I don’t know how they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the Emerald Isle, but it amuses me to no end that here in the States we get decked out in green (lest we invite a pinch), make corned beef and cabbage, and enjoy Ireland’s most celebrated foamy export—Guinness extra stout. You know St. Pat’s is close at hand when the grocery stores start stacking cases of it. It’s malty, hearty, and rich. And if you want to drink your dinner, Guinness is the best way to do it.
Why Guinness Beer Is Perfect for Brownies
It’s wonderful with chocolate, which is why I’ve been making these Guinness brownies for weeks. The rich flavor of the stout just enhances chocolate in baked goods. (If you’re looking for more evidence, check out our Chocolate Guinness Cake. It’s awesome!)
Ingredients in Guinness Brownies
For these brownies, we are reducing the Guinness to concentrate the flavor in the liquid, and then building up our brownie batter in the same pot, with butter, sugar, cocoa, eggs, vanilla, flour, and pecans. The result? A dense, moist, chewy chocolate brownie with the malty notes of Guinness. Great with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or a glass of milk. (BTW, if you’ve given up alcohol and/or sugar for Lent, I think they make an exception for St. Patrick’s Day. At least that’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.)
Love Guinness? Try These Other Recipes
Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew (or try this pressure cooker version) Chocolate Guinness Cake Potato Cheddar Guinness Soup Guinness Bread With Molasses Irish Beef Stew
It has a certain sweetness and bitterness akin to a dark roasted coffee and chocolate. So it works great in certain recipes, like this one.
Brownies Made With Cocoa Powder vs. Chocolate
Brownies made with cocoa powder tend to be softer and more cake-like in texture, while brownies made with melted chocolate are chewier and fudgier. Cocoa powder brownies have a richer chocolate flavor. The advantage of cocoa brownies is that you get to control the amount of fat and sugar in your brownie recipe. Both kinds of brownies have a special place in our hearts and in our kitchens.
How to Store This Brownie Recipe
You can store brownies on the counter for about three to four days, as long as you wrap them well in plastic to keep them from being exposed to air and going stale. They’ll keep well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, but your freezer is the best option for longer storage—they’ll keep for up to three months there. Just be sure to let them come to room temperature, and warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds before enjoying.
More Chocolaty Recipes for Brownie Lovers
Caramel Brownies Fudgy Chocolate Brownies Kahlua Brownies Best Chocolate Brownies Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool until just lightly warm to the touch.
