Buckeye Brownies have a thick peanut butter layer topped with chocolate ganache for the ultimate decadent brownie. If you love chocolate and peanut butter Buckeyes, meet your new favorite dessert. Everything you love about buckeyes, served up easily on a brownie!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Can be made from a boxed mix – Starting with a boxed brownie mix makes this recipe easy enough for even a novice baker.
- Can also be made from scratch – Just use your favorite homemade brownies recipe.
- Peanut butter – This peanut butter topping is creamy, soft and sweet, just like the center of a buckeye candy.
- Chocolate ganache – Three ingredients get melted together to add the perfect finishing touch to these indulgent brownies.
- Candy and brownie in one – Why choose between buckeyes and brownies when you can have both?
- Crowd pleasing dessert – These Buckeye Brownies are the first to disappear at any potluck or party. Everyone loves chocolate and peanut butter!
This recipe is inspired by the chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls known as Buckeyes. We took the peanut butter mixture used in classic buckeye candies and spread it over fudgy brownies. With an extra layer of chocolate on top for good measure, the results are certifiably magical.
Recipe Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients you will need to make Buckeye brownies. Important notes and substitutions for certain ingredients are discussed. The full printable recipe, with amounts and specific details, can be found at the bottom of the page.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Brownie Mix – You can use your favorite boxed brownie mix that makes a 9×13 inch pan of brownies. I recommend going with a simple mix, such as a chocolate fudge or dark chocolate. Also, gather the ingredients called for on the box. Alternatively, you can use a homemade brownie recipe.
- Peanut Butter – This recipe works best with a standard peanut butter, such as a Jif or Skippy. The filling comes together better with this type of peanut butter than it does with the natural peanut butters.
- Chocolate Chips – The recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips, and I highly recommend using those or dark chocolate chips. Milk chocolate chips are just a bit too sweet and don’t create a balanced flavor in this recipe.
- Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream – If you do not have have this, you can just the chocolate chips along with ½ cup of salted butter and 2 tablespoons of milk. Just keep in mind that the texture will be firmer. The heavy cream really creates the ideal texture for topping these Buckeye brownies.
How To Make Buckeye Brownies
Let’s discuss the steps you’ll take to whip up a batch of delicious Buckeye Brownies at home. If you want to skip my discussion, tips, information and answers to frequently asked questions, just scroll to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe.
1. Prepare the brownie mix according to the directions on the package. Bake for the recommended time and allow them to cool.
2. While the brownies are cooling, prepare the peanut butter layer. With a hand mixer, beat the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth.
3. This will end up as a thick, playdough like consistency. Set aside.
4. Melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. When the butter is melted, stir in the cream. Whisk this together constantly while increasing the heat to medium high. Cook this mixture until it just starts forming bubbles.
5. As soon as the butter and cream start bubbling, immediately, pour the cream mixture over the semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl and cover it with a lid. Let this sit for five minutes.
6. After five minutes, stir to combine the chocolate and cream mixture.
7. It may take a minute or two of stirring, but you should create a smooth ganache. It may thicken as it cools, which is fine, just give it a stir.
8. Once the brownies have cooled, top with the peanut butter mixture by scooping out spoonfuls of the mixture onto the brownie layer.
9. Use a spatula to smooth out and cover the brownie layer completely.
10. Pour the ganache on top of the peanut butter mixture.
11. Smooth with a knife or offset spatula. Place the brownies into the fridge to allow them to cool and set for easier cutting. They will need at least 30 minutes to chill.
These brownies cut best if they are well chilled. After that they can be kept chilled or at room temperature. We actually preferred them cold – they are kinda like big reese cups!
Buckeye Brownies Tips And Advice
Storage
These brownies keep best if you refrigerate them. Store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or they may be frozen for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ
They are hard to resist, but they are a little messy if they are eaten immediately. It’s ideal if you can let them chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the chocolate ganache layer to set up.
There are two options if you have an 8×8/9×9 brownie mix or recipe. First, you can use two boxes or double the recipe, then make the bars as called for. The other option, which is my preference, is to make the 8×8/9×9 mix or recipe as it’s called for, then reduce the ingredients for the peanut butter filling and ganache by about 1/3. You can cut the ingredients in half, but you will have thin layers.
Recommended Recipes
If you love this recipe for Buckeye Brownies, I have some other recipes I think you’ll enjoy as well.
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
- The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
- Snickers Brownies
- Peanut Butter Dog Treats
More Brownie Recipes To Try!
Buckeye Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- 1 Brownie Mix – 9 x 13 inch pan size
- ingredients called for on the box of brownies
Peanut Butter Filling
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
- 1/2 cup salted butter (melted)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Ganache Topping
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- Prepare a 9X13 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and preheat oven to the temperature recommended on the box mix.
- Prepare the brownie mix according to the directions on the package. Bake for the recommended time and allow them to cool.
- While the brownies are cooling, prepare the peanut butter layer. With a hand mixer, beat the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. This will end up as a thick, playdough like consistency. Set aside.
- To make the ganache topping, place the 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate in a medium to large bowl, that you can cover with a lid or a plate, and set aside.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. When the butter is melted, stir in the cream. Whisk this together constantly while increasing the heat to medium high. Cook this mixture until it just starts forming bubbles.
- As soon as the butter and cream start bubbling, immediately, pour the cream mixture over the bowl of chocolate and cover it with the lid. Let this sit for five minutes. After five minutes, stir to combine the chocolate and cream mixture. It may take a minute or two of stirring, but you should create a smooth ganache. It may thicken as it cools, which is fine, just give it a stir.
- Once the brownies have cooled, top with the peanut butter mixture by scooping out spoonfuls of the mixture onto the brownie layer, then use a spatula to smooth out and cover the brownie layer completely.
- Pour the ganache on top of the peanut butter mixture and smooth with a knife or offset spatula.
- Place the brownies into the fridge to allow them to cool and set for easier cutting. They will need at least 30 minutes to chill.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
Sounds yummy