These espresso brownies are made with brown butter and loaded with rich coffee flavor. Thick and fudgy with extra gooey centers, they are truly gourmet and sure to be your new favorite!
I have an obsession with adding espresso to chocolate desserts, like espresso cookies and chocolate espresso cake.
These espresso brownies are the best recipe I've created!
They are loaded with coffee flavor and perfect for coffee lovers. If you love chocolate and espresso together, you are going to love this recipe.
They are perfectly gooey in the middle with the best chewy edges and you can taste the espresso in every single bite!
I love them so much that I used the same base recipe to make my red velvet brownies!
Jump to:
why you'll love this recipe
- Coffee brownies: These brownies were actually made for coffee lovers. They are spiked with a generous amount of ground espresso which you can taste in every bite, similar to my coffee cinnamon rolls!
- Thick and fudgy: No cakey brownies here! They are thick and extremely fudgy with extra gooey centers that are to die for.
- Easy recipe: The only step that requires a bit more effort is browning the butter but I promise it's so worth it!
ingredient notes & substitutions
Butter: Unsalted butter is used in this recipe. It can be substituted for salted butter, but I recommend leaving out the measured salt.
Cocoa powder: For rich and dark brownies, dutch processed dark cocoa powder is best! You can use regular cocoa powder but it will be less rich.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: I recommend a high-quality chocolate brand like Ghiradelli for the best flavor. You can also use a bar of chocolate and chop it up if you are out of chips!
Espresso: For the most intense coffee flavor, I recommend using espresso powder. You can use instant coffee granules if needed, but the flavor won't be as strong.
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
recipe instructions
Here's how to make these coffee brownies! You will need a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the batter. Before you start, preheat your oven to 350 F/180 C and line a square 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 1: Brown the butter. In a large stainless steel pan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat for 10-12 minutes.
While the butter is cooking, it will crackle, pop, and foam. This is normal! Stir it occasionally and stand nearby to watch over it so it doesn't burn.
When the bottom is covered in brown bits of butter solids and it smells nutty, take it off the heat (image 1 below).
Step 2: Melt the chocolate in the butter. Pour the butter into a medium bowl and add the chocolate chips.
Make sure to scrape up all of the butter and browned bits into the bowl! Let the chocolate sit for a minute, then stir until the chocolate is melted and fully combined with the butter (image 2 below).
Step 3: Whisk the eggs and sugar. In a stand mixing bowl or in a bowl with a hand mixer, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla together until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Then with the mixer running, stream the chocolate and butter into the bowl, mixing until just combined (image 3 above).
Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients. Fold in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso until just combined (image 4 above).
Step 5: Bake! Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula or spoon to evenly smooth the top (image 5 below).
Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 28-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack before cutting then enjoy!
expert baking tips
- Use the right pan to brown the butter. I recommend a light-colored or stainless steel pan for browning the butter. It makes it much easier to see when it has browned and ensures it doesn't burn!
- Don't skip the espresso! The espresso not only gives these brownies their intense coffee flavor but balances the richness and brings out more of the chocolate flavor.
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you do not have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Don't overbake. It's okay if the brownies still have a slight jiggly center when you pull them out. They will continue to bake in the hot pan. Overbaking will not give you soft and gooey centers!
- Cut them once cool. Trust me I know it's so hard to wait but they will fall apart if you cut them too early!
storage & freezing
Store them at room temperature wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Cut the pan into squares then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment in between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months!
recipe faqs
Yes! The nutty flavor of the butter brings out a more rich chocolate flavor.
There is a very small amount of caffeine in the brownies. There is a total of two tablespoons added to the entire batch.
I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour but would love to hear how it turns out!
You can bake this recipe in a 9x13 pan for thinner brownies. They will bake quicker than the indicated baking time so keep an eye on them!
more brownie recipes to try!
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Espresso Brownies
Equipment
- square 8x8 baking pan You MUST use a square pan with square edges as shown. Glass or ceramic pans retain heat differently. A pan with rounded edges will need to bake longer than the bake time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line a square 8x8 baking pan** (see notes below) with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a stainless steel pan, brown the butter over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. While it cooks, the butter will foam, pop, and crackle. This is normal! Stand by and stir it occasionally. When the bottom of the pan has brown bits of butter solid and it starts to smell nutty, scrape all of it into a separate bowl.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add the chocolate chips to the bowl of browned butter and stir to melt completely. Set aside.1 cup + 2 tablespoon semi-sweet chocolate chips
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso, and salt. Set aside1 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoon dark cocoa powder, 2 tablespoon espresso powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and vanilla together on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- With the mixer running on low, stream the melted butter and chocolate into the batter. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 28-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in moist crumbs.All ovens are different, and your brownies may bake quicker or take longer than the indicated baking time. If your pan has rounded edges or is anything other than METAL, it will take longer to bake, closer to 45-50 minutes.
- Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack then cut into 16 squares with a hot sharp knife, wiping it clean between cuts.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Brooke says
super easy to follow directions & they turned out great!! even better that it’s all from scratch. 😋
Sihem says
Love them. I always add chopped walnuts too, they go very well with the brown botter. Best brownie recipe I ever made
Patricia Kirsten says
Gave these a 5 even though I have not made them yet!!! How can one go wrong with browned butter, chocolate and coffee? Love your recipes and great directions 🙂 I have just started top follow you!!
Mitzi Dedman says
Freaking amazing!! I will be making them again & again!!
Kathy says
I am getting ready to make this brownies but I love walnuts in my brownies, can I add a cup of chopped walnuts??
Cambrea Gordon says
Definitely!
Mandy says
These came out amazing! Thank you so much! I was worried as it was my first time browning butter but it easier than expected.
I will definitely be make again!
And thanks to Brittany Lutz for her post sharing the recipe.
Mina says
I've made these 4 times, and they're amazing
Queeny says
mine is in the oven rn as i'm typing this and oh this is the second time i'm making this recipe. i absolutely love it thank you.
Linda says
These are fabulous!! I baked them an extra 15 min. though. I was craving something ooey gooey and chocolatey and these hit the spot!
Alani says
These came out bomb! I cooked mine in a cast iron skillet for around 30 minutes
Annie says
When you say Dutch processed dark cocoa is that the same as black cocoa? I have both black and Dutch cocoa, so I just wanted to make sure I used the right ingredient, definitely looking forward to trying these out!
Cambrea Gordon says
Hi Annie! Dutch cocoa is different than black cocoa, for this recipe I recommend using the Dutch cocoa! 🙂
JoJo says
These were so fudgy and delicious! I'd recommend using a good quality chocolate if you can as it is the most prominent flavour in these brownies. And even if you think you don't like coffee, please don't skip that step.