Decadent Dark Chocolate Brownies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting

By Angela Sellari Jump to Recipe

‘Tis the season to celebrate, create and bake! Baking holiday cookies and other sweet treats is a family tradition at my house.

It’s always so much fun to bake up our favorite treats, and package them up to share with neighbors and friends. We eat our fair share of the too! In the coming weeks my kitchen (probably yours too) will be filled with the most delectable smells.

Hershey’s baking products are a big part of my family’s holiday baking.

Each holiday season, I have a few tried and true family recipes that I am sure to make. Additionally, I also try to mix things up a bit and try a few new recipes for each holiday season. These decadent Dark Chocolate Brownies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting are my latest holiday fare. Ridiculously rich, fudgy dark chocolate brownies, topped with a fluffy peanut butter frosting, and sprinkled with salted cashews, chocolate and peanut butter morsels. I seriously can’t remember the last time I enjoyed something this much.

These frosted brownies are AMAZING.

I absolutely love the combination of cashews, and chocolate and peanut butter morsels sprinkled on top. You can use a different kind of nut if you like, just make sure it’s salted. That little bit of salt is so good on the peanut butter frosting.

This is such a rich and satisfying dessert. I love the blend of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips and Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips. It’s such a wonderful combo! Hershey’s baking products have a way of inspiring families to come together and create new traditions for the holiday season.

Ingredients:

For the Brownies:

• 12 Tbsp salted butter
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips

For the Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 6 Tbsp butter softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar ¾ cup peanut butter pinch salt

For Topping:

• ¼ cup Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips
• ¼ cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
• ¼ cup salted cashews coarsely chopped

Instructions 

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and vanilla, stir well.

Step 3: Remove pan from heat and whisk in the Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder.

Step 4: Gradually pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl that contains the beaten eggs and whisk until well combined.

Step 5: Gently stir in the flour and chocolate chunks.

Step 6: Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove parchment paper (with brownies) from the pan. Peel parchment away but leave brownie sitting on top of it.

Step 7: Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beating butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and pinch of salt until light and fluffy. Spread over brownies. Sprinkle with Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips, Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips and chopped cashews.

The combination of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips and the peanut butter frosting is incredible.

Slice brownies into 16 squares. (To make slicing easier, I like to put the brownies in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to firm up a bit. Remove brownies from pan with parchment paper and slice.)

Recipe yields 16 servings.

These brownies are perfect for holiday gift giving! I wonder which lucky friend will be getting this box?

I have a strong feeling that these dark chocolate brownies with peanut butter frosting will become part of my family’s holiday baking tradition.

This holiday season, I hope you’ll start new traditions, build lasting memories and enjoy the magic of the season with your family by baking and creating with Hershey products. Many thanks to The Hershey Company for sponsoring this holiday recipe.

Decadent Dark Chocolate Brownies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Frosting

Angela Sellari

These decadent dark chocolate brownies with fluffy peanut butter frosting are such an indulgent treat.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 784 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Brownies:

• 12 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips

For the Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 6 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar 3/4 cup peanut butter pinch salt

For Topping:

• 1/4 cup Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
• 1/4 cup salted cashews coarsely chopped

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and vanilla, stir well.
• Remove pan from heat and whisk in the Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder.
• Gradually pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl that contains the beaten eggs and whisk until well combined.
• Gently stir in the flour and chocolate chunks.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove parchment paper (with brownies) from the pan. Peel parchment away but leave brownie sitting on top of it.
• Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beating butter, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and pinch of salt until light and fluffy. Spread over brownies. Sprinkle with Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips, Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips and chopped cashews.

Nutrition

Calories: 784kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 14gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 25gSodium: 371mgFiber: 6g

Keyword Decadent Dark Chocolate Brownies

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