Bready or Not: Triple-Chocolate Brownies
These Triple-Chocolate Brownies are loaded with three kinds of chocolate, cocoa, and a unique blend of flours: all-purpose along with chickpea flour.
What does the chickpea flour do for the recipe? Well, it handles moisture differently. That makes these dense, moist, in a texturally more complex way than the usual all-wheat-flour brownies.
The flavor is also more complex. Soon after baking, these brownies taste almost like they have breakfast cereal mixed in. You can tell something is different.
Like a lot of chocolate baked goods, though, these taste better after a day. In these brownies, that means the complicated flavors deepen. They taste more chocolaty, more delicious.
If you don’t want to fuss with a big bag of chickpea flour, check out your local grocery or natural goods stores that have flours in bins. In the Phoenix area, that includes Sprouts and WinCo.
Once you make these brownies, though, you may want to make them again soon, so maybe a larger amount of chickpea flour isn’t a bad thing.
Modified from February 2020 Bake from Scratch/Bob’s Red Mill lesson.
Bready or Not: Triple-Chocolate Brownies
Equipment
- 9×13 baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate divided
- 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips divided
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, cubed
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder sifted
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 4 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- Using a double boiler on the stove top or a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, melt together 1 cup of dark chocolate/semi-sweet chocolate chips, 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips, and butter. Heat until it can be stirred smooth. Remove from heat and stir in all of the sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together both flours, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder. Set aside.
- Return to the chocolate bowl. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients, and follow up with the rest of the three kinds of chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake until the center passes the toothpick test, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely at room temperature or speed the process in the fridge. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board. Slice into bars.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to a week. Like many chocolate baked goods, these brownies will actually taste better after the first day as the flavor intensifies.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Classic Brownies
Each year around Valentine’s Day, I like to share a chocolatey recipe. For this year, we’re going for Classic Brownies.
This straightforward recipe makes a 13×9 pan of luscious, moist brownies. They have a rich middle and a crackly top.
Yes, they might crumble a little, but they are by no means dry. Not unless they are overbaked.
These brownies are great on their own but would be out-of-this-world paired with some ice cream or fruit, or both of those at once.
Store these at room temperature for a few days at most, or freeze them for several months.
Bready or Not Original: Classic Brownies
Equipment
- 13×9 pan
Ingredients
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
- 2 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and butter in very short bursts, stirring well between each pass, until it is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour and cocoa.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, espresso powder, and cinnamon. Pour in the chocolate mixture. Beat until just combined. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Gradually stir in the flour-cocoa mix. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 35 to 42 minutes, until the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the very middle passes the toothpick test. Set on rack to completely cool.
- Use the foil to lift the brownies onto a cutting board. Cut into bars. Store in a sealed container at room temperature. Brownies can also be layered in wax paper and frozen for later enjoyment.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies
Cocoa nibs add chocolate flavor and a crunch to baked goods, and they are fantastic atop these Cocoa Nib Brownies!
Cocoa nibs are strongly flavored like dark chocolate. You don’t need a lot of them to add a boost to these brownies.
The original version of this recipe involved melting the chocolate and butter on the stovetop. Ain’t nobody got time for that. I ended up reworking the entire recipe.
I’m all about using the microwave whenever I can. Fast to heat up, convenient to stick the bowl in the dishwasher afterward!
Of course, you can go back to the stove top method if you want. Either way, you get a delicious, chewy brownie packed with chocolate flavor plus a crunch.
Bready or Not Original: Cocoa Nib Brownies
Equipment
- 9×13 dish
- big microwave-safe bowl
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 3/4 cups white sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup cocoa nibs plus 1 Tb
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- In a big microwave-safe bowl, in short bursts melt together the butter and 1 1/4 cups of the bittersweet chocolate chips, stirring well between each pass, until everything is melted together and smooth.
- Whisk sugar into the chocolate. It’s okay if it still looks somewhat grainy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, following up with the flour and salt. Once no streaks of white remain, fold in the last 3/4 cups of chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into the pan and use an uneven spatula to spread it to corners. Sprinkle the cocoa nibs evenly all over the stop.
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Set out to cool completely. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board, and slice into pieces. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: S’Mores Brownies
Create luscious S’Mores in brownie-bar form with my original recipe for S’Mores Brownies!
I had a jar of marshmallow fluff I wanted to use. I deliberated what to use it for and hit upon S’Mores Brownies, but to my surprise, I didn’t find an existing recipe that used jarred fluff. Time to make my own recipe!
Using regular marshmallows to bake is delicious and all, but you also end up with caramelized, hollow sections. I wanted marshmallows to stay soft and gooey alongside the chocolate crumb. By golly, my idea worked!
