Bready or Not Original: Ultimate Double Chocolate Brownies
Brownies. There are probably infinite recipes for them. I probably have over a dozen on Bready or Not. These Ultimate Double Chocolate Brownies have all the classic elements, plus a little more.
That “little more” is Oreos. I suppose I could upgrade these to Triple Chocolate, but I suppose someone might debate if Oreos count as chocolate or just chocolate flavor. So let’s keep things simple.
The important thing is that these brownies are bursting with chocolate flavor. To increase that burst, add in some espresso powder (that enhances chocolate) and/or make these a day ahead of when they need to be served. Chocolate cakes and brownies often develop a deeper flavor after a day.
I used classic Oreos in this recipe, but add any kind you want, even those seasonal flavors. Heck, use minty ones and add mint extract. Use this recipe as a base for new deliciousness!
Bready or Not Original: Ultimate Double Chocolate Brownies
Equipment
- 13×9 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup baking cocoa sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter room temperature and divided
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon espresso powder optional
- 10 Oreos coarsely chopped
- 2 cups chocolate chips semisweet, milk, or dark, or a mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray.
- In a big bowl, combine the cocoa and baking soda with 1/3 cup of butter. Add the boiling water and stir to combine. Add the sugar, eggs, and remaining butter. Once that is consistent in color, add the flour, vanilla, salt, and espresso powder, if using.
- Fold in the Oreos and chocolate chips until they are distributed throughout.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are pulling away from the sides of the pan and the middle passes the toothpick test.
- Cool at room temperature, speeding the process in the fridge, if desired. Brownies will be denser and easier to cut if chilled. Use the foil to lift the brownies onto a cutting board to slice. Store in a sealed container at room temperature or in fridge.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Golden Syrup Brownies
I’ve made a lot of brownies that I’ve shared here on Bready or Not, but these Golden Syrup Brownies are the fudgiest I’ve ever made.
Seriously, they are good but they are dense and rich. I highly recommend cutting these things small, just as one does with fudge.
Golden Syrup and coarse sugar are what set these brownies apart. I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup, the original version, imported from the UK. Sometimes you’ll see honey and light corn syrup mentioned as American substitutes; if you want to go that route, split them half and half, but it still won’t be the same as Lyle’s.
As for the coarse sugar, the original recipe printed in Bake from Scratch called for unrefined light muscovado, but I used a mix of demerara and turbinado. Hence my general recommendation for coarse sugar.
This recipe will keep for weeks in the fridge, have you the fortitude!
Bready or Not: Golden Syrup Brownies
Equipment
- 9×9 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
- fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons coarse sugar such as turbinado and demerara
- 14 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons golden syrup
- 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chopped or in chips
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2/3 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
- In a large saucepan, heat the coarse sugar, butter, and golden syrup over medium heat until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, around 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and add the chocolate. Stir until everything is melted. Let cool for a bit.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Strain them through a fine mesh sieve into the batter. Stir everything to incorporate. Add flour, stirring until no white streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap it on the counter a few times to knock bubbles free and level the batter.
- Bake until brownies are set with the center still moist, about 45 minutes. It’s okay if they look slightly underdone. Let pan cool to room temperature. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board. Use a large knife to cut brownies into small squares. If the brownies stick to the knife, wipe it clean after each pass and dip the blade in hot water before each cut. Store brownies in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze for longer.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Brownies
These Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Brownies are thick and rich. Plus, they even look amazing thanks to the chocolate chunks on top!
My favorite go-to for chocolate chunks are the German chunks sold at Aldi. They are way cheaper than those sold at other stores, but the quality is high. (I’m a major Aldi fan. They have one of the best cheese selections around, too!)
If you want to make these have a neat presentation, slice off the edges. Then eat those edges, because they can’t go to waste.
Modified from Food Network Magazine October 2013.
Bready or Not: Fudgy Chocolate Chunk Brownies
Equipment
- 9×13 dish
- aluminum foil
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces dark chocolate
- 2 cups white sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
Instructions
- In a large microwave-safe bowl or in a pot on the stovetop, melt together the butter and dark chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Return to the large container with the melted butter and chocolate. Stir in the sugar until no white streaks remain. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chunks.
