I am not at all opposed to a boxed mix. Whether it's cake, brownies, or even store-bought cookie dough, baking shortcuts definitely have their place in my book. And that's especially true for box brownies. Somehow, box brownie manufacturers have harnessed a formula for a great balance of fudgy and cakey that I love. I've never had a box brownie mix that wasn't delicious! But as great as box mixes are, these triple chocolate brownies made with brown butter and toasted pecans have definitely become my go-to brownie recipe!
What makes these brownies better than a box mix?
First of all, these triple chocolate brownies -- as you may have guessed from their name -- boast three types of chocolate. Unsweetened cocoa powder, milk chocolate chunks, and dark chocolate chips. I found this combination to strike a balance that's chocolatey and sweet, but not overly sweet.
Plus these triple chocolate brownies are the perfect mix of fudgy and cakey. I've heard about this ongoing fudgy-vs-cakey debate, and my position is-- why not both? I love brownies that are fudgy and slightly gooey in the center, but slightly cakey on the outside and crispy on the edges. So these brownies are the best of both worlds!
Finally, the chocolate flavor in these brownies is boosted by the addition of a few bonus ingredients.
- Espresso powder. The slight coffee flavor makes the chocolate a bit more complex and balances out the flavors perfectly.
- Brown butter. It's an optional step, but I couldn't resist -- the nutty brown butter flavor complements the pecans and the chocolate so well!
- Toasted pecans. I personally love that crunch that nuts can add to a soft, fudgy brownie. You can toast up some pecan chips from the baking aisle, or just chop up some roasted pecans.
What kind of chocolate is best for brownies?
It's kind of up to your preference, but in my experience dark or bittersweet chocolate with at least 60% cacao gives the best deep chocolate flavor. But in these triple chocolate brownies you won't have to choose! We've got the classic cocoa powder for the fudgy base, plus both rich semisweet and creamy milk chocolate to give you so much chocolate goodness in every bite!
You can use any dark or semisweet chocolate chips that you love -- I like the Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. The milk chocolate I like to use is a king size Hershey bar, mainly because it's a good size for this triple chocolate brownies recipe. But if you have another baking chocolate that you prefer, just chop up 2-3 ounces of it and throw it in!
Step by Step
- First, you'll want to mix your wet ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
- Add in sugars and. mix well.
- Then, sift in your dry ingredients and fold in nuts.
- Smooth the batter into the pan and bake!
Tips and F.A.Q.
Yes, if you prefer them that way! To make these triple chocolate brownies gooey, just cook them a bit less than the 30 minutes set in the recipe. I would check them after 25 minutes and take them out once the center no longer wobbles and is just barely set.
The more cocoa powder in your brownies, the more fudgy they'll be -- so this triple chocolate brownies recipe has almost as much cocoa powder as it has flour, plus lots of chocolate folded in, so they turn out SUPER fudgy!
It's easy! You'll just melt your cubed butter in a light-colored sauté pan, and once your butter is melted and the milk solids have sunk to the bottom of the pan, they’ll start to turn a deep golden brown. You may also smell a nutty or toasty aroma. That’s when your brown butter is ready and when you should remove it from the heat right away! For more details on browning butter, check out my Brown Butter Appreciation Post.
Equipment you may need
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) brown butter - slightly cooled (made from salted butter)*
- 3 large eggs - room temperature
- 2 teaspoon (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar - packed
- ¾ cup (65 g) cocoa powder
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) espresso powder - optional; alternatively, you can add a tablespoon of strong coffee
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
- ⅔ cup (120 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 king size Hershey's milk chocolate bar - chopped (2.3 oz; about ½ cup)
- 1 cup (109 g) chopped pecans - toasted**
- powdered sugar - for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9" baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.1 cup brown butter, 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add in sugars and mix well.¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar
- Sift cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, and salt into the bowl and fold with rubber spatula until just combined.¾ cup cocoa powder, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon espresso powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Fold in chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, and pecans.⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 king size Hershey's milk chocolate bar, 1 cup chopped pecans
- Add batter to pan and smooth to the edges
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is set. OR, if you like your brownies extra gooey, check them at 25 minutes and remove from the oven when the center is just barely set.
- Cool in pan for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.powdered sugar
Notes
Nutrition
Last Updated on September 1, 2021 by Chenée Lewis
Tara
I am not a huge sweets person except one week out of the month and then I am a chocolate fiend!! These brownies were exactly what I was craving. The pecans added a lovely crunch and texture. Will make again!
kushigalu
These brownies look amazingly delicious. Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe.
Beth
These sound amazing. I love their richness, and coffee is always so great with chocolate.
Chenée Lewis
Absolutely! Thanks!
Priya Srinivasan
Wow these brownies look totally delish! Perfectly done!
Cara
YES! These brownies are everything I've been looking for. The addition of the espresso powder was PERFECT.
Chenée Lewis
I love how it deepens the chocolate flavor!
Cristina
These brownies look so delicious! I definitely need to try this recipe 🙂
Chenée Lewis
thanks!! It's my favorite brownie recipe!!
Michelle Solomon
oh wow these look so delicious!!! will have to make them
Chenée
Thanks!! I hope you like them!