Buckeye scotcheroos are an extra peanut buttery version of the classic chewy and sweet-and-salty dessert bar beloved across the Midwest.

Jump to recipe

Ohio State vs Iowa can only mean one thing – another buckeye takeover of a different states dessert for #PBchocSat! Homemade desserts in Iowa, and most of the Midwest, consists of a lot of bars. The scotcheroo is the most quintessentially Iowan dessert bar, a rice treat made with melted peanut butter, corn syrup, and sugar instead of marshmallows as used in rice krispies treats and topped with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips – similar but not to be confused with buckeye rice treats.

Due to already consisting of a decent amount of peanut butter (1.5 cups to be exact), I didn’t have to do much to transform them into buckeye schotcheroos. I added a little bit of peanut butter chips into the chocolate and butterscotch topping and sprinkled mini buckeye candies on top. That’s it! Other than the garnish on top you might not be able to tell there is anything different from the classic, but they are secretly just a little bit more peanut buttery.

Here’s the ingredient list for the buckeye scotcheroos where I have highlighted the new additions in scarlet and gray, because obviously. Don’t like corn syrup? You could make scotcheroos with honey:

• Corn syrup
• Granulated sugar
• Margarine
• Creamy peanut butter
• Crispy rice cereal
• Chocolate chips
• Butterscotch chips
• Peanut butter chips
• Mini buckeye candies

• One year ago: Pizza Charcuterie
• Three years ago: Candy Corn Cookie Cake
• Seven years ago: Water Lantern Festival – Columbus, OH
• Nine years ago: Goat Cheese and Sage Pizza with Pumpkin Crust
• Ten years ago: Weekly Meal Plan #32
• Twelve years ago: Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Pistachios, Cranberries & Parmesan
• Thirteen years ago: Tofu Lettuce Wraps With Cashew Sauce
• Fourteen years ago: Mini Pumpkin Black and White Cookies

BUCKEYE SCOTCHEROOS

Print

Yield: 24 Servings Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1-1/2 cups peanut butter
• 6 cups puffed crispy rice cereal
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 cup mini buckeye candies

Directions

1. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil, generously grease, and set aside.
2. In a large sauce pan, add corn syrup, sugar, and margarine. Place over medium heat and cook, while stirring, until margarine melts. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and immediately stir in the peanut butter until blended. Add puffed rice cereal and stir until evenly distributed.
3. Transfer mixture into the prepared pan, pressing lightly to spread evenly.
4. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter chips. Heat for 1 minute, stir, then continue to heat in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Pour over bars and spread evenly to cover.
5. All to cool completely, about 20 minutes, before cutting into 24 squares.

Source: Adapted from AllRecipes.

The original brownie recipe gets an Ohio makeover to become Buckeye Palmer House Brownies. A rich fudgy brownie base is adorned with a crown of crunchy peanuts and coated in an apricot-peanut butter glaze.

Jump to recipe

Did you know that the first time the word “brownie” appeared in America was in a Sears Roebuck Catalog published in Chicago, Illinois in 1898 after being served at the 1893 Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition? We can thank Bertha Palmer for asking the Palmer House hotel pastry chef to create a compact, easily boxed dessert for the women who attended. That same recipe is still used at the Palmer House Hilton today and they willingly share the Palmer House brownie recipe!

Obviously I had to try the FIRST brownie recipe, especially if it’s good enough to stand the test of time, but I have to admit I was underwhelmed by the end product. The base just seemed a little two one note for me, so I modified the recipe based on my preferred brownie recipe, used peanuts instead of walnuts, and added peanut butter. Just because you are the original brownie doesn’t mean you are the best brownie – at least in my opinion.

Ohio State plays Illinois today so I figured it was appropriate to make a Buckeye version of the Palmer House Brownies (not to be confused with my Buckeye Brownies). I love a nutty brownie and to have an entire layer on nuts on top was absolutely wonderful. The original Palmer House brownies were brushed straight out of the oven with an apricot preserve glaze so I kept that mostly intact since it seems like a defining characteristic, but I added peanut butter to it because of obvious reasons.

These Buckeye Palmer House brownies have a little bit of a PB&J vibe due to the combination of the apricot preserves and peanut butter and I’m here for it. They kind of remind me of the peanut butter and jelly filled chocolate bars at Trader Joe’s (do they still make those?).

• Four years ago: Better Breakfast Burritos
• Eight years ago: Top 10 Spoil-Your-Dinner Desserts
• Ten years ago: Orange-Lavender White Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Eleven years ago: Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Twelve years ago: Healthier Buffalo Cauliflower Dip
• Thirteen years ago: Ginger Soy Beef with Chile-Tomatoes & Peppers
• Fourteen years ago: Crunchy Oven-Fried Ravioli
• Fifteen years ago: Pumpkin Nutella Mini Cheesecake Bites

BUCKEYE PALMER HOUSE BROWNIES

Print

Yield: 16 Servings Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

BROWNIES

• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup  packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 oz. (~1 cup) roasted peanuts

GLAZE

• 2 Tbsp apricot preserves
• 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on each side. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and salt together. Set aside.
3. Place a medium heat-safe mixing bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add chocolate and butter to the bowl. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat, but keep the bowl over the water.
4. Add the sugars, whisking until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Add eggs one at a time to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir just until combined*
6. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold into the chocolate mixture until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
7. Pour into prepared baking dish and evenly sprinkle the peanuts over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
8. While the brownies bake, prepare the glaze. In a small sauce pan**, mix together apricot preserves, peanut butter, and water. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Brush hot glaze on brownies while still warm.
9. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the foil/parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

*Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey. **You could also microwave in increments.

Source: Adapted from Palmer House Hilton Hotel, my Peanut Butter Mississippi Mud Brownies, and my Therapy Brownies.

Layers of fudgy brownie, peanut butter cheesecake, chocolate pudding, buckeyes, and whipped topping make this Buckeye Brownie Trifle worthy of prime time.

Jump to recipe

Week two of the 2026 Buckeye Football Season and we are already on the road to a big game versus #4 Texas. It’s hard to feel confident on predicting the outcome of this game so I am just hoping for a good game. Even though the Buckeyes are ranked #1 many commentators have chosen Texas to win by a narrow margin.

Naturally that means I am going to see some comfort food to make it through was is expected to be a close game. Enter the Buckeye brownie trifle with layers of fudgy brownie pieces, peanut butter cheesecake-like filling, chocolate pudding, chopped buckeyes, and whipped topping.

It felt very sacrilege to chop up hand made Buckeye candies but I wasn’t about to use a cheaper and less delicious kind – not at the risk of making a sub-par brownie trifle. I actually used some of my most recent crunchy buckeyes for this creation but you could use the classic or any other variety you prefer.

You could also make your brownies, chocolate pudding, and/or whipped topping from scratch instead of from a box but sometimes it’s nice to have a decant and easy halfway homemade dessert option. Literally, not including the brownie mix additions, you only need seven ingredients to make this beautiful thing.

Would it have looked a little prettier with cleaner, thicker layers if I have only done two layers of each instead of three? Yes, but then you would have to dig really deep to make sure you got every layer.

I brought this to a Tailgate themed pot luck at work, celebrating the start of the Buckeyes football season, so I wanted to make sure everyone was able to get every component even if they only took a smaller portion. Considering how well demolished it was despite all the other sweets available I would say it was a success.

• Four years ago: Italian Braised Beef with Parmesan Polenta
• Five years ago: Whipped Feta with Honey
• Six years ago: Buckeye Milkshake
• Eight years ago: Gluten-Free White Chocolate Covered Strawberry Vanilla Wedding Cake
• Ten years ago: Grilled Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Eleven years ago: White Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshakes
• Twelve years ago: Bacon Wrapped Mac & Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
• Fourteen years ago: Carrot Cake Batter Dip
• Fifteen years ago: Strawberry Mojito

BUCKEYE BROWNIE TRIFFLE

Print

Yield: 24 Servings Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (18.4 oz.) box brownie mix, plus ingredients on box to prepare
• 1 (3.4 oz.) box of instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups cold milk
• 16 ounces whipped topping, divided
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 12 oz. Buckeye candies, chopped + 8 whole for garnish

