Snickers Brownies

These very delicious and highly addictive Snickers Brownies are made with a fudgy dark chocolate brownie base, a layer of thick peanut butter caramel "nougat", roasted peanuts and covered in dark chocolate. This is a NEXT LEVEL brownie to satisfy that salt sweet craving. They keep well and taste especially great cold straight from the fridge. If you love brownies, make sure to check out my most popular classic brownie recipes: Best Fudge Brownie Recipe with Shiny Crust and Thick & Fudgy Homemade Brownies.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Dark chocolate brownies - this is a simple homemade brownie recipe that can be made entirely by hand without a mixer. you will certainly get your chocolate fix with the intense rich chocolate taste thanks to bittersweet chocolate and not a lot of flour to drown it out. This recipe is made with 8oz of pure bittersweet dark chocolate for rich chocolate taste.
• Fudgy texture - these brownies have a nice thickness with a fudgy texture all the way through.
• Peanut butter caramel nougat - I mix peanut butter with my Salted Caramel Sauce to make a simple quick nougat to form the middle layer of these brownies.
• Roasted peanuts - take the flavor up a notch with roasted salted peanuts. You can also use regular unsalted peanuts.
• Dark chocolate coating - to make these taste just like a chocolate bar, I cover them in a thin layer of dark chocolate. Perfection!

INGREDIENTS

• Dark chocolate - You will need chocolate for the brownie batter and for the topping. Anything between 60 and 70% cocoa solids will work. I prefer Bittersweet Chocolate and these bittersweet chocolate callets are very convenient. Semi sweet chocolate will also work, but you can expect sweeter brownies.
• Unsalted butter - the best brownies that have a chewy fudgy texture are made with butter. You can also use salted butter. If you use salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe by half.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla plays a big role in enhancing the flavor of chocolate. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy brownies. Use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.

• Cocoa powder - cocoa will bump up the chocolate taste in the brownies and also replace some of the structural function of flour for a super fudgy texture. You can use natural cocoa or Dutch Process cocoa powder in this recipe. Natural cocoa will have a more fruity taste while Dutch cocoa will have more roasted earthy undertones.
• Eggs - 3 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in these brownies since there isn't much flour. 3 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in these brownies and they are nice and thick.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps these brownies moist. I do not recommend reducing the sugar in this recipe or they will not have the same moist and fudgy texture and it will compromise the shiny crust.
• Brown sugar - you can use light or dark brown sugar here. It will add extra depth of flavor from the molasses, and it will also make them extra fudgy.
• Salt - salt is important in any baking dessert recipe, but especially here in these brownies! It totally enhances the chocolate and coffee taste.
• Peanut butter - use smooth creamy regular peanut butter (the kind that doesn't need stirring).
• Caramel - I use my Salted Caramel Sauce which is thick and rich so it will stand up and hold the peanuts well.
• Roasted peanuts - to get the most flavor out of any nuts, it is important that you roast them. Believe me it adds so much more flavor. To do this, just place them in a dry frying pan over medium heat and shake the pan frequently so that they don't burn. It should take about 10 minutes.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1.) Melt chocolate. Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until melted, or you can do this in the microwave gently with frequent stirring so it doesn't burn.
• STEP 2.) Beat eggs with sugar. Combine eggs with both types of sugar in a large bowl and whisk vigorously by hand until pale, thick and fluffy. You can also use a hand mixer and beat for 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla and salt.
• STEP 3.) Add chocolate to eggs. Add warm chocolate mixture to the beaten eggs and whisk it in until evenly incorporated. The mixture should tighten up and become thick and glossy.
• STEP 4.) Add dry ingredients. Sprinkle flour and cocoa powder over the chocolate batter. Stir it in until evenly blended.
• STEP 5.) Bake! Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached and the top is shiny crinkly and puffed. It will sink as it cools. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan.
• STEP 6.) Make the caramel layer. Combine salted caramel sauce with peanut butter and roasted peanuts in a bowl and stir until smooth. Spread it over cooled brownie (it will be thick).
• STEP 7.) Make the chocolate topping. Melt chocolate with coconut oil in a small bowl the microwave (or in a saucepan over low heat) until smooth and glossy, then pour it over the caramel layer. Spread it out evenly and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares using a hot dry knife and enjoy!

