I love learning the stories behind recipes, how they were created, the history and what were the people thinking throughout the process. For me, creating recipes is more of a “the idea pops into my head and it turns into something wild.” I don’t try and think of ideas, they just happen and at the most random times. When I was shopping with my mama (by the way I hate shopping for clothes, strange isn’t it?) the idea for Chubby Hubby Brownies popped ino my head. Not only did it give me the perfect excuse to recreate one of my favorite ice cream flavors (vanilla malt ice cream with fudge and peanut butter swirls with fudge covered peanut butter filled pretzels!!) but I had an excuse to bake one of my favorite desserts, brownies. But if those excuses weren’t enough, my quest for chocolate covered peanut buter filled pretzels led me to one of my favorite stores, Trader Joe’s. These pretzels are the most dangerous snack in the world and you better plan on baking these brownies asap or you won’t have pretzels left.
Sift together 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
You’ll need some of these addictive little treats. Chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels from Trader Joe’s. If you can’t find these, no worries. Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels will work just fine.
Cut about 15 pretzels in half and set aside. Just look at those pieces of pure delicious pretzel love.
In a large mixing bowl with the paddle attachment (a handheld mixer works fine), mix together 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract.
Add in 2 large eggs (at room temperature), one at a time. Then slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until almost combined.
Take a spatula and fold the ingredients together.
Throw the chopped pretzels into the bowl and carefully fold them in. After you fold them in, taste the batter. Ok you won’t have to do this but it’s heaven in brownie batter form.
Spread the batter into a lightly greased 8 by 8 inch baking pan. Bake the brownies for 25 -30 minutes.
While the brownies are baking, start making the peanut butter frosting. There are no words to describe the pure deliciousness of this frosting. It’s magic, love and well just make it.
Sift 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl with the paddle attachment (handheld mixer works fine), mix together 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter, 4 Tablespoons softened unsalted butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Slowly add in the powdered sugar.
Once the powdered sugar is combined, add in 4 Tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and mix mix mix! Just I realize I’m using a measuring cup.
When the brownies have cooled, frost them with a thick layer of the peanut butter frosting.
Then cut up some chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels and sprinkle them on top. Oh my word! And enjoy!
Chubby Hubby Brownies
15 Chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels, cut in half
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels, cut into small pieces for decoration (however many you like)
Sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder and kosher salt. Set aside.
Take 15 chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels and cut them in half. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl with the paddle attachment (a handheld mixer works too), mix together the packed light brown sugar, sugar, melted unsalted butter and vanilla extract on medium speed.
Add in the eggs one at a time.
Slowly add in the dry ingredients on low speed. Mix until just combined. Take a spatula and fold the ingredients together.
Throw in the chopped chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels and fold them in.
Spread the brownie batter into a lightly greased 8×8 inch baking pan. Bake the brownies at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Cool the brownies before frosting with the peanut butter frosting.
While the brownies are baking, make the peanut butter frosting.
Sift the powdered sugar. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl with the paddle attachmet (a handheld mixer works), combine the creamy peanut butter, softened unsalted butter and vanilla extract.
Slowly add in the powdered sugar and combine. Pour in the heavy whipping cream and mix until smooth.
Once the brownies are done cooling, frost them with a thick layer of peanut butter frosting. Cut some chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels into small pieces and sprinkle on top of the frosting. I like a lot of pretzel pieces on top.
Cut into pieces and enjoy!
These look absolutely incredible! My new favorite brownie recipe:-) I want to make these but am seriously afraid I’d eat the entire batch!
I need to make these ASAP! They look sinfully delicious.
There’s no eating just one of those babies. Delicious!
The name says it all… makes me nervous to try these. I’m afraid i’m going to gain 600 lbs.
Those look incredible! I could eat an entire bag of those TJs pretzels in one sitting.
You’re killing my diet!!!! I want to make these, love love those chocolate covered pretzels from TJ’s. I can’t even imagine the yumminess when they are on your brownie!
Yep, these look amazing. Going to have to make some for the weekend.
OOo, i love those chocolate covered pb pretzels. If left to my own devices I would eat the entire bag. Great brownies, I love this idea!
Oh, my word. These look beyond incredible. Just amazing. I must, must, must make these right now.
All right – what on earth is Trader Joe’s? I’ve seen it everywhere lately, and I’ve never heard of it before. Is it like a mecca for food bloggers or something?
