Hot Fudge Brownie With Bourbon Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal; lightly butter the parchment.

Melt chocolate and butter

In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) simmering water (double boiler) or in 20–30 second bursts in the microwave, combine 1 cup unsalted butter and 6 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate. Stir until fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.

Mix sugars and eggs

Whisk the 1.5 cups granulated sugar and 0.5 cups packed light brown sugar into the cooled chocolate mixture until incorporated. Add 3 large eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously after each until mixture is glossy. Stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Combine dry ingredients

Sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 0.33 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, 0.5 tsp fine sea salt, and 1 tsp espresso powder (if using). Fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate-egg mixture with a rubber spatula just until no streaks remain; do not overmix.

Add mix-ins

Fold in 0.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips and 0.75 cups toasted chopped walnuts or pecans if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even cooking.

Cool

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift the brownie slab out using the parchment overhang and cool another 20 minutes before cutting. Brownies can be served warm; for neater slices chill 30 minutes.

Make bourbon hot fudge sauce

While brownies bake or cool, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 0.25 cups unsalted butter with 0.5 cups heavy cream, 0.5 cups brown sugar, 2 tbsp light corn syrup, and 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder. Whisk continuously until the mixture begins to simmer and the sugar dissolves, about 4–6 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1–2 minutes to slightly thicken.

Finish sauce with bourbon

Remove sauce from heat and whisk in 0.25 tsp kosher salt, 3 tbsp bourbon, and 0.5 tsp vanilla extract. Taste and adjust bourbon (add up to 1 tbsp more if desired) or salt for balance. If you prefer a stronger alcohol flavor, stir in bourbon after sauce has cooled slightly to retain more aroma.

Serve

Cut brownies into 9 or 12 squares. Place a warm brownie on a plate, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream (about 1 scoop per serving), and spoon generous hot fudge over the ice cream and brownie. Optionally garnish with chopped toasted nuts and a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.

Storage

Store baked brownies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 7 days. Keep hot fudge sauce in a jar in the refrigerator up to 7 days; gently reheat before serving (microwave or stovetop) and stir in a splash of cream if too thick.