These espresso brownies are full of rich chocolate and espresso flavor. From the crackle tops to the thick, fudgy centers and chocolate chunks, they’re the perfect gooey coffee brownie. They’re so quick and simple to make, you may just skip the line at Starbucks the next time you need a some caffeine!
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love adding espresso to brownies to boost the rich chocolate flavor. My Brownies from Cake Mix, Red Wine Brownies, Easy Maple Brownie Pie and Coffee Cookies recipes are all brownies with espresso powder added to them. This recipe for espresso brownies takes the chocolate coffee flavor combination to new heights! It’s just one of a few reasons I know you’ll love this recipe.
- Simple pantry ingredients: You only need a handful of basic ingredients to make a batch of quick, simple and simply decadent fudgy coffee brownies.
- One bowl brownies: These thick chocolate coffee brownies come together in one bowl. They’re so easy to make, you’ll begin to wonder why you ever waited in line for Starbucks when you can have this homemade brownie instead.
- Rich, fudgy, chewy, chocolate brownies: If being super quick and easy to make wasn’t reason enough, these espresso fudge brownies boast the same delightful flavors and textures of regular homemade chocolate brownies, just with a wonderfully aromatic smell of espresso.
Ingredients
Before I show you how to simple it is to make this recipe for coffee brownies, make sure you have these 9 simple ingredients ready to go!
- Dry Ingredients: Gather your cocoa powder, flour and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Gather your butter, chocolate chips, espresso, eggs, sugar and dark chocolate chunks.
Substitutions
Making brownies with coffee is super simple and you probably already have everything you need. Here are my recommended substitutions to make these brownies if you need them.
- Ground Espresso Powder: This is my secret ingredient to make my chocolate desserts taste more chocolate-y. For this brownie recipe with coffee, you will need ¼ cup brewed espresso. I love using this brand of instant espresso powder.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted “sweet cream” butter in almost all my baking recipes. This is the most common and widely available butter in the US. If needed, use salted butter (omit the added salt) or a diary free butter you like.
- Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: I like to melt semi sweet chocolate chips in my brownies to get a shiner crust. Read more on that in this article from King Arthur Baking Co.
- Granulated Sugar: This recipe hasn’t been tested with another kind of sugar.
- Cocoa Powder: Any type of unsweetened cocoa powder will work well in this espresso brownie recipe. However, I love using dutch process cocoa powder for its mellow, but intensely chocolate-y flavor. Since these easy espresso brownies don’t have a leavener, feel free to use any cocoa powder you like.
- Eggs: This is an essential ingredient for these rich and fudgy chocolate coffee brownies. This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
- Dark Chocolate Chunks: Brownies are always better with chunks of dark chocolate. I like using dark chocolate to balance out the sweetness of the brownie. However, feel free to use any chocolate you like!
How To Make
Ready to learn how to make chocolate brownies with espresso in a few easy steps? Perfect, let’s go!
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper along the bottom and two sides. Add the unsalted butter and semi sweet chocolate chips to a heat safe bowl. Heat the butter and chocolate until fully melted and well combined. This can be done as a “bain marie” or in the microwave. If using the microwave, heat the mixture 30 seconds at a time, stirring between heating intervals until fully melted and combined.
- Mix in the freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee into the melted butter and chocolate.
- In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, sugar and salt until smooth and fully combined.
- Pour the espresso chocolate mixture into the whisked eggs and sugar. Whisk well to fully combine.
- Add the cocoa powder into the chocolate espresso mixture. Stir well to fully combine.
- Add the flour to the coffee brownie batter. Stir well until just combined.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chunks (or try these chocolate espresso chunks for even more coffee flavor!) into the brownie batter.
- Evenly pour the brownies with coffee into the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes. Cool the brownies in the pan for at least one hour to fully set.
- Slice the brownies and enjoy!
How To Serve, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Serve these copycat Starbucks brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream and berries. You can also just enjoy these decadent coffee brownies with coffee! How’s that for a caffeine boost?!
- To store the best espresso brownies: Once the brownies have cooled completely to room temperature, place them in an airtight container for up to 3 - 4 days.
- To freeze these espresso fudge brownies: Make sure the brownies are completely cooled to room temperature. Cut the brownie into your preferred amount of pieces. Individually wrap each fudgy brownie in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To thaw the brownies: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw your rich coffee brownies is to let them sit out at room temperature for at least two hours or overnight in the fridge. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave it for 20 -30 seconds for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
M's Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in deliciously chewy brownies.
- Use an 8x8 pan metal pan. This recipe was created using an 8x8 aluminum pan. If you are using a glass baking dish, you may need to add a few more minutes to the baking time. For thinner brownies, use a 9x9 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. As always, it’s best to use baking times as a guide rather than a strict rule.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper. This helps to release the brownies from the pan more easily. You can also lightly grease the pan if you prefer not to line it with parchment paper.
- Fully cool the brownies: You may be very tempted to slice into these espresso brownies, but a little cooling time makes them even more amazing and gives them time to firm up.
- For perfectly sliced brownies, fully cool them to room temperature and then chill them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before cutting. Use a sharp knife to cut them and always clean the knife between cuts.
- Look for the signs the brownie is done. Use the baking time as a guide rather than a strict rule. Signs a brownie is finished baking are a set center with baked edges that have slightly pulled away from the edge of the pan.
FAQ's
How much espresso powder to add to brownies?
For a regular brownie recipe, adding 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder will enhance the chocolate flavor of the brownies. For these to be true coffee brownies, they need more espresso.
How many shots of espresso are in this recipe for espresso brownies?
A standard shot of espresso is 1 oz. This recipe contains 2 oz. ( or ¼ cup, 59 ml) of espresso. For this recipe the ratio of espresso powder to water is 1:1 rather than the 1:2 ratio espresso to water.
What is espresso compared to coffee?
Espresso, not "expresso" is a type of coffee. The difference between the espresso and coffee is how they are prepared. On average 1 oz. of espresso has 63 mg of caffeine, while 1 oz. of coffee has about 16 mg.
Other Espresso Recipes to Try
If you try this Espresso Brownies Recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Espresso Brownies Recipe
These espresso brownies are full of rich chocolate and espresso flavor. From the crackle tops to the thick, fudgy centers and chocolate chunks, they’re the perfect gooey coffee brownie. They’re so quick and simple to make, you may just skip the line at Starbucks the next time you need a some caffeine!
Equipment
- 1 8x8 baking pan
- 1 whisk
- 1 parchemnt paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (170 g) semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (59 ml) brewed espresso 4 tablespoon instant espresso powder mixed with ¼ cup hot water
- 4 large eggs (US), room temperature
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (90 g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (170 g) dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper along the bottom and two sides.
- Add the unsalted butter and semi sweet chocolate chips to a heat safe bowl. Heat the butter and chocolate until fully melted and well combined. This can be done as a “bain marie” or in the microwave. If using the microwave, heat the mixture 30 seconds at a time, stirring between heating intervals until fully melted and combined.
- Mix in the freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee into the melted butter and chocolate.
- In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, sugar and salt until smooth and fully combined. Pour the espresso chocolate mixture into the whisked eggs and sugar. Whisk well to fully combine.
- Add the cocoa powder into the chocolate espresso mixture. Stir well to fully combine. Add the flour to the coffee brownie batter. Stir well until just combined. Fold the dark chocolate chunks into the brownie batter.
- Evenly pour the brownies into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes. The edges of the brownie will pull slightly from the edges of the pan and the center will feel set.
- Cool the brownies in the pan for at least one hour to fully set. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Once the brownies have cooled completely to room temperature, place them in an airtight container for up to 3 - 4 days. The brownies can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
For perfectly sliced brownies, fully cool them to room temperature and then chill them in the freezer for about 15 - 20 minutes before cutting. Use a sharp knife to cut them and always clean the knife between cuts.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
Dom says
These have become my go to Brownie recipe. The espresso takes a regular brownie to the next level. A must try!
Megan says
Thanks so much Dom! Agreed, the espresso is the perfect way to evelate the flavor of the chocolate.
Dairz says
This looks delicious, looking to make it this weekend, does it really call for 4 large eggs or is that a typo?
Thanks!!
Megan says
Hi Dairz,
Yes, this brownie recipe calls for 4 large eggs (US). Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Nichole says
Should I use Dutch-Process Cocoa powder??
Megan says
Hi Nichole, you can use Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe. Enjoy!
Charlie says
Great recipe! I like to add some ground coffee beans, and use dark chocolate rather than semi-sweet, because my family doesn't really eat sweet things. My parents loved it, thank you for sharing
Megan says
THi Charlie, thank you so much for the kind words. I love the dark chocolate swap!