Espresso Brownies Recipe

An espresso brownie topped with creamy frosting and chocolate pieces on a white plate, with more espresso brownies in the background.

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Fudgy Espresso Brownies are easy to make and perfect when you need a little caffeine fix. This easy one bowl brownie recipe is topped with creamy espresso frosting and chopped chocolate covered espresso beans!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Course: Brownies and Bars

Cuisine: American

Keyword: espresso, fudgy brownies

Servings: servings

Author: Aimee

Ingredients

For the Brownies

1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons espresso powder

For the Frosting

½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons espresso powder
2 Tablespoons milk
¼ cup dark chocolate covered espresso beans, chopped, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set it aside.
In a medium saucepan or pot, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, remove from heat and add in chocolate chips with sugar. Stir until chocolate is melted.
Add in eggs, one at a time, stirring completely after each addition. Add in vanilla extract.
Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder. Using big strokes, stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not over mix.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish, Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before adding the frosting.
For the frosting, beat softened butter for 3 minutes until pale in color (scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed).
Add in powdered sugar, espresso powder, and milk. Beat until fluffly, about 3-4 minutes. Spread frosting over the cooled brownies and sprinkle the top with crushed espresso beans.

Notes

I love using King Arthur espresso powder. However, Cafe Bustelo instant espresso works fantastic too.
Use a metal baking dish instead of glass if possible. The metal transmits the heat more evenly, resulting in a perfect texture.
Storage- store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Freeze brownies in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw on counter overnight.
If you like thick and gooey brownies, bake close to the 40 minute mark. If you prefer them completely baked, not gooey, increase time to 45 minutes or more.

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