Buckeye Brownies

Last year around Christmastime I made some buckeyes, which to me, is traditional Christmas candy.  There is just something about chocolate & peanut butter that a lot of people love.  It's a perfect combination & goes great in desserts!  This year I wanted to keep with that buckeye tradition, but in a new form.  These Buckeye Brownies, taste just like buckeye truffles, but in a decadent brownie bar.  One square, & my satisfaction for sugar & chocolate is fulfilled for the rest of the day.  They are definitely rich & satisfying!  These Buckeye Brownies are an easy neighbor gift idea as well, because if you cheat & use a boxed brownie mix like I did, they are thrown together in a cinch!  Definitely make these when you have company to share them with, but make them soon!

Buckeye Brownies

Recipe lightly altered from The Blonde Buckeye by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Brownies:

• 1 family size box brownie mix (makes a 13x9" pan)
• Ingredients for brownie mix.  Mine called for:
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs

Peanut Butter Buttercream:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• pinch salt
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 Tbsp milk

Chocolate Glaze:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I love Guittard)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1. Make brownies according to directions on the box for a 13x9" pan.  Grease the pan well before adding batter & baking.  Allow brownies to cool completely.
2. Make the PB buttercream by creaming the butter, peanut butter, & pinch of salt in a stand mixer until all lumps of butter are smooth.  Add powdered sugar & vanilla.  Mix.  Add milk gradually until spreading consistency.  Spread PB buttercream over the top of the cooled brownies.
3. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips & peanut butter in the microwave in short bursts, stirring frequently.  (I do 30 seconds, stir, 15 seconds, stir 15 seconds stir...until it's melted.)  Pour chocolate mixture over the PB buttercream.  Smooth with a spatula.  You can create a pretty design by zig-zagging the chocolate layer from one corner of the pan to the opposing corner.  Then dragging the tip of your spatula (or use the tip of a knife) to draw lines back & forth across the zig-zag pattern.

*Makes 24 brownies

Last year around Christmastime I made some buckeyes, which to me, is traditional Christmas candy.  There is just something about chocolate & peanut butter that a lot of people love.  It's a perfect combination & goes great in desserts!  This year I wanted to keep with that buckeye tradition, but in a new form.  These Buckeye Brownies, taste just like buckeye truffles, but in a decadent brownie bar.  One square, & my satisfaction for sugar & chocolate is fulfilled for the rest of the day.  They are definitely rich & satisfying!  These Buckeye Brownies are an easy neighbor gift idea as well, because if you cheat & use a boxed brownie mix like I did, they are thrown together in a cinch!  Definitely make these when you have company to share them with, but make them soon!

Buckeye Brownies

Recipe lightly altered from The Blonde Buckeye by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Brownies:

• 1 family size box brownie mix (makes a 13x9" pan)
• Ingredients for brownie mix.  Mine called for:
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs

Peanut Butter Buttercream:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• pinch salt
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 Tbsp milk

Chocolate Glaze:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I love Guittard)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1. Make brownies according to directions on the box for a 13x9" pan.  Grease the pan well before adding batter & baking.  Allow brownies to cool completely.
2. Make the PB buttercream by creaming the butter, peanut butter, & pinch of salt in a stand mixer until all lumps of butter are smooth.  Add powdered sugar & vanilla.  Mix.  Add milk gradually until spreading consistency.  Spread PB buttercream over the top of the cooled brownies.
3. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips & peanut butter in the microwave in short bursts, stirring frequently.  (I do 30 seconds, stir, 15 seconds, stir 15 seconds stir...until it's melted.)  Pour chocolate mixture over the PB buttercream.  Smooth with a spatula.  You can create a pretty design by zig-zagging the chocolate layer from one corner of the pan to the opposing corner.  Then dragging the tip of your spatula (or use the tip of a knife) to draw lines back & forth across the zig-zag pattern.

*Makes 24 brownies