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR BEST HOMEMADE BROWNIES:

• Never use raising agents like baking soda or baking powder. Brownies are meant to be dense and using leavening will create gases that can make the brownie seem dry.
• Mix the eggs with the sugar first instead of stirring the sugar into the melted chocolate. Sugar cannot dissolve in fat, but it can dissolve in the water within egg whites. That's the key to getting the shiny crust on these brownies.
• Keep the chocolate warm. Adding warm melted chocolate to the egg mixture will not scramble the eggs! First of all, it is not hot enough, and second of all, the eggs are already protected by the sugar. Adding warm chocolate will keep the batter warm to encourage more sugar to dissolve for a fudgy texture
• Measure dry ingredients accurately. Too much flour will make brownies dry. Brownies rely on a low proportion of dry ingredients in the batter to have a moist texture (along with the right amount of sugar).
• Mix gently. When you add the dry ingredients, just mix or fold them in gently until it is evenly incorporated but avoid mixing vigorously. Too much mixing will create gluten which will create large pockets in the baked brownies and will cause them to have a less tender melt-in-your-mouth texture.

• Always use room temperature eggs so that they incorporate more evenly and the warmer temperature helps sugar dissolve. TIP: to bring eggs to room temperature quickly, submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.
• Watch the baking time. One of the main reasons for dry brownies is over-baking. These brownies should take between 25 and 30 minutes when baked in a metal pan. Start checking after 25 minutes. A skewer should not come out clean -- it should come out with a few moist sticky bits attached. If it comes out clean it may be over baked, and if it comes out with wet batter then it is still a bit raw.
• Combine chocolate and coconut oil well. To make sure the topping sets streak-free, it is important to mix the coconut oil and chocolate very well to help them emulsify. Cocoa butter and coconut oil are not very compatible fats so they will tend to separate if not mixed well.
• Slice with a hot dry knife. To get nice clean slices, run a sharp knife under hot water and then wipe it dry between each slice. This will help you slice cleanly and smoothly through the hard chocolate coating so that it doesn't crack or shatter.

RECIPE FAQ

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Snickers Brownies

Christina Marsigliese

Dense and fudgy brownies with a layer of peanut butter caramel nougat and roasted peanuts with a cracking dark chocolate coating. These taste just like Snickers, but even BETTER!

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 16 brownies

Ingredients

  

Brownie batter:

• 4 oz 113g bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa) coarsely chopped
• 6 tablespoon 84g unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• heaped ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup 50g all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon 12g cocoa powder

Nougat layer:

• ⅓ cup 80ml Salted Caramel Sauce
• ½ cup 120ml peanut butter
• ½ cup 60g peanuts

Topping:

• 3 oz 85g dark chocolate finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon 5ml coconut oil

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang along each side.
• Make the brownie batter: Combine chocolate and butter in a saucepan over very low heat and stir constantly until melted and smooth, or melt in the microwave at 50% power in short bursts with frequent stirring.
• Combine eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl and whisk or beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and thick. Beat in warm melted chocolate mixture. Whisk together flour and cocoa powder and sprinkle it over the surface and fold it in until evenly combined. Spread the rest evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Make the caramel layer: Combine salted caramel sauce with peanut butter and roasted peanuts in a bowl and stir until smooth. Spread it over cooled brownie (it will be thick).
• Make the chocolate topping: Melt chocolate with coconut oil in a small bowl the microwave (or in a saucepan over low heat) until smooth and glossy, then pour it over the caramel layer. Spread it out evenly and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares using a hot dry knife and enjoy!

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