In Italy, a savored late night cup of espresso replaces dessert. Not so much in America. In the United States, we polish our after dinner plates with a decadent chocolate baked treat piled with half a pint of whipped cream or ice cream, and plop a cherry on top.
Regardless of which way you prefer to end your day, these Double Dark Coffee Brownies fit the bill. With a pound cake consistency and spontaneous bursts of chunky chocolate chips, these aren’t your typical gooey, bless-your-heart sweet box brownies. The dark chocolate chips and dark roast coffee grinds give these brownies a rich, slightly bitter taste that compliment an after dinner espresso or hot chocolate. The hazelnut syrup supplements the complex flavor profile and adds a little more sugar to the mix.
These brownies might not bring world peace, but we’re hoping they have intercontinental appeal by offering a modestly sweet dessert that isn’t that bad for you.
A word about the coffee: espresso or dark roast works best. Technically, you can use any fresh coffee grounds, but it’s important to make sure are finely ground to ensure you don’t get crunchy chunks of coffee beans in your brownies. A finely ground espresso roast like Cafe Bustelo works well, or you can also use a dark roast. We used Southern Sunrise coffee grounds from BSG Cafe in Cornelia. The Southern Sunrise is a dark roast with hints of pine, which is one reason why we chose to add hazelnut syrup.
Embarking on a coffee-sniffing crawl through your local cafe or grocery store may inspire you to swap out the hazelnut syrup for a different flavor that compliments your coffee, too. Find a light roast with bourbon notes? Try caramel syrup.
These treats take about 45 minutes to make, but only half of it’s hands-on prep work. Pop a batch of these in the oven while you’re eating dinner, and you’re guaranteed to have a warm dessert waiting for you by the time you’re ready to clear the plates. If you want the full experience, be sure to put on a pot of coffee, too.
- Double Dark Chocolate Coffee Brownies Recipe
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 25 minutes
Cooling Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
- Ingredients
- 6 ounces melted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons hazelnut coffee syrup or preferred flavor
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup baking cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon coffee grounds, finely ground
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in the microwave for 45 seconds, or in a 8” x 8” baking sheet in the oven while it preheats.
- Beat sugar, eggs, vanilla, and hazelnut syrup with a mixer in a medium-sized bowl. Let the butter cool momentarily so it doesn’t scorch the eggs and then incorporate into the mixture.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, stir flour, salt, baking powder, coffee grounds, and baking cocoa.
- Slowly integrate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. If using a mixer, blend on the low setting. Stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into greased 8” x 8” baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
