Chai-Spiced Hot Chocolate

There’s not much that could improve the creamy perfection of hot chocolate, but this chai-spiced twist on the classic drink is hard to beat! This spice-infused treat is warming, oh-so chocolaty, and perfectly sweet. It’s winter comfort in a mug!
Plus, …

Chai-Spiced Hot Chocolate

There’s not much that could improve the creamy perfection of hot chocolate, but this chai-spiced twist on the classic drink is hard to beat! This spice-infused treat is warming, oh-so chocolaty, and perfectly sweet. It’s winter comfort in a mug!

Plus, it’s dairy-free, naturally sweetened with dates, and requires just 8 ingredients and 10 minutes to make.

Chai-Spiced Hot Chocolate from Minimalist Baker →

Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Vegan)

Friends, these chocolate crinkle cookies are a must for holiday baking! They’re super chocolaty, optionally minty, and have a signature crackly crust. What’s a crinkle cookie without a crackly crust?!
Oh wait, it gets better. Did we mention they&…

Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Vegan)

Friends, these chocolate crinkle cookies are a must for holiday baking! They’re super chocolaty, optionally minty, and have a signature crackly crust. What’s a crinkle cookie without a crackly crust?!

Oh wait, it gets better. Did we mention they’re chewy and fudgy with fluffy centers?! It’s magic!

Your guests will be going back for seconds (or thirds), never knowing they’re gluten-free and vegan! It really is magic.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Vegan) from Minimalist Baker →

Chocolate Pecan Slab Pie

Pecans are the great American nut and at no time of the year are they more in demand than around the holidays. There are a lot of different nuts grown in the United States; walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts, but a pie made with toasted pecans is a holiday tradition and every year I have the urge to make one. Recently an American membership-only store…

Pecans are the great American nut and at no time of the year are they more in demand than around the holidays. There are a lot of different nuts grown in the United States; walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts, but a pie made with toasted pecans is a holiday tradition and every year I have the urge to make one.

Recently an American membership-only store opened in France, and while there are many French hypermarchés (mega-stores), this one caused a splash, particularly amongst Americans, because they have things like big rolls of their famous plastic wrap with that superlative cutter, IPA beers, and from what I hear, big bags of pecans.

There’s always been Metro, a similar mega-store that carries more restaurant-supply items. But there’s a huge refrigerator filled with every kind of French cheese (and butter) that you can imagine, sold whole (like an entire wheel of Brie) or butter in large blocks, and they give you down jackets to wear because you want to spend so much time in there. It really is that cold. But you need to be a professional to go there.

I don’t have room for an entire wheel of Brie – and I’m not talking about in my stomach (which I’d be up for trying…), but in my refrigerator – but I do have room for pecans, which I stockpile as the holidays get closer and closer. Over the years, I’ve made Ginger Pecan Pie and Chocolate Pecan Pie with my precious pecans that I haul back from the States because I’m not schlepping out to the boonies on the outskirts of Paris to get a bag of pecans when I can carry them 5500 miles over the Atlantic. (And sometimes pay extra in luggage fees.) That makes sense. Right?

Continue Reading Chocolate Pecan Slab Pie...

Malted Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Sweet dreams are made of these malted fudge brownie ice cream sandwiches, with layers of chewy fudge brownie, luscious ganache, and a malted cocoa ice cream. These brownie ice cream sandwiches are quite possibly one of my favorite recipes, ever. With layers of silky smooth milk chocolate ganache and a light cocoa ice cream that’s […]

The post Malted Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Sweet dreams are made of these malted fudge brownie ice cream sandwiches, with layers of chewy fudge brownie, luscious ganache, and a malted cocoa ice cream.

These brownie ice cream sandwiches are quite possibly one of my favorite recipes, ever. With layers of silky smooth milk chocolate ganache and a light cocoa ice cream that’s no-churn and no-fuss, sandwiched between two layers of thin, chewy brownie, they are as easy to prepare as they are to devour.

Random stack of Malted Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches, cut into squares to show the different layers, on a marble board.

Friends, these are ridiculously good.

