The desert of the day is – Brownies!!! Some gooey, some bitey; some fudgy, some chewy; some overflowing with caramel, others filled with booze. Hungry already? If you have ever wanted to bake one of these beauties in your kitchen, here is your sizzling opportunity. Better bookmark this page because you’ll need it maybe a week or month from now for birthdays, special occasions and, let’s not forget, rainy days. The brownie recipes featured here are solemnly delicious and sinful. So gear up your appetite as an avalanche of brownies comes your way!
10. Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Chocolate and peanut butter are partners in crime, and they once again come together to give shape to a fantastic recipe. To get those ultimate gooey and buttery brownies, the sugar content must be accurate, lest they be flaky and dry. All you need is peanut butter, sugar/honey, coconut oil or butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, whole wheat flour and salt. These are rendered best when a hearty layer of chocolate ganache or warm chocolate sauce is topped on it. Known as Buckeye Brownies in certain regions, these brownies will win you fans!
9. No Boke Brownies Bites
The name says it all! Who isn’t drawn to that bowl of brownie mix while baking? If you can’t keep your fingers off the mix already, this recipe is for you. The ingredients here are perfectly safe to intake raw. These brownies are composed of two layers – the base consisting of walnuts, dates, orange zest, avocado, cocoa powder, vanilla and pecans and the topmost layer featuring an irresistible frosting. All one needs to do is puree the ingredients, spread it out and freeze for 2-3 hours. The results are lip–smacking!
8. Chili Chocolate Brownies
The sinister yet mesmerizing pairing of chilli and chocolate is a classic and works its magic even in the realm of brownies. Ancho chilli, a special chilli that boasts of mild heat and a fruity undertone without playing havoc with your taste buds, delivers a warm and subtly spicy sensation with each bite, which is then swept over by the delectable taste of chocolate. This is the dessert for you if you like a little heat with sugar. Addition of cinnamon can oomph the taste up a notch. A retro dessert – that doesn’t go out of style.
7. Fudgy Caramel Brownies
An exception to the regular brownies, which taste best when eaten out of one’s own hand, these extremely rich and gooey (lack of better words) brownies must only be eaten with a fork. If you love caramel, then you will love this dessert. One has to be extra careful while whipping up these brownies because they can easily turn out to be overtly and overly sweet. A tip here would be to go for salty caramel – it can give an entirely new definition to your brownies and trick your taste buds simultaneously.
6. Mint Brownies
Whether you’re looking for a solution to put those Thin Mints to good use or just a mint–chocolate combination fan, these brownies are your saviour and treat. You can choose to turn up your favourite homemade brownie recipe into a mint brownie one by chopping up some mints into the centre of the brownie layer. Go ahead and make a peppermint-infused fudge sauce to go along with your dessert. Treat your sweet tooth by adding a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top and finally topping with some mint leaves. Indulge in the minty, fresh-tasting brownies!
5. The Trashy/Slutty Brownies
No, we are not calling brownies trashy! Once you see the reason behind this quirky name for a brownie, you will smile at its very thought. The heights of richness and decadence are reached when you combine cookie dough, Oreo cookies, and brownie layers. These brownies are absolutely genius, and even a bite can take care of that sweet tooth. A base of cookie dough filled with chocolate bits and pieces, topped with Oreo cookies atop which a hearty serving of brownie layer sits – while not turning very chewy or crunchy makes these brownies exceptionally sinful and irresistible. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if it’s still not tempting enough for you; this dessert will change your life!
4. Red wine chocolate brownies
Once popped, that leftover red wine will serve you no good. What if there was a better-tasting option at the end of the high road you take by not swallowing down the very last drops? Pour that leftover wine into the bowl full of brownie mix to render a platter full of exuberant, rich and fudgy chocolate brownies with just a kick of wine. Wine is known to intensify chocolate’s flavours and taste amazing under all circumstances. This ingredient can also be utilized to conjure up a red wine chocolate glaze/sauce, which will take your recipe just that last step higher. Indulgent as they may be, try not messing around too much with these brownies. If fancy is your type – give these a try!
3. Cream Cheese Brownies
If you swoon at the very sight and smell of cheesecakes, then imagine what the babies of cream cheese and chocolate would look and taste like – heaven!! Brownies are blamed for being too rich at times – that’s where our hero cream cheese steps in to cut it with a fresh, cool creaminess. A blend of the classic brownie and cheesecake, this dessert is the absolute reverse of the more popular brownie cheesecake, which features chunks of brownie in simple cheesecake. Gift yourself the perfect little yin and yang – brownie with swirls of cheesecake! Just be careful about overbaking them, and you’re set with the perfect dessert in hand.
2. S’more/ Marshmallow Brownies
Can’t seem to move over the previous one? Well, imagine this – crispy graham cracker bits, rice cereals, chocolate chips, chocolate brownie layers and big, fat, fluffy marshmallows – yes, the next one is a cult classic and rightfully so! These brownies have a nostalgic edge to them, featuring our favourite childhood memories. These are the perfect dessert options for that campfire night, or, just any occasion really. They taste best when the brownie layers aren’t very thick and give way for the marshmallows to gain some spotlight. A mix of all things you love and know baked to perfection!
1. The Classic Baked Brownie
Variations and experimentations may come and go, but it is the beautiful, delectable classic that stays strong on our number one spot. These brownies are the definition of perfect, honest, rich and dense brownies. There is no room for cakey or flakiness here. These beauties are baked without any leavening agents (baking soda that is) and have purely 11 ounces of chocolate, five eggs, lots of butter, sugar, vanilla and heaps of cocoa powder at their heart. They have texture, taste and bite; the best part about them is the substantial density with a crackly crust, which is best had with cold milk or simply by themselves.