Haha, no it’s a grocery store. I’ve been shopping there forever. They have good prices, interesting and delicious foods.
Oh yum! One of my fav flavors too! In brownie form, now that’s just dangerous!
I love the sound of these.. yes I do indeed! That’s one of my favorite ice cream flavors
You really cannot go wrong with adding on some chocolate covered pretzels as a topping. That is pure goodness.
These look yummy and I’ll soon be visiting my sister in CA and will be taking home my usual haul from TJs … now I have one more thing to add to my shopping list!
Do these need to be stored in the fridge? Mahalo for your time!
Thank you!
No they don’t need to be store in the fridge.
Dear Lindsey,
I have been reading your blog for quite some time now, and with each new post my tummy get hungrier and hungrier. Please come be my neighbor so that I can indulge in all of your yummy treats! I promise to share my Ben & Jerry’s Ice Creams with you
~Steph
LOL…but I’m serious!
for some unknown reason, in toronto we only get a handful of ben & jerry’s flavours, and they are usually the boring ones. this is very upsetting when you hear about something like chubby hubby and can’t get your hands on some. AND we don’t have trader joe’s, but i can get chocolate covered pb pretzels in bulk at this place called bulk barn, which is kind of amazing. AND i’ll be making these on the weekend!
These brownies would have me doing the Truffle Shuffle dance for one! YUM! I might make these and surprise my co-workers on Monday….what could be more delish than brownies at 7am?
These sound and look so good! I LOVE the name too
These look amazing! I’m impressed by your creativity. Now, to find some Chubby Hubby ice cream…
You are amazing! Those brownies sounds so incredible, I am having a hard time not licking my computer screen!!!
I think I’m going to need to upgrade to elastic-waist pants. Haha! Love this recipe!
omg AWESOME! i need to get the pretzels and try not to eat the whole bag before i get a chance to make these
You should let Ben & Jerry’s know they inspired you. Maybe they’d send you some thing else and see what inspires you next.
I’ve always loved Chubby Hubby ice cream!! These look awesome. It’d be perfect with a tall glass of milk!
These look to die for!!!
I made/posted something very similar to these today! Check it out if you have a minute
Great addition with the pretzels on top!
Love the name! Trader Joe’s isn’t real close to me, but I have found these pretzels at my “gourmet grocery” Aldi (not sure they stock all the time, as not everything necessarily is). I know my peanut-butter fan son-in-law would love these! These certainly should satisfy any real serious sweet craving!
I love when your ideas run wild! These brownies look incredible! Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite stores too…now I have an excuse to go
I’m normally not a fan of pretzels in desserts, but you may have just changed my mind!
p.s. I love Trader Joe’s, too..
OH MY HECK!!! These look amazing!
I get ideas for recipes at the most random times too! The story behind this recipe is so funny. I get most of my recipe ideas while daydreaming in school.
I am so sad we don’t have a Trader Joe’s! These are calling my name!
omg yum!!
While I wish we had a Trader Joe’s (come on Colorado…we also want stores to sell booze!) I fear all the goodies I see available there from different blog posts. I’m not a big fan of pretzels per se…but these. OMY (Oh My YUM!).
OMG I love love this recipe. We fight over the chubby hubby ice cream at our house all the time.
With a name like that, I don’t think I can resist! Another fabulous, decadent recipe…and there just can’t be too many brownie recipes
this looks wonderful lovely brownie
regards
torviewtoronto
hahaha, the way you just described this popping into your head is just how I came up with my chocolate peanut butter pretzel cupcakes. D@mn, I love me some Chubby Hubby. Ben & Jerry’s in general is fabulous, I have some Banana Buzz ice cream from them in the fridge right now. Never tried it, but there’s whiskey involved
These look fabulous, I must try!
Wow I am so impressed with this recipe! This is so creative. This is my favorite Ben and Jerry’s flavor!!! I definitely need to make these
The name makes me want to make them all on it’s own, LOL! Love excuses to make our favorite treats. This looks lovely!
Take Care,
Hugs,
Terra
once again, a great recipe! can I get a coupon for a batch of these?
Oh..these CH Brownies look gorgeous..love the peanut butter frosting! Need to RT this
Lindsey–we SO share the same tastes! Chocolate + peanut butter + pretzels is just a delicious combo. Have you made chocolate-peanut butter-pretzel cookies? Oh, they’re just delicious! I have to admit though–I might like your brownie version even better
Hope you have a great weekend!
those brownies have the perfect top texture… and then the frosting… and… *droooool* YUM!
