These Peanut Butter Heart Brownies need to be a part of your Valentine’s Day plans! A homemade brownie base topped with peanut butter chocolate hearts and a perfect chocolate ganache. They’re so decadent and delicious!
I think chocolate and peanut butter is about the best combo out there, am I right? I bought some Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Hearts the other day and asked the kids what kind of a dessert to make them into for a fun Valentine’s Day treat. The uncontested answer was brownies, so I made it happen! I love a good homemade brownie. These are fudgy and loaded with chocolate flavor!
But, if that isn’t enough, I added chocolate peanut butter candies to the top and then drizzled it with more chocolate! Can you tell I’m a little chocolate obsessed? 🙂 When I think of my ideal Valentine’s Day dessert, my mind instantly turns to all things chocolate. And I don’t just want chocolate. I want chocolate times two or three. 🙂 Lucky me, because these brownies are triple chocolate! And lucky you, too, if you make these!
Take one bite and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven. But, stick around until you reach the center of the brownie, and it gets twenty times better, just when you thought it couldn’t possibly be any yummier. I love desserts like that, that provide a special surprise halfway through. Not that we need motivation to push from start to finish while eating chocolate desserts, but it does make the experience even more pleasant.
If you love chocolate desserts for Valentine’s Day, you’ll also want to check out these Chocolate Heaven Cookies, these Chocolate Cheesecake Bars, and this Chocoholic Bundt Cake. Now I’ve just caused a dilemma in your dessert decision-making, haven’t I? 🙂 Don’t worry-you can’t go even remotely wrong with any of them. Make one for Valentine’s Day and another the next day. Problem solved.
Share these with your friends and family and all those you love. If there’s one way to my heart, it’s by giving me chocolate. Don’t bother buying me gifts, just make these Valentine’s Peanut Butter Heart Brownies and I’ll love you forever. I’d venture to say that many others out there are the same way. Holidays don’t have to be complicated or expensive. Just bake brownies!
If you are searching for the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, this is it! My kids came home from school to these last week and were jumping out of their shoes! That’s the effect that desserts have on me too, kids. I get it.
If you’re making these when it’s not Valentine’s season, just swap the peanut butter hearts for regular Reese’s peanut butter cups. Your sweet tooth will thank you for making these!
Valentine’s Peanut Butter Heart Brownies
Ingredients
- Brownies:
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks salted butter, sliced
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 Tbsp. milk 2% or greater
- 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup baking cocoa
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. corn starch
- 12 Reese's Peanut Butter Hearts or Cups
- Chocolate Ganache/Drizzle:
- 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Tbsp. milk
Instructions
- *Freeze the Reese's Peanut Butter Hearts or Cups for at least 30 minutes before using.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9"x13" pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate chips together in the microwave, in 30 second increments, stirring in between. Stir mixture until smooth.
- Quickly stir in (by hand) brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, eggs, and milk, just until incorporated (don’t over-mix).
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking cocoa, baking powder, salt and corn starch. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir just until incorporated (again, don’t over-mix!).
- Pour and spread mixture into prepared pan and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or just until they're set and a toothpick comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs on it. You don’t want the toothpick to come out super gooey or completely clean, but moist crumbs are what you’re shooting for. Be careful not to over bake.
- After removing the brownies from the oven, let them sit for 2-3 minutes, then push the cold Reese's Peanut Butter Hearts or Cups into the top of the brownies (spaced so there will be one per slice of brownie).
- Immediately place the brownies in the fridge (for 20-30 minutes) to prevent the peanut butter chocolate candies from melting.
- Make the ganache/drizzle by melting 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp. butter together in the microwave. Stir until smooth, then stir in 1 Tbsp. milk until smooth. Drizzle over the brownies.
- Once the chocolate drizzle is set, slice into 12 pieces and serve.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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