Brownies

Peanut Butter-Honey Brownies

Leah Short — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 18:48:25 +0000

I remember being so excited when I put these Peanut Butter-Honey Brownies on my office birthday treat list. I couldn’t wait for someone to choose them. Brownies are so good by themselves, but when you put goodies on top, even better! I’ve had brownies topped with peanut butter before, but never a peanut butter and honey mix. Top that off with more chocolate and boom! What a decadent dessert made easy!

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Brownie Goody Bars

Leah Short — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 20:14:11 +0000

Nothing gets my mouth salivating like dessert. If I had it my way, I’d eat it every meal for my meal. I have a killer sweet tooth and if it weren’t for practicing a bit of willpower, you’d see me on that My 600-lb. Life show. These Brownie Goody Bars put that willpower to the ultimate test. A brownie topped with vanilla frosting, sprinkled with roasted and salted peanuts, and topped with a peanut butter-chocolate-rice crispy mixture is a dessert lover’s dream. It’s got sweet and salty, crunchy and creamy. It’s over the top, rich, and something you need to make right now!

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Clean Slate: Chocolate Walnut Brownies

Leah Short — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 13:52:52 +0000

I’ve saved the best for last in my Clean Slate series. However, I’d never argue that dessert wasn’t always the best anyway. Have you seen that movie Simply Irresistible with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Sean Patrick Flanery? Super cute movie with a food theme, so I love it. There’s one line where SMG says something like “dessert is the whole point of the meal” and I couldn’t agree more! You will not believe these Chocolate Walnut Brownies are in a clean eating cookbook! I don’t usually like to mess with desserts, but these are a winner. I didn’t share one single brownie. That’s saying something!

So, how’s it taste?

Would you believe there’s no all-purpose flour in this recipe? It’s all almond flour, making these brownies gluten-free! Instead of sprinkling the walnuts on top, as the recipe suggests, I mixed them in. I didn’t want them to get too toasted on top and it worked perfectly.

The brownies were a bit more fragile than brownies made with all-purpose flour, but the flavor more than makes up for that. They’re just perfect.

I was nervous about being able to detect the olive oil in the finished brownie, but you can’t. You also can’t detect the maple syrup, which is what I wanted. I still want them to taste like good old-fashioned brownies, even if they are part of clean eating! Believe it or not, you don’t have to give up decadent desserts!

The dishes you see in the pictures above are part of the Martha Stewart Collection white dishware available exclusively at Macy’s. Fantastic dishware for everyday use, plus they’re dishwasher and microwave safe!

Yield: 16 servings

Chocolate Walnut Brownies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
8 oz. dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao), chopped
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
2/3 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with oil. Line with parchment, leaving overhang. Brush parchment with oil.

2. Melt half of chocolate in a heatproof bowl; whisk in oil, sugar, and syrup. Remove from heat.

3. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Fold in flour and remaining chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle with walnuts (or fold in).

4. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack. To serve, cut into squares.

per serving (1 brownie): 206 calories, 16g fat, 17g carbs, 3g protein, 2g fiber

Source: Clean Slate by the editors of Martha Stewart Living

Disclosure: I received a copy of Clean Slate: A Cookbook and Guide: Reset Your Health, Detox Your Body, and Feel Your Best and the Martha Stewart Collection white dishware at no cost. All opinions expressed here are solely my own, as always. This post contains affiliate links.

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Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Leah Short — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 13:00:09 +0000

Aren’t these Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting the cutest Valentine’s eats?! They came to be a few weekends ago when Shannon from Bake.Frost.Repeat. came to visit. We plan weekends around baking, of course! Just wait until you see what else we baked. We wanted something fun for Valentine’s day and after consulting Pinterest and Google, decided on brownies. The recipe we picked used white chocolate buttercream, but Shannon and I are both big believers in cream cheese frosting belonging with red velvet. Topped with mini heart-shaped sprinkes, they are just the cutest sweet treats!

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Guinness Brownies

Leah Short — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:06:47 +0000

For someone like me, who couldn’t be paid to drink Guinness, it’s amazing how much I love to cook with it. It’s also amazing to me how it plays so nicely with chocolate. You may remember these Irish Car Bomb Chocolate Cupcakes and the base was a Guinness chocolate cake. And I loved it. I don’t know what it is about that beer that I like so much baked into things, but hate by itself. Chocolate just makes everything better, right? I couldn’t wait to see how it would taste in Guinness Brownies. Since St. Patrick’s Day was Sunday, I thought I’d whip up a batch of these for work for the Friday before.

So, how’s it taste?

They were uber, super fudgy. Fresh out of the oven, I couldn’t stop myself from snagging little bites here and there. It was like a chocolate explosion at first, and then the aftertaste of Guinness. They were so rich and decadent. The funny thing is, the older they got, they lost a lot of that fresh-out-of-the-oven appeal. First, the texture changed. They were light and almost cake-like out of the oven, but as they cooled, they became really dense. I’d almost compare it to the texture of the inside of a truffle. This wasn’t a bad thing, but I really liked them as they were fresh. I was glad I substituted semisweet chocolate instead of bittersweet as the original recipe had. I was afraid it would be too bitter with the stout. I think the semisweet made them richer, without being too sickeningly sweet.

Also, the older they got, the more they lost the Guinness flavor. The next day, the aftertaste wasn’t as strong and by day three, I couldn’t distinguish it at all. I dusted mine with powdered sugar, but that lasted for two seconds. The tops were so fudgy and gooey that it dissolved. The texture kept changing, too. They got gooier and gooier and not in a great way, but again not so bad that I quit eating them. Just a little different than what I’d want in a brownie.

I thought the idea of cooking down the Guinness to concentrate the flavor was a great idea…until I tried it. At first, the smell of Guinness as it was simmering away was intoxicating. Again I can’t explain why I like that smell, but won’t drink it straight. The original recipe has that it should cook down in 15 minutes and mine was no where near being ready at that time mark. I kept simmering the Guinness and it slowly didn’t smell so great, so I stopped. I still had a bit to go, but I measured out the amount and tossed the rest. I was worried that smell would translate to the brownies, but thankfully it didn’t.

We enjoyed these brownies at the office and I’d like to try to perfect the recipe. I know chocolate and Guinness go so well together, but I’m convinced there’s a better Guinness brownie out there…it’s a tough mission, I know.

Guinness Brownies

adapted from GroupRecipes & Blondie's Cakes

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 bottles Guinness Extra Stout beer
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Pour both bottles of beer into a medium saucepan. Simmer on medium heat until it's reduced down to 1 1/4 cups.* Keep a glass measuring cup nearby to check the progress when you think you're close. It should take about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.

4. Melt butter, semisweet chocolate, and white chips in a double-boiler over very low heat, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat.

5. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture, beating until combined.

6. Beat reserved flour mixture into melted chocolate mixture. Whisk in Guinness stout beer and vanilla. The batter will seem a bit thin. Fold in semisweet chocolate chips.

7. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.

8. Let brownies cool, uncovered, to room temperature. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

*Note: When I heated the beer to reduce it, it took much longer than 15 minutes and started smelling unappetizing. I stopped at that point, measured out 1 1/4 cups and tossed the rest.

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Ultimate Goo Goo Cluster Sundae

Leah Short — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:26:33 +0000

You may have noticed I’m a big fan, make that huge fan, of Goo Goo Clusters. Nashville’s very own chocolate confection that’s been around for 100 years. Last month, Goo Goo celebrated its birthday around Nashville in style. Several restaurants paid tribute to the candy bar by creating their own dessert. While I didn’t get to taste every dessert, I did have a FRIED Goo Goo thanks to Puckett’s. Mark that off the bucket list!

Being a fan, I thought I’d do a little celebrating myself and for those of you that don’t live in Nashville, this is a dessert you can make at home and wish Goo Goo a happy 100th! I present the Ultimate Goo Goo Cluster Sundae! Chocolate chip cookie dough Goo Goo brownies on the bottom, scoops of Publix brand Peanut Goo Goo ice cream, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and a cherry on top! Let the sugar coma begin!

So, how’s it taste?

You don’t even have to ask. It’s insane. It’s one of those over-the-top desserts that you can’t resist. It starts with a recipe I’ve made before for chocolate chip cookie dough brownies. That’s pretty perfect itself because you don’t have to choose between a brownie and a cookie. I took it to another level by adding a layer of chopped Goo Goos turning it into a more chocolatey, sticky, gooey peanut version. Publix has Peanut Butter Goo Goo ice cream, which of course you can choose any ice cream flavor you like or make your own. The Publix version is peanut butter and chocolate ice creams with caramel swirls and chocolate covered peanuts. A scoop or two of that over the brownies and whoa! But I didn’t stop there.