Directions

1. Prepare and bake the brownie s according to the directions on the box. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into 1-inch squares; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, prepared the chocolate pudding according to the directions on the box (using the 2 cups of cold milk). Place in fridge until ready to use.
3. In a large bowl, blend together the cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Carefully fold in 8 ounces of the whipped topping until incorporated.
4. To assemble, place 1/3 of the brownie pieces in the bottom of a trifle dish. Spoon 1/3 of the cream cheese filling on top, spreading with an off-set spatula, followed by 1/3 of the pudding. Sprinkle 1/3 of the chopped Buckeyes on top and spoon and spread 1/3 of the remaining whipped topping. Repeat the layers two more times, leaving a rim around the edges for the final layer of whipped topping. Garnish with whole Buckeye candies and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: Adapted from Tastes of Lizzy T.

Who knew somethings as simple as baking cookie dough on top of brownies could be so amazing? And these brookies have soccer ball chocolate morsels for the World Cup!

Jump to recipe

Sometimes I make over the top recipes like chocolate chip cookie and peanut butter Oreo fudge brownies and other times I just smash together two store-bought items and it still creates something equally as magical. I am usually on team homemade but sometimes you just need something super quick and easy – like when I decided to bake these brookies in time for the USA vs Turkey game tonight.

Originally when I saw the limited edition Nestle Toll House cookie dough with soccer ball morsels I did not buy them because I was convinced there was no chance for the little soccer balls to maintain their soccer ball texture. But I caved when I realized they would be cute made into a soccer brookies.

Yes I know I have already shared recipes for soccer cookies and a soccer ball cookie cake but this is clearly different. Grab a box of your favorite brownie mix, prepare the batter as indicated on the box, spread into a greased and lined 9×13-inch baking pan, top with cookie dough, add some flair via sprinkles, and bake. That’s all it takes to get these adorably fun brookies on the table in time for the game – assuming you can find the cookie dough.

I hope you are not tired of World Cup soccer recipes because I am not finished. My next recipe is a savory one so we will take a break from all the sugar if you are tapped out and move on to chopped cheese stuffed pull apart bread that looks like a soccer ball!

WORLD CUP SOCCER BROOKIES

Print

Yield: 24 Servings Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (16.3 oz.) box brownie mix, plus indicated ingredients
• 1 (14 oz.) package of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough*
• Sprinkles**

Directions

1. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with nonstick spray; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, prepare the brownie batter as indicated on the box.
3. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Top with crumbled cookie dough, pressing down slightly.
4. Add sprinkles on top if desired** and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes.
5. When center is set, remove to cool completely on a write rack. Once cool, use the overhanging parchment paper to lift the brookies from the pan and slice into 24 squares.

Notes

*I used the Tollhouse limited edition cookie dough with the soccer ball shaped morsels. **I used colors for USA for the the World Cup game today but any color can be used based on the occasion.

Source: Adapted from various sources across the internet.

Biscoff rice krispie treats are an upgrade to your favorite childhood treat with cookie butter blended into the marshmallow mixture and crunchy speculoos cookie pieces throughout.

This content contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to recipe

Apparently there are still people in my life that have never heard of Biscoff spread, aka Speculoos cookie butter, and it shocks me as it’s been a staple in my kitchen since 2011. It’s a food trend that has wavered over the years but it definitely has hung around enough that I thought it to be mainstream – evidently not.

I made these when friends came in town to visit Mother’s Day weekend (thank you for the distraction) and one of those friends is who I had to describe their flavor profile beyond “Biscoff” and “cookie butter”. They’re spiced but not just with cinnamon. From what I understand there is also nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, ginger, anise, and a bit of white pepper for that zing.

Thankfully you don’t need to know what Biscoff, or speculoos, or cookie butter is to enjoy these Biscoff rice krispie treats and the aforementioned friend devoured several of them. Similarly to my peanut butter version, there is cookie butter mixed into the melted marshmallow-butter mixture before blending in the puffed crispy rice cereal and chopped Biscoff cookies. For a little extra flavor and decoration I added a drizzle of cookie butter icing on top.

