I made it until the second full week of January to post about chocolate. Go me!
For a brownie recipe to ‘win’ and get to stay in the recipe binder, it has to hit a few marks. It must be wonderfully chocolate, chewy, dense and easy to make. I like mixes with an interesting twist too, like mint or cream cheese, or, in the case of this one, cinnamon. Have you ever had cinnamon with chocolate? It is a delectable combination.
These brownies hit all the marks. I’m so glad I kept them on my list after spying them in the King Arthur’s catalog last year. They are dense and chewy. The finished bar is like an inch thick. Amazing! They are easy to make. Everything happens in one place, a medium pot. The chocolate is wonderful, incredibly deep with the inclusion of espresso powder. And the cinnamon. Homey and exotic. Did I mention the crispy top?
I tried to show restraint by leaving off the ice cream in the photos but understand that I won’t be showing such restraint in real life. :)
Recipe from King Arthur's Flour
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 2 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder, optional
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp vanilla (or Mexican vanilla)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon oil, optional
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and then add the sugar. Heat until it is hot throughout.
- Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder and cinnamon (and optional flavorings).
- Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth.
- Add in the flour and stir until smooth.
- Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
- In a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan lined with parchment (grease the parchment if desired), spoon the batter into the pan, spreading it to the edges.
- Bake the brownies at 350F for 30-36 minutes until set at the edges and just barely set in the center. Do not over bake.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting.
Cinnamon and chocolate might be one of my favorite flavors. Like, ever. I can’t wait to try these!