These rich, dark, fudgy brownies achieve flavor perfection from deep Dutch cocoa and nutty malted milk powder. Take them to the next level with peanut butter & toffee with sea salt, toasted marshmallow & graham cracker, chocolate candy, and cookie butter toppings!
the brownie
These brownies are THE BEST. The only brownie recipe you’ll ever need. They’re made with an all-cocoa mix, which means the prep is as easy as it gets, all in one bowl! They have the most DECADENT, satisfying, thick fudgy texture and perfectly balanced, rich chocolatey flavor from Dutch cocoa, malted milk powder, brown sugar and honey, high-quality butter, vanilla, and sea salt.
Dutch cocoa is just pure cocoa that has been alkalinized. Cutting the acidity makes for a smoother, deeper chocolate flavor that’s beautifully dark but not overly bitter (i.e. perfect for baked goods). I prefer it in nearly all of my cakes, brownies, chocolate muffins, and quick breads. There are several great brands that you can get online if you don’t see it in stores.
The malted milk powder is not totally necessary to make an amazing-tasting brownie, and you can choose to replace it with an extra 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch and 1 Tbsp flour. However, I adore the nostalgic flavor and notes of nuttiness that it adds to chocolatey desserts, pancakes, waffles, shakes, and even coffee drinks. The flavor blends beautifully with the chocolate in these brownies. I recommend keeping some on-hand; you’ll find endless uses for it! King Arthur malted milk powder is fantastic and available on Amazon.
the variations
With toppings, the possibilities are endless for fun, festive, and flavorful variations. Making several versions in the same batch is a really simple way to offer variety and please a crowd! Something about getting to choose your flavor really does enhance the appeal.
Here, the topping variations are (clockwise from upper right):
- milk chocolate candies such as m&ms or chopped Cadbury eggs
- crunchy peanut butter swirl + toffee bits + sea salt
- torn marshmallows (such as Hammond’s vanilla bean marshmallows) + graham cracker pieces +/- chocolate chips or Hershey’s squares
- cookie butter (such as crunchy Biscoff cookie butter) swirl +/- crushed Biscoff cookie
the brownie sundae
Then, you can take the party even further with a brownie sundae. Top a warm brownie with a scoop of ice cream and a sauce or fudgy topping. Some of my favorite combos include:
- naked or chocolate candy brownie + coffee/coffee chip ice cream + dark chocolate tahini with sea salt
- naked or chocolate candy brownie + cookies n’ cream/stracciatella ice cream + butterscotch sauce
- s’mores brownie + caramel/toffee/vanilla/pie ice cream + dark chocolate tahini with sea salt
- peanut butter toffee brownie + vanilla/caramel/toffee ice cream + hot fudge
- cookie butter swirl brownie + coffee chip/vanilla ice cream + melted cookie butter
This dark chocolate tahini with sea salt by Soom Foods is absolutely heavenly, highly recommended for topping everything from brownie sundaes to waffles, French toast, muffins, yogurt bowls, fruit, any snack food…and the list goes on.
For hot fudge, you seriously can’t go wrong with this homemade recipe from Smitten Kitchen. It is to-die-for and just the thing to keep at your fingertips for any dessert-topping needs.
Butterscotch holds a special warm place in my heart. Make an instant, thick, warm butterscotch sauce by pouring hot heavy cream (heated separately to just below boiling) over a bowl of butterscotch chips in a 1:1 ratio (i.e. 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup butterscotch chips). Cover and let it rest about 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. If you don’t have butterscotch chips on-hand, try this homemade butterscotch sauce recipe from Salt & Baker.
Fudgy Malted Dutch Cocoa Brownies: 4 Ways
Notes
*If omitting malted milk powder, replace with an extra 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch and 1 Tbsp flour.
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (88g) unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tbsp (12g) malted milk powder*
- 2/3 cup (79g) whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 Tbsp (4g) cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
For the toppings:
- chocolate candy (m&ms or chopped mini Cadbury eggs)
- peanut butter + toffee pieces (such as Heath bits) + sea salt
- cookie butter (such as Biscoff) +/- crushed Biscoff cookies
- torn marshmallows (such as Hammond’s vanilla bean) + crushed graham cracker +/- chocolate chips or Hershey's squares
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line an 8x8 inch nonstick metal brownie pan with parchment paper (making sure it goes up all sides for easiest removal).
- Place the butter in a microwave-safe measuring cup (or your large mixing bowl if microwave-safe). Microwave about 90 seconds to melt. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, and cocoa with the melted butter until thoroughly combined. Make sure the mixture is close to room temperature before adding remaining ingredients.
- Stir in vanilla then eggs and yolk one at a time. Stir well, until uniformly mixed.
- Add the malted milk powder*, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir until just combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.
- Divide toppings between 4 even squares in the brownie pan. (1) Sprinkle m&ms or chopped mini cadbury eggs over the top and gently press some into the batter. (2) Use a knife to swirl peanut butter into the surface of the batter; sprinkle on a handful of chopped toffee pieces and a pinch of sea salt. (3) Use a knife to swirl cookie butter into the surface of the batter; sprinkle crushed Biscoff cookie over top, if desired. (4) Tear marshmallows and break graham crackers into small pieces; press into the top of the batter; top with a sprinkle of chocolate chips or Hershey's squares, if desired.
- Bake about 25 minutes, or until just set in the center. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs (wet batter means underdone, completely clean means too long).
- Cool completely in the pan to room temperature before slicing.
- Lift parchment paper to remove uncut brownies from the pan. For a clean cut, first heat the knife in hot water then wipe dry, or grease the knife. Slice into 16 brownies.
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a few days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- See post above for brownie sundae ideas!
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I prefer Dutch process)
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 6 oz semi- or bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or 1 cup semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Combine the butter, cream, sweeteners, cocoa, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer on low, stirring, for 3 to 5 more minutes after everything has melted, then remove from heat and stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Stir in vanilla. Let it cool slightly and thicken for 5-10 minutes, then spoon over sundaes. Pour leftovers into a jar and refrigerate up to 1-2 months. Gently heat and stir before using.
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp dark liquor (optional)
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar, salt, and cream and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Bring to a simmer. Bring the mixture to a bubbling simmer and simmer 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to boil too long, or you’ll end up with chewy butterscotch candies instead of a sauce. Mixture will thicken considerably as it cools. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and liquor (if using). Let rest a few minutes, then pour into a heat-proof container to finish cooling. Serve warm. Leftovers can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat.
Shortcut Butterscotch Sauce:
- 1/4 cup butterscotch morsels
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan (or in a microwave-safe measuring cup in 30-sec intervals in the microwave) until just bubbling. Remove from heat. Add butterscotch morsels to a bowl and pour hot cream over top. Cover with foil and rest, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until fully combined and smooth. Pour over sundae while warm. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator up to a few weeks; gently heat and stir before using.