Adding M&Ms to these chewy bars makes them colorful and fun - they make a wonderful lunchbox surprise. Be sure to try these monster cookies, too.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- You won't need a mixer - these are made by hand.
- SO much chocolate flavor.
- The M&Ms make them colorful and fun!
I can't resist fudgy brownies.
These have all of the dark chocolate chewiness of my favorite brownies but with the addition of a generous amount of M&Ms sprinkled randomly throughout.
When the brownies are cooled the candy coating and chocolate in the M & Ms provides a crisp, dense burst of milk chocolate as you eat them. The peanut butter stays smooth and salty-rich which keeps the brownies from being overly sweet.
They're perfect, I tell ya.
🧾 Ingredients
- You can substitute peanut M&Ms for the plain ones.
- Use crunchy peanut butter for extra peanutty flavor.
🔪 Instructions
Step one
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Grease a 13 x 9-inch pan.
Step two
- Whisk cooled melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir in the dry ingredients to the egg mixture with a wooden spoon until well blended but do not over beat.
- Fold in the M & Ms, reserving a few to sprinkle on top.
- Spoon into the prepared pan.
Step three
- Put peanut butter in a microwave safe, small mixing bowl.
- Warm the peanut butter in the microwave just until a little runny.
- Spoon it in thick lines across the brownies.
- Use a spoon to swirl it through - don't overmix.
- Sprinkle with a few more M & Ms if desired.
Step four
- Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done but still soft in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Cut into bars.
🥄 Equipment
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You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- 13x9-inch baking dish
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
🥫 Storage
Leave the brownies in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Let brownies cool completely. Place in an airtight, freezer safe container with waxed paper or parchment between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
They freeze well and work great for school lunches.
- Let brownies cool completely.
- Cut into bars.
- Place in an airtight, freezer safe container with waxed paper or parchment between the layers.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
I like to wrap M&M brownies individually and put them in a plastic freezer container. That way you can just get a few out when you are making the kids' lunches and pop them right into each lunch box. They'll be thawed and ready to eat at lunchtime.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: Be sure not to overcook these brownies. They should be still somewhat soft in the middle when you take them from the oven and you'll need to let them cool a bit.
- Don't over-mix! If you mix the batter too much with cause the brownies to be caky, crumbly, and tough. Stop mixing once you can't see the dry ingredients anymore.
- If you plan to take homemade brownies out of the baking dish before serving line it with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. The brownies will lift right out.
- Use a really good quality vanilla extract. It does make a difference.
- Make them even gooey-er by adding about ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips to the batter.
👩🍳 FAQs
Stir about ¾ cup of M&Ms into the batter. Spoon the batter into the pan and scatter the remaining ¼ cup on the top.
You can use any of your favorite "from scratch" brownie recipes and add the M&Ms as directed above.
📚 Related recipes
📞 The last word
These are irresistible — don't even try, y'all.
I made a big batch of these M&M brownies in a 13 x 9 inch pan and they disappeared pretty quickly. I did hide a couple so I can tell you that they stay moist for at least three days.
I wouldn't count on them lasting that long, though. What is it about brownies that make them such a major comfort food?
I don't care what is going on in someone's life, no matter how horrible it is, you can take them a pan of warm brownies and they'll smile. It may be a weak smile, mind you, but it will be there flirting with the corners of their mouth.
I know that I might be showing a little favoritism here but I think I make the best brownies in the known universe.
They are easy but more importantly they are dark chocolaty magic. Moist and chewy with perfectly baked edges, my basic brownies recipe is one I developed years ago and I honestly haven't been able to improve on it.
The secret is using unsweetened cocoa powder. DARK cocoa powder.
What I have been able to do is to make infinite varieties of brownies based on this recipe and all of them have been yummy
All of them.
Really easy, really chocolaty M&M fudge brownies. Enjoy! Try them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! YUM!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Fudgy M&M Brownies with a Peanut Butter Swirl
Print Add to CollectionEquipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups butter, melted
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark cocoa powder, (the darkest you can find…do not substitute baking chocolate)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or ¼ teaspoon regular table salt
- 1 cup M&Ms candies
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Grease a 13 x 9-inch pan (line with parchment if desired)
- Whisk cooled melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Blend the dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.
- Stir in the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until well blended but do not over beat.
- Fold in the M & Ms, reserving about ¼ cup to sprinkle on top.
- Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Place the peanut butter in a small mixing bowl. Make sure it's microwave safe.
- Warm it for a few seconds, just until it is soft enough to spread easily.
- Spoon it in thick lines across the brownies.
- Use a spoon to swirl it through the brownie batter - don't overmix.
- Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup M&Ms.
- Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done but still soft in the middle.
Notes
- Don't over-mix! If you mix the batter too much with cause the brownies to be caky, crumbly, and tough. Stop mixing once you can't see the dry ingredients anymore.
- If you plan to take the brownies out of the pan before serving line it with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper. The brownies will lift right out.
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published August 14, 2014. Last updated June 21, 2021 for to add tips.
Jocelyn Wilhelm
OMG my mouth is watering just looking at these deliciousness! I love the fact that I don’t need to use any fancy equipments. A must try for sure. Thank you!
Sandra Shaffer
These look scrumptious! Peanut butter and chocolate are absolutely comfort food. The m&m's just take it over the top!
Renee's Kitchen Adventures
These look like absolute comfort food at its best. Chocolate, peanut butter and M&M's...what can be wrong about that?? Nothing! YUM!!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist
As soon as I saw the first picture my mind started singing "I'm in heaven." I am included to agree with my inner singer! I am in heaven. YUM.
Marye Audet
🙂 I love chocolate and peanut butter! Thanks to you and your inner singer for stopping by!