My favorite fudgy brownies topped with marshmallows, peanuts and more fudge. These rocky road brownies are chewy, gooey, impossible to resist, and even better than rocky road ice cream!
When I was a child, our local grocery store sold big trays of rocky road brownies. They were fudgy, dense, and topped with a layer of marshmallows covered in even more chocolate. It was very rare that my parents would buy such a decadent, store-bought dessert – but they were my favorite. And I have a lot of fond memories of digging into a tray.
Because there’s nothing better than a chocolate-filled brownie, gooey marshmallows, and salty, crunchy peanuts. So today I’m sharing my own, homemade version.
The Perfect Rocky Road Brownies
The brownie recipe is dense, fudgy, and moist. They aren’t overly gooey – which I think is important when you’re adding goo from the marshmallows. The recipe used both cocoa powder and melted chocolate to give a deep chocolate flavor without being too rich. I typically use 50% dark chocolate, but semi-sweet will work too. You could use up to 70% dark chocolate if you want a really rich flavor, but in this recipe I definitely prefer around 50-60%.
If you’re really short on time, you could use a box mix for the brownies – but I wanted to make these 100% homemade. Or if you’d rather make a brownie recipe using only cocoa powder, this recipe will work instead. Or you could simply use your favorite 9×13 inch pan recipe.
Once the brownies are baked, you’ll add ganache over top in a thin layer. This is for the marshmallows and peanuts to stick into. Then you’ll sprinkle the mini marshmallows on top and pop the brownies in the oven just for a couple of minutes for the marshmallows to puff up and soften.
Note: Watch the pan very closely when the marshmallows are in the oven – they can go from gooey to burnt very quickly!
Then you’ll sprinkle the peanuts on top, and drizzle even more fudgy chocolate.
They’re definitely rich, but definitely everything you could want in a rocky road treat. Fudgy brownie, gooey marshmallow, salted peanuts, and even more chocolate. I think they’re even more delicious than the store-bought version from my childhood.
And if you really love rocky road, don’t forget:
Rocky Road Brownies
Equipment
- 9x13 Inch Pan
Ingredients
Brownies*
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 8 oz dark chocolate* finely chopped
- 2 cups white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 oz dark chocolate* finely chopped
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Topping
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
Instructions
Brownies*
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper leaving an overhang around the edges.
- Cut the butter into pieces and add to a large, heatproof bowl along with the chopped chocolate.
- Microwave on medium power for 1 minute, remove from the microwave and stir. Repeat the process until smooth. (Or melt on the stove using a double boiler).
- Let sit for a few minutes, then whisk in the sugar.
- Whisk in the eggs 1 at a time.
- Gently stir in the flour, cocoa powder and salt. If lumps remain, give the batter a whisk.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few damp crumbs.
- Cool the brownies fully.
Ganache & Topping
- Preheat the oven to 375F degrees*.
- Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and place in a heat proof bowl.
- Heat the cream until almost scalding.
- Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2-5 minutes. Then whisk the mixture until smooth. If the chocolate is not quite smooth, microwave for 30 seconds on medium power.
- Pour about ½ of the mixture over the brownies and smooth the top so it's covered in ganache.
- Sprinkle the mini marshmallows over the top of the fudge layer.
- Place the brownie pan in the oven for about 2-4 minutes, or until the marshmallows start to puff up. Watch carefully, because the marshmallows can burn quickly.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the peanuts over the marshmallows. Drizzle the top with the remaining ganache.
- Let the ganache set, then slice the brownies. If you lined the pan with parchment paper, lift the edges of the parchment up and lift the brownies out of the pan. Place on cutting board and slice. If you simply greased the pan, slice the brownies in the pan.
Notes
- Feel free to use box mix brownies (choose an option for a 9x13 inch pan) and bake according to the package. Or use your favorite brownie recipe. I recommend choosing a recipe that's chewy and moist, but not overly gooey for this recipe.
- 50-70% dark chocolate works best. Semi-sweet chocolate can be used instead.
- Placing the brownies back in the oven after adding the marshmallows is optional. This step makes the marshmallows soften and puff up, but it is definitely optional.
- Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Nutrition information is an estimate only. It is based on 1 brownie, assuming the pan is sliced into 15 equal pieces.
Nutrition
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