Recipes

Gingerbread Brownies

Serves 9-12

| Prep Time: 10 mins

| Cook Time: 20 mins

| Total Time: 30 mins

You may need: Gingerbread Spice

Discover The Recipe

Gingerbread is a near-universally popular spice blend around the holidays. The aroma of freshly baked goods with gingerbread spice warmly welcomes guests to your home and signals “season’s greetings”. Gingerbread is thought to have been brought to Central Europe by an Armenian monk in 992 AD, and then to Scandinavia in ~1200 AD by German migrants. Today, the gingerbread flavor is very popular in Scandinavia at Christmas and typically served as Pepparkakor (Swedish ginger cookies) or similar variants throughout neighboring countries. We've decided to create our own fusion treat, Gingerbread Brownies, by adding Gingerbread to the classic American brownie recipe. Try our traditional Pepparkakor recipe for an authentic Swedish holiday treat. Our gingerbread blend is made with freshly ground ginger, and the warming spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Use it anywhere you want to add a classic gingerbread flavor. You can also add gingerbread to baked goods, sweets, homemade lattes & eggnogs (a little goes a long way!), or try our Gingerbread Pancakes recipe.

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter (4 tbsp)
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (can use semisweet chips if desired), divided
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/3 cup molasses
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1 tbsp Piquant Post Gingerbread spice blend
powdered sugar (optional) for garnish

Notes

Using molasses in this gingerbread brownie recipe produces a slightly chewier and denser brownie, and of course adds more of that complex brown sugar flavor. However, feel free to use the gingerbread spice in your favorite brownie recipe.

Use light, mild, or dark molasses. We don't recommend using blackstrap molasses (the darkest and most acidic variety).

Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don't sweat it if you don't have them.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Heat a large saucepan on Med-Low heat. Melt butter and 2/3 cup of chocolate chips together (reserve remaining chips for brownie batter). Stir to mix chocolate sauce ~2 mins.

Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in sugar, brown sugar and molasses until dissolved into chocolate sauce. In a small bowl beat eggs, then whisk into chocolate sauce.

Whisk in flour, salt, and Gingerbread spice into the sauce until the batter is well combined ~1-2 mins (don't over stir). Add remaining 1/3 cup of chocolate chips to batter and stir to mix into batter.

Grease or spray a 9x9 (or similar) baking dish with butter, coconut oil, or cooking spray. Using a spatula, fold batter into pan and place in oven. Bake for 25-30 mins or until a wooden toothpick inserts and pulls out without batter on it (a few crumbs are ok). Let cool for 15 mins then slice and dust with powdered sugar.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Gingerbread spice is perfect for holiday baking. Use in any of your favorite baked goods recipes to add some holiday appeal.
Try our recipe for Pepparkakor (Swedish ginger cookies).
Want all the flavor with slightly less work than making gingerbread cookies? Try making these gingerbread muffins!
Feel like making a holiday-inspired brunch dish? Try our gingerbread pancakes recipe.
This sounds amazing: vegan, gluten-free gingerbread granola. Again, sub in an equivalent amount of our spice for all those listed.
You can also use our gingerbread spice blend in homemade lattes, smoothies, breakfast bowls (like oatmeal or chia seeds), yogurt or even ice cream. It tastes best when paired with a little sweetness, so add a bit of sugar, honey, or agave nectar if your dish is not already sweetened.
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