BISCOFF RICE KRISPIE TREATS

Print

Yield: 2 dozen Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

RICE TREATS

• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 bag (10.5-oz) miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup speculoos cookie butter
• 6 cups puffed rice cereal
• 16 speculoos cookies, roughly chopped

TOPPING

• 1/2 cup speculoos cookie butter
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Directions

1. Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add marshmallows, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the cookie butter. Fold in the cereal and chopped speculoos cookies until well combined and coated.
3. Transfer sticky cereal mixture to the prepared pan, pressing down until the top is level. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares*.
4. In a small heatproof bowl, place the cookie butter for the topping and heat in a microwave for 15 seconds. Add powdered sugar and whisk until blended together. Drizzle** on top of cut rice treats. Allow to set before serving, about 30 minutes. 

Notes

*You can also drizzle the topping before you cut them into squares. **Use a spoon, or a piping bag/zip-top bag with a corner snipped off for thinner/more precise lines.

Source: Adapted from my Peanut Butter Oreo Rice Crispy Treats.

Chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars are the cheesecake dreams of cookie dough monsters.

Jump to recipe

Somehow I made peanut butter cup cookie dough cheesecake bars before the classic cookie dough cheesecake bars but today I am remedying that oversight. Although given my affinity towards peanut butter I suppose it’s not entirely shocking that a peanut butter version came first. I do spend most of the entirety of fall and the start of winter celebrating all things peanut butter and chocolate during The Ohio State Buckeyes football season.

The recipe title says it all but in case you need further clarification, these cookie dough cheesecake bars have a classic graham cracker crust and egg-free chocolate chip cookie dough distributed throughout the layer of otherwise classic cheesecake. The pieces on top obviously get a little bit of a baked-cookie texture rather than cookie dough (these bars are baked after all) and I suppose I could have made no-bake cheesecake bars to avoid that, but personally I prefer the texture of baked cheesecake. Besides the cookie dough embedded in the cheesecake is perfectly doughy.

I made these before friends came to visit for the Sonic Temple 4-day rock music festival which brough me to LIFE. It’s hard to beat the euphoria seeing your favorite music performed live. And then we brought our fulfilled but tired feet home every night to these as our late night snack!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH CHEESECAKE BARS

Print

Yield: 24 Servings Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (~13 sheets)
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

COOKIE LAYER

• 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

CHEESECAKE LAYER

• 16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-13 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil allowing a little overhang and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 6 minutes, remove to a cooling rack, and keep oven on.
3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the cookie layer. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour on low speed until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand. Distribute half of the cookie dough over the crust, flattening each piece to cover as much as of the crust as possible. Set aside the remaining half.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter over the cookie dough in the prepared crust. Spread to cover evenly.
5. Distribute the rest of the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter, flattening each piece to cover as much of the cheesecake as possible.
6. Bake for about 45-55 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm, is just starting to turn golden, and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
7. Lift the bars out by the overhang. Slice into desired size and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Source: Adapted from my Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars.

The holidays are not about picking and choosing. Have it all with these Oreo-stuffed, sugar cookie topped, Christmas cookie brownies.

Jump to recipe

Evidently, putting pre-sliced holiday sugar cookies on top of a brownie is so last year. After making these Christmas cookie brownies I discovered it has been a TikTok craze that I missed because I deleted the app months ago after even more months of neglect (I’m just not a video consumer).

However, that version baked the holiday cookie on the bottom of the brownie for a little surprise while I put it on top so it’s cute design could shine.

How did I get the inspiration to make these if not from TikTok then? As if creativity could not possibly exist with out it… but actually I made double decker holiday cookies with a sugar cookie baked on top of a chocolate chip cookie 3 years ago. It was a very easy transition to do the same for brownies.

But what makes these a little different than their cookie cousin is that they are three things in one with a festive Oreo baked into the bottom of the brownie as well. Again, the TikTok version also had an Oreo but it was baked into the middle. Personally, I like my Christmas cookie brownies better :-P.

• Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Penguin Nutter Butter Cookies by Blogghetti
• Holiday Sugar Cookie Cups by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Pistachio Cranberry Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Double Chocolate Orange Buckwheat Cookies (redo) by Magical Ingredients
• Gluten Free Molasses Cookies by Art of Natural Living
• Chocolate Cherry Bubbles by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Buttery Oatmeal Raisin Molasses Spice Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Browned Butter Chocolate Chunk Candy Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

CHRISTMAS COOKIE BROWNIES

Print

Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cooking Time: 22 Minutes 22 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix, and ingredients indicated on box
• 24 festive red creme Oreos
• 24 festive sugar cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cupcake pan; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, blend together the brownie batter ingredients as indicated on the box.
3. Place Oreos in the bottom of each cupcake cavity, fill 2/3 with brownie batter, and bake for 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, quickly but carefully top each with a sugar cookie slice and bake for another 12 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely. 

Source: The Spiffy Cookie Original.

When life hands you chocolate, make peanut butter French silk pie bars – because obviously peanut butter is the logical next step.

Jump to recipe

It’s Saturday which means it’s peanut butter chocolate time! I realize that most of my new recipes lately are for #PBchocSat but it’s about all I have time for these days. I have a pretty demanding mouse experiment at work and I barely cook at all as a result. Heck last night I ate Cheetos for dinner. But I digress.

Since it’s pie season I decided to whip up these French silk pie bars with peanut butter layered in. I could have mixed it into the chocolate layer itself but I wanted to make sure you knew there was peanut butter in there just by looking at them.

While I obviously made these for the Ohio State vs UCLA game tonight, these peanut butter French silk pie bars would also be a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving menu. A chocolate pie might not be the most traditional for the holiday but I am not that traditional of a person so I see nothing wrong with it. You should make what you think sounds good!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, some of my family is coming into town for it and I have yet to plan any of the menu yet for the same reason that all I’ve posted lately is peanut butter and chocolate recipes. Do you think they would be okay with a full peanut butter and chocolate coursed menu? I could think of worse things…

PEANUT BUTTER FRENCH SILK PIE BARS

Print

Yield: 16 Servings Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 3/4 cup finely crushed chocolate graham crackers
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

• 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter**

TOPPING

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper with overhang; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in melted butter until evenly distributed then dump into the prepared baking dish and press into the bottom evenly. Bake for 10 minutes then set aside to cool completely on a wire rack.
3. While crust is cooling, prepare the filling. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate, sugar, and butter, whisking constantly until smooth, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to stir for one minute to cool slightly.
4. Whisk in beaten egg yolk then return to medium-low heat. Continue stirring until mixture starts to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat*.
5. Place saucepan in a large bowl of ice water, stir in heavy cream until incorporated and continue to stir occasionally until filling becomes hard to stir, about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer filling to a medium bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until light and airy, about 2-3 minutes set aside.
7. Spread peanut butter** evenly over the top of the cooled crust, followed by the filling. Place in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes or until firm.
8. While the filling sets, prepare the ganache. In a large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and whipping cream. Microwave on high for 15 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted.
9. Pour ganache over the top of the chilled mousse and spread to cover evenly. Cover and chill for another 30 minutes or overnight until firm.
10. Lift bars out of pan using the parchment paper overhangs. Cut into 16 bars and store any leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

*Don't worry if it looks slightly curdled. **Microwave the peanut butter for a few seconds to make spreading easier.

Source: Adapted slightly from A Kitchen Addiction.

There’s no reason to fear these Graveyard Halloween Brownies unless you are afraid of Reese’s tombstones and mini pumpkins, gummy hands and pumpkins, and candy bones.

This content contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to recipe

I know graveyard Halloween brownies are not a novel idea but usually they are made with Milano cookies with chocolate RIP lettering added to them. I swapped them out for little tombstone-shaped Reese’s peanut butter cups I found along with some other fun edible decor like mini Reese’s pumpkins, gummy zombie hands, gummy jack-o-lanterns, and candy bones.

Another thing I noticed about most other graveyard brownies was the loose Oreo dirt on top. So instead I added some green frosting to resemble grass and doubled as a sticky surface to which the Oreo dirt would hold onto instead of spilling all over when you take a bite.

While I was on the train of modifications, I also added peanut butter creme Oreos to the brownies. I figured it made sense since I already had two types of peanut butter cups on top to include some more peanut butter action within. You could use regular Oreos, but why when the peanut butter ones exist?

I suppose I could have taken the peanut butter to another level by making peanut butter frosting instead of cream cheese, but I wanted the frosting to be green not brown.

