Peanut Butter Brookies

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Peanut Butter Brookies are the marriage of fudgy brownies and chewy peanut butter cookies! This recipe features even more peanut butter with the addition of Reese’s peanut butter cups. No more having to choose cookies OR brownies.

My top tips are to read the recipe all the way through before starting, and don’t forget to line your pan with parchment paper. Makes it easy to lift out of the pan and cut perfect squares for serving.

Peanut butter brookie on a white plate to serve.

This recipe was originally published in July 2013. The photos were improved and republished in June 2022. The recipe notes were updated in February 2025.

Aimee’s Recipe Notes

  • Taste & Texture – A rich combo of fudgy brownies and chewy peanut butter cookies, packed with Reese’s cups.
  • Ease of Making – Simple layering and baking in one pan.
  • Cooking Method – Baked in a 13×9-inch pan until golden and set.
  • Top Tip – Line the pan with parchment for easy removal, and chill before slicing for clean cuts.
  • Would I make again? Absolutely. I love keeping a batch in my freezer!

I don’t know a lot of things, but here’s one: people love the combo of chocolate and peanut butter!

People also love brookies–the result of adding a layer of cookie dough to a pan of brownie batter before baking.

Today’s recipe combines ALL of those favorites into one delicious and easy dessert bar.

Have you learned how to make Brookies yet? It’s no more difficult than making a pan of brownies or peanut butter bars, but the results are doubly impressive!

“Made these this weekend. They were perfect in every way. We were a house divided… I liked them room temp but my husband like them cold. Either way, delicious!” -Candice Ray

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed to make peanut butter brookies.
  • Crisco. Using shortening in the cookie layer is vital for the ideal texture. We used butter flavor but plain shortening works well too.
  • Unsalted butter. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the saltiness of the finished peanut butter brookies. You’ll need melted butter for the brownie layer and softened butter for the cookies.
  • Creamy peanut butter. We prefer the consistency of regular shelf stable peanut butter like (Jif or Skippy) when baked into cookies. Natural styles of peanut butter have oils that separate as the cookie layer bakes, which would make it crumbly or greasy.
  • Vanilla. For best flavor, use pure vanilla extract. Our homemade vanilla extract gives these brookies an incredible depth of flavor.
  • Reese’s peanut butter cups. For this recipe, you will need mini peanut butter cups unwrapped. You can also use full sized peanut butter cups cut up into 1 inch pieces. Use our homemade peanut butter cups for a delicious twist.

How to Make Brookies

Step by step photos showing how to make the layers in brookies.

For the brownie layer:

Melt chocolate chips with butter and stir until smooth. Mix in sugar, flour and eggs until combined. Pour the brownie batter into a baking dish lined with parchment paper.

For the cookie dough:

Beat the shortening and butter together. Then, mix in the remaining ingredients. Fold in the peanut butter morsels and Reese’s cups.

Assemble and bake:

Smooth the cookie dough over the brownie batter layer and bake.

Let the Peanut Butter Brookies cool completely at room temperature. Then, transfer to the fridge to chill before cutting into bars.

Peanut butter brookies cut into squares and stacked.

Tips and Tricks

  • It’s okay if the cookie layer still looks a bit soft when you take it out of the oven. It will continue firming up as the brookies cool down.
  • These Peanut Butter Brookies taste amazing served cold straight from the fridge. You can also let them come to room temperature if you prefer. They’re delicious either way!
  • Use a clean plastic knife to slice the brookie bars for a perfectly smooth cut.
Peanut butter brookie bars cut into large squares.

More Chocolate Peanut Butter Desserts

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Peanut Butter Brookies Recipe

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By: Aimee
A chocolate brownie layer topped with peanut butter cookie and Reese's peanut butter cups! That's how you make Peanut Butter Brookies!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 24 bars

Ingredients 

For the Brownie layer:

  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs

For the Cookie layer:

  • ½ cup butter flavored Crisco
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup peanut butter morsels
  • 8 ounce bag Reese’s mini peanut butter cups cut in half

Instructions 

  • For the brownie layer, melt chocolate chips with butter for 1 1/2 minutes in microwave safe glass bowl. Stir until smooth. Add sugar, flour and eggs and combine completely.
  • Pour into a 13×9 baking dish lined with parchment paper.
  • For the cookie dough, beat crisco with butter. Beat in milk, vanilla, sugars, peanut butter and egg. Add flour, salt, and baking powder. Fold in peanut butter morsels and Reese's mini PB cups.
  • Drop cookie dough onto brownie batter layer. Smooth evenly.
  • Bake in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Refrigerate and cut into bars.

Notes

  • It’s okay if the cookie layer still looks a bit soft when you take it out of the oven. It will continue firming up as the brookies cool down.
  • These Peanut Butter Brookies taste amazing served cold straight from the fridge. You can also let them come to room temperature if you prefer. They’re delicious either way!
  • Use a clean plastic knife to slice the brookie bars for a perfectly smooth cut.
  • Store brookies in airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
  • Freeze brookies for up to 3 months. Thaw on counter overnight.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 440kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 267mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 32g
Course: Brownies and Bars
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

More Brownie Recipes

Why choose between 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies and Peanut Butter Brownies when you can have BOTH? Peanut Butter Brookies with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are a homerun every time.

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About Aimee Shugarman

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on July 6, 2013

Comments & Reviews

  1. Wow! I will be trying these, but converting to Aussie ingredients! My kids will think they’ve died and gone to heaven, the little peanut butter junkies!

  2. My craving for peanut butter and chocolate is never ending!! What an absolutely drool worthy bar! I could put a serious dent in that pan of goodness!!!

    1. Love that you shared a Reese’s recipe today too 🙂 We could put a dent in the pan together!!

  3. Oh my GOSH… When it comes to treats, there really isn’t a better combo than chocolate and peanut butter. Your brookies look AMAZING and I can’t wait to try them!

  4. These look amazing. I’ve made your brownie base before and they are fantastic…but don’t they have cocoa? Is this base different?

    1. This base is a little different. Instead of cocoa I melted chocolate morsels. You could use either version 🙂

  5. Oh my goodness, this looks AMAZING!!! I love peanut butter anything and I so need this in my life. Pinning! 🙂

  6. Wowie, these attracted me on google. My little boy was beside me when I saw, and he was drooling over these. Looks delicious.

  7. Oh Aimee I want to devour that whole pan right now! Great Brookie and I am pinning you!!!

  8. Peanut butter and chocolate is pretty much heaven. I love that there are peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups. I think I need to eat a hundred of these.

    1. Thanks!! I lthink a lot of people feel the same about chocolate and peanut butter!!

  9. Just saw these on Foodgawker and stopped dead in my tracks. These look SO amazing. I just love layered cookie bars like this…especially when it’s chocolate and peanut butter!

  10. Be still my heart! These are perfection and I need them NOW. That gooey, sliiiiightly underbaked patch in the peanut butter cookies is my siren song. Oh, and the fact that a peanut butter cookie is baked on top of a freakin’ brownie. Genius!

  11. I only get that craving alllll the time!!!

    These look ohhh so good! Rich and chewy and nomnomnom!

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