These chewy, fudgy Reeses Pieces brownies are chocolate peanut butter heaven! Full of Reeses Pieces AND chopped peanut butter cups, they are SO decadent and delicious. They're as delectable as creme brûlée brownies but simpler and quicker to make!
This is a perfect recipe for using up Halloween candy. Use Reeses Pieces, peanut butter cups, or whatever peanut butter candy you have on hand. Even M&Ms and other chopped chocolate candies work. And the more the merrier because as the name says we are loading these UP.
Brownies are my favorite dessert, so I love creating fun twists on regular brownies. If that sounds like you too, try my double Nutella brownies next!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This Reeses brownies recipe is a variation of my fan-favorite fudgy brownies. So the brownies themselves have that perfect fudgy texture and crackly top (like boxed brownies but better!)
- They're LOADED with peanut butter flavor. We got triple peanut butter action with 1) Reeses candy, 2) a peanut butter swirl, and 3) a simple chocolate peanut butter drizzle on top.
Ingredients
- Sugar - a combination of granulated + light brown sugar for the best fudge brownie texture.
- Eggs - use large eggs for baking, unless the recipe states otherwise.
- Vanilla - enhances chocolate flavor.
- Salt - balances sweetness AND reduces perceived bitterness (since chocolate and cocoa are both relatively bitter).
- Chocolate - semisweet bars, chopped and melted, so you can also use chocolate chips. Bittersweet chocolate works here too.
- Vegetable oil - or canola oil, they are pretty much the same thing. Using oil rather than butter makes the brownies taste more like boxed brownies (which are the best of course!)
- Flour - all-purpose.
- Cocoa powder - Dutch process gives better color and flavor. If it seems a little clumpy, it might benefit from a quick sift before adding to the batter.
- Reeses Pieces - pronounced "PEE-SEES" not "PEACES" obviously 😂 I also added Reeses cups, I'm obsessed with these unwrapped mini Reeses! But you can stick to 100% Reese's Pieces if you want. You can also substitute peanut butter chips.
- Peanut butter - Because we’re all peanut butter lovers here, the peanut butter doesn't stop with the Reese's candy. I added extra PB flavor in the form of a swirl that's baked into the brownies PLUS an optional chocolate peanut butter drizzle on top.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Reeses Pieces Brownies
First, combine sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla, and a little bit of warm water. Whisk until light and fluffy and sugar is FULLY dissolved, about 3-5 minutes.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals (or use a double boiler). Then add the melted chocolate and oil to the batter.
Finish the brownie batter by folding in cocoa powder and flour. Then stir in the Reese's candy.
Transfer the batter to an 8x8 baking pan lined with parchment and smooth the top with a spatula.
You can bake the brownies at this point, OR continue on to add a peanut butter swirl...
Melt peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it a little thin and runny. Then place dollops of peanut butter on top of the brownie batter in the pan.
Use a butter knife to go side to side through the batter in an S-shape. Rotate the pan 90 degrees and repeat one more time. For best results, don't over-swirl.
Add extra Reese's Pieces on top of the batter after swirling (optional).
Finally, bake the brownies for about 28 minutes, and let cool.
Top Tip: Underbake Brownies
The key to brownies with a moist, chewy, fudgy texture is to slightly underbake them. They should still be fully cooked of course, but take them out just a couple of minutes early.
This works for chewy cookies (like my lemon meringue pie cookies) too!
Add a Peanut Butter Chocolate Drizzle
This part is optional, but really takes this Reese's brownies recipe over the top.
Combine equal parts chocolate and peanut butter in a bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth.
Drizzle the mixture on top of cooked and cooled brownies. Then add extra crushed Reese's candies on top!
Substitutions & Variations
As you can see, we're pulling out all the stops on these, but everything is optional… the PB swirl, the chocolate peanut butter drizzle, adding Reeses in the batter, and on top before AND after baking. It's a lot, so do as much or as little as you'd like. Depends on how *extra* you want to be.