Like, one of the best things I’ve ever made good. And considering I’ve published over 1,500 recipes (!!) that’s saying something.

Not to mention that for a multi-component ice cream sandwich, they are surprisingly easy to prepare. Which only makes them even better in my mind.

My original intention was to make Cosmic brownie-inspired ice cream sandwiches. I envisioned layers of chewy brownie, silky smooth milk chocolate ganache, and an ultra-rich, brownie batter-like ice cream. Topped off with rainbow bit sprinkles, of course.

The final recipe turned out a bit different than my original vision, with a lighter cocoa ice cream (a better contrast, in both taste and appearance, with the already-rich brownie and ganache), and leaving off the rainbow chips (gasp! I know). But in reality the chips didn’t really add anything visually to the sandwiches, seeing as they were layered in between the ganache and ice cream and only served to mess up the crisp clean cuts.

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German Chocolate Cake Energy Bites

When the craving strikes for German chocolate cake, these chocolaty, coconutty, pecan-filled energy bites come to the rescue fast! They’re rich, decadent, satisfy your sweet tooth, and come together in just 25 minutes with 9 simple ingredients.
They&#8…

German Chocolate Cake Energy Bites

When the craving strikes for German chocolate cake, these chocolaty, coconutty, pecan-filled energy bites come to the rescue fast! They’re rich, decadent, satisfy your sweet tooth, and come together in just 25 minutes with 9 simple ingredients.

They’re a filling snack or treat to enjoy throughout the week or share with friends. Did we mention they’re vegan, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened?

German Chocolate Cake Energy Bites from Minimalist Baker →

Chocolate Raspberry Crumb Bars

Chocolate and raspberry, together at last in one sweet and salty (and delightfully crumbly) mouthful. Jam crumb bars are one of my favorite desserts, and this choco-fied version is no exception: a layer of bright raspberry jam sandwiched between sweet and salty oatmeal shortbread, and chunks of bittersweet chocolate melted on top for good measure. […]

The post Chocolate Raspberry Crumb Bars first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Chocolate and raspberry, together at last in one sweet and salty (and delightfully crumbly) mouthful.

Jam crumb bars are one of my favorite desserts, and this choco-fied version is no exception: a layer of bright raspberry jam sandwiched between sweet and salty oatmeal shortbread, and chunks of bittersweet chocolate melted on top for good measure.

Rectangular cut Chocolate Raspberry Crumb Bars on parchment, pink background with fresh raspberries

Oat and jam crumb bars are, well, kinda my jam. I love being able to use up the random half-filled jars of jam floating around the fridge (because, surprisingly, for as much jam as I make we really don’t eat that much of it). Jam bars are like thumbprint cookies with half the effort.

A layer of crumbly oat shortbread + fruity jam + even more crumbles = one seriously tasty treat. Even more so when you add a double dose of chocolate to the mix. This is basically a choco-fied version of my original jam bars (one of the bonus recipes that comes with my Jam e-book bundle, and while I haven’t shared it in full on the blog, it’s one of my all-time favorites.)

You’d think chocolate crumb bars would be a thing, but usually it’s just regular crumb with a layer of chocolate or chocolate chips or something, which is not nearly enough chocolate for me.

So I added cocoa to the crumb base AND chopped up pieces of dark chocolate on top, making for the extra-chocolatey crumb bar of your dreams.

Two Chocolate Raspberry Crumb Bars on a plate with bowl of raspberries and more bars in the background.

This is one of those unassuming recipes that doesn’t look that impressive (it’s no s’mores tart topped with berries and edible gold leaf), but it’s just as satisfying, maybe even moreso for the pure simplicity and ease of preparation.

In other words, the effort-to-impact ratio is far higher than a high-effort/high-impact dessert like that tart, which in many ways makes it the superior recipe, wouldn’t you say?

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Decadent Chocolate Overnight Oats

If someone asks us if we want chocolate, the answer is always YES, where do we sign up?! Enter chocolate overnight oats (a.k.a. the perfect excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast). 
Not only are these overnight oats creamy, nutty, perfectly sweet, …

Decadent Chocolate Overnight Oats

If someone asks us if we want chocolate, the answer is always YES, where do we sign up?! Enter chocolate overnight oats (a.k.a. the perfect excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast). 

