These brownies are tricky. They may be a treat to some people and also may be a nasty trick to others. So what makes these brownies tricky? Cayenne pepper. These decadent dark chocolate brownies have ground cayenne pepper mixed into the batter but you would never know by the looks or smell of it! The brownies are undetectably gluten-free by the looks (hello gorgeous, shiny crinkle top!) and incredible taste. They are extra special because they contain brown butter, Dutch cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and espresso powder, leaving you with the ultimate fudgy, flavorful, rich brownies. According to one of my sisters, the spice level was “spot on”–not too hot but still noticeable. My dad on the other hand, has a higher spice tolerance and didn’t notice any tingling sensation until the last bite. Feel free to reduce the amount of cayenne if you are kind and considerate or increase the amount if you’re feeling naughty and want to prank someone (hehe)! You could also omit the cayenne if you just want some quality, dark chocolate brownies. They’re tasty no matter what you do with the cayenne! I hope you give these mouth-watering tricky brownies a try and maybe serve them to a crowd on Halloween!
This post contains affiliate links to some of my very favorite ingredients. This way it is easy for you to find the ingredients I used at the best price I’ve found. If you click on any of them and purchase from Amazon, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale, to support what I do here. Thank you!
Link to my favorite gluten-free flour blend is here!
Espresso powder I use for baking is linked here.
Tricky Treat Dark Chocolate Brownies (gluten & nut free)
Ingredients
- 170 grams (¾ cup, 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp espresso powder
- 1 ¼ tsps cayenne pepper adjust as needed
- 180 grams (1 cup) dark chocolate chips
- 3 large eggs room temperature (if mine aren't room temp, I warm them up by setting the eggs uncracked in a bowl, pour hot water on top to cover them, and soak for 5-10 minutes)
- 220 grams (1 cup) dark brown sugar
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 35 grams (¼ cup plus 2 tbsps) Dutch cocoa powder regular will probably work as well, it just won't be as dark and flavorful
- 51 grams (¼ cup plus 2 tbsps) Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour linked above this recipe card
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let it bubble and boil while mixing often and watching carefully, until it begins to brown (it burns very easily). Once the milk solids are a toast-y brown color, remove from the heat and pour into a glass or metal bowl. Add the salt, espresso powder, and cayenne pepper and whisk until combined. Let the mixture cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Line an 8×8 inch or 9×9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper (I used a 9×9 inch pan FYI). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 C).
- After 10 minutes, add the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for a few minutes. Once 3-4 minutes has passed, whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Using a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer, whip the eggs and brown sugar on high for about 2 minutes or until fluffy and lightened in color. Add the butter/chocolate mixture and fold to combine using a spatula. Sift in the baking powder, Dutch cocoa, and GF flour and carefully fold the mixture to fully incorporate the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dirty but not so much that the batter is dripping off (it should be messy but not runny, took mine 23 minutes). Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before digging in and enjoying. Hope you like these tricky brownies! Happy spooky season!!
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