I suppose the real reason these graveyard Halloween brownies are so peanut butter themed is because today is most importantly #PBchocSat! The Ohio State Buckeyes are away today playing Wisconsin and while Halloween is still just under 2 weeks away, our next game against Penn State isn’t until November 1st as we have a bye next weekend. So the buckeye Halloween themed treat, which normally lands for PSU, must be today!

Technically I made these for a friends birthday in September but it’s really never too early to celebrate Halloween in my book. Added bonus that my friends expect this from me at this point and are not phased.

GRAVEYARD HALLOWEEN BROWNIES

Print

Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 Minutes 35 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

BROWNIES

• 1 Family Size (9×13) Brownie mix (and ingredients listed on box)
• 1 pkg peanut butter Oreos*, 4 crushed and set aside for topping

TOPPING

• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Green food coloring
• 9 Reese's tombstones
• Pumpkin shaped mini Reese's
• Gummy hands and/or pumpkins
• Candy bones

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 335 degrees**. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together brownie mix and directed ingredients.
3. Pour half the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top with a single layer of Oreos (about 24). Pour remaining brownie batter over the Oreos. Bake for 30-35** minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. While the brownies cool, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until it reaches desired consistency. Add food coloring and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 
5. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (Ateco 826). Pipe small blobs of frosting all over the top of the brownies to resemble patches of grass. 
6. Insert Reese's tombstones over the brownies, sprinkle crushed Oreos over the frosting grass to resemble dirt. Decorate with pumpkin Reese's, gummy hands and pumpkins, candy bones, or other favorite spooky candies. Slice in 24 bars and serve.

Notes

*You can use regular Oreos or other flavors you prefer, but since I was using shaped Reese's to decorate I used the peanut butter creme filled. **Or as directed on the box for a 9x13-inch pan.

Source: Inspired by Your Home Made Healthy.

Skip the sweetened condensed milk for a layer of cream cheese filling in these Seven Layer Cheesecake Bars topped with semi-sweet and white chocolate, butterscotch, pecans, and coconut.

Jump to recipe

It should come as no surprise that after making seven layer brownies that I made seven layer cheese cake bars. But instead of a brownie crust I went back to the traditional graham cracker crust and instead of the sweetened condensed milk there’s cheesecake filling. Giveth back one traditional component of seven layer bars (AKA Hello Dolly bars) and taketh one away.

The Layers of Seven Layer Cheesecake Bars:

• Graham cracker crust
• Cheesecake filling
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• White chocolate chips
• Butterscotch chips
• Pecans
• Sweetened shredded coconut

I originally made these in honor of my undergraduate student’s last day working in our lab. When I asked if he had any requests for a going away dessert he replied with 7 layer bars, cheesecake, or something Oreo-flavored. So I combined two of them into seven layer cheesecake bars!

I almost made with this an Oreo crust to encompass all three. I may regret not doing so just a little bit but they were stellar regardless. Guess that just leaves the door open to yet an Oreo 7 layer bar version in the future. I’ve certainly made my share of different versions of this recipe and I doubt I will stop anytime soon.

My favorite recipes are those that can be easily modified based upon the season and frankly what I have in stock in my kitchen and/or pantry. Which is why I also have a bounty of chocolate chip cookie variations, cheesecake bars, deviled eggs, pizza, mojitos, etc.

Speaking of recipes with versatility, it occurred to me that the start of college football season is only a month away which means it’s almost time for another round of #PBchocSat! Time to brainstorm new peanut butter and chocolate buckeye recipes.

SEVEN LAYER CHEESECAKE BARS

Print

Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 53 Minutes 53 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CRUST

• 10 oz. graham crackers, finely crushed
• 8 Tbsp (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

FILLING

• 2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 3/4 cups pecans
• 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on opposite sides, and lightly grease. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool completely.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed just until blended.
4. Pour batter into crust and spread evenly. Top with semisweet, white, and butterscotch chips, followed by the pecans and coconut.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes* or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight before serving.

Notes

*Cover with foil if the top browns too much.

Source: Adapted from my Birthday Cake Oreo Cheesecake Bars and 7 Layer Brownies.