Not only are these overnight oats creamy, nutty, perfectly sweet, and undeniably delicious, but they’re SO easy to make! They come together with just 8 ingredients you probably already have around. It’s chocolate o’clock, so let us show you how it’s done!

Decadent Chocolate Overnight Oats from Minimalist Baker →

Chocolate Olive Oil Loaf Cake

This unique chocolate loaf cake is made with olive oil for a unique flavor and perfectly moist crumb. Not to mention it comes together in mere minutes, no mixer required! This moist and tender cake is made with olive oil for a unique flavor and perfect texture. The drizzle of olive oil chocolate glaze on […]

The post Chocolate Olive Oil Loaf Cake first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

This unique chocolate loaf cake is made with olive oil for a unique flavor and perfectly moist crumb. Not to mention it comes together in mere minutes, no mixer required!

This moist and tender cake is made with olive oil for a unique flavor and perfect texture. The drizzle of olive oil chocolate glaze on top is just, well, the icing on the cake (literally and figuratively, in this case).

Sliced Chocolate Olive Oil Loaf Cake with drizzle of chocolate glaze on a wire baking rack

You gotta love a loaf cake; they’re second only to bundts in my mind in terms of ease of preparation and presentation. Too often I think we relegate loafs to quick breakfast breads. Nothing against banana bread or anything, but I think dessert loaves are seriously underrated, especially when it’s a loaf as impressive and delicious as this one!

Whisk drizzling the Chocolate Olive Oil Loaf Cake with a chocolate glaze.

I know, I know… I literally just posted another chocolate cake, not to mention my ultimate chocolate cake from a few years back that is still my go-to recipe for a classic chocolate layer cake. (Don’t forget about my red wine chocolate cake or the whiskey chocolate bundt cake either!)

Can you ever have too many chocolate cake recipes, though? I’d argue that, while similar, they all serve different purposes and thus are all three completely necessary to include in your recipe repertoire.

While the ultimate chocolate cake is a perfect option when you need a multi-layered showstopper, and the sour cream chocolate cake is ideal for when you’re craving something ridiculously decadent but can’t bear to wait a minute longer than necessary… if you’re looking for a simple and impressive chocolate loaf cake, this one fits the bill perfectly.

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Super Fudgy Homemade Brownies

These super fudgy homemade brownies are thick, rich, extra-chocolatey, and super moist. They’re the ultimate homemade fudge brownie!

The post Super Fudgy Homemade Brownies appeared first on Budget Bytes.

These are some seriously fudgy brownies, guys. Like, if you’re not really into chocolate, you might want to just skip this one because these homemade brownies are about as close as you can get to fudge while still being a brownie. Consider the lines blurred. But if you like ’em thick, rich, fudgy, and moist, these are the brownies for you!

P.S. Did I mention that you can make these incredible brownies in just one bowl? Yeah, they’re easy AND delicious!

A stack of fudgy homemade brownies.

Fudgy Brownies vs. Cakey Brownies

There are two main camps when it comes to brownies: fudge brownies and cake brownies. Fudge brownies are dense, chewy, and rich. Cakey brownies are lighter and fluffier, and just more cake-like in texture. I’m definitely all about those fudge brownies, so that’s what we have here. But not just any fudge brownies, SUPER fudgy brownies.

How to Make Brownies Fudgy

The secret to making moist, fudgy brownies is all in the type of fat you use and how you use it. Butter offers the best flavor for brownies, but because it’s solid at room temperature, adding a little cooking oil in addition to the butter helps keep the brownies extra soft and moist as they cool.

Using melted butter instead of cold butter also helps keep the brownies extra rich and fudgy. When solid butter is creamed together with sugar, it aerates the batter creating a light cake-like texture in the brownie. Melted butter can’t trap air in the same way, resulting in a dense, rich brownie.

