Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownies

My chocolate & peanut butter love continues with these amazing candy-bar-like brownies.  I made them this weekend to take along to a friend's picnic.  The base layer is a brownie, then topped with chopped peanuts, chopped peanut butter cups and finally the top layer is a crunchy peanut butter & chocolate layer of heaven.  The top tastes like a Nestle Crunch bar with peanut butter.  YUM!!!!

INGREDIENTS
Bottom Layer
Brownie Mix for 13 x 9 pan (plus all the ingredients listed on the box)

Middle Layer
3/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
8 full size Reeses Peanut Butter cups, chopped (or Fun Size Snicker Bars work too)

Top Layer
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semi-sweet)
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

DIRECTIONS

1.  Mix and bake the brownies according to the box directions, however, bake for 5 minutes less than the recipe states. I recommend lining the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.

2.  Remove brownies from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped salted peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups.  Return to the oven and bake an additional 5 minutes.

3.  While the brownies are finishing in the oven, melt the peanut butter, chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Stir in the cereal until evenly coated.  Remove brownies from the oven and pour the chocolate/peanut butter mixture over the top.  Spread to cover evenly.  Allow to cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing.  Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.  Makes 24 brownies or more depending on how small you slice them.  I sliced mine small because they're rich like a candy bar and got about 36 brownies out of the recipe.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction