Espresso Brownies

Rich, fudgy espresso brownies made with brown butter, espresso powder, and chocolate chips. The ultimate coffee-infused dessert you’ll crave!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Brownies Recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings brownies

Calories 492kcal

Author Kathleen

Cut butter (1 cup) into chunks and place in a light-colored skillet. Melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once melted, the butter will foam and sizzle. Stir constantly as it begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.
After 5–8 minutes, you’ll notice the foam subsiding and brown bits forming at the bottom. The butter will smell nutty and caramel-like. As soon as the butter turns a deep golden brown (not black), remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.
Pour it into a heatproof bowl, scraping up all the brown bits into the bowl. and let it cool slightly but remain warm before adding to your batter.

Arrange oven shelf to center position. Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal and cutting.

In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, add eggs (4) and granulated sugar (2 cups). Beat on medium-high speed for 3–5 minutes, until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and glossy.
Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in the warm melted butter, beating just until incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract (1 tablespoon).
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour (1 1/2 cups), cocoa powder (3/4 cup), espresso powder (3 tablespoons), and salt (3/4 teaspoon).
Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture using a spatula, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a tablespoon or two to sprinkle on top.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). Don’t overbake.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting.

Brown the Butter Carefully – Keep a close eye on the butter as it cooks. It should be golden brown with a nutty aroma—pull it off the heat right away to prevent burning.
Use Room Temperature Eggs – Cold eggs won’t whip up properly. Let them sit out for 30 minutes before baking for the best texture.
Don’t Overmix the Batter – Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined. Overmixing can make brownies tough instead of fudgy.
Line the Pan with Parchment – A parchment sling makes it easy to lift the brownies out cleanly for neat, bakery-style squares.
Check Early for Doneness – Brownies continue to cook as they cool. For fudgy results, pull them out when a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.