You go girl with these brownies. Those pretzels look beyond amazing – this is a great thing to do with them. Besides eat the whole bag by the handful
My boyfriend would love this! Peanut butter + chocolate is zee best! Love the name of the treats!
Wow these look fantastic! Love the name too.
Chubby Hubby was the first ice cream I shared with my husband, when we first met. Has special meaning to me! Love these brownies.
That layer of peanut butter frosting is doing me in. No, the chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels are. Oh…the whole thing is doing me in! I need one now:)
This recipe is a NEED in my life. Not a want…a NEED!
These look amazing! This is my first time stopping over to your blog and I am drooling at the photos of these brownies. I loved them so much that I added them to my Foodie Friday post, where I mention different recipes around the blog world. Come check it out! http://chicagocuisinecritique.blogspot.com/2011/04/foodie-friday_29.html
Oh man alive! These sound like heaven! I so understand what you mean with those darn chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels….yum. Trader Joes is a dangerous place
OMG! This looks amazzzzinnnng! Worth having to go up a pant size
YUM. Once again an impossible to resist peanut butter and chocolate recipe. I will be on the look out for some peanut butter filled pretzels so I can make my own batch!
I don’t usually say OMG…but oh.em.gee. These look incredible. Helps that I love Chubby Hubby ice cream. I think these would last about 3.4 minutes in my house!
I think i could very easily get fat on these brownies but you gotta live every once in awhile. I cant wait to make them!
For sure I’d have to buy two bags of the pretzels. Who could resist them?
These sound incredibly good! I would probably eat the whole tray myself and get super fat! It’s a good thing I cannot buy those peanut butter filled pretzels where I live – or is it?
Thanks for sharing this recipe… 
OMG! As soon as I saw the pic I knew you were the master behind it. You have outdone yourself again! Must stop by Trader Joe’s asap for a bag of those little pretzels, and your brownies look perfect the way they crust over the top like that. Thank you!
Well Lindsey you did it again. Your came up with another delish combo, thatI can’t resist. All of those yummy ingredients, chocolate covered pretzels, peanut butter frosting and brownies are calling my name. I love, TJ’s, too:)
PS Congrats on the top 9 today!
How did you get your brownies out of the pan so nicely?
Those look amazing! I always love hearing the story behind a recipe too. Thanks for sharing your chubby hubby brownies
I’ve made the chubby hubby cookies before, but these look divine! I think it’s the pb frosting… it sucks me in!
Yummy yum!!! Congrats on top 9!!!!
Everything here looks dangerous to me
Wow!
They look so yummy
Congrats on the top 9!!!
Really creative! I have to make these for my brother!
Oh God I’m scared to try this but I’m SO SO SO tempted!
Off to get ingredients! I need these brownies ASAP!
Just FYI the recap of the recipe at the bottom in the list of ingredients does not include the 4T of cream in the frosting. I am making these now and the batter is A,maz.ing, not that I ate raw brownie batter or anything
So excited for the finished product!!
Thank you, hope you enjoy! I fixed the recipe yesterday.
Chubby Hubby! How about Chubby Wife!? Haha! These look delicious…next time I’m in the States and near Trader Joe’s, I’ll have to pick up the ingredients!
OH MY LANTA! Those chocolate covered pretzels are MY ADDICTION!! I’m going to have to make these brownies!!
Oh man, your web site is making me drool!!!! Everything looks amazing!
Congratulations on being featured!!
Hope you can come and see me at http://willcookforsmiles.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-first-wedding-cake.html
Thanks so much for this recipe! My family loved these! You can see what I made with a link back to your post here: http://www.createamazingmeals.com/2011/05/memorial-day-celebration-tortellini.html
You are my new baking idol! Thanks to you and this recipe I wowed the girls at tonight’s book club meeting. I’m sure they’re no good for my waistline but at least I shared the calories. These are the perfect use for those delicious pretzels. Thanks so much for sharing this.
That’s my favorite Ben and Jerry’s flavor! Awesome idea!!!
I made these (finally!!) and they were delicious. I doubled the recipe and used a 9 x 13 pan. Also gave one to my husband for a birthday treat with chocolate covered bacon on top, Yes, chocolate covered bacon. YUM!