Description
Gingerbread Brownies with a spicy kick of ginger, sweet molasses, and rich chocolate, perfect for cozy nights in or holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 8 oz (227g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (60-70% cocoa content works best)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (85g) molasses (not blackstrap)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (14g) cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (90g) chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the middle. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. Lightly grease any exposed pan areas. Gather all your ingredients and measuring tools to ensure a smooth baking process.
- Step 2: Melt Chocolate and Butter In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the butter and chopped chocolate. Melt them together using either a double boiler (keeping the water at a gentle simmer) or microwave (in 30-second intervals, stirring between each). Stir until completely smooth and glossy. Allow the mixture to cool slightly so it won’t cook the eggs when combined.
- Step 3: Create the Batter Base In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, molasses, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes lighter in color and slightly thickened. This creates the foundation for your gingerbread brownies. Pour in the cooled chocolate-butter mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
- Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. This ensures your spices are evenly distributed throughout your gingerbread brownies. The blend of warm spices is what transforms these from ordinary brownies into a festive treat.
- Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula. Mix until just combined – the batter should be thick and glossy with no streaks of flour visible. Fold in the optional chocolate chips if using. Be careful not to overmix; your restraint here will be rewarded with perfectly textured brownies.
- Step 6: Bake to Perfection Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan, smoothing the top with your spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are set and the center is still slightly soft. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Step 7: Cool and Slice Let your gingerbread brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting them out using the parchment paper overhang. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife. Clean the knife between cuts for professional-looking brownies.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg