This Peanut Butter Puff Pastry Braid is a French treat with a flakey outside and a gooey chocolate peanut butter center. Serve it for a delicious breakfast or dessert that will leave you drooling!
Table of Contents
- What Is a Puff Pastry Braid?
- Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Puff Pastry Braid
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Step-By-Step Guide to Make the Best Peanut Butter Puff Pastry
- Peanut Butter Puff Pastry Braid Recipe Common Questions
- More Easy Puffy Pastry Dessert Recipes
- Peanut Butter Puff Pastry Braid Recipe Recipe
What Is a Puff Pastry Braid?
To make a puff pastry braid, you weave strips of puff pastry dough into a braid-like shape. These pastries look great and can be sweet or savory. They have different fillings like ham and cheese, fruit, cream cheese, chocolate, nuts, and in this case peanut butter.
To make a puff pastry braid, you typically roll out a sheet of puff pastry and cut it into strips. Then, spread the filling of choice down the center, and fold the strips over the middle in an alternating pattern.
Once you finish, brush the braid with an egg wash and bake it until it turns golden brown, fluffy, and flakey. Served warm or at room temperature, puff pastry braids of any kind are always scrumptious!
Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Puff Pastry Braid
- It uses pre-made dough for an easy recipe that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen.
- This pastry comes together with just seven ingredients.
- It bakes in 20 minutes or less!
- Stuffed full of peanut butter and chocolate, you get warm, melted goodness in every decadent bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Unlike many puff pastry braid recipes that require you to make the dough from scratch, we use pre-made puff pastry as a shortcut. We won’t tell if you don’t! As a result, this puff pastry braid is super easy to make, and the ingredient list is minimal. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Puff Pastry – You can typically find puff pastry in the refrigerated or frozen sections of your local grocery store. If you use frozen puff pastry, just make sure you thaw it first.
- Chocolate Bar – Any large chocolate bar you like best will taste great. We use plain milk chocolate, but feel free to experiment with different flavor options!
- Peanut Butter – We’re partial to smooth peanut butter, but crunchy works too. For the best results, avoid natural peanut butter. It tends to separate and can cause your peanut butter pastry to become runny.
- Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies – Use your favorite peanut butter cookies such as Nutter Butters. Sprinkle them in the center of the pastry and on top to boost the peanut butter flavor and add extra crunch.
- Large Egg – This helps add a rich flavor and creates the crisp, golden exterior we adore.
Step-By-Step Guide to Make the Best Peanut Butter Puff Pastry
Below is an overview of the recipe instructions. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Prepare the pastry. Let your puff pastry thaw just slightly in the fridge. It should be moldable and easy to work with but still cold. Open it up creating a large rectangle.
- Add the filling. Place the chocolate bar in the center of the puff pastry along with the peanut butter and peanut butter cookies.
- Cut the pastry. Use a sharp knife to slice 1-inch sections down both sides of the dough at an angle. Cut off the top and bottom two pieces.
- Braid the dough. Fold the top strip of dough down over the center. Braid the remaining pieces, folding one down at a time. Tuck the bottom piece of dough over the braid.
- Add the egg wash. Whisk the egg in a small bowl, and use a pastry brush to spread it over the puff pastry dough. Sprinkle the crushed cookies evenly across the top.
- Bake. Place the peanut butter puff pastry braid on a greased baking sheet. (Alternately, you can line your baking sheet with
parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.) Then, transfer it to a preheated oven. Bake just until the dough is fluffy and golden brown. - Serve. Drizzle melted peanut butter on top, and enjoy warm!
Peanut Butter Puff Pastry Braid Recipe Common Questions
Absolutely, include whatever fillings and flavor combinations you like best! Some of our favorite options include candy pieces, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or Nutella. You could also include fresh fruit such as banana coins, sliced strawberries, to blueberries. If you’re feeling fancy, try adding a dusting of powdered sugar to your peanut butter pastry, too!
You can transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to one day. Or, transfer your peanut butter puff pastry to the fridge where it will stay fresh for up to five days.
Yes, wrap your pastry braid tightly and transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. To eat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, and warm it up in the microwave for a few minutes. The texture may change slightly, but it will still be super tasty!
More Easy Puffy Pastry Dessert Recipes
Peanut Butter Puff Pastry Braid Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry frozen and slightly thawed
- 1 (4-ounce) chocolate bar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter + more for drizzling creamy or chunky
- 8 peanut butter sandwich cookies divided
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a baking sheet, and set aside.
- Slightly thaw the puff pastry until it is easy to work with but still cold. Spread it out into a large triangle.1 sheet puff pastry
- Arrange the chocolate bar, ½ cup peanut butter, and 5 peanut butter cookies in the center of the dough.1 (4-ounce) chocolate bar, 1/2 cup peanut butter + more for drizzling, 8 peanut butter sandwich cookies
- Slice 1-inch sections of the dough from the center out. Carefully cut off the top two sections and the bottom two sections of the dough.
- Fold the top piece down over the center. Begin braiding by folding one piece down at a time, alternating sides, and overlapping the dough.
- Tuck the bottom piece under the last fold.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg over the top of the puff pastry braid.1 large egg
- Carefully transfer the braid to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until fluffy and golden brown.
- Crush the remaining peanut butter cookies into pieces, and sprinkle them on top along with a drizzle of peanut butter, if desired.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Store at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
