Reese’s Brownies
These Reese’s brownies bring together a rich chocolate base, creamy peanut butter layer, and of course, Reese’s cups for that iconic candy crunch. There’s something irresistibly satisfying about warm, fudgy brownies loaded with chocolate and peanut butter.
Whether for potlucks, dessert nights, or chocolate cravings, this recipe delivers. Let me walk you through every detail so your brownies come out perfect!
Why You’ll Love These Reese’s Brownies
- Double peanut butter hit: both in the peanut butter layer and in Reese’s cups
- Fudgy, rich chocolate base with glossy crackly top
- Lots of flexibility: gluten free, dairy free, and lower sugar swaps
- Great make-ahead and freezer friendly
- Impressive presentation without being overly complicated
- Check out these Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies or these Brown Butter Brownies for another delicious dessert recipe!
Ingredient Guide & Tips
| Ingredient | What to Choose | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | Unsalted, high-quality | Flavor from milk solids; unsalted gives you control over salt level |
| Chocolate | Dark or semisweet chips, or chopped bars | Dark balances sweetness; chopped bars melt smoothly |
| Sugar | Granulated or coconut sugar | Affects sweetness, texture, and glossy top |
| Cocoa Powder | Natural or Dutch-processed | Dutch is mellow, natural is sharp and intense |
| Eggs | Room temperature | Helps create shiny top and better texture |
| Flour | Gluten-free 1:1 blend or all-purpose | Affects structure and crumb |
| Peanut Butter | Natural creamy or crunchy | Flavor intensity and spreadability vary |
| Reese’s Cups | Mini, regular, or homemade | Mini hold shape better, regular give bigger bites |
| Salt | Sea salt or kosher salt | Balances and enhances flavor |
Ingredients (Makes ~9 Brownies)
Brownie Base
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup gluten-free flour (or ½ cup all-purpose flour)
- ½ tsp sea salt
Peanut Butter Layer
- 9 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (chopped or whole)
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Reese’s Brownies Recipe (Step-by-Step Instructions)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang.
- Melt butter and chocolate chips together until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- In another bowl, whisk sugar and eggs for 2–3 minutes until frothy and light. Add vanilla.
- Fold chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
- Sift in cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Fold gently until combined.
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
- Layer Reese’s cups on top.
- Mix peanut butter and powdered sugar until spreadable. Spread over the Reese’s layer.
- Top with remaining brownie batter and smooth the surface.
- Bake 33–36 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan. For neat cuts, chill in the fridge before slicing.
Expert Tips for the Best Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
For a shiny top: whisk sugar and eggs well until frothy.
If these Reese’s brownies are too dry, bake a few minutes less.
For gluten free success: use a quality blend like King Arthur Flour or Bob’s Red Mill and don’t over mix.
Vegan swap: use this recipe for Vegan Brownies!
Storage & Freezing
Store these Reese’s brownies at room temperature in an airtight container up to 2 days.
Refrigerate up to 7 days.
Freeze sliced brownies (individually wrapped) for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, but spread carefully so the layer stays even.
Use oat flour for a slightly more tender crumb.
Toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Usually eggs and sugar weren’t whisked enough, or chocolate mixture was too hot.
You May Also Like
- Gluten Free Dairy Free Brownies
- Chocolate Cherry Brownies
- Matcha Brownies
- Lactation Brownies
- Dark Chocolate Brownies
If you make these Reese’s brownies, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along! For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes.
Get the Recipe: Reese’s Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup granulated sugar, or coconut sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- ¼ cup gluten free flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 9 peanut butter cups
- ⅔ cup all natural creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, add melted butter and chocolate chips. Stir until completely melted. If needed, microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add the white sugar and the eggs. Whisk vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and frothy. Add in the vanilla extract. Stir.
- Pour melted chocolate mixture into the mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Sift in cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Fold gently until combined.
- Pour half of this batter into the parchment lined brownie pan.
- Then, place the peanut butter cups on top.
- In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter and powdered sugar. Stir together. Spread this mixture on top of the peanut butter cups. Smooth into an even layer.
- Pour the remaining brownie batter on top of the peanut butter. Smooth into an even layer.
- Bake for 33 to 36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Finally, remove from the oven. Allow these Reese’s brownies to fully cool before slicing into.
Notes
- If necessary, briefly warm the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave, then stir until the mixture is silky and smooth.
- Whisk the sugar and eggs well—this step is key to achieving that shiny, crackly brownie top.
- You can use either homemade peanut butter cups or store-bought ones.
- Bake just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with soft crumbs; avoid over baking.
- Let the brownies cool completely before cutting—since they’re extra gooey, this step is essential.
- Check out all of my kitchen favorites!
6 Comments on “Reese’s Brownies”
My husband found this recipe on Facebook and sent it to me, saying I needed to make these for him! So, I made them on Thanksgiving! I forgot to add the sugar to the peanut butter, but it was fine without it. I melted the peanut butter on the stove on low since I keep it in the fridge. I used peanut butter cups from Whole Foods and not Reese’s. It turned out really good, and I will make these again! Thank you for a great recipe!
When do you add the cocoa powder, flour, vanilla and sea salt? These instructions are incomplete.
Hi Kelsie. The instructions are now updated – thank you for pointing that out!
Does it have to be gluten free flour?
You can use an equal amount of all purpose flour. Enjoy!
Printed recipe is different than the one on the website. Very frustrating as it did not come out correct.