Chocolate Crunch Brownies
Chocolate Crunch Brownies are a classic layered brownie treat – the kind you’d spot at a potluck or on a church-basement dessert table. They borrow from several dessert favorites – brownies, Rice Krispie treats, Scotcheroos – and regional ingredients like Marshmallow Fluff – and smash them together into something that is more than the sum of its parts. Each bite moves from fudgy, chocolatey base to creamy marshmallow-y center to crispy, crackly chocolate-peanut butter top.
I’m not certain exactly when or where Mom picked up this recipe. I know it couldn’t have been before the late ’90s – she never made these while I was still at home – and it doesn’t look like one of her online finds. This is one of those recipes that seems to come from everywhere and nowhere: no single clear creator, but plenty of evidence of it being passed around, copied and shared. It likely made its online debut in a mid-2000s Food.com submission where it was attributed to an earlier print version in Country Woman magazine, and by the early 2010s, variations were all over the blogosphere. All of which made finding Mom’s handwritten version feel like uncovering a little piece of both culinary and family history.
I came across mom’s version of this recipe when my daughter and I recently visited my dad. I was looking for a sweet treat to make that we could all enjoy during our relatively short visit – and one that would leave enough leftovers for Dad to enjoy after we returned home. Mom’s Chocolate Crunch Brownie recipe was tucked in with her New Year’s eve recipes in her holiday binder. I was immediately struck by the similarity to a recipe I had already shared here: Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies. Basically, Mom’s Chocolate Crunch Brownies replace the peanuts and peanut butter cups from my Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies with marshmallow crème.
I was intrigued – I love peanut butter and chocolate, I also love peanut butter and marshmallow crème, why not marshmallow, peanut butter and chocolate? Dad had most of the ingredients, although we did have to sub in some mini Reese’s Puffs cereal for the Rice Krispies – so I decided this was the perfect thing to make.
I was a little wary of the Marshmallow Fluff – as I mentioned in my previous post, Fluff has a tendency to go where ever it wants, not where you put it. Sure enough, the moment we cut the brownies it started oozing down the sides. We managed to arrest the flow (mostly) by refrigerating the bars, but then I felt like I had to wait for my brownie to warm back up before enjoying it – Dad decided he liked them straight from the fridge.
When my daughter and I got home, I knew I wanted to try the recipe again – this time with a marshmallow layer that stayed put. Enter last week’s Marshmallow Crème recipe. Swapping the store-bought Fluff for my homemade version solved the oozing immediately. Since I was already experimenting, I tested a mini-marshmallow version and even merged it with my Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies by adding chopped peanut butter cups and peanut butter chips under the marshmallow layer. I’m happy to report that all variations were equally successful and delicious!
Variations to mix and match:
- Try a different kind of cereal
- Any flavor of Rice Krispies or other puffed‑rice cereal
- Mini cereals (like Cascadian Farm Mini Cookies ‘N Creme)
- Lightly crushed flaked cereals such as Corn Flakes or Frosted Flakes
- Choose your marshmallow layer
- Store‑bought marshmallow crème: expect some oozing; cut as needed or refrigerate the bars
- Homemade marshmallow crème: stays exactly where you put it
- Mini marshmallows: melt 8–10 oz onto the brownie base during the last 5 minutes of baking the marshmallow layer
- Add more flavor and texture
- Layer any of these under the marshmallow:
- Mini/chopped peanut butter cups
- Peanuts
- Peanut butter chips
- Chocolate chips
- Chopped candy bars (Butterfingers, Snickers, Twix, etc)
- Layer any of these under the marshmallow:
One final note: I did adjust the brownie base from the original recipe. I wanted a fudgier texture and deeper chocolate flavor, so I reduced the flour, added melted chocolate and chocolate chips, and included a touch of espresso powder. This brings the base closer to my Fudgy Brownies. If you prefer the original version, you can find it handwritten on Mom’s recipe card above or online at Taste of Home.
Equipment
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick foil (or parchment paper).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt – set aside.3/4 cup (90 g) flour, 1/4 cup (24 g) cocoa powder, 1 tsp (6 g) salt
- Place the butter and half the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl heat in 30 second bursts stirring in between until the butter and chocolate are fully melted and smooth. (You can also do this in a heat safe bowl over a saucepan of simmering water)2 sticks (224 g) butter, 6 oz (170 g) chocolate chips
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, both sugars, vanilla and espresso powder on low speed; mix until it is thick and syrupy and all the sugar has dissolved.4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar, 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar, 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla, 1/2 tsp (½ tsp) espresso powder
- Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until it is uniform in color, thick, smooth and glossy.
- Stir in the flour mixture just until combined and no pockets of dry ingredients remain. Fold in the remaining chocolate chips.6 oz (170 g) chocolate chips
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 28 minutes. The top should be dry and glossy, the edges should be set and slightly puffed, there may be some cracks in the surface. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Spread the marshmallow cream over the surface of the cooled brownies to within about 1/2 inch – 1/4 inch of the edge.7 oz (200 g) marshmallow creme
- In a large bowl, melt the peanut butter and chocolate chips together, either using 30 second bursts in the microwave or on the stovetop over a saucepan of simmering water.1 cup (256 g) creamy peanut butter, 1 1/2 cup (255 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Quickly stir in the Rice Krispies cereal and immediately spoon the mixture over the marshmallow creme layer. Use a spatula to gently spread the Rice Krispies mixture until it is an even layer that completely covers the marshmallow.3 cups (80 g) Rice Krispies
- Refrigerate until fully set before slicing into bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Variations:
- If you don’t want to use store bought marshmallow cream and you don’t want to make your own marshmallow cream, you can substitute mini marshmallows instead.
- When the brownies are about 5 minutes away from being done baking, remove them from the oven and distribute 8-10oz of mini marshmallows evenly over the surface.
- Return the brownies to the oven to finish baking – the marshmallows should puff up a bit and form a melty, soft layer.
- Follow the remainder of the recipe instructions for topping, cooling and cutting the brownies.
- If you want to really take these brownies over the top, you can scatter a layer of mini/chopped peanut butter cups and peanut butter chips on top of the baked brownies and underneath the marshmallow layer.
- If you don’t want to use store bought marshmallow cream and you don’t want to make your own marshmallow cream, you can substitute mini marshmallows instead.
Private Notes
Nutrition
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