Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

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.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudgy Brownies Her Plate

Here’s the recipe and a step-by-step below:

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudgy Brownies
Thick, fudgy brownies with a hint of freshly-ground cinnamon and spice... reminiscent of a warm mug of Mexican hot chocolate.
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3341 calories
433 g
922 g
168 g
40 g
101 g
819 g
567 g
302 g
6 g
55 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
819g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 3341
Calories from Fat 1475
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 168g
259%
Saturated Fat 101g
506%
Trans Fat 6g
Polyunsaturated Fat 9g
Monounsaturated Fat 46g
Cholesterol 922mg
307%
Sodium 567mg
24%
Total Carbohydrates 433g
144%
Dietary Fiber 11g
42%
Sugars 302g
Protein 40g
Vitamin A
105%
Vitamin C
0%
Calcium
21%
Iron
55%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 sticks butter
  2. 2 squares (1 oz each) unsweeted baking chocolate, finely chopped
  3. 1/4 cup + 1 heaping Tbsp. raw cacao powder
  4. 1 tsp freshly ground cinnamon
  5. 1/4 tsp chili powder (add more for more flavor and heat - 1/4 tsp is pretty timid and kid-friendly)
  6. 1 1/2 cups sugar
  7. 3 large eggs
  8. 1 1/2 tsp. Mexican vanilla
  9. 1 tsp chocolate extract
  10. 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  11. Kosher salt or coarse, flaky salt for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a 9-inch square pan by lining with foil. Lightly grease the foil with butter.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
beta
calories
3341
fat
168g
protein
40g
carbs
433g
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Her Plate https://herplate.com/

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.

Finely chopped baking chocolate

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.

Melting brown butter

Swirl the pan as needed, but avoid stirring. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam.

Foaming Melted Butter

Mmm… I love butter.

It will continue to foam and you’ll start to see a warm brown color taking over.

How to brown butter

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).

Making brown butter

Whisk in the unsweetened baking chocolate until completely melted and fully incorporated into the brown butter.

Chocolate brown butter

Pour the chocolate butter mixture into a large mixing bowl.

Brownie Batter

Combine the cacao powder, cinnamon and chili powder and whisk together in a small bowl.

Spices for Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

Whisk in the cacao powder mixture into the chocolate butter mixture until combined. Stir in the sugar.

10

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!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudgy Brownie Batter

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. 

12

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.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

Enjoy!