Coffee Brownies

These Coffee Brownies are rich, fudgy brownies with espresso powder in them, a decadent coffee frosting layer, and topped with a rich chocolate ganache. This coffee brownie recipe is one you will want to give a try especially if you're crazy about coffee desserts.

a brownie square on a piece of burlap with a blue mug behind it


 

Mocha brownies with coffee frosting are something you could make for a girl's night in, a special dessert for your coffee-loving family, or even as a party dessert to serve a crowd.

Coffee brownies from scratch are definitely a favorite of mine! If you are a brownie lover, skip the box and try this homemade espresso brownie recipe. Give it a try and let me know how you like it.

If you need more coffee desserts in your life, check out this Coffee Cheesecake, Coffee Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream, Frozen Coffee Cream Pie, or this Mocha Layer Cake with Coffee Frosting.

Ingredients for Coffee Brownies

overhead photo of the ingredients for espresso brownies

There are a few more ingredients for this brownie than with the typical brownie recipe, but it's totally worth it. You'll notice that this brownie recipe doesn't have cocoa powder in it. Instead I used melted baking chocolate for a more fudgey texture.

a brownie propped against a second brownie showing the layers with coffee beans and a piece of burlap

How To Make Coffee Brownies

You are going to start by making a brownie batter with espresso powder. The espresso powder will help heighten the flavor of the chocolate in this recipe.

Pumpkin cheesecake
5 Pumpkin Desserts for Thanksgiving

Discover what favorite pumpkin desserts should be at your Thanksgiving table this year

collage of photos adding ingredients to a blue bowl to make brownies

For the brownie batter, add the butter and chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds increments and stirring until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out clean. Let the brownies cool before adding the coffee frosting layer.

collage showing how to make a coffee frosting layer

Once the brownies are cooled, whip up that coffee layer. Start by whisking the espresso powder and heavy cream in a bowl. Add in the powdered sugar and butter and beat with a hand mixer until incorporated.

Spread the coffee layer on top of the cooled brownies and allow it to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before adding the ganache top

collage showing how to make ganache and adding it to the coffee brownie

Then lastly you will make the homemade ganache, that you pour over the top of the brownies. Place the coffee brownies in the fridge, to allow the ganache to set up. Once set up, slice and serve these decadent brownies.

How To Store Frosted Coffee Brownies

You will want to keep your brownies in the fridge because of the chocolate ganache. Make sure they are in an airtight container, covered with aluminum foil, or in a storage bag.

You can store brownies in the fridge for up to 5 days. The first two days you will find offer you the best quality brownies.

a white plate full of brownies with burlap under plate

Can You Use Substitute The Espresso Powder For Instant Coffee Granules

Yes, you can use equal swapping of espresso powder to instant coffee granules. This will still give you that rich coffee flavor in your brownie recipe. I have used instant coffee in the past, and it works great.

Can I add ground coffee beans to brownies?

I think coffee grounds would probably leave the brownies a weird texture. If you were to use coffee grounds, I would steep them with the melted butter and then strain the grounds out and just use the butter.

If you want to try that with this recipe, I would use ¼ to ⅓ cup of coffee grounds and heat it up with just the butter. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before straining.

a stack of brownies on a piece of burlap with a mug behind it

Here are even more brownie recipes to make

  • Snickers Brownies | Caramel, nougat, and nuts all come together for one incredible Snickers Brownie recipe. If you are a Snickers fan you will go bonkers over this incredible brownie recipe.
  • Drunken Monkey Brownies | Chocolate and bananas collide in this drunken monkey brownie recipe. This is one of the top brownie recipes that I always keep in rotation.
  • Cannoli Brownies | This is a bakery-style fudgy brownie topped with a pile of cannoli frosting.
  • Hot Cocoa Brownies | If you are looking for a brownie for winter, give this cocoa brownie a try. It is like sipping on a cup of hot cocoa with every single bite.
a brownie square on a piece of burlap with a blue mug behind it

Coffee Brownies

These Coffee Brownies are rich, fudgy brownies with espresso powder in them, a decadent coffee frosting layer, and topped with a rich chocolate ganache.
4.58 from 7 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 bars
Calories 287 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Brownies

  • ½ cup unsalted butter cubed
  • 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • â…” cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Coffee Layer

  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature

Ganache Layer

  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • â…“ cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions

Brownies

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick baking spray. The foil allows for easy removal.
  • Add the butter and chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval until completely melted. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, add the eggs, sugar, vanilla and melted chocolate mixture. Whisk until everything is incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix again until smooth.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownie comes out clean.
  • Allow the brownies to cool before preparing the coffee layer.

Coffee Layer

  • Once the brownies are cooled completely, mix together the espresso powder and heavy cream in a medium bowl.
  • Add the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter. Beat with a hand mixer until well combined.
  • Spread the mixture over the brownie tops and allow it to set in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Ganache

  • In a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips, heavy cream.
  • Microwave in 30-second intervals and stir after each interval. Repeat until the ganache is smooth and completely melted.
  • Pour the chocolate sauce over the coffee layer and carefully spread it out.
  • Place into the fridge to help set the chocolate layer.
  • Store in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 32mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 2gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 371IUCalcium: 23mgIron: 2mg

(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)

Similar Posts

6 Comments

    1. I pour half the brownie batter into the pan then add the coffee layer and finally top the pan with the rest of the brownie batter, baking the coffee layer in the middle. Hope this helps!

    1. Yes! Once the chocolate ganache has set up in the fridge, you can either wrap the brownies whole as one big piece with two layers of plastic wrap, a layer of heavy-duty foil ( the foil isn't necessary but I like to add it), and then in a freezer bag or you can wrap them the same way but individually. They are more likely to get hard on the edges if they're frozen in individual pieces though.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating