Alice in the Kitchen

The BEST brownies

Show me a person who doesn’t love brownies and I’ll call that person a liar. Because brownies are awesome. Here is the recipe for my absolute favorite brownies.

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (USE A GOOD BRAND. IT MATTERS.)
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (again, USE A GOOD BRAND. IT MATTERS.)

1. Preheat oven to 350, and spray a 9×13 pan, lined with foil if you want (see my note below).
2. Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. (I just watch the edges – I think that’s the trick.)

I made a half-batch of these to take to our Top Chef party (half-batch goes in an 8×8 pan). Okay, are you asking, why in the world would you make just a HALF BATCH of brownies? Because if I make a whole batch of brownies for a party with 5 girls, there is a half pan of brownies left, which I will take home and eat all by myself. Dang it, you’re right. Why did I just make a half batch?! Never again!

For these brownies, I added a cup of chopped up Andes mints. I love those, and these brownies were extra fantastic. I also substitute the vanilla for mint extract. You don’t have to do that, but it adds a nice touch.

Tips!!

1. Line your pan with foil. This makes it so easy to lift out of the pan! You will never have to ruin an edge brownie trying to get them out of the pan. Perfect.
2. Mix it up! If you like nuts or butterscotch, add a cup of those instead of mint chips. Add two cups for a full batch of brownies.
3. Like I noted, there are some things where the BRAND MATTERS. Extracts and chocolate chips are two of those things. I like Tollhouse chocolate chips the best, even over Ghirardelli (they have a chalky taste to me). Hershey’s are also okay, but NEVER use the store brand! I’m super cheap, so you can trust me on this one – I wouldn’t go for the more expensive choice if it weren’t really necessary. For the vanilla, I like the Madagascar Bourbon type, but as long as it’s real vanilla, you should be okay. Honestly, if you use imitation vanilla, you are a bad person.
4. Always always always cut brownies with a plastic knife. There is no other way to do it!

Now eat em!

(see, I ate one before I remembered to take a picture. I rule.)