A hybrid brownie/cupcake with chopped Diamond hazelnuts throughout is topped with a luscious chocolate hazelnut buttercream.

This post has been sponsored by Diamond Nuts.







I often have food cravings. It’s an occupational hazard when you deal with food all day long. But even though I get cravings, they aren’t usually the “I need this right this very minute or I will go crazy” kind of cravings.

But the other day, I wanted brownies. I really wanted brownies.

But I felt like baking, and well – with brownies, it’s just stir and dump and bake. I wanted something more than that.

Enter brownie cupcakes. Ok, so these aren’t a whole lot more than stir and dump and bake, but at least you get to pipe on some pretty frosting.



These are a hybrid of a cupcake and a brownie, so you get the best of both worlds. They are denser than cupcakes, but not quite as dense as a brownie. It’s the perfect compromise for when you can’t decide between cupcakes and brownies. Fold in some Diamond hazelnuts for a little bit of crunch, and it’s a little bit of chocolate bliss.

One thing is for sure, though. This buttercream – WOW. This recipe makes enough for you to pipe a generous amount on each cupcake, plus enough to squeeze some directly into your mouth. Not that I would know, or anything…







Looking for more free recipes? Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram. Hazelnut Brownie Cupcakes with Hazelnut Buttercream Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Yield: 12 cupcakes 1 x Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description A hybrid brownie/cupcake with chopped Diamond hazelnuts throughout is topped with a luscious chocolate hazelnut buttercream. Scale 1x 2x 3x Ingredients For the Cupcakes: 3/4 cup chocolate chips

chocolate chips 3/4 cup butter

butter 3 eggs

eggs 3/4 cup sugar

sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt

salt 3/4 cup flour

flour 1/2 cup chopped Diamond hazelnuts For the Buttercream: 1/2 cup butter

butter 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

chocolate hazelnut spread 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

vanilla 1/8 teaspoon salt

salt milk, as needed

chopped Diamond hazelnuts, for topping Instructions To make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. In a microwave safe bowl (or in a small saucepan over medium heat), melt the chocolate chips and butter together. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and the sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture and the vanilla. Fold in the flour and then the hazelnuts. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin tins. Bake in the preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool completely. To make the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and hazelnut spread together until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and continue to beat until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add milk as needed to thin out the buttercream to reach your desired consistency. Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes and top with chopped hazelnuts.

Other Brownie Favorites:



Nutella Fudge Brownies



Rocky Road Brownies



Almond Macaroon Brownie Bars

Around the Web:

Decadent Frosted Brownies from Dine and Dish

Triple Chocolate Brownies from Completely Delicious

Sinfully Rich Brownies from Sweet Treats and More

I am in a working relationship with Diamond Nuts, and this post has been sponsored. I’m so glad to be able to work with companies and organizations that I truly believe in. Thank you for supporting them, too.