March 12, 2014

Chocolate Stout Brownies

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Rich and decadent chocolate stout brownies with an irish cream frosting! These perfectly fudgy brownies are topped with a thick layer of icing and dusted with sea salt. Vegetarian.

A Chocolate Stout Brownie on a white plate with more in the background.

Note: This recipe is NOT dairy free. It was published before Cook Nourish Bliss transitioned to dairy free recipes and remains popular with long time readers. You can try using substitutions to make it dairy free, however I have not tested this myself and can’t say how it will turn out.

I’m finding it very hard not to lick my computer screen as I’m writing this.  

I’m currently on a self-imposed sugar ban for a bit and frankly looking at these pictures is making it very difficult to hold on to my willpower.

I love dessert and while it’s not something I would ever give up, let’s just say that we were eating it a little too often for a time period there.  

So I’m trying to take a step back for a bit and have only been having a cup of tea at night before bed.  It hasn’t been all that bad … until I went to edit these pictures.

A Stout Brownie on a white plate with irish cream frosting.

Because the rich, fudgy brownies topped with a thick layer of creamy dreamy irish cream frosting staring back at me are not helping one little bit.  

And seriously, these are crazy fudgy.  Not cake-like at all – more like a flourless chocolate cake even though there is flour involved.

Now let’s talk about the stout factor. 

You don’t actually taste the stout – it just really intensifies the chocolate flavor – making them outrageously chocolaty and obviously plate-licking good.

And did I mention that these are finished off with a dusting of sea salt?  A little salty, plenty sweet and boozy?   

Now that’s one heck of a combination right there if I do say so myself.

A Beer Brownie on a white plate with a bite taken out with a fork.

Additional Chocolate Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Chocolate Stout Brownies with Irish Cream Frosting | cookiemonstercooking.com

Chocolate Stout Brownies

Yield: about 16 brownies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Rich and decadent chocolate stout brownies with an irish cream frosting! These perfectly fudgy brownies are topped with a thick layer of icing and dusted with sea salt. Vegetarian.

Ingredients

For the brownies:

  • ½ cup chocolate stout (regular stout is fine too)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

For the frosting:

  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons irish cream liqueur

For finishing:

  • flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

To make the brownies:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil (leaving an overhang on the sides) and then spray well with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Add the stout to a small saucepan. Bring the stout to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes (keep an eye on it - you don’t want it to burn - every so often I’ll gently swirl the pan). Set aside to cool.
  3. Cut the butter into chunks and then add to a heatproof bowl. Add in the chocolate chips. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (don’t let the water actually touch the bowl) and stir occasionally until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
  4. Carefully transfer the melted chocolate mixture to a medium bowl and let cool slightly (you want it to be warm to the touch). When warm, add in the sugar, vanilla, salt and reduced stout and mix until combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until just combined. Add in the flour and gently fold into the mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
  5. Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the surface of the brownies starts to crack.
  6. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely (don’t try to remove them until they are completely cool or they won't hold together). Once cool, lift out of the pan using the foil overhang. Set on a cutting board.

To make the frosting:

  1. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the confectioners’ sugar. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until well combined.
  2. Add in the salt, vanilla and irish cream. Beat on low speed until incorporated and then increase the speed to high and beat for about 3 minutes, until fluffy.
  3. Spread the frosting in an even layer over the cooled brownies. Sprinkle lightly with some flaky sea salt. Cut into bars.

Notes

Brownie base adapted from Foodie Crush

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 451Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 98mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 2gSugar: 40gProtein: 4g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert
Bars, Chocolate, Dessert, Game Day, Recipes (ALL), Seasonal, Vegetarian
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