This is a celebration! It had to be decadent. Hot fudge sauce and hot caramel flowing over the ice cream and then I decided it need a few more chopped Goo Goos sprinkled on top. Finished with whipped cream and a bright red cherry. Brace yourself and put on some stretchy pants.

Happy 100th Goo Goo Cluster!

Ultimate Goo Goo Cluster Sundae

Brownies adapted from Betty Crocker
Sundae by So, How's It Taste?
makes 24 brownie squares

Ingredients:

Brownies
1 box Betty Crocker Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
5 Goo Goo Clusters, chopped

Sundae
your favorite ice cream (I used Publix Peanut Butter Goo Goo ice cream)
Goo Goo Clusters, chopped
hot fudge topping
caramel topping
whipped cream
maraschino cherries

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease bottom only of 13x9 pan. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.

2. Sprinkle chopped Goo Goos evenly over brownie batter.

3. Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.

4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cut into squares.

5. Top squares with a scoop of your favorite ice cream, hot fudge topping, caramel topping, more chopped Goo Goos, whipped cream, and a cherry.

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Symphony Brownies

Leah Short — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:41:01 +0000

Oh Symphony Brownies. You must be named as such because I hear violins playing with each bite. Ok, I’m just being silly, but that would be a great commercial for these right? They’re called Symphony Brownies because tucked in the middle of all that brownie goodness is an entire layer of the Symphony candy bar. If you’ve never had one, I’ve got to assume you’ve been on a deserted island. Stop reading and go get one now. I’ll save your spot in this post until you get back.

So, how’s it taste?

Now that we’ve remedied that issue, you know what I mean when I say the chocolate in the candy bar is so creamy and rich. It’s not like a regular Hershey’s bar. Then it’s got chunks of almonds and toffee bits. So good by themselves, so you can start to imagine them in a brownie. I used a brownie mix with walnuts, but use whatever type you prefer. Dark chocolate brownies, brownies with chocolate chips, or get crazy and make your own. It might be difficult when testing your brownies for doneness since it’s covered in candy bars, your toothpick won’t come out clean. Try to poke between the candy bar squares or check that the sides aren’t getting too dry and overcooked. The brownies will continue to cook for a bit while they’re cooling.

These brownies are super rich, so I cut them into tiny squares. It also makes me feel better when I inhale 3 or 4 of them because they’re so small it barely counts, right? Right?! That creaminess from the candy bar shines through and then you get the fudgy brownie and chunks of almonds, walnuts, and toffee. I love how toffee crunches and gets stuck in your teeth. That is a sign of a truly good dessert!

Symphony Brownies

Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up Southern Style
makes 24 large or 36 small brownies

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix with walnuts (whatever brand you prefer, size will vary)
(don't forget eggs & oil for brownie mix)
2 (6.8 oz.) Hershey's Symphony giant candy bars with almonds & toffee, broken into squares

Directions:

1. Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions.

2. Line a 9x9-inch brownie pan with aluminum foil and spray foil with cooking spray. Spoon in half of the brownie batter and smooth with a spatula.

3. Place the squares of the candy bars side by side on top of the batter. You'll have four squares left over...enjoy a snack! Cover with the remaining brownie batter.

4. Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely, then lift from pan using the edges of the foil. This makes it easy to cut into squares.

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Whiskey Cream Cheese Brownies

Leah Short — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:34:27 +0000

It’s no secret I love whiskey. I like to drink it, and I like to cook and make candy with it. Last week when I asked my cousin Jeanie to pick a birthday dessert from a list, I was secretly hoping she’d pick Whiskey Cream Cheese Brownies. Luckily, she did! The original recipe uses bourbon, which would work fine, but I almost always substitute Jack Daniel’s when it calls for bourbon. Use whatever you prefer to drink. It’s kind of like using wine in a recipe. Don’t use one you wouldn’t drink.

So, how’s it taste?

Good grief they were good! Super rich and fudgy. I could sure smell the whiskey when these were baking, but the flavor mellows out a bit in the finished product. The chocolate is really prominent, which isn’t a problem for me! I could only taste a hint of the whiskey if I got a bite that was heavy on the cream cheese part, but it’s still fantastic. The cream cheese swirled into chocolate with a slight background of Jack Daniel’s…I wouldn’t turn down this brownie for anything. Matter of fact, it’s been the reason I’ve gotten my butt off the couch and gone on a run for the past two evenings! These brownies are also excellent with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream. They’d also probably be excellent with a drizzle of hot fudge sauce over that ice cream, but I had to stop the dessert decadence somewhere, lol!

