The last few days have been rainy and gray here in Southwest Ohio. Given the gloomy weather, we decided to have a cozy weekend at home with movies, snacks, and sweatpants. I wanted to make something sweet to complement our 48-hour comfort marathon. These Fudgy Chocolate Brownies are absolutely perfect for the occasion!

There is something incredibly comforting about these Fudgy Chocolate Brownies. Perhaps it’s the chewy texture and generous amount of chocolate chips. Or, maybe it’s the decadent and fluffy chocolate frosting.

Did I also mention that these are easy and fast? I made them after work on Friday and was nearly finished by the time Ryan arrived. With the exception of the instant espresso powder, you probably already have all of the ingredients on-hand. Once the butter mixture melts, the batter comes together in minutes.

Make the Brownies

Let’s get started by preheating the oven to 325° F. At this temperature, the brownies should bake evenly and develop a slightly crackly top. Grease or coat a 9”x9” pan with cooking spray. I like to line the pan with foil (leave a little hanging over the sides) and spray with cooking spray. This makes the brownies easier to remove from the pan.

Second, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and instant espresso powder in a medium bowl and set aside. As I mentioned above, instant espresso powder may not be a standard pantry staple for you. Feel free to leave it out. However, I highly recommend adding if it is available. It dissolves easily and elevates the flavor without making the brownies taste like coffee.

Next, add the butter, sugar, and water to a saucepan over low heat. Once the butter melts, bring the mixture to a boil and remove from heat. Add one cup of the semi-sweet chocolate morsels, stir until smooth, and transfer to a large bowl. Ghirardelli morsels are my preference. However, feel free to use your favorite brand.

Finally, add the eggs, one at a time, blending well between each addition. I like to give my stand mixer a rest and use the handheld electric mixer for these. Gradually add the flour mixture and blend until smooth. Next, add the remaining one cup of chocolate morsels and fold into the batter. Feel free to create your own variation by substituting white chocolate morsels, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, etc. You can also add chopped nuts for additional texture. I feel like a brownie purist today, so I’m sticking with semi-sweet morsels for this batch.

Last, bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. The top should be a bit crackly. Feel free to stop here and slice these babies up if you’re ready for a snack. However, if you need a more intense chocolate fix, allow the brownies to cool completely and continue reading.

Make the Chocolate Frosting

I decided to top this batch with a simple chocolate frosting. It contains butter, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. First, combine the cocoa and confectioners’ sugar and set aside. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter. Next, alternate adding the sugar mixture and the heavy cream. Beat until the frosting reaches a fluffy, spreadable consistency. Add the vanilla and mix on low speed until evenly incorporated.

Finally, remove the brownies from the pan. This should be easy if you lined with foil and sprayed. Simply grab the sides of the foil and gently lift the brownies out of the pan. Smooth the sides of the foil down so that the brownies are sitting on the flat sheet of foil. Use an offset spatula or butter knife to apply the frosting. Slice into squares and enjoy.

Overall, these Fudgy Chocolate Brownies were the perfect treat for a rainy weekend. We left the house briefly to make a brownie delivery to my parents. However, the rest of our time was spent with sweats, movies, and nachos. Quite frankly, it was the perfect way to escape 48 hours of gloomy weather. I hope that you will give these easy, fudgy brownies a try on your next rainy weekend, or any time you need a major chocolate fix.

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

Cuisine: BrowniesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2.25" Brownies

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

For the Brownies
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. instant espresso powder*
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter (unsalted)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
(1) 12-oz package (about 2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
For the Chocolate Frosting
6 tbsp. unsalted butter (softened)
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
2/3 cup heavy cream (plus 1-2 tbsp. if needed)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

Make the Brownies
Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease or spray a 9”x9” square pan**. In a small bowl, combine the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and water over low heat. Once the butter is melted, stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Add one cup of the chocolate morsels and stir until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating with an electric mixer between each addition. Gradually add the flour mixture and blend until smooth. Stir in the remaining one cup of chocolate morsels. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until center is set and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Cool completely.
Make the Chocolate Frosting
Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter.
Alternate adding the sugar mixture and 2/3 cup of heavy cream, blending between each addition (until evenly incorporated). If frosting is stiff, add an extra 1-2 tbsp. heavy cream (1 tbsp. at a time). Add the vanilla extract and mix on low until fluffy and spreadable. Apply to brownies, slice, and enjoy.***

Notes

*I use Medaglia D’Oro Instant Espresso
**I like to line the pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Leave a few inches of foil hanging over the sides of the pan. This will make it easier to remove the brownies from the pan. Once the brownies have cooled, simply use the sides of the foil to gently lift them out of the pan. Smooth the sides of the foil so that the brownies are sitting on the flat sheet of foil. Slice or apply frosting as desired.
***There will be plenty of leftover frosting. I usually freeze (for up to 3 months) and save for another project or until the next time I make brownies. Better yet, save and use to garnish a batch of my chocolate hazelnut shots.