- Pour batter into the prepared dish. Use an uneven spatula to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chunks over the top.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test. Set on a rack to cool for at least an hour, speeding process in fridge if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board to slice up. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Peppermint Truffle Bars
These Peppermint Truffle Bars are loaded with peppermint flavor, perfect for the holiday season or year-round!
If you like chocolate peppermint (or know someone who does), this is the recipe for you. A shortbread base is topped with a dense layer of soft chocolaty goodness infused with peppermint extract.
As with many chocolate recipes, this one has a deeper flavor if you make it a day ahead. Build that info your baking plans.
To make for neat bars, I cut off the edges. These are not to be wasted, of course–set them aside for select people to enjoy, and present the neatly-edged bars to a more discriminating audience.
Modified from Best Holiday Recipes from Taste of Home 2011.
Bready or Not: Peppermint Truffle Bars
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- nonstick spray
- wax paper
- heavy glass
Ingredients
Bottom crust
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed (1 1/2 sticks butter)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate layer
- 16 ounces semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- 3/4 cup milk or half & half
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- Line a 13×9 baking pan with foil and apply nonstick spray. Preheat oven at 325-degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Add vanilla. Dice in the butter. Mix ingredients until the butter resembles fine crumbs. Distribute into prepared pan. Use a piece of waxed paper and a heavy glass to compress the dough into a firm layer.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are lightly brown. In the meantime, start mixing the top layer.
- In a large pot, combine the semisweet chocolate, milk, and butter and cook on low heat until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for a bit.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs and white sugar until it is smooth and thick. Add the peppermint extract and the chocolate mixture. Beat until incorporated and smooth. Pour over the bottom crust.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the middle is set and passes the toothpick test. Cool in pan on a rack, then place in fridge to set for several hours or overnight.
- Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board. Slice into bars. Store in sealed container or individually wrapped in the fridge.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Gingerbread Brownies
These Gingerbread Brownies are the perfect holiday season treat–or make them year-round, because they are just that good.
These are soft, moist, and dense in texture. The chocolate flavor hits the tongue first, followed by the pleasant warmth of ginger. The combination is fantastic.
If you want to aim for an especially nice presentation, cut off the very edge of the brownies all the way around, then slice the interior into nice squares or rectangles.
Unfortunately, someone has to eat those leftover edge pieces. Oh, darn.
Bready or Not Original: Gingerbread Brownies
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped or in chips
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter to grease bottom and sides.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pot, melt together the chocolate and the butter. Stir in the ginger. Let set to cool for ten minutes, then stir again.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together brown sugar, eggs, and molasses. Mix in the chocolate. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and even out.
- Bake for 24 to 28 minutes. The middle should pass the toothpick test.
- Let bars cool for several hours, speeding the process in the fridge if desired. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board for easy slicing. Store in a sealed container.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Cocoa Pecan Brownies
These Cocoa Pecan Brownies are perfect for when you have a chocolate emergency and need brownies, STAT.
(If you don’t know what might constitute a chocolate emergency, my gosh, why are you even here?)
In any case, these brownies are great because they mix up quickly in a big pot, and they are a pretty straightforward bake, too. If you don’t like pecans, okay. Omit the nuts entirely, or use walnuts, a mix of nuts, cocoa nibs, whatever. This recipe can flex!
The one necessity: you need to enjoy these things. Really savor them. Maybe even stash some in the freezer for when that next chocolate emergency strikes.
Bready or Not: Cocoa Pecan Brownies
Equipment
- 13×9 pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 3 sticks
- 3 cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 Tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a large saucepan, heat the butter and sugar together on medium heat, stirring often, just until the butter is melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and cocoa powder. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in completely before adding the next. Stir in flour. Fold in the pecans.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the very middle passes the toothpick test. Cool at room temperature, speeding the process in fridge if desired. Use foil to lift contents onto a cutting board. Slice up. Store in a sealed container.