Whiskey Cream Cheese Brownies

Southern Living, December 2011
makes 16 brownies

Ingredients:

4 (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 large eggs, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whiskey or bourbon (I used Jack Daniel's)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350Â°F. Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

2. Microwave chocolate squares and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at high 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Whisk in vanilla, salt, and 1 cup flour. Spread half of batter in prepared pan.

3. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; add 2 Tbsp. flour and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until blended. Add bourbon and remaining 1 egg, beating until blended.

4. Pour cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan; top with remaining brownie batter, and swirl together.

5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles. Gently remove foil; cut into squares.

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Knock You Naked Brownies

Leah Short — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:43:22 +0000

Please meet my new favorite brownie in the entire world, Knock You Naked Brownies. They don’t really knock your clothes off when you take a bite, but almost. I’ve had these bookmarked from The Pioneer Woman for way too long and finally got the chance to make them for a cookout. They were so good, I made a second batch to take to my mom’s work the next day. Those ladies love sweets as much as I do, so I had to share these with them. Just look at that gooey caramel oozing out of the center! I almost kept the entire batch to myself!

So, how’s it taste?

This is another one of those times where I wish the Interwebs were advanced enough so a brownie would pop out of your screen while you’re reading this. Nothing I type here is going to do it justice. They are incredibly rich and decadent, which a 9×9 pan makes 36 brownies and that sounds really small, but trust me, a few bites is all you need. The Pioneer Woman cuts hers into 12, which she must be a in a sugar coma after eating 1/12 of these in one sitting. I’ve got a crazy sweet tooth, and that seems too much for me. But cut them any size you like! Heck, don’t even bother and just grab a fork!

That oozing caramel gets me every time. It’s between two “brownies” which is really made from a cake mix. I’ve made these brownies twice now and used German Chocolate cake mix both times, but I’m convinced these would be over-the-top crazy good using Devil’s Food. I’m totally doing that next time. There’s also a layer of semisweet chocolate chips right on top of the caramel. It’s pure indulgent heaven. Totally worth the splurge!

Yield: 36 brownies

Knock You Naked Brownies

Ingredients:

1 box (18.5 oz.) German Chocolate Cake Mix (I use Duncan Hines)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk (additional)
1/2 cup butter, melted
60 whole caramels, unwrapped (I use Kraft)
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper so the paper hangs over two sides. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl or using a mixer, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until combined. Mixture will be very thick.

3. Press half the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.

4. In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with the additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Be careful as you pour as the middle of the cake isn't as sturdy and a big splash of hot caramel may break it causing the caramel to sink to the bottom. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the caramel.

5. Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips. It's ok if you can't lift the entire square. You can easily top the caramel with pieces of the dough and it will come together as it bakes.

6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Leave brownies in pan to cool and put in refrigerator for several hours, until the caramel layer is set. Remove brownies from pan by lifting the parchment handles and allow to come to room temperature. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into 36 brownies (or less if you want bigger brownies).

Source: The Pioneer Woman

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Leah Short — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:40:00 +0000

Ok, so these are cheating just a bit since they are from gasp! a mix, but you won’t believe how stinkin’ good they are! I made these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies for a friend’s birthday who told me heÂ liked cookies or brownies. I’m not one to bring the same ol’ same ol’, so I found these on Betty Crocker’s website and thought they would be perfect.

So, how’s it taste?

Num, num, num! Crazy good. Like a brownie, but way better and like a cookie, but way better. Talk about a perfect combo to satisfy a sweet tooth. The recipe could not be easier. Grab a box of brownie mix, grab a pouch of chocolate chip cookie mix, and let them bake together into this perfect square of goodness. A glass of milk never had a better partner. The original recipe calls for adding frosting. After reading through several reviews on it being too rich, I decided to leave it unfrosted. I would like to try homemade brownie and cookie mix to see how much better they could be (although these are pretty darn amazing), but if you’re in a hurry and need something impressive, don’t hesitate to let Betty do some work for you. I will have these in my oven again for sure!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

1 box Betty CrockerÂ® Original Supreme brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty CrockerÂ® chocolate chip cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container chocolate frosting

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350ÂºF. Grease bottom only of 13x9 pan. Make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and 2 eggs. Spread in pan.

2. Make cookie mix as directed on pouch, using butter and 1 egg. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls evenly onto brownie batter; press down lightly.
3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes. Frost with frosting.

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