Easter Candy Brownies
Last week we talked about Dark Chocolate Easter Cookies, a recipe that originated with Stella Parks and makes excellent use of excess Easter candy. Despite the prodigious amount of candy that goes into making those cookies (450g, nearly a full pound), I find that I have still more candy available post Easter, a lot more if I’m being honest. So, I decided to adapt my Fudgy Brownies recipe to transform over 1100 g, 2.5 lbs., of Easter candy into a rich, decadent, ooey, gooey treat.
These brownies use all my favorite peanut butter and caramel Easter candies as well as making a significant dent in the solid chocolate bunnies, Hershey’s kisses, Dove Promises and similar solid chocolate candies. Chocolates that are enrobed in candy shells like M&Ms or Cadbury Mini Eggs add a nice textural difference as well as pops of color through out the brownies. Then, to really push these brownies right over the top, running through the middle is a layer of peanut butter filled and caramel filled candies (think Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, Dove Peanut Butter Eggs or Caramel Promises, and Ghirardelli Caramel Bunnies) smothered in a smooth, gooey peanut butter fudge. Absolute bliss for any chocolate, peanut butter, caramel lover.
Or, maybe mint is more the thing in your house. We’ve had years where there are an abundance of Andes, York and Junior Mint candies that turn up in the Easter baskets or the Easter egg hunt. If that is where you are this year, go ahead and skip the caramel, skip the peanut butter, and load up on the dark chocolate and the mint. Maybe toss in a bit of white chocolate too, like the Cookies and Cream candies, or even a solid white chocolate bunny chopped up to make white chocolate chips.
This recipe can be very adaptable. Look at the candy that you have on hand (at Easter or any other time of year) and mix and match into flavor profiles that work for you. If what you have really isn’t going to work with peanut butter, feel free to skip the peanut butter fudge layer and just create a layer of your favorite candy through the middle. Or, adapt the fudge to be a different flavor – swap out the peanut butter chips for another flavor chip or chopped chocolate, swap the peanut butter for a different flavor of nut butter or spread with a similar consistency (think things like Cadbury chocolate spread or Biscoff cookie butter).
While the sky really is the limit with mixing and matching flavors, one thing I would avoid is using any solid candies in that middle layer. Instead, focus on candies with gooey or creamy fillings – while small bits of solid chocolate in a brownie create a nice textural contrast, I think a solid layer through the center might be a bit much once it has fully cooled whereas the gooey and creamy fillings create that ooey, gooey, decadent feeling even after the brownies are fully cooled.
Easter Candy Brownies
Equipment
- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.9”x13” brownie or cake pan
- microwave safe bowls (large and medium)
- large mixing bowl
- electric/stand mixer (optional)
Ingredients
BROWNIES
- 340 g solid chocolate candy coarsely chopped (dark or milk, or a mixture of both – keep in mind that milk chocolate will result in a lighter, sweeter brownie.)
- 224 g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 5 eggs large, room temperature
- 200 g sugar
- 110 g brown sugar
- 15 ml vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 12 g cocoa powder
- 400 g chocolate based candies small or chopped (i.e. M&Ms, Cadbury candy coated chocolate eggs, malted milk eggs/balls, Reese’s Pieces, peanut butter cups, caramel/peanut butter filled Easter shaped chocolates, etc.)
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE FILLING
- 142 g peanut butter chips
- 285 g sweetened condensed milk
- 128 g creamy peanut butter
- pinch salt
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- Caramel and/or Peanut butter filled chocolate candies whole, enough to create a somewhat densely populated single layer in the 9×13 inch pan (~30, depending on the size of the individual pieces), frozen
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease, or line with non-stick foil, a 9” x 13” brownie or cake pan.
- Place the coarsely chopped chocolate, unsalted butter, and espresso powder in a large microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each just until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.340 g solid chocolate candy, 224 g unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla until a thick syrup consistency and the sugars are fully dissolved. (This can be done by hand, it is a bit quicker with an electric/stand mixer)5 eggs, 200 g sugar, 110 g brown sugar, 15 ml vanilla, 1 teaspoon salt
- Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until well combined. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder just until the flour disappears. Fold in the assorted small and chopped candies. Set aside while making the filling.120 g all-purpose flour, 12 g cocoa powder, 400 g chocolate based candies
- For the filling, place the peanut butter chips, sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and salt in a medium, microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute, stir and continue to heat in 30 second bursts just until the mixture is homogenous. Stir in the vanilla.142 g peanut butter chips, 285 g sweetened condensed milk, 128 g creamy peanut butter, pinch salt, 5 ml vanilla extract
- Quickly stir the brownie batter to loosen then spoon ½ the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out to the edges in an even layer. Arrange the frozen, whole candies over the surface, evenly distributed within about ½ inch of the edge of the pan. Pour or spoon the peanut butter mixture over the candies, gently spreading to cover all the candies and staying about ½ inch from the edge of the pan. Spoon the remaining batter over the top of the peanut butter mixture, gently smoothing to completely cover the peanut butter mixture.Caramel and/or Peanut butter filled chocolate candies
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 35-40 minutes. The top will appear set and may have some cracks near the edges, the brownies may wiggle slightly due to the melted peanut butter and candy layer. Allow to cool completely, or refrigerate, before cutting into squares.
Notes
- Try to use mostly or all dark chocolate for the solid chocolate candy ingredient. If you want mint flavor directly in the brownie batter, use some of your Dove Promises Dark Chocolate and Mint Swirl candies here.
- For the small or chopped candies, use M&Ms (dark chocolate mint, if you have them), Cadbury Mini Eggs or other candy coated plain chocolate options, the Junior Mint Eggs and maybe some chopped up Hershey’s Cookies and Cream eggs or bunnies or Dove Promises Dark Chocolate and Mint Swirl candies.
- Skip the first 5 ingredients that make up the peanut butter fudge layer, you’ll just be focusing on creating a creamy mint candy layer.
- For the whole candies use your York Peppermint Patties, Andes Creme de Menthe Eggs, or any other mint cream filled candies.
Nutrition
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Great idea! Have you ever tried adding crushed mint candies to the mix for extra freshness?
I have not added crushed mint candy to this particular recipe (just haven’t had any on hand when making this recipe) but that would work well either mixed into the brownie batter or as a crunch element in the candy layer through the center.