Peanut Butter Fudge Iced Brownies
One bite of these Peanut Butter Fudge Iced Brownies is all it takes to understand why they’ve been a longtime favorite! The old-fashioned boiled peanut butter icing creates a thick, candy-like layer over fudgy brownies for a decadent treat that tastes like it came straight from grandma’s kitchen. Make it once and it’ll be in your regular rotation!

Brownies + Peanut Butter Fudge Icing = A Match Made in Heaven
This icing has been a family staple since I first shared it on Southern Plate back in 2008… and honestly, I’ve lost count of how many of you have made it since!
We’ve always done it over yellow cake, but the day I poured it over brownies, everything changed. A dense, fudgy brownie is the perfect base for this old-fashioned boiled peanut butter icing.
These peanut butter fudge iced brownies perfectly combine rich chocolate with a thick, candy-like peanut butter topping. It’s a combination that feels like it was always meant to be, and once you try it, you’ll wonder why you ever had brownies any other way!
Ingredients
- Boxed brownie mix
- Sugar
- Milk
- Shortening
- Margarine
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Creamy peanut butter
Frequently Asked Questions
I usually get Kroger or some other generic brand – nothin’ fancy here! I’d go for whatever is cheapest where you shop because I’ve never met a brownie mix I didn’t like 😊.
You don’t have to use two boxes of mix, one is fine and you get to taste more of the icing!
To make your brownies thicker, use two boxes of brownie mix. This is how I like to do it! If you do this, you need to cut your oven temperature down to 325°F and add about 15 minutes to the baking process.
Of course! You can use your own recipe or I recommend my friend Susan Spencer’s Grandmothers recipe for Blue Ribbon Brownies. The peanut butter icing will take on the star of the show so go with whatever you prefer and what you have time for, but as for me and my house, we will make them from a mix today.
How to Make Peanut Butter Fudge Iced Brownies
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 or 8×8 inch baking pan.

Tip: If making an 8×8 inch pan of brownies, I’d still use this same amount of icing and just let it be thicker.
Step 2: Mix & Bake Your Brownies
First, you’ll need to whip up some brownies. Just follow the directions on the package. Once they’re baked, let them cool completely before you start on the icing.

Step 3: Make the Icing
Place your milk, sugar, shortening, margarine, and salt in a good sauce pot and put this over medium heat.


Stir constantly while you wait on all of it to melt and come to a boil. Then stop and let it boil on its own (no stirring) for 2 minutes.

Step 4: Beat it, Spread it, & Serve
Remove from heat and stir in your vanilla and peanut butter.


Beat that until it’s nice and smooth, then spread it over your brownies as fast as you can.


Now allow for the icing to cool and set on your brownies. You can occupy yourself during this time by licking the sauce pot clean once it cools enough to let you 😉.
Serve & enjoy!
How to Store Peanut Butter Fudge Iced Brownies
Store your delicious Peanut Butter Fudge Iced Brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix prepared according to package directions*
- 1-½ cups sugar
- 7 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Prepare brownies according to package directions and allow to cool completely before beginning icing.
For the Icing
- In a heavy saucepot, combine the sugar, milk, shortening, margarine, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil while stirring constantly.
- Once it reaches a rolling boil, stop stirring and let it boil for two minutes or until it reaches the soft ball stage (I don’t use a thermometer, I just let it boil for two minutes).
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in the vanilla and peanut butter. Beat until smooth and quickly spread over the brownies.

I made these last weekend while at the beach with my daughter and her two girls. The girls absolutely loved these and the 14 year old wanted a copy of the recipe to take back to Birmingham with her! She had them for breakfast and snack! I know, not a good idea but hey, we were on vacation!
I have these in the oven RIGHT NOW!! We are at the beach and cooking is not much fun in this travel trailer! Can’t wait to taste them!!
Oh my, now this recipe of “Peanut Butter Fudge Iced Brownies” will absolutely be perfect with the “Oreo Ice Cream Cake” that I have planned to make for my brother’s 75th birthday celebration July 11…..WOW! Thanks again for wonderful recipes!!! Have ordered your book & hopefully will be able to order your new book when you have it ready to sell….I have started a new collection…Christy Jordan’s Cookbooks!!!
Hi Christy! I made these for a church event on Saturday and they were a big hit! I was so glad that a little of the frosting was left in the saucepan (how did that happen?) so I just had to eat it! It wouldn’t have been right to serve something without testing it myself. 🙂 Anyway, thanks a bunch!
Any thoughts on using natural peanut butter for this recipe? And what about salted vs unsalted peanut butter?
I made this frosting for some chocolate “wacky cake” (known as Pipe Creek Cake in SE Ohio circles). First, ya gotta love a cake recipe with no butter, eggs, or milk – yay for cheap AND yummy! Second, I cooked this frosting closer to 3.5 minutes than the two Christy did. I got distracted. We won’t tell anyone I was distracted by watching the microwave timer and realizing how dirty my microwave was, OK? Anyway, the frosting was a little more firm than it would have been otherwise, but still tastes amazing. I had made an 8×8 cake, so I used about half the frosting as such, and poured the other half into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper that I had sprayed with PAM. It is some of the best peanut butter fudge ever. I’m thinking of adding this recipe to my Christmastime repertoire as fudge. Great!
I am so glad it turned out even with the distractions, that happens to me at times as well too. And great idea for the left-over frosting!!
ooo and chocolate syrup lol