It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is Halloween already!  I feel like the girls just finished their candy from last Halloween – that is the goal anyway, to make that candy last as long as possible.  They are already strategizing hard for tomorrow – making sure that they get their fair share.

Fall is my favorite season – particularly for baking – although this year, for some reason, it didn’t really happen.  The weekends are filled with shuttling here and there, and catching up from the week – it’s amazing how much piles up these days.  Thankfully this weekend, I didn’t have a choice – I had to get a post out – and I am so glad.

The folks from Unreal Candy sent me a wonderful care package the other week, with three types of candy to try.  I loved the Candy Coated Milk Chocolate and the Almond Butter Cups – but I must say, my favorite were the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.  I have never been much of a peanut butter cup fan, because they are just too sweet for me – but with the dark chocolate – they were perfect!  So when it was time to decide which ones to showcase – those were the ones I chose.

My girls have been wondering where all the baked goods have gone – although they know I have been busy, and haven’t been complaining – but when I asked if they would like me to make brownies, there were smiles all over the place.  I even got cheers from my little one when I told her my idea – peanut butter brownies…  I decided to try these without using eggs, but with yogurt as a substitute – thanks to my friends at Stonyfield Farms.  These were UnReal – just like the candy – so chocolatey and delicious, with a layer of peanut better in the middle. UnReal, that’s just about all I can say.

Please note: As a Team Stonyfield ambassador, I am being compensated. All opinions about Stonyfield Farm’s products and Bob’s Red Mill products are always my own.

Ingredients

Brownies

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

Peanut Butter Layer

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Frosting

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 5 1/2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• UnReal peanut butter cups, roughly chopped, for topping

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Combine 1/2 cup chocolate chips and butter in a large stainless-steel bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat; whisk in sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and yogurt. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

In another small mixing bowl, mix together the peanut butter, 1 tablespoon butter and powdered sugar until smooth.

Pour half the brownie the batter into the prepared pan. Next, dollop the peanut butter mixture onto the brownie batter then layer the remaining batter on top of the other layers. Gently spread the batter to the sides if needed. Don’t worry if all the batter does not cover the whole surface area, it will smooth out as the brownies bake.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the brownies are set on top. Allow the brownies to cool completely before frosting.

Meanwhile, to make the frosting, heat the cream in a saucepan until just below a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and peanut butter until melted and smooth. Add the vanilla until smooth and creamy. Set the frosting aside until the brownies are cool enough to frost.

Once the brownies are cool, spread the frosting over top. Sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups. Allow the frosting to set about 30 minutes then slice into bars. Brownies can be stored at room temp or in the fridge for about four days.

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