Gingerbread Chocolate Brownies
Rich, fudgy chocolate brownies with a gingerbread cream cheese swirl for a fun seasonal spin.
Servings: 12 brownies
Equipment
- 8x8-inch square pan
Ingredients
Gingerbread Swirl
- 4 ounces cream cheese soft, room temperature
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons flour
- pinch of salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of cloves
Brownie Batter
- 4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup cocoa powder sifted
- ½ cup all purpose flour
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350 °F and butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan. Optionally, line the bottom of the pan with parchment for easiest removal of brownies after baking.
- Make gingerbread swirl. Beat 4 oz cream cheese until smooth, 1 minute. Add egg, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp molasses, 2 tbsp flour, pinch of salt, and spices (¼ tsp ginger, ½ tsp cinnamon, pinch cloves). Beat ingredients together until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Make brownie batter. Whisk 4 oz melted butter and 1 ½ cups brown sugar in a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp molasses, 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tsp vanilla. Whisk vigorously until mixture is silky smooth, thick, and ribbony, 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk together 1 cup cocoa powder and ½ cup flour. Gently fold into butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Swirl. Spread brownie batter in prepared pan. Dollop gingerbread mixture over top. Use a knife to swirl the batters together lightly, creating a marbled look.
- Bake. Bake brownies until sides are set and middle looks just slightly underdone and shiny, about 25-30 minutes. Cool brownies completely before slicing.
Notes
Another way to swirl your brownies:
Pour brownie batter into the pan, setting aside a few tablespoons of batter for the top. Pour all of the gingerbread mixture on top and spread it evenly. Dollop extra brownie batter on top of gingerbread mix and swirl with a knife.