Easy Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Stout Brownies with Mocha Frosting
Let’s talk about brownies. They have an interesting little history – Brownies came into being thanks to socialite and philanthropist, Bertha Palmer, the head of the Board of Lady Managers for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. She asked the Palmer House Hotel’s pastry chefs to come up with a dessert that could be easily transported in boxed lunches at the Women’s Pavilion for this event. The original version, topped with walnuts and an apricot glaze, were a hit and from that, the modern brownie was born.
Nowadays, this humble dessert is one that can be made on a lazy Saturday morning or a late Friday night while you’re listening to music in the kitchen and drinking a glass of wine. They are the epitome of an easy, throw together dessert. No fancy equipment needed… Just mix, bake, and devour.
For these brownies, I use bitter dark chocolate to offset the sweetness off the mocha frosting and brown butter to add a nutty, caramelized depth of flavor and complexity. And the not-so-secret ingredient? A deep brown, oatmeal chocolate stout beer. The result? A delightfully decadent bite of ooey gooey bittersweet confection with a hint of coffee. These. Are. Good!
Now the big question: To frost or not to frost? That there’s a personal opinion. I like brownies both ways. And these are super moist and fudgy so they work with or without the frosting. With that being said, the mocha frosting adds another level of delicious sweetness.
When I set out to create this recipe, I knew I wanted to make a brownie that would work both ways… And these are SO chocolatey already, that I knew I wanted to create a frosting that would complement the brownies but wasn’t just your ordinary chocolate frosting. So, my answer? Coffee! I made a mocha frosting that’s sweet with a hint of bitter, earthy coffee. It’s the perfect counterpart to the brownies; making a small bite dessert that pairs exquisitely well with a cup of after dinner coffee or a glass of red. Because if you’re going to go all out, then go all out!
Eat well and enjoy!
Ingredient Details
- Brown Butter – Brown butter is essentially cooked butter and is super easy to make! It has a wonderfully nutty, caramelized flavor and adds a nice depth of flavor to recipes. Browning butter isn’t difficult, but it can burn quickly so you’ll want to keep an eye on it. You’ll want to melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer – Let the butter simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, whisking often. After 7 minutes or so, the fat will begin to separate out and the butter will become foamy. At this point, you’ll want to cook it for another minute or two, whisking constantly, until the butter is a deep amber color. Once you have this color, pull the butter off the heat immediately to prevent burning.
- Cocoa powder – Make sure you use unsweetened, bakers cocoa powder for this recipe. Shop my favorite Hershey's Cocoa Powder here: https://shop.hersheys.com/home?gclid=CjwKCAjw-eKpBhAbEiwAqFL0msr25iOH1vJhGA2zVn9VZamUbtiAHAbCYBLmrpPYqsAbPUrEeAhSHxoCF9MQAvD_BwE
- Oatmeal Chocolate Stout Beer – I love this type of beer for its rich, chocolate goodness. But any type of chocolate, oatmeal, or unflavored stout beer would work!
- Dark Chocolate Chips – I like pretty dark, bitter chocolate with just a hint of sweetness for this recipe. It really helps offset the sweetness of the frosting and adds a great depth of flavor. I love Guittard Chocolate for this - Find my favorites here: https://www.guittard.com/
- Vanilla - If you can, use real vanilla extract for this recipe. Find my favorite, more budget-friendly 100% vanilla extract here: https://beyondgood.com/
- Instant Coffee or Instant Espresso for the Frosting – Instant coffee dissolves in hot water, making this a super easy recipe addition. But if you’re so inclined to use regular slow drip coffee or espresso, feel free! You’ll need about 4 tablespoons.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup oatmeal chocolate stout beer (or other stout beer)
- 4 oz dark chocolate chips
- 12 tbsp salted butter
- 2 Large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 tsp instant coffee or instant espresso
- 4 tbsp hot water
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 lb powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup salted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 to 2 tbsp milk (as needed for frosting consistency)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8” x 8” pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Place the chocolate chips in a large, heat-proof bowl. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, whisking often. The fat will begin to separate and then the butter will become foamy – Continue to cook while foaming, whisking constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the butter is a deep amber color.
Pour the melted chocolate over the chocolate chips and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the beer into the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined.
In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla for two minutes, scraping down the sides. Pour the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture and gently whisk just until combined.
Add the flour mixture to the egg and chocolate mixture. Gently whisk just until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
Mix the instant coffee or espresso together with the hot water until the coffee grounds have completely dissolved. Set in the refrigerator and let cool completely.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter, coffee, and vanilla together on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scraping down the sides halfway through.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until you get a frosting consistency, about 5 minutes. If the frosting is too dry, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the frosting is too wet, add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Frost the cooled brownies, cut, and enjoy!