Buckeye Brownies

By: Diana Posted: 9/3/24

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Layers of chewy fudge brownies, rich peanut butter filling, and silky chocolate ganache make these Buckeye Brownies absolutely amazing!

They taste just like the classic Ohio candy but in an easy-to-make peanut butter brownie recipe.

closeup of a cut pan of buckeye brownies. Two pieces have been removed to show the layers of brownie, peanut butter, and chocoalate.

Buckeye Brownies might be the only dessert recipe you need to satisfy that ever-present chocolate plus peanut butter craving!

Start with a base of homemade chocolate fudge brownies. Top that with a thick layer of creamy sweetened peanut butter, and cover the whole thing with a simple chocolate ganache.

Each decadent layer is amazing on its own, but together, this dessert is total perfection.

And while this delicious dessert looks impressive and maybe even a bit intimidating, I promise that buckeye brownies are simple to make. Each layer takes just a few minutes to prepare and you don’t even need any special tools.

Need even more ways to get your chocolate peanut butter fix? Try my Buckeye Brownie Cookies, Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars, or sweet and salty Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites next!

four square buckeye brownies on a white plate.

Buckeye Brownies Recipe Highlights

Made from Scratch – While you could use a boxed brownie mix to make the base layer of these bars, it’s really easy to make brownies from scratch with just 8 common baking ingredients.
Chocolate AND Peanut Butter – This is the ultimate dessert flavor pairing, and you really cannot go wrong. Who needs Reese’s cups or peanut butter chocolates when you can make these?
Easy Instructions – There are a few extra steps to this layered peanut butter brownie recipe, but they aren’t at all difficult. Follow along with the recipe and pictures and you’ll be sure to find baking success!

Key Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make the best Buckeye Brownies:

The ingredients needed to bake a recipe for Buckeye Brownies, all measured into glass bowls and arranged on a counter.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder gives the brownies their rich, chocolate flavor.
Sugar: For the best chewy brownie texture, we’ll use both granulated and light brown sugar.
Peanut Butter: Use regular (not all-natural style) smooth peanut butter to make this recipe.
Butter: Softened unsalted butter makes the peanut butter filling extra rich, while melted butter is used to make the brownies.
Powdered Sugar: Peanut butter isn’t quite sweet enough on its own for a brownie recipe, and powdered sugar will blend with it smoothly to create the filling.
Chocolate Ganache: You need semi-sweet chocolate chips and some heavy cream to make this easy chocolate topping.

How To Make Layered Buckeye Brownies

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C for a fan oven. Grease and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

Oil and sugar whisked together in a glass bowl. — 1. **Blend Butter and Sugar:** In a large bowl, mix the melted butter with sugar and brown sugar with a whisk.

Eggs and vanilla added to batter in a small glass bowl with a wire whisk. — 2. **Add Eggs and Vanilla:** Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.

Flour and cocoa powder added to brownie batter in a bowl with a whisk. — 3. **Add the Dry Ingredients:** Add the flour and cocoa powder to the bowl.

Brownie batter stirred with an orange spatula in a large glass mixing bowl. — 4. **Stir:** Mix until no dry streaks remain in the brownie batter.

An offset spatula spreading brownie batter into a metal pan that has been lined with parchment paper. — 5. **Spread:** Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top into an even layer for the brownie base.

baked brownies in a metal pan. — 6. **Bake:** Bake in a preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. **Allow to cool completely.**

Melted peanut butter in a small bowl. — 7. **Melt Peanut Butter:** Melt the butter and peanut butter together in the microwave.

Powdered sugar added to melted peanut butter in a glass bowl. — 8. **Add Powdered Sugar.**

Peanut butter buckeye filling in a glass bowl with a spoon. — 9. **Mix:** Stir until combined. The mixture will be thick at this point.

peanut butter filling spooned over a pan of brownies. — 11. **Add Peanut Butter mixture to the Brownies.**

Peanut butter filling spread over a pan of brownies in an even layer. — 12. **Spread Evenly:** Spread the peanut butter evenly over the brownies in a smooth layer.

Melted chocolate in a small glass bowl with a metal spoon. — 13. **Make the Ganache:** Heat the heavy cream until steaming, then pour it over the chocolate chips and let sit for 3 minutes. Stir until smooth.

Melted chocolate spread over buckeye brownies in a metal baking pan. — 14: **Spread:** Spread the chocolate ganache over the peanut butter layer.

Tip!

Chill before cutting! Give your Buckeye Brownies at least an hour in the fridge to set up fully.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies Recipe Tips

Use a parchment sling. When you’re preparing your brownie baking pan, leave extra parchment paper hanging over the two long sides. These will act like handles and allow you to easily remove the bars from the pan once they’re cool.
Try an offset spatula. This handy tool makes spreading the brownie batter, peanut butter filling, and chocolate ganache evenly super easy.
Cut clean squares. Chill the bars down completely, then remove them from the pan. Cut the bars using a large knife that you’ve run under hot water. Clean the knife with the hot water between each cut.

three layered buckeye brownies stacked on top of each other on a white plate.

How to Store Buckeye Brownies

To Store: Buckeye brownies can be stored in the fridge or at room temperature. Either way, they’ll stay fresh for about 5 days if they are stored in an airtight container.

To Freeze: Wondering if buckeyes can be frozen? They can be!

Flash freeze brownie squares by placing them on a parchment-linked sheet pan in the freezer for 1 or 2 hours, or until they are hardened. Then, wrap each brownie with plastic wrap. Place into a freezer bag or container and store for up to 3 months.

More Delicious Peanut Butter Recipes

I know you want to make these brownies now, but save these other decadent peanut butter recipes for later!

Peanut Butter Lasagna – A creamy no-bake treat.
Peanut Butter Blossoms – A classic peanut butter cookie with Hershey’s Kisses.
Peanut Butter Cupcakes – This recipe is themed for Halloween, but you can easily adjust the decorations for any occasion.
Reese’s Caramel Cheesecake – Pair peanut butter and chocolate with rich, buttery cheesecake and a crispy Oreo cookie crust.

Two stacked buckeye brownies. The top has a bite taken from it.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make buckeye Brownies with crunchy peanut butter?

Traditionally, the filling for buckeyes is smooth and creamy, but if you like the texture of crunchy peanut butter, go ahead and use it! You may need a bit less powdered sugar since crunchy peanut butter is already a bit thicker than regular peanut butter.

Can I make this recipe gluten free?

In most baking recipes, you can replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 baking flour designed for baking. You could also use your favorite boxed gluten-free brownie mix to make the bottom layer of these bars.

Why are they called buckeyes?

Traditional buckeye chocolate candies resemble the nuts of the buckeye tree, which is the state tree of Ohio. These candies started out as an Ohio treat, but are so well-loved you can find them almost anywhere in the US now!