Description
These rich and fudgy Espresso Brownies combine the deep flavors of dark cocoa and espresso powder with the nuttiness of browned butter and melted chocolate chips. Perfect for coffee lovers, these brownies deliver a moist, tender crumb with a luscious chocolate-espresso twist that’s easy to make and sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp dark cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp espresso powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Chocolate
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8×8 square metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to easily lift the brownies out later. Set this aside.
- Browning the Butter: Place the cold unsalted butter in a stainless steel pan over medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally as the butter foams, pops, and crackles. When the butter solids start turning brown and you smell a nutty aroma, remove the pan from heat and scrape all the browned butter and solids into a separate heat-safe bowl.
- Melt Chocolate Into Butter: Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips to the bowl of hot browned butter. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt until fully combined. Set aside.
- Combine Eggs, Sugar, and Vanilla: In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes until fluffy and lightened in color.
- Add Butter-Chocolate Mixture: With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour the melted browned butter and chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Mix just until combined; avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Dry Ingredients: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter until just combined and no flour streaks remain.
- Pour Batter and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center— it should come out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Depending on your oven and pan type (metal bakes faster; glass or ceramic may take 45-50 minutes), baking times may vary.
- Cool and Cut: Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. After cooling, use a hot sharp knife to cut the brownies into 16 squares, wiping the knife clean between cuts for neat slices.
Notes
- Use a metal baking pan for more even and quicker baking. Glass or ceramic pans require longer baking times.
- Browned butter adds a nutty depth of flavor and richness to the brownies, so don’t skip this step.
- Ensure that the butter-chocolate mixture is not too hot when mixing with eggs to prevent scrambling.
- The espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor without making the brownies taste like coffee.
- Step-by-step photos can help guide you through the process if you’re new to browning butter or baking brownies.
