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Triple Layer Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies. Three layers of sweet chocolate deliciousness. One fudgy brownie layer, one creamy peanut butter layer, and one crunchy chocolate layer. These brownies are over the top indulgent…the ideal end-of-the-week treat to sink your teeth into!
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Serious question for you guys, do you watch football, or do you participate in fantasy football? As you might guess, I don’t partake in either, BUT all of the men in my life do. Sure, I kind of enjoy having Sunday night football on in the background, as it reminds of being a kid and Sunday nights spent with my family. But if I’m being honest, I really don’t care much to actually watch the game.
Anyone with me? I feel like I’m not alone on this.
All that said, I love the idea of football. When football season starts back up that means fall is here, and of course, that has me excited. I also love making a good game day recipe. In the past, I’ve made a lot of pull apart bread, buffalo chicken, chili, and soft pretzels, but today I’m going the sweeter route and taking inspiration from a classic Ohio dessert, buckeyes (also known as chocolate peanut butter balls, also known as addictingly good).
Most of you know that I’m originally from Ohio, so I grew up eating Buckeyes every fall throughout football season, and to this day they are probably one of my favorite desserts. What’s not to love about peanut butter balls covered in chocolate?
They’re a classic and they’re the best.
With my oldest brother Creighton in town this weekend, and Sunday night football premiering on Sunday, I knew I had to create something good for game day. Creighton loves anything with chocolate and peanut butter. So I did some brainstorming and somehow landed on these very over the top, but extremely delicious, triple layer brownies.
They are definitely not diet food, but life is all about balance. And hey, it’s basically fall, which means it’s baking season…and I’m ready to embrace it.
Plus, it’s Friday and I think we could all use a nice treat at the end of an oddly long 4 day week. Yes, chocolate is just very much needed.
Here are the delicious details.
Layer one is all about that extra fudgy, extra chocolatey brownie. I make my brownies with a mix of cocoa powder and melted milk chocolate. They’re rich, incredibly fudgey, and melt in your mouth good. Just what every brownie should be.
The brownie layer is actually pretty simple, made in just one bowl and baked in under thirty minutes. Nothing too fancy, just all things good.
While the brownies bake, make the peanut butter layer. It’s just a simple mix of peanut butter and butter. Originally I was going to make the same filling that a buckeye is made of. Which is peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter. But I felt the powdered sugar made the brownies entirely too sweet, so I ditched the sugar.
The peanut butter is dolloped over the brownies and covered with brown rice krispies and topped with another layer of chocolate.
So unbelievably GOOD.
This brownie is a chocolate lover’s dream, the dough is soft and gooey, the peanut butter creamy, and the chocolate-covered rice krispie layer adds a nice chocolatey crunch. Hands down, these are the best thing you can bake up this weekend.
It’s a little early for apples, and I’m personally a little “peached” out, so it’s chocolate and peanut butter overload for me this weekend.
My plans for Saturday? Cleaning and preparing the studio for a big shoot this week (we finally got our CO!), writing my Sunday Favorites post, ravioli making, brownie eating…and if I’m lucky, a little Netflix time too. That would be so ideal.
Truly cannot wait.
If you make these peanut butter crunch brownies, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Triple Layer Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
- 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
- 2-3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.2. Add the butter and chocolate to a medium microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave on 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth. To the melted chocolate whisk in the sugar, vanilla, and eggs until smooth. Stir in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt until just combined. Try not to over mix the batter, it will be thick. 3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it in an even layer. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the brownies are set on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.4. In a small bowl, beat together the peanut butter and 2 tablespoons softened butter until smooth and creamy. Dollop tablespoon size spoonfuls of the peanut butter over the brownies, lightly spreading the peanut butter into an even layer. Transfer to the freezer and freeze 10 minutes. 5. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double broiler. Sprinkle the Rice Krispies over the peanut butter and then pour the melted chocolate over top. Place the brownies in the fridge to set, about 20 minutes. Cut the brownies into squares. Store in the fridge or in a cool, dark spot in your kitchen.
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.
Wish I could post a pic but my brownies are such a mess! (Wish I was a better food stylist!) A few suggestions for other novice bakers:
Use dark chocolate instead of milk for the brownie base!,, so rich and delicious
Spread instead of dollop the peanut butter. The dollops made for very uneven peaks and valleys
Press the Rice Krispies into the peanut butter, otherwise they don’t stick and fall out everywhere
Lastly, and most importantly, cut the brownies before the top chocolate layer sets and hardens! Virtually impossible to cut and get a nice, clean square otherwise!
