In my humble opinion, sweet treats are way more intriguing and are a million times tastier when there’s a sweet filing in the center. I drool over the jelly in a jelly donut, can’t wait to reach the chocolate center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, am way too amused by the peanut butter center in an Abba Zaba and really I could go on and on. But then it occurred to me; why in the world isn’t there a filling in one of my favorite desserts of all time? Hello, where’s the filling in my brownie? Now that’s just wrong. So wrong I had to change it and bring more sweetness, fat and sugar to my life in the form of a filled brownie cupcake. A chocolate chip brownie cupcake filled with a creamy peanut butter frosting. Oh my stars I swear I drool just thinking about that peanut butter filling….and that jelly donut. Well jelly minus part of the donut. It’s all about the tasty fillings.
First sift together 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
Mix together 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter and 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract in a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Now you can always do this with a handheld mixer.
Then throw in 2 large eggs, one at a time. Mix mix!
Slowly add in the dry ingredients on low speed unless you’re into having cocoa powder all over yourself. 
Mix until just combined.
Take a spatula (I’m obsessed with my bright green spatula) and fold the ingredients together.
And because brownies need more chocolate…throw in 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips. Fold them in.
Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Spray the inside of the cupcake liners. Using an ice cream scoop (my fancy tool of choice, it makes it so much easier), scoop the brownie batter into the cupcake liners. They should be filled about 1/2 – 2/3 of the way. They’ll puff up a bit, don’t you worry. I take a small spatula and spread out the tops of the brownie cupcakes.
Bake the brownies at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Once they’re done baking, cool them in the cupcake pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Now comes the best part ever. Well, in my self proclaimed peanut butter addict mind it is. First sift 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into another bowl and then set it aside.
In a bowl of a stand mixer, mix together 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter and 4 Tablespoons of softened unsalted butter.
Add in the powdered sugar and mix mix mix!
Pour in 3 1/2 Tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and mix on medium high speed for about 3 minutes. Mmmm heavy whipping cream.
And here is the peanut butter filling. I seriously could just eat this by itself. But we’ll move on…
Before filling, makes sure the brownie cupcakes have completely cooled! Take a piping bag fitted with a round decorating tip and fill it with the peanut butter filling.
Stick the tip into the center of the cupcake (all the way down to the bottom) and squeeze in the filling.
Peanut Butter Cream Filled Brownie Cupcakes
Brownies
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Peanut Butter Filling
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and kosher salt. Set aside.
In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the brown sugar, sugar, butter and vanilla extract on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Add in the eggs, one at a time.
Slowly add in the dry ingredients on low speed until almost combined. Then take a spatula and fold everything together.
Add in the chocolate chips and fold them in.
Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Spray the inside of the cupcake liners. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the brownie batter into each cupcake liner. Each cupcake should be about 1/2 – 2/3 full. Then take a small spatula or knife and spread the brownie batter so that the tops of the cupcakes are flat.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the cupcake pan and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before filling.
To make the filling:
Sift the powdered sugar. Set aside.
In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
Slowly add in the powdered sugar.
Then add in the heavy whipping cream and mix on medium high speed for 3 minutes.
Cool the cupcakes before filling them! Put the filling in a piping bag fitted with a round decorating tip. Take a brownie cupcake and insert the decorating tip into the cupcake, all the way down to the bottom. Squeeze the peanut butter filing into the brownie cupcake.
Continue filling all of the cupcakes. Enjoy!
Wonderful idea! I frosted brownies recently with peanut butter frosting, and that was really good. Love the idea of filling them!
I am not too into desserts but certainly admire someone like you come up with lovely cupcakes. Its oozing with the peanut butter inside.
yum! These look amazing!
Now your talking my language. Brownies and peanut butter – nothing like it
These sound so amazing! I wish I had one. And speaking of fillings, I have a really great recipe for brownies that are sort of filled (more wedged between) with salted caramel. They are AMAZING.
these are torture…wow….and the filling..and the brownie..and the shiny tops and the oh my. Ok, I’ll stop. Yum!
I have to agree; fillings can take the most ordinary things and put them over the top and then take things that already looked fantastic, like these cupcakes, and make them unbelievable
And I don’t even like peanut butter and I’m saying that lol
Hubby and Dudette would be forever grateful to you if I made these for them. They look decadent and right up a chocolate (and peanut butter) lover’s alley. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Oh, yum! Another delicious chocolate pb delight for my Reeses lovin’ kids!
These look so good I almost licked my computer screen! Yummmm
Oh my, these look so divine. Love, love, love!
Brilliant idea! Peanut butter and chocolate are always yummy together.
It’s like PB cups, only way better because it’s a brownie!!!
These look amazing…as always! I love your pictures of the mixing bowl step-by-step…I don’t know if I ever told you.
These look amazing! I’m drooling on the screen of my iPhone here… Can’t wait to try these!
I just found your blog through Taste Spotting and it looks great, I’m going to add it to my reader and look a bunch more.
Oh my, these looks awesome… I wonder if I could amp up the peanut butter factor by adding peanut butter “chips” instead of chocolate chips?
i am definitely not opposed to peanut butter filling in a brownie! these look delish!
GREAT recipe!! It will be a hit at home. Your photos are simply irresistible.
Seems a week of lots of PB and Chocolate…which is good. I love the filling. Wait…I WANT the filling!
I WANT THESE. Yummmmm.
Could you put the filling in before you baked it?
These look great. I want them!!! great appealing photos
YUMMY! I have made many cookie brownies in my life… not sure if you have tried those but the cookie dough serves are a pseudo center – but there is nothing like peanut butter and chocolate.
Dee-lish! I am known for topping desserts that are already gooey/rich/butter-rific with even more frosting. But piping it INSIDE the dessert? Now THAT is genius! Thanks for sharing another great one, Lindsey
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Supreme!! These look so tasty. I just wish I had one in front of me right now to gobble down. Nicely done!!!!
I would love these with a tall glass of milk!
These look amazing! Brownies and peanut butter sounds scrumptious!
Im with you, fillings = the best. And duh, ESPECIALLY when it involves peanut butter. These look fantastic!
Catching up on my foodie blogs after vacay – these look amazing. I could really go for one today, being stuck back at work. I’d ask you to FedEx me one but I bet none are left
Ohmygosh I’m positive this is what’s been missing in my life! Gimme!
These are just heavenly…look at that moist gooey chocolate
These are so fun!! Love that creamy PB filling
I have these in my oven even as I type this comment. I can’t wait to try them!
Wow! These look amazing! Will be trying these soon.
Such a fun and tasty cupcake. A creamy center is always a good thing.
OMG I want to make these….so yummy looking…mmmmm
I made this and they were great! I made one batch in cupcake liners and another in a greased mini muffin pan. i think the mini ones tasted better because the peanut butter was more well-balanced with the chocolate and the larger ones glued themselves to the liners, so you either had to eat just the centers or the paper too.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Sorry to hear you had problems with them sticking to the liners, that hasn’t happened to me before.
Brownies are the best. Peanut butter brownies are even better. Yum.