Kahlúa Brownies plus Cinnamon

At a glance

What stands out: This is a straightforward from-scratch brownie recipe made extra special with the addition of Kahlúa.

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 25 minutes in the oven
Equipment you’ll need: small saucepan, a couple of mixing bowls, and an 8 inch square pan
Servings: 16

Fudgy Kahlúa Brownies

We're in love with these Kahlúa brownies. They are fudgy and rich. Why settle for plain ol’ brownies? Think outside of the box (literally) and experience the mocha deliciousness of these exceptional made-from-scratch brownies!

About Kahlúa Brownies

From-scratch, instead of a boxed mix. We are not averse to brownies that come from a boxed mix because they’re straightforward. But honestly, from-scratch brownies aren’t that much more difficult and they do taste better.

A step above the ordinary. The combination of Kahlúa and cinnamon might sound unusual but they complement each evenly. The brownies might remind you of Mexican hot chocolate with the flavors of chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla. You’ll find the same combination in flourless Mexican hot chocolate cake and these Mexican chocolate shortbread cookies. Tasty!

Dress them up! Make the brownies fancy by adding a dollop of whipped cream, or even better, Kahlúa-spiked whipped cream. Frost them with Kahlúa-spiked buttercream frosting or our good-on-everything chocolate cream cheese frosting. For a scrumptious dessert, top the brownies with ice cream and from-scratch hot fudge.

You’ll have extra Kahlúa (and that’s not a bad thing). If you’re wondering what to do with the rest of the Kahlúa, try a white Russian cocktail or a hot white Russian. Both cocktails are so rich and creamy, a reliable match with these brownies! If you prefer hot chocolate, try spiked hot chocolate with Kahlúa.

What goes in

• Kahlúa: You can usually find this coffee-flavored liqueur in your grocery store and you may be surprised to know that there are quite a few varieties, including Mint Mocha, Blondie Roast, Chili Chocolate, and Salted Caramel. This recipe is made with original Kahlúa but the other varieties may be fun to experiment with!
• Pure Vanilla Extract, Espresso Powder, Cinnamon: These three ingredients pack a powerful punch. They blend together evenly yet you’ll be able to detect each individual essence in every bite.
• All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Cocoa Powder, Salt: Normal brownie ingredients. The recipe is made with cocoa powder, which is unsweetened and has lots of antioxidants. Just FYI.
• Egg, Butter: Again, normal brownie ingredients. We usually use unsalted butter for baking. If you only have salted butter, omit the ¼ teaspoon salt.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is best for chewy brownies.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Don’t you just love it when you discover that there are chocolate chips in your brownie? It’s like a hidden treat. You don’t have to add them to these brownies but why not?
• Sanding/Coarse Sugar: If you’re not topping the brownies with frosting or whipped cream, a sprinkle of coarse sugar adds a nice touch. It’s totally optional. Powdered sugar sifted on top looks nice too.

Actually, if we’re being honest here, we thought about drizzling more Kahlúa over these brownies while they were still hot. Someone want to try that for us and get back to us on the results?

What is Kahlúa?

This coffee-flavored liqueur hails from Mexico. It’s made with rum, sugar, vanilla bean, and arabica coffee. It’s 20% alcohol, has a small amount of caffeine (just 5 mg per 1.5 oz. serving), and it does not contain allergens, dairy, or nuts.

How it comes together

Prep the pan. Turn the oven on to preheat. Next, find a pan for the brownies. You’ll need an eight inch square pan. Coat it lightly with cooking spray. For straightforward cutting, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving wings on two sides, and spray again.

Why the Extra Pan Prep?

We like to take this extra step when we make brownies or other bars. Once the brownies have baked and cooled, you can just grab the parchment wings and lift the brownies out of the pan. They are easier to cut and you’ll be able to get nice neat little squares.

Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, blend together the brown sugar, oil, Kahlúa, and egg until well mixed.

Mix dry ingredients. In another small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, espresso powder, cinnamon, salt.

Add chocolate chips. Stir the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients.

Combine. Stir the dry ingredients into the bigger bowl containing the egg mixture. Don’t overmix the batter; stir it just until the ingredients are mixed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake. The brownies should bake about twenty-five minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out fairly clean. Don’t overbake the brownies; you want them to be somewhat gooey and chewy.

Top with sugar. When you take the brownies out of the oven, immediately sprinkle on the coarse sugar if you are using it. If you decided on powdered sugar, wait until the brownies cool completely. Same for frosting – don’t frost warm brownies because the frosting will melt and get all soupy.

Cut. When the brownies are completely cool, left them out of the pan using the parchment paper wings. With a large sharp knife, cut the brownies into four pieces. Oh, we meant to say sixteen pieces. Or did we? Wink, wink.

Helpful Tips

Use the right-sized pan. The recipe is written for an 8-inch square pan. We don’t recommend using a larger pan for this recipe. However, if you do use a larger pan, bake the brownies for less time. The thinner the batter is in the pan, the less time they need to bake.

Check the brownies for doneness. You definitely don’t want to overbake brownies. Here’s how to tell when they are done: Use a toothpick to test them, poke the toothpick in halfway between the edge and the center. It’s okay if they’re a little gooey in the center. The brownies should be firm around the edges, slightly crackled, and set in the center (not wiggly when you shake the pan), but still soft.

Keeping leftovers

Once the brownies have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container. They’ll keep on the counter for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

• Yield: 16
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 25 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
• ¼ cup Kahlúa
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon granulated or sanding sugar for sprinkling on top, if desired

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 8″ square pan with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment with overhang, and spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, oil, Kahlúa, and egg.
3. In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cocoa, espresso powder, cinnamon, salt). Stir chocolate chips into dry ingredients.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Spread into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out nearly clean.
6. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (see note).
7. Let cool completely. Lift brownies out of pan using parchment paper. Cut into 16 servings.

Notes

Storage: Store brownies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Topping alternatives: Cool brownies completely and top with sifted powdered sugar, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream, or ice cream and hot fudge.