Best Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter

1 1/4 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. baking powder

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.

2. Melt 1/2 c. butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. *

3. Gently stir in 1/3 c. cocoa, 1/2 c. flour, salt and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 28-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

*I melted my butter in the microwave and then poured it into the mixing bowl. Faster.

Rating: 4 of 5

As far as ease it's concerned, it's a 5. Such an easy recipe. It makes for a crispy outside and warm, ooey gooey inside. I didn't cook mine long enough (my oven tends to be on the warmer side of things) which caused an under-cooked middle (and I tend to not do the toothpick test!). So so so good and will definitely be making these again!

Source: The Comfort of Cooking, Best Cocoa Brownies

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted

1 t. vanilla extract

125 g. (1/2 c.) white chocolate, melted

Recipe:

1. Beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy on medium speed.

2. Add the vanilla and mix well.

3. Decrease the speed to low and slowly beat in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cut at a time.

4. Add in the melted white chocolate and beat until well incorporated. Frost cooled brownie slices.

Rating: 4 of 5

I thought this frosting was pretty good. The white chocolate is barely there and adds a nice taste. Super easy to put together.

Source: Food Wanderings in Asia, White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Red Velvet Brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla extract, divided

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour, sifted

1/4 t. salt

3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1 T. + 2 t. red food coloring *

* I had less than 1 t. of red, so we went for blue. And even then, I only had 2 t. of blue, so then I just added 1 T. water.

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8x8 inch square pan and line all sides with parchment paper.

2. Sift the flour and salt together in a bowl. Stir until mixed

3. Mix the cocoa powder, 1 t. vanilla extract, and red food coloring together until it becomes a smooth paste. Set aside.

4. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

6. Add the remaining 1 t. vanilla extract. Beat well.

7. Add in the cocoa powder mixture and beat until batter is uniformly red (or blue-ish green!). Set the electric mixer aside.

8. Using a hand whisk, add in the flour and stir gently until just combined. Do not over mix.

9. Spread the batter in the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached to it.

10. Cool for an hour in the pan on a wire rack.

11. Remove from the pan, cut into 9-inch squares and frost.

Rating: 4 of 5

I'm not sure what to say other than these were good. Soft and moist. Delicious. Ally and I really liked them.

Source: Food Wanderings in Asia, Red Velvet Brownies

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Yeah....we ate these too fast to take a picture.

Ingredients:

Makes 40 mini brownies

1 box of your favorite brownie mix *

1/2 c. peanut butter chips

1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

*I used Ghirardelli's Double Chocolate brownie mix.

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease 40 mini-muffin cups.

2. Prepare boxed brownie mix as directed. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups (about 1 heaping teaspoon).

3. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top is set and a toothpick inserted into center comes out slightly wet.

4. After brownies are out of the oven, wait for centers to fall. This will happen upon cooling. If not, then tap the centers with the back of a teaspoon to make a hole for the peanut butter.

5. Place peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds then stir.

6. While brownies are still warm spoon about half a teaspoon of peanut butter into the center of each brownie. Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Cool completely in pan.

Rating: 3.75 of 5

I love peanut butter. And I like brownies. So, the combo, is pretty good! I only made one batch so it came out over cooked, not wet in the middle at all, and I think it's because the box directions call for 325 degrees not 350. I'll have to try this one again and see if I can get it to sink. Either way, they were good.

Source: Baked Perfection, Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Best Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownie batter:

1/2 c. butter

1 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. baking powder

Frosting:

3 T. butter, softened

3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 T. honey

1 t. vanilla extract

1 c. confectioners' sugar

Recipe:

Brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.

2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 c. butter. Remove from heat and stir in 1 c. white cugar, eggs, and 1 t. vanilla.

3. Beat in 1/3 c. cocoa, 1/2 c. flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake.

Frosting:

1. Combine 3 T. butter, 3 T. cocoa, honey, 1 t. vanilla, and confectioners' sugar.

2. Frost brownies while still warm.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

LaDon and I have slightly different brownie likes. I like my inside a little gooey, he likes his a little more solid. So, the fact that we both thought it was a 3.5 is a pretty good sign that this is a good recipe. It's a pretty rich brownie mix, especially with the frosting on it. I liked the overall end result as it was a fairly gooey inside. It would be amazing with vanilla ice cream. For sure. The frosting is a little bit of a different story. It was super tasty, but it's texture was more like....fondant. I think I would alter it by decreasing the cocoa and powdered sugar or adding some milk to the recipe as it is. The frosting is a little difficult to spread on the brownies, but it did melt on top so I guess it didn't really matter too much??

Source: AllRecipes, pg. 341