Thank you so much Karen!
we made these last month to celebrate my husband’s birthday. he said they were incredible dangerous, which is a good thing! my kids loved them as well. we’ll make them again! 🙂
i would only recommend storing in the refrigerator during the summer or warmer months- ours were a little too melty due to weather so i ended up putting them in the fridge after i cut them all. (cut them first or they are too hard to cut when cold!)
I am so happy to hear that Cassie! Thank you so much!
Did you spread the PB on brownies or leave on dollaps?
I like to leave it in dollops. It will spread as the brownies bake. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I am also not a football fan, but I am definitely a chocolate peanut butter fan so these are right up my alley! They look awesome!
Chocolate and peanut butter may be one of the best combos out there!! Thanks Lauren, hope you love them if you get to try!
I noticed your photos show dollops of peanut butter as the recipe indicates but the finished product looks like a smooth layer of peanut butter. Does it end up smoothing out on its own or did you smooth out those ones in particular? Does it change anything if I smooth it out? I don’t want gaps in the peanut butter layer.
HI! The peanut butter spreads as it bakes, so you don’t get huge dollops. Does this answer your question? Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Hello!
Although this is my first comment, I have made a significant amount of your online recipes – to the point I even bought your book and have been working my way through there too!
However, this is the first time I’ve had an issue with any recipe. I just made these and just took them out of the fridge and found the brownie to be a little too dry and I’m not sure I understand the point of the rice crispys. From sitting under a layer of chocolate they have gotten soggy defeating the point of the crunch. I understood the idea but these were just a miss for me.
Considering only one miss of a recipe for me when I’ve made dozens of your ideas is pretty amazing! Excited for the next one, didn’t mean to be harsh either!
Thank you!
Hi Miranda! I am so sorry to hear that this recipe did not work for you. I am glad you have been enjoying the book and other recipes on my blog, though!
I love your recipes! So happy I “found” you.
Just made these brownies. The melted chocolte didn’t pour and spread easily over the rice cripaoes. Any tips for me?
Hey Heather! For the chocolate, what kind of chocolate did you use? Any info you can give me would be so helpful in advising on how to best pour the chocolate in the future. And thank you SO MUCH! Thrilled you are enjoying my recipes so much!! xTieghan
I’m so excited to make these this weekend! Question- does the taste + texture stay the same of refridgerated? Or are the best at room temperature? Which do you prefer? Thank you!
HI! I prefer these room temp, but that is only because I don’t love cold food! They are honestly delicious either way, so serve them the way you think you’ll love them most! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I love the triple layers, these brownies are perfection!
Thank you so much Laura!
Loved these,but I found it hard to pour the chocolate over the dry rice crispies (unless its 3-4 cups) as they kept sticking.
Next time I will mix the chocolate and rice krispies together first and then layer it over the peanut butter.
Thank you so much Catherine! I am so glad you liked this!
Once again thanks for this recipe! Truly your blog is a gem to me. When i’ve seen this recipe popping in my inbox I knew I had to try it as soon as possible. So I did last weekend and while I was baking the brownies, I was trying to don’t think about all the workouts I will have to do later to burn those calories 😉
And god it worth it. Rice Crispies, Peanut Butter and Chocolat is one of the most enjoyable decadent mix ever. I’ve bring some to my colleagues at work and it was a huge success as well. Thanks to you, I was a real hero to them that day. Should I do it again soon? That’s the real dilemma now ^_^
Awh this is so amazing! I am so glad you loved this recipe Manuel! Thank you so much!
Chocolate and peanut butter…basically the most heavenly dessert combination. Except for those who are allergic to peanuts. I feel bad for those people, but aside from that, these bars do this pairing serious justice! I’m always blown away by how creative your recipes are!
Thank you so much Cassie! I hope you love this!
Decadent and delicious!
Thank you Maureen!
Hi! I am out of chocolate chips … but dying to make these and have all other ingredients.
Any alternate or can the chips possibly be omitted? ?
Hi Kaley,
If you don’t use chocolate chips you just aren’t going to have the chocolate layer on top. Do you have chocolate bars? You could melt those:) Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
These were insanely delicious. I made these on Saturday for my family and I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten the majority of them. This is a great recipe! These would be ideal for anyone needing to take a dessert to a party or holiday, if you can make it out of the house without eating them all yourself.
I am so glad you loved these Maria!
I’m getting all the ingredients for this ASAP! Can’t wait to make it.
I hope you love this Kate! Thank you!