What Type of Chocolate to Use for Homemade Brownies

This recipe calls for chocolate in two forms: unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips. I used a generic cocoa powder because I wanted to make sure these brownies would still be excellent even on a budget (they are), but if you have room in your budget for a higher quality cocoa powder, your brownies will only get better.

As for the chocolate chips, you can choose just about anything. Semi-sweet, dark, mint, peanut butter, large, small, whatever. Anything goes when it comes to the chips! This is a great way to use up leftover chips that you might have in your pantry. ;)

Homemade brownies scattered on a surface, from above.
A hand holding a stack of super fudgy homemade brownies.

Super Fudgy Homemade Brownies

These super fudgy homemade brownies are thick, rich, extra-chocolatey, and super moist. They're the ultimate homemade fudge brownie!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Total Cost $3.93 recipe / $0.44 serving
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 9
Calories 374kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

  • 12 Tbsp butter (salted) $1.32
  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil $0.08
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder $0.42
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar $0.20
  • 2 large eggs $0.42
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract $0.56
  • 1/4 tsp salt $0.01
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour $0.05
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips $0.83

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt the butter in a large bowl (or in a saucepot and then transfer to a bowl).
  • Add the cooking oil and cocoa powder to the melted butter and whisk until smooth.
  • Whisk the sugar into the chocolate mixture until evenly incorporated, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.
  • Stir in the flour until it forms a thick batter. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by coating it with butter or non-stick spray, then laying in a piece of parchment paper (the paper does not need to cover all sides of the dish). Add the brownie batter to the prepared dish, then spread it out evenly.
  • Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. The brownies will be quite soft and moist, even when fully baked.
  • Remove the brownies from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes before lifting them out of the baking dish. Slice into nine pieces and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 205mg | Fiber: 3g
A hand holding a stack of super fudgy homemade brownies.

How to Make Fudgy Homemade Brownies – Step by Step Photos

Butter in a bowl

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt ¾ cup (12 Tbsp, or 1.5 sticks) butter in a large bowl. I use a microwave, but you can also do this in a saucepot and then transfer it to a bowl.

Cocoa powder added to melted butter.

Whisk ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 Tbsp cooking oil into the melted butter until smooth.

sugar added to the butter and chocolate.

Whisk 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar into the butter and cocoa mixture.

Eggs and vanilla added to batter in the bowl.

Whisk two large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp salt into the batter.

flour added to the bowl of brownie batter.

Stir ¾ cup of all-purpose flour into the brownie batter until evenly combined.

chocolate chips being added to the brownie batter.

Fold ½ cup chocolate chips into the brownie batter.

Brownie batter in the prepared baking dish.

Coat an 8×8-inch baking dish in butter or non-stick spray, then lay parchment paper in the dish (it doesn’t need to cover all sides, it just makes it easy to lift the brownies out of the dish). Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread it smooth.

Baked brownies in the baking dish.

Bake the brownies in the preheated 350ºF oven for 40 minutes. The brownies will be very soft and moist when hot, so let them cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the dish.

sliced brownies on a piece of parchment paper.

Once the brownies are slightly cooled, you can use the parchment to lift them out of the baking dish. You can cut them while still warm (they will still be quite soft) or let them cool even further for cleaner cuts.

Side view of a stack of fudgy homemade brownies.

Enjoy all that fudgy brownie goodness! 🤤

Love Chocolate? Try These Recipes:

The post Super Fudgy Homemade Brownies appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Fudgy Tahini Date Chocolate Bars

If chocolate had best friends, tahini and dates would definitely be in the running! It’s one of our favorite combos, and we’ve put them together in this creamy, decadent treat inspired by Honey Mama’s Chocolate Bars. 
These fudgy, beautiful bars a…

Fudgy Tahini Date Chocolate Bars

If chocolate had best friends, tahini and dates would definitely be in the running! It’s one of our favorite combos, and we’ve put them together in this creamy, decadent treat inspired by Honey Mama’s Chocolate Bars. 

These fudgy, beautiful bars are made with simple, wholesome ingredients, and this version is naturally nut-free! With just 6 ingredients and 25 minutes required, your chocolate club membership awaits!

Fudgy Tahini Date Chocolate Bars from Minimalist Baker →