The brownie recipe with Reese’s pieces baked in is simply delicious, so you can stop there. Then you'll get to witness that gorgeous crackly top.
Adding the peanut butter swirl adds a lot of peanut butter flavor and is easier than it looks.
I personally LOVE the drizzle on top, but it does make them a little harder to store (it doesn't fully harden with that peanut butter to chocolate ratio, it's like a soft ganache texture). So keep that in mind if you're baking for a bake sale.
You can also substitute basically any type of chocolate candy for the Reese's. A few ideas for inspiration:
- Twix- and do a chocolate-caramel drizzle instead.
- Butterfingers - love a peanut butter/ chocolate combo!
- Kit Kats - use a milk chocolate drizzle, and top with crushed wafer cookies.
Equipment
Everything you'll need/want to make this Reese's brownies recipe:
- Mixing bowl - preferably a microwave-safe bowl to safely and easily melt the chocolate.
- Stand mixer (optional) - you can also use a handheld mixer or whisk by hand.
- 8x8 baking pan - I used an aluminum pan. If you use a glass or ceramic pan, it may affect the timing, since glass usually takes longer to bake.
- Parchment paper - HIGHLY recommend precut parchment sheets that lay flat. Very satisfying and helpful to use.
- Cake tester (optional) - think of these as reusable extra-long toothpicks to see when brownies and other baked goods are done.
- Microwave - if you don't have a microwave, you can use a double boiler to gently melt chocolate and a small pot to heat the peanut butter to thin it out.
- Cutting board and a sharp knife - to chop the Reese's into smaller pieces, if using. You won't need a knife if you use only Reese's Pieces!
Storage Tips
These Reese’s Pieces brownies will keep for at least 3-4 days at room temperature.
If you want to store them for longer, you can store them in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh in the fridge for about a week. I recommend letting them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
For best results, try to keep them in a single layer. Or if you have to stack them, I would put wax paper or parchment in between the layers to keep them from getting messy.
You can even freeze these! For freezer storage for up to 1 month, make sure to store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Let brownies defrost at room temperature before serving.
📖 Recipe
Loaded Reeses Pieces Brownies
These decedent Reese's Pieces Brownies are loaded with Reese's Pieces AND peanut butter cups. Add a peanut butter swirl and drizzle on top, and it's chocolate peanut butter heaven!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 large brownies (or 16 small brownies) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 4 ounces + 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate, chopped, divided (or substitute chocolate chips)
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ½ cup flour
- ⅓ cup Reese's Pieces + extra for garnish on top (optional)
- ⅓ cup mini Reese's or chopped Reese's peanut butter cups (or substitute peanut butter chips or extra Reese's Pieces candy)
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons peanut butter, divided
Instructions
- Make the brownies: Preheat oven to 350 °F and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Combine the following in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment: sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and 3 tablespoons of warm water. Whisk until light and fluffy and sugar is fully dissolved, about 3-5 minutes on medium speed.
- Melt 4 ounces of chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth, then let cool slightly. Add the melted chocolate and oil to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add cocoa powder and flour and gently fold until just combined using a rubber spatula- don’t over-mix! Finally, add the Reese's Pieces and mini Reese's and mix to combine. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Add peanut butter swirl: heat ½ cup peanut butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until it's thinner and slightly runny. Place large dollops of peanut butter on top of the batter, then use a butter knife to create a swirl pattern.*
- Bake brownies for ~ 28 min. (or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out mostly clean with moist crumbs) Let cool completely.
- Make peanut butter chocolate drizzle: combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of chopped chocolate and 3 tablespoons of peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. If necessary, microwave for an additional 20-30 seconds after stirring.
- Drizzle the peanut butter chocolate mixture on top of the cooled brownies and top with additional Reese's Pieces and chopped Reese's candy. Slice the brownies into squares and serve.
Notes
- See the blog post above for more detailed instructions on how to create a peanut butter swirl pattern in the brownies (with step-by-step photos).
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