We’re coming out of a long (long) winter and before we start talking about fresh spring recipeswithasparagus and peas, leeks and carrots, I want to take a moment to talk about chocolate. So I’ve rounded up 8 of the most outrageously delicious and sinfully decadent brownie recipes, for no other reason than we deserve it for making it through another winter.
So, yeah,we’re making brownies just because.
Making brownies is dead easy. Requiring nothing more than two bowls and spoon, no treat gives you more bang for your baking buck,and they are the perfect treatto bring to winter’s farewell party. Just make sure that the door doesn’t hit winter on its way out. Or whatever. Let it. You should be busy eating brownies and not worrying about winter’s feelings.
Top:Extra Nutty Dark Chocolate Brownies via Joy the Baker
I’d usually start with a classic brownie recipe, but it’s hard to pin down just what makes a classic brownie. To some, it’s a recipe that includesmelted chocolate, to others a recipe that uses only cocoa powder. And witha million other variables too, I’m going tostay out of the debate and insteaddo as Olga from Sassy Radish does and turn to baking expert Alice Medrich. These are her Best Cocoa Brownies and I insist that you must, at some point in your life, make them.
If you didn’t believe me when I said that there are a million variables that go into developing the “perfect” brownie recipe, you mightwhen you look at the Ultimate Brownie Guide at Handle the Heat. Tessa has spent an impressive amount of time working on brownies and has a recipe for whatever kind you like, from moist to cakey and everything in between. I’m thinking that her Thick and Fudgy Toffee Brownies are a greatway to go. What do you think?
Some folks believe that the best brownies must be made withnuts. If you’re one of these people you have to check out the Extra Nutty Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownies(pictured above and top) at Joy the Baker. There’s no way to say this without sounding a little dirty, so here goes: there’s just something irresistible about ooey, gooey chocolatey brownies topped with salty nuts, and this recipe hasboth.
I’m mostly sticking to chocolate brownies here, but I couldn’t resist giving theseRed Velvet Cheesecake Browniesfrom Just a Taste a spot in the lineup. After all, red velvet is cocoa flavored, so that counts. And kids will go nuts for the fun color, which you can also achieve using natural food color. Technicalities aside, there was no way to leave these sweets off of the list.
Related: 5 easy red velvet desserts you can enjoy well beyondValentine’s Day
The food blogosphere blew up when these slu*tty Brownies first popped up on What’s Gaby Cooking, and forgood reason. Inspired by a similar brownie recipe on The Londoner, Gaby layers brownie dough over Oreos set atop a chocolate chip cookie dough base. Her version is entirely homemade, but you can always use store-bought cookie dough (we love the all-natural cookie dough from Immaculate Bakery) to get the same impact , and what an impact it is. You can close your mouth now.
If you like the combo of chocolate and fruit, these Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies at Bakers Royale will hit the spot. Tart raspberries mixed with creamy cheesecake batter are perfectly suited forrich, decadent chocolate. And they’re so pretty in pink, too.
We’re big fans of s’mores — who isn’t, right? — so these S’mores Brownies at The Beach House Kitchen are not to be missed. First of all, take a look at how intensely gooey this brownie looks. Though near perfection on it’s own, Mary Ann takes it a step further by adding a graham cracker crust and toasted marshmallows on top. An evil genius, that Mary Ann is.
Related: 9 ooey, gooey, fantastic s’mores recipes.
Tieghan at Half Baked Harvest starts her post about these Salted Caramel Mocha and Nutella Brownies by saying, “You have never met a brownie like this before.” Mic drop. I’m in. She got me. These look unreal and I’m happy to know them, as someone who loves everything Nutella. I thought that you mightwant to get to know them, too.
Tags: baking, chocolate, dessert, food, party recipes, recipes, snacks
FAQs
Using caster sugar in brownies also helps to get a super crinkly top. Caster sugar has a smaller grain size than granulated sugar, so it dissolves better in the egg mixture, to give that nice crinkly top. If you only have granulated sugar on hand it will still work fine particularly if you are in the US.
Can I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar in brownies? ›
It's also delicious dusted on brownies, doughnuts and cakes. Can Powdered Sugar be substituted for Granulated Sugar in recipes? Substituting Powdered Sugar for Granulated Sugar is not recommended. While both are sweet, Powdered Sugar has a much finer texture that can impact recipes.
