I love brownies, I love Mexican hot chocolate, and I love fudge… so why not combine them all for a super dark, super rich, super decadent dessert? These brownies are an immediate favorite for anyone tasting them for the first time. I start with brown butter for the base which adds to the richness of the brownies (I love brown butter) and then all the good stuff gets added in and at the end, it’s sprinkled with salt for that whole salty-sweet flavor contrast.
Here’s the recipe and a step-by-step below:
- 1 1/2 sticks butter
- 2 squares (1 oz each) unsweeted baking chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup + 1 heaping Tbsp. raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp freshly ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp chili powder (add more for more flavor and heat - 1/4 tsp is pretty timid and kid-friendly)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp. Mexican vanilla
- 1 tsp chocolate extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt or coarse, flaky salt for sprinkling
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a 9-inch square pan by lining with foil. Lightly grease the foil with butter.
- The first cooking step is to brown the butter. Melt butter in a heavy pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan as needed, but avoid stirring. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam. Keep swirling periodically until brown bits appear at the bottom of the pan and the butter turns a golden brown color and has a rich, nutty aroma. This process will take some time, so be patient! As soon as the butter reaches a deep, warm brown color, move the pan off of the heat (it only takes a few seconds after this stage to burn, so you'll need to work quickly). Whisk in the unsweetened baking chocolate until completely melted and fully incorporated into the brown butter. Pour the chocolate butter mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the cacao powder, cinnamon and chili powder and whisk together in a small bowl. Whisk in the cacao powder mixture into the chocolate butter mixture until combined. Stir in the sugar. Then, whisk in each egg individually until combined. Then, whisk in the Mexican vanilla and chocolate extract. Finally, stir in the flour until smooth.
- Pour the brownie mixture into the foil-lined pan and smooth out with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with kosher salt or other coarse, flaky finishing salt.
- Bake in a 350 F oven for 35-38 minutes. Edges should be brown and set and the center should be fudgy and appear a bit underdone. Brownies should be cooled completely before cutting (or else they may break apart and turn into a gooey mess). Lift brownies out of the pan and peel away the foil. Cut into small, two-bite-sized squares as these baby bites are super rich. For easier cutting, pop your knife into the freezer first.
The Step-by-Step:
Before anything, I pull out my trusty Cuisinart Spice & Nut Grinder and pop in a few cinnamon sticks for freshly ground cinnamon. Pre-ground cinnamon has nothing on the aroma of freshly-ground sticks and I think it makes all the difference in these brownies. If you don’t have a spice grinder, I urge you to put one on your wishlist!
Get all your spices measured out and finely chop the baking chocolate so it will melt into the brown butter quickly.
The first cooking step is to brown the butter. I start by cutting the butter into slices so it melts more evenly and place it in a heavy pan over medium heat.
Swirl the pan as needed, but avoid stirring. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam.
Mmm… I love butter.
It will continue to foam and you’ll start to see a warm brown color taking over.
Keep swirling periodically until brown bits appear at the bottom of the pan and the butter turns a golden brown color and has a rich, nutty aroma. This process will take some time, so be patient! As soon as the butter reaches a deep, warm brown color, move the pan off of the heat (it only takes a few seconds after this stage to burn, so you’ll need to work quickly).
Whisk in the unsweetened baking chocolate until completely melted and fully incorporated into the brown butter.
Pour the chocolate butter mixture into a large mixing bowl.
Combine the cacao powder, cinnamon and chili powder and whisk together in a small bowl.
Whisk in the cacao powder mixture into the chocolate butter mixture until combined. Stir in the sugar.
Then, whisk in each egg individually until combined. Then, whisk in the Mexican vanilla and chocolate extract. Finally, stir in the flour until smooth. So many steps, but I promise it’s worth it!
Pour the brownie mixture into the foil-lined pan and smooth out with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with kosher salt or other coarse, flaky salt, if you wish.
Bake in a 350F oven for 35-38 minutes. Edges should be brown and set and the center should be fudgy and appear a bit underdone. Brownies should be cooled completely before cutting (or else they may break apart and turn into a gooey mess). Lift brownies out of the pan and peel away the foil. Cut into small, two-bite-sized squares as these baby bites are super rich. For easier cutting, pop your knife into the freezer first.
