Desserts

Peanut Butter Frosted, Nut Crusted, Brownie Bars

Posted by Juliana on

Peanut-Butter-Frosted-Nut-Crusted-Brownie-Bars-5

Two things I haven’t been able to get out of my mind are: the crust from this: Creamy Pudding Cake and this: Two Ingredient Frosting.
I decided to combine the two. I wanted to, but decided I couldn’t, just frost crust.  I determined there needed to be a middle layer. Classic brownie would be the perfect mediator.  Three isn’t a crowd here!  To break it all down staring from the top we have sweet/creamy/velvety.  Then in the middle we have moist/cakey/chocolaty.  And on the bottom we have crunchy/rich/nutty.  I believe I’ve covered every single base with these! There is nothing left to say except you must make them and then eat them!

Two-Ingredient-Peanut-Butter-Frosting-1

Note: Not long ago I was asked about ingredient conversions for one of my recipes.  Ever since then I’ve been trying to include cups/oz. or cups/grams.  I haven’t decided on a clear method I want to use and stick to.  If I am confusing you here is an excellent online ingredient converter.  Also, here is an excellent, extremely well written, post about why we should all be weighing our baking ingredients.  I found it fascinating.  I really need to purchase a quality food scale!

Two-Ingredient-Peanut-Butter-Frosting-2

Two-Ingredient-Peanut-Butter-Frosting-3

Two-Ingredient-Peanut-Butter-Frosting-4

Peanut-Butter-Frosted-Nut-Crusted-Brownie-Bars-1

Peanut-Butter-Frosted-Nut-Crusted-Brownie-Bars-3

Print

Peanut Butter Frosted, Nut Crusted, Brownie Bars

Ingredients

  • Crust:
  • 1 c. 4.5 oz. flour
  • 1 c. 3.5 oz. pecans
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 c. 1 stick or 4 oz. unsalted butter (melted)
  • Brownie Layer:
  • 1 c. ~7 oz. sugar
  • 1/2 c. 1 stick or 4 oz. unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 2 eggs
  • 9 Tbsp. Cocoa powder
  • 3 Tbsp. Oil I used grape seed
  • 3/4 c. 3.3 oz. flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ c. 4 fl. oz. milk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • Frosting:
  • 1 c. ~6 oz. Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
  • 1/2 c. 2 stick or 8 oz. unsalted butter (chopped up)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  2. Crust Instructions:
  3. Line a 9” x 13” cake pan with foil backed parchment paper.
  4. Combine flour, nuts, and salt in a food processor and pulse until nuts are finely chopped and combined with the flour.
  5. While the processor is running at a low speed, stream in the melted butter.
  6. When the crust is completely moistened turn out into your lined pan and (using your hands) press out an even layer covering the bottom of the pan.
  7. Adapted From: Sex in a Pan at Jo Cooks
  8. Brownie Layer Instructions:
  9. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the sugar, butter, and eggs together on medium speed.
  10. Meanwhile in a medium bowl add together the cocoa powder and oil. Mix until well combined.
  11. Add the cocoa powder mixture to the butter mixture. Beat at medium speed until well combined.
  12. In a separate, medium sized, bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  13. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
  14. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until combined but not over mixed.
  15. Pour and spread evenly over (raw) prepared crust.
  16. Place on middle rack in oven and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
  17. After 30 minutes remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
  18. Adapted From: Courtship Brownies on page 145 of The Essential Mormon Cookbook by Julie Badger Jensen
  19. Frosting Instructions:
  20. In a medium sauce pan over medium low heat combine and completely melt butter and chips together.
  21. When completely melted (mixture may separate a little and that's OK) pour mixture into a medium sized bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least three hours.
  22. Remove from fridge thirty minutes before you are ready to use.
  23. After thirty minutes at room temperature scrape mixture into your mixing bowl and beat at medium high speed for two to three minutes.
  24. You will end up with ~2 c. of frosting.
  25. Adapted From: 2 Ingredient White Chocolate Buttercream at Cookies and Cups

Peanut-Butter-Frosted-Nut-Crusted-Brownie-Bars-4

3 Comments

  1. Dina says:
    October 24, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    I love making bars and what better than peanut butter and chocolate!

    1. Juliana Walters says:
      October 26, 2013 at 12:22 pm

      Not much! It’s why I keep going back over and over again.

  2. Pingback: Dark Chocolate Sweetie Pies with Creamy Peanut Butter Filling - Julie's Jazz | Idaho Falls Food Blog

Comments are closed.