the semi-sweet chocolate and cream until melted and smooth. Pour about half of the chocolate truffle/ganache over the brownies and smooth it out until it reaches the edge. Swirl in the peanut butter, then place the brownies in the freezer for 15 minutes to set. Once set, pour over the remaining truffle/ganache. Melt the remaining milk chocolate and drizzle it over the truffle layer. Allow the brownies to set at least one hour in the fridge or two hours at room temperature. Sprinkle with caramel brûlée, if desired. Cut into bars. 5. To make the Caramel Brûlée. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium pot, cook the sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a heat-proof spatula until the sugar has melted and turns a golden caramel, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread in a thin, even layer and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let sit 5 minutes. Once hardened, crush the caramel into small pieces/shards with the back of a spoon.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Great and delicious looking recipe. I have just one question. In the brownie ingredient section it says “4-5oz of milk chocolate chopped,” but the recipe does not show when or where it is added? Was it supposed to be added with the last 1/2 of chocolate chips? It also neglects to say when to add the kosher salt.
Hey Amanda, I am so sorry, that was a typo. Recipe all fixed! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! And Happy New Year! xTieghan
I used gluten free flour instead of regular and they turned out AMAZING!
Hey Lea,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These are AMAZING! However, they definitely took longer than 30 minutes at 350 degrees. I used a 9×9 glass baking dish and I had to bake them for 55 minutes. Other than that, easy and yummy!
Hey Kayla,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
You need to correct the recipe, the milk chocolate at the end of the brownie list of ingredients was never mentioned in the recipe, neither did the salt.
I ended up adding it to the ganache.
The brûlée sugar amount is ridiculous, I only used about 1/4 of it, and the brownies were already covered, the picture you show only has some of it sprinkled. No way it was 1 cup. Please correct the recipes, I see many people commented about this before, why would you wait for a lot more to make same mistake over and over?
They were delicious anyway!
HI! Recipe has been updated. You will have extra brulee. Please let me know if you have any other questions. so sorry for any trouble. Thank you! And Happy Holidays!! xTieghan ?
Made these tonight! They are delicious. But there is an error in the recipe as listed. I don’t believe you add 4-5 oz of milk chocolate to the brownie base. That isn’t mentioned in the instructions and mine turned out great without it. Also noticed that this recipe is incorrect in other ways on another link on your Instagram account. Could be confusing for people. Thanks for the great recipes. Keep them coming.
Hey Carol,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Thanks for pointing this out to me, I will give it a check over. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These were AMAZING! I made them exactly to the recipe with exception of not using the caramel brûlée as I felt that would be too sweet. This is a keeper and will make many times over. Thank you, Tieghan!
Hey Sandi,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Although this recipe is a little time consuming, it is definitely worth it! I made these as part of my holiday cookie box and everyone was crying over how delicious they were. In the words of my friend…”what am I eating, this chocolate fudge meth is addicting!”
Hey Carly,
I am so glad this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made these this morning and they turned out beautifully and looked professional. The shortbread turned out great, not too thick or thin and the drizzle looked amazing. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe. Will definitely make them again.
Hey Brooke,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Making this today! For the brownie recipe, I don’t see where the salt and 4-5 oz chopped chocolate go… did I miss it?
Hey Mekala,
Sorry for the confusion, this is going to be added to the batter in step 3. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
ahh, would love to bake these but are there any substitutes for the peanut butter you would recommend? (peanut allergy!)
Hey Mayra,
You can either skip the peanut butter or almond butter would work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Super easy to make, very rich though for my taste. Not a huge chocolate fan, but I’m sure that those who are will LOVE these.
Hey Megan,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Sounds delicious! Would crunchy peanut butter work as well or smooth is better?
Hey Sam,
I like to use smooth, but if you want an extra crunch chunky will work well. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’ve been making so many of your recipes lately and love them (esp Szechuan Noodles!) but these were 3 hours in the making (not 15 minutes), a kitchen disaster mess and a few things in the recipe didn’t read right. They were very rich and delicious but way too labour intensive. I only write this to forewarn anyone making these during Xmas Week to carve out some serious time and ingredients money…
Hey Patti,
So sorry these took so long for you, thanks for giving them a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
You left the chopped semi sweet chocolate and salt out of the instructions and mine is already in the oven. Hope I don’t have to throw this out
Hey Pat,
Sorry for the confusion…this is added into the batter in step 3, I’m sure you won’t have to throw the recipe out. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Could we Europeans possibly find some Eu measurements for this recipe? We would really like to give it a solid try. Looks fantastic! Love from Sicily!
Hey Giulia,
The metric measurements are listed above, you can just click “metric” under the ingredient list. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan