Rich, chocolatey, gooey brownie bites! Perfect for a snack or a buffet table.
Brownies are one of the all-time favorite desserts - and they are SO easy to make from scratch! This easy recipe for homemade, fudgy brownie bites will quickly become a go-to favorite.
Jump to:
Ingredients
These ingredients will become pantry staples (if they aren't already!) once you see how easy to make and delicious these brownies are.
- Staples - butter, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, powdered sugar
- Chocolate - semi sweet chocolate bars, cocoa powder
Equipment We Used
Parchment paper
We definitely recommend parchment paper! It makes it easy to lift the cooled brownies from the pan for cutting. Our preferred method is to place a full sheet of parchment into the pan, tuck the corners, and then press the tuck flat against the sides so the entire pan is covered. An alternate method is to cut two strips of parchment and lay them in the pan, going each way, to cover the bottom and sides. While this method works, it is a little harder to remove the entire brownie from the pan when it has cooled since the corners are not covered. We recommend spraying the corners of the pan if using strips.
Tips for Mixing, Baking, and Cutting Brownie Bites
Mixing Homemade Brownies
There are many methods for making brownies - and we tried most of them! We found using a chocolate bar AND cocoa powder gave a rich chocolate brownie. Melting the chocolate bar, butter, and sugar made for a gooey, chewy brownie.
Make sure the brownie mixture is cool to the touch before adding the eggs. We recommend cooling for at least 10 minutes, add the dry ingredients, mix, and then add the eggs. There is a risk of the egg starting to cook and having scrambled egg in the brownies if the mixture is not allowed to cool!
Baking Brownies
Because brownies are so fudgy and gooey, (YUM!) a cake tester (or toothpick) will never come out clean, so we need another way to judge if they are done. Once the expected bake time is up, open the oven door and look at the top of the brownies. If there are little cracks on the top of the brownies, they are done! Over cooking makes for a dry brownie and runs the risk of burning the edges. Undercooking, besides being TOO gooey, can also end up tasting kind of floury and raw. Our brownies are usually done right at 37 minutes.
Tools For Cutting Brownie Bites
Cutting warm brownies, while it sounds yummy, just makes a mess, so make sure they are completely cool! We want them to not just taste great but also look great! Use a ruler to measure the cuts so all the mini brownie bites look the same and the cuts are straight.
The tool used to cut the brownies makes a big difference in how the cut turns out. Here are some of our favorite tools when cutting brownies.
- A sharp knife that is long enough to cut across the entire width without pulling the knife to make the cut. Line the two sides of the knife up with the ruler marks and cut without pulling the knife through the brownies. Wipe the knife off with a damp, warm, rag between each cut.
- A plastic knife. Use a ruler to match the marks on the opposite sides of the brownies to get a straight line. Then use a plastic knife to cut along the ruler. The brownie should come cut clean. This is one of our favorite methods!
- A wire cutter. They do make wire cutters for cakes that will cut right through the brownies, but it is a specialty tool and not a lot of people own one. We recommend wiping the wire between cuts. We have also used dental floss in a pinch, but it isn't our favorite.
- Cookie cutter. Cutting these in shapes is SO FUN! Wipe the cutter after each cut to ensure a clean cut each time. Press the cutter down all the way and then lift it up, don’t twist the cookie cutter. These are gooey, chocolatey brownies and we recommend practice with YOUR cookie cutter before needing to serve these to guests. Not all cookie cutters are the same and the shape will matter, so make sure your cutter works without tearing up the brownies.
Brownie Cutting Steps
- Cut the edges off the brownies. This gives a clean edge and helps ensure all the brownie bites look the same. Don’t throw the sides away - save them for a sweet bite as you work!
- Using a ruler, measure and mark opposite sides to divide the brownies into equal sized squares.
- Using your preferred tool for cutting (sharp knife, plastic knife, wire cutter) make the first cuts so you have larger equal sized squares.
- Measure, mark, and cut again so you end up with smaller squares. Continue cutting into smaller squares (or triangles) until you have the desired bite size brownies.
Some of Our Favorite Brownie Sizes
We have served these brownie bites as triangles, squares and a mix of both. While we love the mini bites, these can be cut any size. Use the cutting options below to help determine the number of brownies cut.
First Cut
- Cut off the edges of the brownie on all four sides.
- Cutting ½ inch off the brownies all around leaves a 7 x 7 square.
Cutting Option 1
- Cut the 7 x 7 square into 4 equal squares (3 ½" x 3 ½").
- Cut each larger square into quarters (1 ¾" x 1 ¾"). Total: 16 square bites
- Cut each smaller square in half diagonally. Total: 32 mini brownie triangle bites
Cutting Option 2
- Cut the 7 x 7 square into 9 equal squares (2 ⅓" x 2 ⅓"). Cut full square into thirds so you have three equal strips. Then cut each strip into 3 equal sized squares so you end up with 9 equal squares.
- Cut each square in half diagonally. Total: 18 triangle bites
- Then cut each triangle in half again. Total: 36 mini brownie triangle bites
Cutting Option 3
- Cut the 7 x 7 square into 9 equal squares (2 ⅓" x 2 ⅓"). Cut full square into thirds so you have three equal strips. Then cut each strip into 3 equal sized squares so you end up with 9 equal squares.
- Cut each square in half to form rectangles. Total: 18 rectangle bites
- Then cut each rectangle in half again for smaller squares. Each larger square was just cut into 4 smaller squares. Total: 36 mini brownie square bites
Substitutions and Additions
Add some chopped, toasted nuts to the mix before baking. Walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts are all be great. If using salted nuts reduce the salt in the recipe.
In the last step. Substitute the 2 ounces chopped chocolate with caramel; diced homemade-soft caramel, chopped chocolate caramel candy (Rolos), or chopped caramel pieces.
If you are baking at high altitude, add an extra 7 grams flour to the recipe.
Time Saving Tips
Chocolate. Use chocolate chips instead of cutting a chocolate bar. Make sure to use a scale to measure by weight and use a good quality chocolate chip.
Make Ahead Tips and Saving Brownies
These are great to make ahead of time. Brownie bites store at room temperature up to 5 days. Our dish is empty WAY before 5 days - make extra! Freeze Brownies. Freezing brownies uncut is preferred. Wrap uncut, cooled brownies and store in an airtight container - freeze for up to a month. If serving brownies within a week, they can be frozen cut. Wrap tight and freeze in an airtight container. To serve. Remove from freezer, thaw on counter, cut, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and ENJOY!
Other Favorite Sweet Treats
FAQ's
YES! The key to any ingredient is using the best you are able to get (consider availability, how much you need, and cost). We have made these with chocolate bars (Ghirardelli) and chocolate chips (Ghirardelli and Nestle). They all worked. NOTE: We did try them with a generic brand of chocolate chip and did not like them as much both from a flavor and texture standpoint.
Absolutely! We recommend freezing the brownies before cutting to help keep them from drying out.
To freeze - wrap uncut, COMPLETELY COOLED, brownies in plastic wrap. While we try to use as little single use wrap as possible, we haven’t found a better way to freeze these. Then store in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. If serving them within 7-10 days, they can be frozen cut, wrapped tight, and in an airtight container.
To serve - remove from the freezer and thaw on the counter. You can refresh the brownies, if needed, by placing them in a 200 degree oven for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
Soft, gooey brownie are much harder to cleanly cut than a drier, less chewy, cake. These are our favorites tools for cutting brownies:
A long sharp knife. One that will cut across the entire width without pulling the knife to make the cut. Wipe the knife off with a damp, warm, rag between each cut.
A plastic knife. Use a ruler to get a straight line and a plastic knife to cut along the ruler. The brownie should come cut clean.
📖 Recipe
Brownie Bites
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 32-36 bites
Description
These rich, chocolately, gooey brownies are a perfect bite!
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup sugar (201 grams)
- 4 ounces semi sweet bar, cut into small pieces (we used Ghirardelli!)
- ¾ cup flour (90 grams)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder (22 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces semi sweet bar, chopped (we used Ghirardelli!)
- powdered sugar (optional for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare your 8 x 8 pan. We recommend using a piece of parchment paper.
- Combine butter, sugar, and 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate.
- Heat over a double boiler until butter and chocolate are melted and sugar is starting to dissolve. Stir frequently to combine. NOTE: This can be done in the microwave, but use extreme care. Heat on 20-30 second intervals, stirring after each one.
- Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. You want to be able to place your hand on the outside of the dish and hold it there without burning yourself.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Stir, by hand, until combined,
- Stir in eggs, one at a time.
- Add vanilla and stir until mixed in.
- Stir in 2 ounces chopped chocolate bar.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake 35-40 minutes. You won’t be able to use a standard cake test for brownies as the toothpick will never come out clean. You can tell they are done when you start seeing little cracks on the top of the brownies. Ours usually take around 37 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool in pan.
- Once the brownies are cooled, remove from pan. This is when using a single sheet of parchment paper is beneficial. Just pick up the sides of the parchment and remove the entire thing from the pan.
- Cut brownies. See post above for cutting tips.
- Plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional), and serve.
Notes
Favorite Riffs. Add some chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans to the mix before baking. Substitute caramel (diced homemade caramel, chopped chocolate caramel candy, or chopped caramel pieces) for the 2 ounces (optional) chopped chocolate in the last step. Use a good quality chocolate chip instead of the chocolate bars. Just make sure to measure by weight for the same amount of chocolate.
Please use parchment paper! We want to have a clean cut brownie for our guests. Using parchment paper helps to easily remove the brownies from the pan so we can cut them clean and equal sized. See post above for more information on our best way to line your pan with parchment.
Cutting Brownies. Make sure they are completely cool! Cutting warm brownies, while it sounds amazing, just doesn’t work. Use a ruler to make sure your brownies are all the same size. Tools for cutting. Use a sharp knife that can make the cut in ‘one press’ - you don’t have to pull the knife to make the cut. Wipe the knife off between each cut.
While these are brownie bites they are just as good as a larger brownie.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: mini brownie bite
- Calories: 78
- Sugar: 7.8 g
- Sodium: 4.3 mg
- Fat: 4.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.4 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 16.2 mg
Comments
No Comments