Need a bake sale worthy treat, or something sweet to send in a care package? This chocolate brownies with walnuts recipe is just the thing. A chewy, fudgy brownie with frosting and toasted walnuts.
Tips for Making Chocolate Brownies
One of the reasons why I like making brownies from scratch is because they are so quick and easy to make. You don’t need a stand mixer, or electric hand mixer. Just grab a bowl and mix.
The other thing that I like about making brownies is that it doesn’t have a lot of ingredients. It’s all the basics- eggs, flour, sugar, butter, and of course chocolate. It’s all stuff that I have on hand, so I never have to worry about not having what I need to make a batch of this chocolate brownies with walnuts recipe.
I use unsweetened cocoa powder for both the brownie and the frosting. With 2 cups of granulated sugar in this recipe, I think that a sweetened cocoa powder like Ghiradelli’s Sweet Ground Chocolate would make the brownies too sweet. But if you have sweetened cocoa powder on hand to make hot chocolate, you can use it if you want. You may just want to adjust the amount of sugar you use.
I say it in every recipe that uses nuts, but it is so important to toast nuts before using them in a recipe. You won’t believe the difference it makes. It’s so easy to do, and it really brings out the flavor of the nuts.
When you make this chocolate brownies with walnuts recipe, make sure that you don’t overmix the batter. And, don’t overcook them. Start checking the brownies after 22 minutes, but it may take another 5 minutes or more. This will just depend upon your oven, and the type of baking pan you use.
Recipe for Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Brownies With Walnuts
Equipment
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 8"x8" Baking Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
Brownie Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter
- 2 Cups Granulated sugar
- 4 Large eggs
- 2 tsp. Vanilla extract
- 1 Cup All-purpose flour
- 1 Cup Ground cocoa powder Unsweetened
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- 1 Cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Cup Chopped walnuts
Frosting Ingredients:
- ½ Cup Unsalted butter
- 1/3 Cup Cocoa powder Unsweetened
- 1-1½ Cup Powdered sugar
- 2-3 T. Whole milk
Instructions
- Place the top oven rack in the center position and pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet until just combined. (Do not over mix or the brownies will turn out “cakey”).
- Stir the chocolate chips and walnuts into the batter and transfer to the prepared baking pan. Spread into an even layer and transfer to the pre-heated oven.
- Bake for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Brownies will still be soft and will finish setting while they cool.
- While brownies are cooling, whisk together all of the ingredients for the frosting.
- Frost brownies and top with walnuts.
Notes
- Toasting the walnuts brings out their flavor and gives them a great crunch. Toast the walnuts in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes. You don’t want to burn them so start checking them at 5 minutes and then every minute or two thereafter until the walnuts are toasted and you can smell their aroma.
- Frosting the brownies is optional, but it adds an extra chocolatey flavor to the brownies.
Variations on Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts Recipe
Another thing I love about brownies is their versatility. They are crowd pleasers, so they are perfect for parties, bake sales, and gifts. They are also easy to adapt and make variations.
The easiest variation for this chocolate brownies with walnut recipe is to switch up the types of nuts that you use. For me, I love pecans so that’s an easy addition or substitution. Macadamia nuts is another good option.
Give the brownies a mocha flavor by adding a teaspoon of espresso powder to the mix. Or, add a little cinnamon or nutmeg to spice up the brownies.
Have fun with toppings. You can add any candy, nuts, pretzels, or snack food to the top of the brownies to give them added flavor and crunch.
Additional Brownie Recipes to Try
Chocolate Chunk Pecan Brownies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
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