Fudgy Espresso Brownies Recipe
Cartel coffee brownie, cookie butter 940 cal
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Ingredients
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Brownie Batter
Cookie Butter Swirl
Finish
Method
Brownie Batter
- 1
Preheat and prepare pan
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8-inch (20x20 cm) square baking pan with parchment, leaving a 1–2 inch overhang for easy removal; lightly butter the parchment or pan.
- 2
Dissolve espresso
In a small bowl, combine the instant espresso powder and 1 tbs hot water; stir until dissolved and set aside.
- 3
Melt chocolate and butter
Place the chopped semisweet chocolate and unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt together over a gently simmering saucepan of water (double boiler), stirring frequently until smooth, or microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between bursts until fully melted and glossy. Remove from heat and let cool 1–2 minutes.
- 4
Incorporate sugars
Whisk the granulated sugar and light brown sugar into the slightly cooled chocolate-butter mixture until combined and glossy.
- 5
Add eggs and flavor
Whisk in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, then whisk in the dissolved espresso and vanilla extract until smooth. The batter will become shiny and slightly thickened.
- 6
Add dry ingredients
Sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and fine sea salt into a bowl. Fold the dry mixture into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula in 2–3 additions, folding gently just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix — keep the batter dense and fudgy.
- 7
Transfer to pan
Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared 8x8 pan and spread into an even layer using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Cookie Butter Swirl
- 8
Loosen cookie butter
Put the cookie butter in a microwave-safe bowl and warm in 15-second intervals, stirring between, until it's soft and stirrable (about 30–45 seconds total depending on your microwave). Stir in 1 tbs whole milk (or cream) to thin it to a ribboning consistency — it should be spoonable but not runny.
- 9
Add dollops and swirl
Drop tablespoon-sized dollops of the loosened cookie butter evenly over the top of the brownie batter (about 10–12 dollops). Use a thin knife, skewer, or chopstick to gently swirl the cookie butter into the batter in a marbling pattern. Don’t over-swirl — aim for visible ribbons of cookie butter.
Bake & Finish
- 10
Bake
Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 28–32 minutes. The edges should be set and the center will still have a slight jiggle; a toothpick inserted into the very center will come out with moist crumbs (not dry). Baking longer will reduce fudginess.
- 11
- 12
Finish and serve
Using the parchment overhang, lift the brownie slab from the pan and place on a cutting board. Sprinkle flaky sea salt lightly over the top to taste. Using a sharp knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between cuts, slice into 9 even squares. Serve room temperature or slightly chilled.
