Chocolate Crunch Brownies

Name: Chocolate Crunch Brownies
Prep time: 30 min
Yield: 3 dozen
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 2 cups sugar; 4 large eggs; 1/2 cup baking cocoa; 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme; 1 cup creamy peanut butter; 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips; 3 cups crisp rice cereal

Total Time Prep: 30 min. Bake: 25 min. + chilling

Yield 3 dozen

Contest Winner

Test Kitchen Approved

The first time I took these brownies to work, I knew I'd better start making copies of the recipe—they disappeared fast! My husband and kids gobble them up quickly, too. —Pat Mueller, Mitchell, South Dakota

Ingredients

butter, softened
sugar
large eggs
baking cocoa
all-purpose flour
vanilla extract
salt
(7 ounces) marshmallow creme
creamy peanut butter
(12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
crisp rice cereal

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture until blended.
Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool in pan on a wire rack. Spread marshmallow creme over cooled brownies.
In a small saucepan, melt peanut butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in cereal. Spread over top. Refrigerate until set. Cut into bars.

Nutrition Facts

1 brownie: 232 calories, 12g fat (6g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 136mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (21g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.