Dark Chocolate Vanilla Bean Espresso Brownies Recipe
With a fudgy interior, this super chewy vanilla bean espresso brownies recipe is the rich, dark chocolate indulgence you’ve been looking for.
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Everyone needs a go-to brownie recipe and in my opinion, it needs to be as full of chocolate flavor as possible. Otherwise, what’s the point? These incredible brownies double down on that deep, intense flavor with dark chocolate enhanced with espresso powder.
Even though these will please coffee lovers, the espresso powder doesn’t give them a strong coffee flavor. It acts more as a booster to amp up the flavor of the chocolate. Whenever you make chocolate desserts but they aren’t chocolatey enough, add espresso powder! It works wonders.
These brownies are so delicious with flecks of whole vanilla bean and the perfect moist on the inside, crackly on the top texture. You are going to love them so much you’ll be making them for every holiday. They’re perfect for sharing for Easter brunch, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, heck even St. Patrick’s Day!
Why Everyone Loves This Espresso Brownies Recipe
- Soft, thick, and just like my chocolate salty balls, positively packed with dark chocolate flavor (thanks to the espresso powder)
- Similar to my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, they’re naturally dairy-free!
- Ready in under an hour
- Great with any number of add-ins like walnuts, peanut butter, or a swirl of caramel
- Simple + straightforward recipe but with the luxurious touch of vanilla bean and espresso flavor
- Fun to serve alongside peach raspberry crumb pie in the summer for 4th of July.
9 Ingredients In These Fudgy Espresso Brownies
Simple ingredients make these brownies easy to whip up.
- Light brown sugar: Brown sugar ensures softness and chewiness of the brownies.
- Vegetable oil: Using oil instead of butter makes these brownies extra fudgy, plus they’re naturally dairy-free!
- Bittersweet chocolate: I like to use dark chocolate chips. If you need these brownies to be dairy-free make sure you check the package to see if they have milk in the ingredients.
- Vanilla bean: The whole vanilla bean adds a distinct floral note but if you don’t want to splurge for vanilla beans, you can substitute vanilla extract instead.
- Eggs: Binds everything together.
- Dark cocoa powder: For rich flavor use unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch process both work.
- All purpose flour: Just a small amount acts as a base to these brownies.
- Instant espresso powder. Provides rich coffee flavor and boosts the chocolate.
- Fine sea salt: Typically I only use Morton’s kosher salt but because we need to sift the salt through a fine mesh sieve, fine sea salt works better in this recipe.
Step-by-Step Photos
You can find the full recipe below in the recipe card, but let me walk you through these steps. These coffee brownies are quick and simple.
Melt the chocolate: Combine the sugar, oil, and chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until melted and smooth then immediately pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool slightly (you don’t want to cook the egg when you add it).
Stir in vanilla bean: Slice the vanilla bean in half with a pairing knife and use the back of the knife to scrape out the seeds. Add them to the chocolate mixture along with the eggs and whisk until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients: Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, and salt. Stir into the wet ingredients with a silicone spatula until no more flour remains. The batter will be very thick.
Bake: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 25 minutes.
Serve: Let cool for about 15 minutes then lift out of the pan and continue to cool for 10 more minutes before serving warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Success Tip: Easily Removing Brownies From The Pan
The easiest way to get homemade brownies (or any bars) out of the baking dish is to line the pan with parchment paper.
First, grease the pan (this will make it easier for the parchment paper to stick), then place a piece of parchment paper so that there’s about an inch or more hanging over the sides. This overhang acts as handles to lift the brownies out of the pan.
Let the brownies cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift up the paper and easily transfer the brownies to a wire rack to cool completely.
By the way, if you’re in the market for a new baking pan, see my recommendations first.
Espresso Brownie FAQ’s
Why are my brownies dry? Brownies continue to bake as they cool so it’s best to pull them out of the oven slightly underdone with a fudgy center. Start checking at 20 minutes by inserting a knife or toothpick in the middle. It should come out with a few moist crumbs on it. The edge will be set but the middle still a little fudgy.
Can you put brownies back in the oven? Yes! If you feel they are underbaked you can return them to the oven and bake longer, checking every 5 minutes. But, as I mentioned above, brownies continue to cook as they cool so they may not be underbaked, but just simply not cooled down enough to tell yet.
How long do brownies last in the fridge? You can keep brownies, covered in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge, covered, for a week (but believe me, they won’t last that long).
What’s the difference between fudgy vs. cake brownies? Fudgy brownies (like these espresso brownies) rely on melted chocolate for the chocolate flavor and have a higher ratio of fat to flour. Cake-like brownies typically have cocoa powder for the chocolate flavor and often have leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda.
More Treats You’ll Love
These are the best brownies but you might also like:
- Chocolate Salty Balls
- No-Bowl Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Iced Pumpkin Molasses Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Banana Bundt Cake
- Peach and Raspberry Pie with Crumb Topping
- Brown Butter Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Pear Cranberry Crisp
- The Best Cocoa Cookies
Dark Chocolate Espresso Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola or sunflower oil
- 1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (2 ounces)
- 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in the bottom third. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper so there is at least an inch overhanging on two sides.
- Combine the 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until melted and smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and let cool slightly.
- Using a paring knife, cut the vanilla bean in half vertically, then using the back of the knife, scrape all the seeds out of the bean. Add the vanilla bean seeds to the chocolate mixture as well as the 2 eggs, and stir to combine.
- Sift the 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon espresso powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt over the chocolate mixture, then stir with a silicone spoon until thick, shiny, and no flour remains. The batter will be very thick.
- Spread the batter evenly into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly moist, about 25-30 minutes. The top will still be shiny.
- Let cool 15 minutes then using the paper, lift out of the pan on to a wire rack to cool completely, or serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Doneness: The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. They will still be slightly fudgy, which is what you want! Overbaking will result in dry brownies. The shiny top is normal and doesn’t indicate underbaking.
- Freezing:
- Espresso Powder: Instant espresso powder (I like this brand) enhances the chocolate flavor. If you don’t have it, you can omit it, but the chocolate flavor won’t be as intense. Do not substitute with coffee grounds.
- Storage: Store cooled brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
