Chocolate + Beer = Beer Brownies. Really.

If you’ve never baked with beer before, it’s fantastic. A stout brings out the chocolaty flavors of any dessert so using a can of PBR or Bud just isn’t quite the same. I like using Guinness if I bake with beer; the barley brings out a rich, coffee-like smokey flavor especially when you bake it with chocolate. For these beer brownies, I used the anniversary edition of Guinness:

[250 years? Wow.]

This particular Guinness had a stronger coffee flavor which I loved. If you can’t use beer, I bet you that Coke is a fair substitute. Now on to the recipe…

For a 9"x9" pan:

¾ c. all-purpose flour

¼ c. unsweetened natural cocoa powder



3 oz. dark chocolate

¾ c. granulated sugar

½ c. dark brown sugar

¼ c. plus 2 tablespoons butter

3 eggs

1 tbsp. coffee extract

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

¾ c. stout beer

¾ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9" x 9" pan with butter or vegetable oil. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl; set aside. In a medium glass bowl, melt the dark chocolate over a pot of water. When the chocolate is melted, add in the butter, sugars, vanilla extract and coffee extract. Add the eggs gradually. Slowly pour the beer into this wet ingredients mixture stirring simultaneously. Pour this mixture (sugars/dairy/extracts) into the dry mixture, stirring at the same time (on low if you’re using a standing mixer or hand mixer). Fold in the chocolate chips last. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 35 minutes.

Let it cool before serving.

