Description
These indulgent Brown Butter Brownies combine the richness of nutty browned butter with deep dark chocolate for an irresistibly fudgy and flavorful treat. Featuring a perfect balance of sweetness and cocoa intensity, this recipe yields moist, gooey brownies with a tender crumb enhanced by the unique toasted notes from the brown butter and dry milk powder. Easy to prepare and baked in just under 30 minutes, these brownies are perfect for satisfying chocolate cravings or sharing with friends and family.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons dry milk powder (Carnation recommended)
- 4 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
Butter & Chocolate
- 1 cup unsalted butter (preferably European-style like Kerrygold)
- 3.5 ounces dark chocolate 70% cocoa, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or discs, plus extra for topping
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring the paper extends up all four sides for easy removal of the brownies later. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, and fine sea salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Brown the butter: In a stainless steel pan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Once fully melted, whisk in the dry milk powder. Continue cooking and stirring frequently until the butter develops amber brown bits of milk solids and emits a nutty aroma. Be sure to scrape all the brown butter and bits into a heat-safe bowl; do not leave any behind.
- Incorporate chocolate into brown butter: Immediately whisk the roughly chopped dark chocolate and Dutch-processed cocoa powder into the warm brown butter until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk eggs and sugar: In a large bowl, hand whisk the granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla bean paste until the sugar fully dissolves, indicated when the mixture doesn’t feel gritty between your fingers.
- Combine butter mixture with eggs: Slowly stream the melted brown butter and chocolate mixture into the eggs while whisking continuously to emulsify and avoid cooking the eggs.
- Fold in dry ingredients and chocolate chips: Gently fold the reserved dry ingredients and semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula, mixing just until combined to maintain a tender crumb.
- Bake: Immediately pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 28-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool and serve: Remove the brownies from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool for 1-2 hours completely, then lift the brownies out using the parchment paper edges. Cut into 16 squares, wiping the knife clean between cuts for neat slices, and enjoy your rich, fudgy brown butter brownies!
Notes
- For best results, use European-style unsalted butter like Kerrygold to enhance the nutty flavor when browning.
- Measuring flour correctly is important: spoon flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife instead of scooping directly to avoid dense brownies.
- Allow eggs to come to room temperature before whisking for better emulsification and texture.
- You can add extra chocolate chips on top of the batter before baking for a more chocolatey crust.
- Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