Does baking soda or powder go in brownies? ›
While cookies and cakes typically rely on baking powder as leavening, brownies require less leavening and can be made with baking soda in place of baking powder. Choose a recipe that relies solely on baking soda or create your own substitute for baking powder by combining baking soda and other ingredients.
Can I use milk instead of water in brownie mix? ›
One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.
Is it better to use brown sugar or white sugar for brownies? ›
Brown sugar also adds more moisture than white sugar, which can be a good thing depending on what you want in a brownie (fudgier brownies use more moisture). Just bear in mind that even with brownies, it's still possible to have too much moisture and they won't set. You may need to add some extra flour to compensate.
What happens if I use brown sugar instead of white in brownies? ›
The sweetness level will be the same, but the brown sugar may change the texture of your baked goods. You'll likely notice a more robust flavor, and the finished baked goods' color may also be darker. These color, flavor, and texture alterations come from how brown sugar is made.
Can I use brown sugar instead of granulated in brownies? ›
Though many brownie recipes call for "regular" granulated sugar, a half cup of brown sugar in your next batch can be a game-changer.
Is granulated or powdered sugar better for baking? ›
It is not recommended to substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. Since powdered sugar has a much finer texture, and it contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, substituting can give you unexpected results. Q. Does sugar do anything other than sweeten baked goods?
What not to do when baking brownies? ›
Common Brownie Fails
- Too Cakey: over cooked, or too much flour.
- Too Gooey: under cooked, or not enough flour.
- Too Bitter: wrong balance of chocolate and fat.
- Too Greasy: too much fat or fat didn't melt with chocolate sufficiently.
- Lack flavour: not enough sugar or chocolate, too much flour.
Brownie textures fall into three general camps… Cakey, fudgy and chewy. Cakey brownies, like the name implies, are light, moist and airy, with a slightly fluffy, cake-like interior. Fudgy brownies are moist, dense and gooey, with almost the texture of fudge, but not quite as compact.
Most recipes call for baking brownies at 350°. If a fudgy inside and crackly top is your goal, stick with that temperature. Brownies baked at 325° will take longer to bake and will become chewier in texture.
What does adding an extra egg to brownie mix do? ›
If you opt to add more eggs, say double the amount, something interesting happens. Even though you are adding more moisture, the air bubbles that you catch in the extra eggs add volume, which decreases the density of your final product. This makes your brownies rise and gives them a much more cake-like texture.
Is it better to make brownies with butter or oil? ›
Oil Brownies: These were chewier with crunchier edges and a crunchier topping. They were more matte on top with a far less crinkly shiny brownie 'skin. ' They tasted more like box mix brownies. Butter Brownies: These were much fudgier, softer, and had a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
How to jazz up boxed brownies? ›
Add nuts – Add a handful of finely chopped pecans or walnuts if you love brownies with nuts. Add mix ins – Jazz up a basic brownie mix with chopped mini peanut butter cups, white chocolate chunks, or your favorite chopped up candy bar. Add a swirl – Swirl in spoonfuls of peanut butter or Nutella before baking.
Which sugar is best to bake with? ›
When pastry chefs and experienced bakers craft their finest creations, they turn to C&H® Baker's Sugar. It's made especially for baking. Unlike white granulated sugar, the grain size is much finer. So it mixes, blends and melts more evenly, making it ideal for cakes, cookies, pastries, brownies, frostings and glazes.
What type of sugar is best for baking? ›
Granulated sugar: Derived from either sugarcane or sugar beets, this is the most commonly used sugar in baking, and for good reason. It's neutral in flavor and has medium-sized, uniform crystals that are small enough to dissolve into batters and large enough to create air pockets when creamed with butter.
What sugar should you bake with? ›
Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar, also known as white sugar or table sugar, is the go-to sugar in baking and cooking. Granulated sugar is white in color, highly refined, and often fine in texture. Finely granulated sugars are practical for baking because of their ability to dissolve easily into a liquid or batter.
Does it matter what sugar you use in baking? ›
Since white and brown sugars have different characteristics, they will have slightly different effects on your baked goods. But the impact will vary depending on what exactly you're baking (sometimes, it's not that big of a deal to use one in place of the other).
