Gingerbread Brownies

 

Well snap!  Gingerbread Brownies!  Yeah!

I've given you an excellent recipe for Chewy Brownies which are heh a snap to make.  I've also shared these stellar All Purpose Brownies.

Too, several awesome dessert bars which are to die for.  Yum.

Then yes of course, these Gingerbread Cookies which I think are the best.

Oh and not to be left out, let's go there, Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream.  Yesss.

So let's combine the thought pattern into Gingerbread Brownies!

What a way to celebrate the holiday spice season, amiright?

When I presented the Gingerbread Cookies, I mentioned that gingerbread related items had never really been on my radar to bake, thinking it was too complicated or mysterious as I had rather limited experience with them.

There's obviously nothing to fear and there is no mystery involved -- it's a handful of warm heady spices, cinnamon, ginger of course, clove, allspice, and others if you so desire in combination with molasses.  See?  Easy!

So imagine the surprise that one can combine the tasty aspects of gingerbread with a nice, chocolaty brownie.

A fudgy, dense (not in the wrong way) yet also awesomely chewy brownie.

As I mentioned in my Chewy Brownie report, I'm not a fudgy nor cakey brownie person, and to each their own.  Differences are to be celebrated.

So I had my doubts about the success of this recipe but I was sorely mistaken for having any kind of silly thoughts.

These are fudgy but not in the sense of ooey gooey teeth-rotting chocolate bombs that fall apart in your hand because they can't hold themselves together.  More in the sense of fudge but without being fudge.  They are rich but not overly so.

Rawr you devils, you.

These Gingerbread Brownies are a bit of a chocolate bomb, and can be made more so.  I find though, for me, even though I love chocolate like mad (well established here unlike Mike, as we know), there are times when it can be too much of a good thing.

Hence why a couple aspects of this recipe I've turned into optional components.  Add them all, add one, add none and stick with just the brownie recipe itself.  Or add nuts, add dried cherries (whoa), serve these up with ice cream.

Aw man.  Whew.

Like I said, I love chocolate but too much is too much for me and becomes unenjoyable.  Shocking as that may sound.  I know there are others out there like me.

While the ingredient list may feel lengthy therefore giving off airs that it's complicated, I assure you, it's simple as any other brownie recipe.

Do note that a big key to the success here is refrigerating the brownies after they have cooled.  This step is what makes them.  That fridge gives them the exact right texture mix of dense, fudgy, and chewy.  Mwah, yay refrigerator!

Ultimately these pictures will probably present pretty plain and boring, surely not Insta-worthy, like what's the big whoo-ha here, Bex.  Try the brownies.  Try 'em.  You'll see.

Let's get on this.  The holiday season of eating Gingerbread Brownies awaits.

Start by lining your 8x8 metal pan* with some parchment paper* one or both directions with the ends folded over the top of the pan.  Give it a whirl of spray or light smear of butter.  This makes for easy removal but if paper is not your jam, a slight grease job will do it.

Melt the butter and the chocolate together in a nice big mixing bowl* in the microwave or on the stove in a pot.  Take those goodies out of or off of the heat before the chocolate is fully melted then stir it around until it is.  This keeps things from being too hot for the next steps.

Meanwhile, sift* together all the dry stuff into a small bowl, set that aside.

Next, toss in the sugar, whisk* that around.  It'll be grainy, no biggie.
 

Whisk, not spatula, here.

Trickle in the molasses, just regular molasses, nothing crazy and dump in one egg.  Whisk those goodies in until thoroughly mixed.  Things will begin to stiffen up a little here.

Toss in the second egg and the vanilla, whisk that together 'til everyone in the pool is one.

Grab the dry ingredients, toss them in and if you're using the chocolate chips (I did not), add them now too.  With a spatula,* gently fold everything together until juuuust barely mixed.

Spread this thick batter into your baking pan nice and even, then it's bake time!

Wait until you smell this.  Whoo.

Ok, to test for done, stick a toothpick in the center and what you'll see when it comes out is bit of gooey batter still stuck on it here and there.  Not coated, not clean, but a blob or two.  Cool them in the pan completely.

Now if you're into the glaze idea, mix that up, pour it atop.  Either way, it's time for the brownies to go in the fridge.  If you go sans glaze, or maybe even if you go glaze, I'd suggest removing the parchment before chilling otherwise it gets real in-there stuck.  Just plop the brownies back in the pan.

Chill for an hour or two then ok ok yes, now you can dig in!

Tasty little numbers, I tell ya.

Happy Gingerbread Brownies to you!

*The 8x8 metal baking pans, parchment paper, mixing bowls, sifting tools, whisks, and spatulas are Amazon affiliate links.  Happy baking, thanks!  Please see the "info" tab for more, well, info.