This is definitely a brownie for people who love chocolate. I loaded it with chocolate chips, inside and out. The graham cracker crumb and marshmallow complement it in a beautiful way.
This will look messy as a batter. Marshmallow fluff is not the easiest stuff to work with. It’s lumpy and sticky. The good news is, as the pan bakes, the contents will even out. The resulting marble effect make it look as delicious as it tastes.
Store these brownies in a sealed container for days–and they can be frozen for longer, too.
Bready or Not Original: S'Mores Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter half cube
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips divided
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 7 ounces marshmallow fluff one jar
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with heavy foil and apply butter or nonstick spray.
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the butter and 1 cup of chocolate chips in brief bursts until fully melted and smooth; watch it carefully and stir well between each burst. Stir in the white sugar, followed by eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour half the chocolate batter into the ready pan and spread into an even layer. Add small dollops of the marshmallow fluff across the top; it will be gloppy and sticky, so don't worry about getting it even.
- Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the fluff and batter. Drop dollops of the rest of the chocolate batter on top along with the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips. Even out a bit, then use a butter knife or narrow spatula to swirl the layers together for a marbled effect. It may be mountainous in some areas but it will even out as it bakes.
- Bake until the top is crinkled and edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool at room temperature for an hour, then stash in the fridge for another few hours to completely cool.
- Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container in fridge, waxed paper between stacked layers to prevent sticking. Keeps for up to three days, or freeze for later enjoyment.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars
Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars. Because I will never feature enough iterations of this perfect pairing.
Yeah, every year I do a new take (or a couple) on this lovely Voltron-saving-the-galaxy team-up between pumpkin and chocolate. You know why? Because it’s AWESOME. Like Voltron. With a lot less death and destruction.
This recipe gets extra oomph from cream cheese, but by no means do these taste like cheesecake bars. Here, the cream cheese adds umami richness rather than straight-out cream cheese flavor.
I was amazed by how thick these bars ended up. Really, these are more akin to cake than standard blondies or brownies.
Bake these up and brighten someone’s day. You don’t need to summon up Voltron to save a person’s world. Sometimes, baked goods can do the trick.
Need more pumpkin X chocolate OTP? Check out past posts on Bready or Not!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Pumpkin Nutella Swirl Muffins
Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Shortbread
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (2 loaves)
Bready or Not: Chocolate-Swirled Pumpkin Bars
Equipment
- 15x10-x1 jelly roll pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin base layer
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 eggs
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Chocolate swirl
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Topping
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Prepare the base layer
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a jelly roll pan (15x10x1) with aluminum foil, making sure the edges are covered. Add nonstick spray or grease.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cloves. Add the four eggs, the pumpkin, and oil. Pour into the prepared pan.
Start the chocolate swirl
- Microwave 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, zapping in short increments and stirring well between each pass, until it is melted. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar; it's okay if it's still a little lumpy. Follow up with the one egg, milk, and melted chocolate. Dollop the chocolate mixture atop the pumpkin batter. Use a narrow spatula or butter knife to swirl layers together in a marbled effect. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until it looks puffed and the middle passes the toothpick test. Cool on a rack for at least an hour, then chill in fridge before cutting. This will make it easier to cut.
- Use foil to lift onto a cutting board. Slice into bars then store chilled in a sealed container with waxed paper between stacked layers.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Fudgy Chocolate Gluten-Free Cake
This incredible Fudgy Chocolate Cake is like a great big grown-up brownie.
While this can’t be said to be healthy, it IS gluten free, so makes for a wonderful treat for people with that dietary restriction.
It also keeps very well. I sliced it up and kept pieces stored in the fridge for over a week. They never dried out or lost flavor.
Even better, this cake can be frozen to last longer. Freeze slices on waxed paper and keep stored in a plastic container or freezer bag. Defrost in fridge when you want to indulge!
This cake is delicious by itself, but you could easily dress it up with fresh strawberries, cherries, or raspberries, and/or a scoop of vanilla ice cream–all of which are gluten-free as well, of course.
Modified from Allrecipes Magazine February/March 2015.
Bready or Not: Fudgy Chocolate Gluten-Free Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted, plus more to dust pan
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- confectioners' sugar for top, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 300-degrees. Cut parchment to fit in the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan. Grease pan. Set parchment inside. Grease again. Dust paper and sides of pan with cocoa.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate and butter in short bursts, stirring well between each pass, until smooth. Stir in cocoa powder followed by sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake about 40 minutes, until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out just slightly wet. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a rack. Remove the parchment, then invert again onto a plate to cool for at least an hour before cutting. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
- Keep cake covered by plastic wrap in fridge; keeps well as long as a week. Cake can be sliced and frozen for later enjoyment.
- OM NOM NOM!
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