The best midnight black cocoa brownies recipe (2024)

This is the best midnight brownies recipe ever!

Warm brownies are always welcome at my house. Whether we are making them for an event, weeknight treats, or a special party like Halloween or birthdays these ones will rank high on your favorite desserts list.

They are made with black cocoa powder which gives the brownie batter that very deep intense dark color but they also have an absolutely delicious chocolate flavor as well.

Why you need to make this recipe!

• This recipe has an insane fudgy center that you will be obsessed with.
• It uses dark cocoa powder only which will give it a different flavor from the recipe cocoa powder that is used in other brownies.
• This is the recipe that you need to make for any chocolate lovers in your life.
• This yields brownies with the most fudgy texture ever.

Ingredients for this dark chocolate fudgy brownies

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this dark cocoa. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed ingredient measurements.

• Butter & oil- The combination of the butter and vegetable oil helps make these brownies extra moist and fudgy. Perfect texture if you ask me! You can use salted or unsalted butter and no need to worry about anything being at room temperature.
• Granulated sugar and brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Salt
• Flour- You can use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
• Black cocoa powder
• Espresso powder- This is an optional ingredient but adding a little bit of espresso powder will help elevate those delicious chocolate flavors in your brownies.
• Chocolate chips- I used the Trader Joe’s chocolate chips for this recipe but feel free to use semi-sweet chocolate bars, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate for a fun little contrast in your brownies.

How to make a black cocoa fudgy brownie recipe

This is how you can make these dark chocolate brownies. Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full detailed instructions!

1. Line your with parchment paper and set aside. Keep in mind that leaving some overhand on the sides of the pan will make it easier to pull the brownies out.
2. Add the butter, oil, brown sugar, and white sugar to a large microwave-safe bowl.
3. Microwave for 60 seconds then whisk to get everything well combined. The mixture will thicken but don’t worry about it!
4. Add in the eggs one at a time then whisk to get them combined well each time.
5. Mix in the vanilla extract until combined.
6. Add in the flour and salt and mix until the dry ingredients disappear.
7. Fold in the chocolate chips and pour the batter into a parchment-lined square pan.
8. Bake in the preheated oven.
9. You can enjoy your brownies as is or decorate them with melted marshmallows and spider chocolates to make them fit the Halloween vibes! I also love to top them with a sprinkle of sea salt for that sweet and salty vibe to bring out the chocolate flavor even more.

See Also

The Best Classic Canadian Butter Tarts - a definite keeper recipe!Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe - Creations by KaraThe 29 Best Summer Recipes to Add Fresh Flavors to Your MenuHomemade Fudge Recipe Made with Twix Bars

If you decide to make spider webbing on top of these brownies so you can serve them for Halloween, melt the marshmallows in a medium bowl then using either forks or your fingers (if you can handle the heat and move quickly) pull the melted marshmallows over the brownies to create that webbing effect.

Tips and tricks to make sure your brownies get rave reviews every time!

• Use room temperature ingredients– Using room temperature ingredients will ensure that everything will be mixed and emulsified properly within the batter of these brownies.
• Do not overbake your brownies– No one likes a dry brownie and the best way to keep that from happening is to slightly underbake your brownies because they will keep baking as they cool down. When checking for doneness, you want to insert a toothpick or wooden skewer in the center of the brownie itself and have it come out with some fudgy moist crumbs only. We don’t want the toothpick to come out with wet batter because that would indicate that the brownie is not baked fully, but a few crumbs are what we want!
• Allow your brownies to cool down fully before slicing into them– I know how tempting it is to dig into these perfect brownies but trust me when I say allowing them to cool down before slicing will give you a more perfect slice and will allow the flavors to deepen and settle some more. If you don’t mind for having those sharp square pieces, feel free to dig in, or even serve spoonfuls of this in a bowl with a scoop of ice cream.

Frequently Asked-Questions – FAQ

What is black cocoa powder?

You will not get the exact same result if you use regular cocoa powder. At the end of the day you are here because you want a BLACK brownie so the only way to get that result is to use black cocoa powder.

Here are a few of my favorite black cocoa powders that you can use for this recipe.

• King Arthur black cocoa powder
• The cocoa trader
• Olive Nation

What does black cocoa powder taste like?

Black cocoa powder has an intense, deep, and rich chocolatey flavor. It is usually a lot more intense and less sweet than regular cocoa powder. With slightly bitter undertones, you will get a unique experience using this cocoa powder versus the regular ones. This is the cocoa powder that gives Oreos their primary flavor profiles.

​The cocoa powder goes through heavy processing which involves roasting the cocoa beans at very high heat and then alkalizing them to reduce their acidity.

What other things are made with black cocoa powder?

Here are some of the baked goods that use black cocoa powder.

• Oreo cookies
• Black velvet cakes and cookies.
• Some chocolate bars
• Cookies like this Halloween dark cocoa chocolate cookie recipe.

Can I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder?

You can use regular cocoa powder but be aware that your brownies will turn out black or won’t taste the same as these black cocoa brownies.

How to store homemade brownies?

To store your brownies, make sure you cool them down completely before placing them in an airtight container and storing them at room temperature for up to 5 days.

You can also store them in the fridge

What should I top my brownies with?

If you are not going with the spider web marshmallow look I have shown you in the photos you can always serve these brownies with

• Vanilla ice cream on top.
• A drizzle of hot fudge sauce
• Warm caramel sauce
• A generous dusting of powdered sugar to give it more contrast,

Black cocoa brownie recipe

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