Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies
 
 
Peanut butter crunch brownies!! Rich chocolate brownies topped with a layer of peanut butter cream and, cacao nibs, and chocolate ganache.
Yield: 16 brownies
Ingredients
For the brownies
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp (160 g) all purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1½ cups (300 g) sugar
  • ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
  • ½ cup (112 g) canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter
  • 8 oz (226 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • ¼ cup (25 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
For the peanut butter filling
  • 1½ cups (323 g) creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
  • 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
For the chocolate ganache
  • 5 oz (142 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • ½ cup (120 g) heavy cream
  • ½ cup (60 g) cacao nibs
Instructions
For the brownies
  1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugars, canola oil, and vanilla. Set aside.
  4. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a small bowl either in the microwave or on the stovetop. Whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until completely combined. Add the chocolate mixture to the sugar-egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Add in the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 22-27 minutes, or until the sides have set and the top is crackly. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely in the pan.
For the peanut butter filling
  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth. Set aside.
For the ganache
  1. Place the chocolate in a small bowl.
  2. Heat the heavy cream on the stovetop until it is just simmering, then pour over the chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and whisk together until completely smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
To assemble
  1. Once the brownies have cooled, spread the peanut butter filling over the top of them, using an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Sprinkle the cacao nibs over the peanut butter.
  2. Place in the freezer and chill for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the ganache over the peanut butter, smoothing it into an even layer. Place back in the freezer and chill until the chocolate has set, about 10 minutes.
  4. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars from the pan and cut into even squares.
Notes
Recipe adapted slightly from 100 Cookies
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2021/02/peanut-butter-crunch-brownies.html