You won’t find a more decadent, amazing brownie than these Fudge Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting. Chocolate and peanut butter perfection.
Rich, dense, chocolate brownies topped with fluffy, whipped, peanut butter frosting, what’s not to love? These brownies are downright dangerous.
Homemade Brownies from Scratch
Grabbing a box of brownie mix is so easy, I get it. However, you won’t regret taking just 10 more minutes to create these fudgy bites of heaven.
I baked them to share with another family, and yet I found myself returning to the kitchen for just one more sliver all afternoon. I seriously had to stash these fudge brownies with peanut butter frosting in the freezer to save myself.
I recommend making these when you have the chance to share them with friends. They are ultra rich and perfect for small bite size pieces.
I am a huge salty/sweet fan. Nothing hits that note quite like chocolate and peanut butter together. The smooth salty creaminess of this peanut butter frosting takes these fudgy brownies over the top.
When using softened cream cheese or butter, there are lots of different tips and tricks for softening them.
Nothing beats just setting the butter or cream cheese on the counter for a few hours. If you do this when you start, by the time the brownies cool and are ready to frost, your butter and cream cheese will be perfectly softened.
Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or line it with foil and grease it very well with butter. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add 2 cups of chocolate chips and stir with a wooden spoon until they have melted.
- Remove from the heat, add the sugar and stir to combine. Add the vanilla and then whisk or stir in the eggs, one at a time. When the mixture is smooth and shiny, slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixture in the saucepan.
- Stir in ¾ cup of chocolate chips. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes, just until an inserted toothpick shows moist crumbs. Let the bars cool completely before frosting.
Peanut Butter Frosting for Brownies
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter. Beat with an electric mixer (with the wire whisk attachment if possible) until thoroughly combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. The frosting should be thick, creamy, and spreadable. If it becomes too thick to easily spread, add a tablespoon of cream or milk and beat again, adding additional liquid only if necessary.
- Gently spread the frosting over the completely cooled brownies and chill for 1-2 hours until firm. Slice into bars. Store the remaining brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes
Chocolate and peanut butter go together as good as if not better than peanut butter and jelly. From breakfast smoothies to cakes, I have you covered.
No-Bake Cookies have met their match with these Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Bites. It doesn’t get much easier than just stirring everything together and pouring it into a pan.
Tender and moist Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins are possible with just a scoop of sour cream and a couple of bananas. These muffins are moist and sweet and absolutely perfect for a breakfast treat, an afternoon snack, or even for dessert.
Much closer to a milkshake than our typical smoothies, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie is made rich and creamy by adding frozen bananas.
Last but not least, The Ultimate Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is a Sour Cream Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze, but really? Let’s just call it the ULTIMATE chocolate cake.
Check out all of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes on this website!
Fudge Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients
Brownie Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2¾ cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour*
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Peanut Butter Frosting Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk only as needed
*Gluten-Free Alternative
- ⅔ cup brown rice flour
- ⅓ cup tapioca starch
Instructions
Brownie Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or line it with foil and grease it very well with butter. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add 2 cups of chocolate chips and stir with a wooden spoon until they have melted.
- Remove from the heat, add the sugar and stir to combine. Add the vanilla and then whisk or stir in the eggs, one at a time. When the mixture is smooth and shiny, slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixture in the saucepan.
- Stir in ¾ cup of chocolate chips. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 28-32 minutes, just until an inserted toothpick shows moist crumbs. Let the bars cool completely before frosting.
Frosting Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter. Beat with an electric mixer (with the wire whisk attachment if possible) until thoroughly combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. The frosting should be thick, creamy, and spreadable. If it becomes too thick to easily spread, add a tablespoon of cream or milk and beat again, adding additional liquid only if necessary.
- Gently spread the frosting over the completely cooled brownies and chill for 1-2 hours until firm. Slice into bars. Store the remaining brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Nutrition
{originally published 7/4/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/20/22}
Sherri@The Well Floured Kitchen says
Wow these look dangerously good! I've never used brown rice flour, but this is making me curious to try it.
Anonymous says
Looks delicious. Your blog is my go to blog for gluten free desserts. My family loves the gluten free white cake and the chocolate cake with the caramel in the frosting. My husband says they are the best cakes he's ever had. Thanks for all of the hard work you do recipe developing and testing.
Mary says
I am thrilled that you enjoy the recipes! Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
Velva says
My family are brownie freaks (laugh)…These look delicious. You know they are good when you keep returning for just another sliver.
Velva
Anonymous says
Regarding the non gluten-free version of this recipe; Do I add a total of 1 cup AP flour or 2?
Sorry, but I am confused as I don't know if you mean 1 cup AP flour per * item, or 1 cup total! Thanks in advance!!
Mary says
Add a total of 1 cup all purpose flour. Enjoy!
kimberly torpey says
WOW! These brownies are just mean. I ate the whole first row after I made them…you cannot stop at one. I am new to gluten free due to an allergy. Your blog has saved me many times. Your recipes are the best. Thanks!
Anonymous says
The recipe calls for 1 cup brown sugar, but the instructions say "add in sugars" – is there another sugar to be added or just the brown sugar? Thanks
peggy kelley says
Hi Mary, I really wanted to make this recipe,( chocolate brownies with peanut butter frosting) but what language are the measurements for each ingredient? Have never heard of 0.3 cup butter,0.13 cups semi, 0.25 eggs etc. There is no way that I can convert them. Please send me the proper English using of cups, tsp, tbs, and oz recipe
Mary Younkin says
It sounds like you’ve (accidentally) reduced the number of servings and it’s giving you strange ingredient amounts, Peggy. There’s a slider at the top of the recipe that allows you to adjust the serving amounts. Make sure the servings size says 16 servings and the amounts will look normal again. There are 4 eggs in this recipe, as long as there are for eggs in the list, you have it set correctly.
CINDY FEINZIMER says
Hi Mary,
Do you think the Gluten Free Rich Chocolate Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting {traditional and gluten free recipes} you have posted would be good, if I used Ice Cream or a dairy free dessert as a topping instead of using the Cream Cheese and Peanut Butter Frosting? I cannot eat dairy or peanut butter. I have a dairy free coconut frozen dessert that i would like to use.
Thank you,
Cindy
Mary Younkin says
You bet, Cindy. The brownies would be delicious with ice cream or the coconut frozen dessert as a topping instead of frosting.
Bella says
There’s no cocoa powder in this brownie recipe!?
Mary Younkin says
That’s right, Bella. No cocoa powder required. Happy baking!