Name: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies for the Table
Yield: 24

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies have a gooey brownie base, peanut butter cups, and a rich peanut butter-chocolate topping for a show-stopping dessert.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies stacked on top of each other

author’s note

Peanut Butter + Chocolate = The Best Brownies Ever!

Every Halloween, I snag all the extra Reese’s from my kids’ candy bags (plus whatever’s left from handing out candy) and we turn them into these peanut butter cup brownies. It’s one of a reliable traditions now.

My kids even grab way more than they need just so we have extras to bake with. If we’re in a hurry, I’ll pull out a boxed brownie mix, but if the kids are in baking mode, we go all in with my recipe for the fudgiest from-scratch brownies.

Ingredients shot-- the ingredients that go in this dessert

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies Ingredients

Ingredient	Why It Matters / Swaps
Brownie mix (9 × 13 in. size)	Any brand works. Make it from scratch too; just keep the pan size.
Eggs, oil, water	Follow the box. Try melted butter or cooled coffee for deeper flavor.
Original-sized Reese’s cups	Large cups give generous PB pockets. Mini cups or chocolate-hazelnut cups also work.
Milk chocolate chips	Classic sweetness. Swap semi-sweet or dark to reduce sugar.
Creamy sweetened peanut butter	Avoid natural PB; texture separates.
Coconut oil or shortening	Helps chocolate melt smoothly; butter works in a pinch.

Process shots-- mixing the brownie ingredients; smoothing into the pan

Fun Variations

Bake in muffin tins for brownie “cups.”
Swirl ¼ cup peanut butter into the batter for ripples.
Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the warm topping.
Fold chopped salted peanuts into the topping for crunch.

Process shots-- partially bake the brownies; press peanut butter cups into the brownies; return to the oven to finish baking

How To Make Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Prep Pan: Line a 9 × 13 in. pan with parchment and heat the oven per the mix.
Mix & Bake: Make the batter and bake two minutes less than the box says.
Add Cups: Gently press pb cups into the soft top, then bake two more minutes.
Top It: Cool completely. Melt chocolate with one tablespoon oil and spread over brownies. Melt peanut butter with the remaining oil, drizzle, and marble.
Set & Slice: Let the topping firm up, then slice with a hot knife for clean edges.

Process shots-- combine chocolate and coconut oil; melt until smooth; pour over cooled brownies; smooth into an even layer

Tips For Success

Use room-temperature eggs for a shinier crust.
Melt chocolate in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring well between rounds.
No peanut butter cups on hand? Press peanut butter chips plus a drizzle of warm PB into the half-baked brownies.

Quick Tip

Streaky or spotty chocolate is simply the cocoa solids separating out and rising to the top. If the brownies do end up with white spots, they are still evenly safe to consume.