How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 25 minutes in the oven Equipment you’ll need: small saucepan, a couple of mixing bowls, and an 8 inch square pan Servings: 16 Made from scratch, Kahlúa brownies with cinnamon are so flavorful. The combination of Kahlúa and cinnamon might sound strange but they go together really well. It reminds me a bit of Mexican hot chocolate with the flavors of chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla. You’ll find the same combination in flourless Mexican hot chocolate cake and these Mexican chocolate shortbread cookies. Yummy! Why settle for plain ol’ brownies? Think outside of the box (literally) and experience the mocha deliciousness of these exceptional made-from-scratch brownies!
About These Brownies
I am not averse to brownies that come from a boxed mix because they’re super easy: just add water, egg, and oil, pop them in the oven, and they’re done! But honestly, homemade brownies aren’t that much more difficult and they really do taste better. Lately my eleven-year-old daughter has been on a brownie making kick. She makes them from scratch and they are gooood! Dangerously good! Grandma swoons over those brownies. There’s no Kahlúa in my daughter’s brownies, though; we’ll be saving this recipe for the grown-ups. I’m thinking my book club friends will enjoy brownies with Kahlúa. Make the brownies fancy by adding a dollop of whipped cream. Or even better, Kahlúa-spiked whipped cream. Or Kahlúa-spiked buttercream frosting. Or my good-on-everything chocolate cream cheese frosting. For a scrumptious dessert, top the brownies with ice cream and homemade hot fudge. Wondering what to do with the rest of the Kahlúa? Try a white Russian cocktail or a hot white Russian. So rich and creamy, a perfect match with these brownies!
What You’ll Need
Kahlúa: If you’re not familiar with Kahlúa, it’s a coffee liqueur from Mexico. You can usually find it in your grocery store and you may be surprised to know that there are quite a few varieties, including Mint Mocha, Blondie Roast, Chili Chocolate, and Salted Caramel. This recipe is made with the original Kahlúa but the other varieties may be fun to experiment with! Pure Vanilla Extract, Espresso Powder, Cinnamon: These three ingredients pack a powerful punch. They blend together perfectly yet you’ll be able to detect each individual essence in every bite. All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Cocoa Powder, Salt: Normal brownie ingredients. The recipe is made with cocoa powder, which is unsweetened and has lots of antioxidants. Just FYI. Egg, Butter: Again, normal brownie ingredients. I usually use unsalted butter for baking. If you only have salted butter, omit the 1/4 teaspoon salt. Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is best for chewy brownies. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Don’t you just love it when you discover that there are chocolate chips in your brownie? It’s like a hidden treat. You don’t have to add them to these brownies but why not? Sanding/Coarse Sugar: If you’re not topping the brownies with frosting or whipped cream, a sprinkle of coarse sugar adds a nice touch. It’s totally optional. Powdered sugar sifted on top looks nice too.
Actually, if we’re being honest here, I thought about drizzling more Kahlúa over these brownies while they were still hot. Someone want to try that for me and get back to me on the results?
How To Make This Recipe
Turn the oven on to preheat. Next, find a pan for the brownies. You’ll need an eight inch square pan. Coat it lightly with cooking spray. For easy cutting, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving wings on two sides, and spray again. In a large mixing bowl, blend together the brown sugar, oil, Kahlúa, and egg until well mixed. In another small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, espresso powder, cinnamon, salt. Stir the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the bigger bowl containing the egg mixture. Don’t overmix the batter; stir it just until the ingredients are mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. That wasn’t too difficult, right? Bake the brownies twenty-five minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out fairly clean. Don’t overbake the brownies – you want them to be somewhat gooey and chewy. Remember, if you use a larger pan, bake the brownies for less time. The thinner the batter is in the pan, the less time they need to bake. We don’t recommend using a larger pan for this recipe as they’re not super thick to begin with. When you take the brownies out of the oven, immediately sprinkle on the coarse sugar if you are using it. If you decided on powdered sugar, wait until the brownies cool completely. Same for frosting – don’t frost warm brownies because the frosting will melt and get all soupy. When the brownies are completely cool, left them out of the pan using the parchment paper wings. With a large sharp knife, cut the brownies into four pieces. Oh, I meant to say sixteen pieces. Or did I? Wink, wink.
Storage Tips
Once the brownies have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container. They’ll keep on the counter for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Brownies
Cream Cheese Filled Brownies Frosted Oreo Cookie Bars (not exactly brownies, but you’ll love them) Brownie Waffles (Brownies in 3 minutes – yeah.) Black Bean Brownies – no one will ever know!
