Cacao Nib Brownies

Have you ever made brownies from scratch? Have you ever noticed that when you bake a pan of brownies, the center brownies aren’t very chewy and only the corner brownies are actually chewy? I happen to like the chewy corner brownies but buying fancy pans to mimic “corner brownies” is not practical (IMHO). With the right recipe, the entire pan could be filled with chewy brownies.

I have a great recipe for chewy brownies with cacao nibs in it!

One of the most important ways to make brownies chewy is having the right amount of sugar. Some recipes don’t have enough sugar and some have too much flour. Without the right amount of sugar (and the right type of sugar), you can’t have the right textual consistency of a classic American brownie: chocolateness* and chewiness. I like that the cacao nibs in my recipe give it a strong chocolate aroma but without the additional sweetness or sugar to affect the texture.

For a 9”x9” pan:

3/4 c. butter, melted
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cacao nibs

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9”x9” baking pan with vegetable spray or unsalted butter (Remember: always use unsalted butter when using my recipes unless stated otherwise!). Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in three eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. In another mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Slowly mix the flour mixture into the sugary/buttery/egg mixture until blended before folding in the cocoa nibs.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes (or until inserted toothpick comes out clean). Remove and let it cool before cutting into squares. Or triangles if you want to be fancy.