Layered Peanut Butter Brownies (Printable)

Triple-layer chocolate treats with fudgy base, creamy peanut butter filling, and rich ganache topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Brownie Base

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Peanut Butter Layer

08 - 1 cup creamy peanut butter
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1 cup powdered sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - Pinch of salt

→ Chocolate Ganache

13 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
14 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk together melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; whisk until well combined. Sift in cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Mix until just combined.
03 - Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in the pan.
04 - Beat together peanut butter, melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the cooled brownie base.
05 - Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream until just simmering, then pour over chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth.
06 - Pour cooled ganache over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until set. Lift brownies from the pan using parchment overhang. Cut into squares and serve.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The fudgy brownie base cracks perfectly under your fork while staying incredibly moist
  • That peanut butter layer hits you with creamy richness that balances the dark chocolate
  • The ganache sets into a silky topping that makes these feel completely fancy
02 -
  • Overbaking by even three minutes turns these from fudgy to cakey, so start checking at the 20-minute mark
  • Room temperature ingredients for the ganache prevent that sad, seized texture that happens when cold cream meets hot chocolate
  • Letting each layer cool completely prevents them from bleeding into each other, which ruins those gorgeous distinct lines
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale if you have one—baking by weight gives you the same fudgy results every single time
  • Clean your knife between every few cuts for those picture-perfect slices that look like they came from a bakery

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