Loaded Peanut Candy Brownies foot the bill for anything chocolate, peanuts, and peanut butter. A chewy chocolate brownie has a peanut butter cheesecake swirl harboring all of the best peanut candies. Finally, a double layer of peanut butter cream cheese topping makes for a wickedly indulgent bite!
There must be a reason behind our enamorment for anything chocolate and peanut butter. Salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy—all of these oppositions play out in many modern day peanut candy bars. With Halloween around the corner, I had the perfect opportunity to shove all of the peanut candies out there into one single dessert.
Loaded Peanut Candy Brownies raise the intensity factor. Just when you think you can’t fit another peanut candy into the brownie, you find yourself shoving another one in. And why not? I chose candies that would contribute, not only a peanut-y flavor, but also provide a variance in texture. I don’t skimp or cut corners. The brownie is made with a haunting combination of bittersweet chocolate, melted butter, and minimal flour—yielding a perfectly moist and fudge-like end product.
These Loaded Peanut Candy Brownies are Halloween’s version of Thanksgiving’s leftover sandwich. Hey you’ll put mashed potatoes and stuffing between two slices of bread, so what’s wrong with peanut butter goodness on top on peanut butter goodness? Exactly, nothing.
It may look like there’s a lot of frosting on these brownies, and you’re not mistaken, it is a lot. But this half-and-half ratio is completely required. The peanut butter cream cheese frosting tastes less like a frosting and more like a cookie dough. Rich, silky, and smooth—the frosting is far from cloyingly sweet. The peanut butter frosting is airy and plays off of the dense moist and chewy brownies.
So combine those chocolate candies into one marvelous brownie dessert!
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- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup full fat sour cream
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
- 4 regular sized peanut butter cups
- 2 regular butter fingers, roughly chopped
- ⅛ cup Reese's Pieces, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup honey roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- orange food gel
- 4 regular sized peanut butter cups, roughly chopped
- 2 regular butter fingers, roughly chopped
- ⅛ cup Reese's Pieces, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup honey roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- microwave cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl, for 30 to 35 seconds. Add sour cream, peanut butter, sugar, and flour, whisking to incorporate. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8-by8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil with flaps of foil hanging out, spray with baking spray, set aside.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl set aside. In another bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Put butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, heat in 20 second intervals, stirring regularly until melted. Let cool for 5 minutes. Combine cooled mixture into sugar-egg mixture, whisking to combine. Use a rubber spatula to stir in flour mixture.
- Pour half of brownie batter into pan. Spread half of peanut butter cream cheese ontop. Press peanut candies into batter, top with remaining peanut butter cream cheese and finally top with remaining brownie batter.
- Bake for 42 to 45 minutes. A toothpick test won't work, but make sure the top has a crust and the edges are starting to look slightly crisp. Let cool completely.
- in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and butter until smooth, about 1 minute at medium speed. Lower speed, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Raise speed and let frosting beat for 1 to 2 minutes, this will incorporate air. Divide frosting in half. Tint one half with orange food gel. Beat mix-ins into remaining frosting.
- Use the excess flaps of tin foil to lift brownie out of pan. Pull back and remove foil and place brownies on a flat dish. Use a serrated knife to square off edges. Apply the candy filled frosting on top, chill for 15 minutes until it sets. Apply orange frosting, chill for another 15 minutes. Use a knife dipped into hot water to cut and make clean edges. Garnish with remaining candies.
