Fudgy brownies dude. Fudgy. Ass. Brownies. But turnt up a few notches. Cause we’re adding cinnamon and ancho chile. This shit ain’t no joke. It’s good. It’s really good.
The cinnamon and ancho chile are fantastic. But the real star of the show? Cayenne pepper. (Don’t be scared.) It adds a little bit of warmth and spice that’s just killer with the cinnamon, ancho chile and chocolate. Trust me. I’ve been known to lie here and there, but trust me.
I’ve made these brownies more times than I can count, it’s one of my go-to recipes. I’ve eaten a whole pan of these brownies while staring at myself in the mirror. I look really pretty. Scroll down for photos.
But hey, listen to your heart. If you don’t want the cayenne pepper in there, don’t put it in there. If you don’t want the cinnamon and ancho chile in there, don’t put it in there (but I really think you should put it in there). You’ll have a delicious and simple fudgy brownie.
Or hey, add 1/2 cup of your favorite chopped nuts. Or chocolate chips. Sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top. Hey do it all man, what’s stopping you?
What’s most important is to do what’s right; make some brownies.
And yeah, I can get down with boxed brownies, back off. That double chocolate Ghirardelli shit. Hell yeah. Ain’t no shame. BOXED BROWNIES BITCHES, let’s do it!
…and here I am posting a recipe for homemade brownies…hey do what you gotta do.
Let me know if you decide to skip the boxed brownies and make these bad boys! Let me know if you decide to put the cayenne pepper in there. Let me know if you decide to be a wimp. Naaaah I’m just messin’! But let me know. Hope you enjoy my friends!
“You couldn’t handle my undivided attention.” -Dwight K. Schrute
Cinnamon & Ancho Chile Brownies
Print RecipeIngredients
- Softened unsalted butter and all-purpose flour, for preparing the baking pan
- 1 cup (6 ounces) chopped dark chocolate (I usually use semi-sweet cause that's what's handy)
- 1 stick + 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons, 5 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons American-process cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ancho chile
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional), I go a little heavier than 1/4 teaspoon, yeehaw!
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with softened butter and dust the pan with flour. Alternatively, you can line pan with two pieces of greased parchment paper.
Place the chocolate and butter in a medium meal bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of cold water to create a double boiler. Melt the chocolate and butter over medium-low heat, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until completely smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool. (You can also met the mixture in a microwave-safe bowl by heating in a microwave oven for 20 seconds. After 20 seconds, stir and repeat until fully melted.)
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, light brown sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chile powder, salt and cayenne pepper, if using. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate-egg mixture, and combine with a spatula until smooth and uniform. Your the batter into a prepared baking pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top looks crisp and cracks begin to form. If a toothpick does not come out perfectly clean when you test the brownies, that's okay. Better to have slightly underdone brownies than overdone ones. They will set as they cool!
Cool completely before cutting the brownies into 16, 2x2-inch squares. Serve plain or dusted with confectioners' sugar.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Ovenly.
