Rich, dense, fudgy chocolate Guinness brownies:
Something not a lot of people in the blogworld know about me:
I happen to really love beer.
Surprised?
My first beer experience took place in Sapporo, Japan, and it wasn’t exactly a wonderful welcome into the alcoholic world. I was six years old, eating dinner with my family, and the only drinks on the menu were beer and soda. I loathe soda… and I asked for apple juice, which they sadly did not carry.
So I ordered the next best thing: a pint of beer.
I still remember my mom’s face… and how she asked my dad with alarm, “They’re not really going to bring her a beer, are they??”
Yes, they really did bring me a beer.
They set the glass right down on the table in front of me, and my mother was completely horrified. As were the people at the next table.
But my dad was amused.
He told me, “Go ahead and drink it, Katie.” So, feeling all grown-up and important, I took a sip. Just one sip. Then I made a face and pushed the glass across the table. The waiter laughed and brought me a water.
And it would be almost twenty years before I’d change my opinion of beer.
While Guinness is not normally my beer of choice (I’m an IPA girl), it does extraordinary things to these chocolate brownies, adding over-the-top richness and deep chocolate flavor.
I am in love.
Question of the Day: Beer: do you love it or hate it?
I used to think I hated it… But that was back in college when my idea of beer was 6-packs of Bud Light (I call it “beer water”) being downed 8 or 9 at a time by people who really didn’t care about the flavor and were only drinking to get drunk. Craft beer is an entirely different experience: in each beer, it’s not uncommon to detect three or four (or five or six!) distinct flavors all at once, setting your tastebuds on an exciting adventure as they try to pick up on each flavor.
*Edit for vegans:
I’ve just been informed that, depending on where you live, not all Guinness is vegan, although the company is in the process of changing their filtering system so that all Guinness will be vegan. Feel free to use your favorite vegan stout in this recipe. If you’re gluten-free, you can use gluten-free beer.
Chocolate Guinness Brownies
Chocolate Guinness Brownies
Print This Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 tbsp milk of choice (30g)
- 1 cup Guinness or your favorite stout (240g)
- 2 tbsp flaxmeal (11g)
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp olive oil or vegetable or coconut oil (110g)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (15g)
- 1 cup spelt, all-purpose, or Bob’s gf flour (120g)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder (80g)
- 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or date sugar (115g)
- only if using Bob’s flour, add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/3 cup stevia baking blend OR regular sugar (you can reduce to 1/4 cup if you have no sweet tooth and are used to healthy desserts)
- 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
Guinness Brownies Recipe: Preheat oven to 330F and grease a 9×13 pan. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all liquid ingredients and flaxmeal. In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine all remaining ingredients. Pour wet into dry, stir to combine, and pour into prepared pan. Bake 13-17 minutes (13 for fudge-like brownies, 17 for cakey brownies). Brownies will look underdone when they come out but this is okay! Let cool, then refrigerate overnight and the texture will firm up nicely. DO NOT eat until the next day, as the taste and texture will change while they set.
Link Of The Day:
mimi says
I just can’t stand this so called vegans being so annoying, seriously??? the beer??? who cares???? Katie is amazing, the thing is eating delicious healthy stuff, give her a break, you won’t die because the (eyes rolling here) beer is not vegan… OMG and she does have the right to make a mistake, the person who made that comment is disgusting, get a life please.
Bec says
Definitely fell in love with these brownies!! So.rich. Do these freeze well?
Unofficial CCK Helper says
They freeze well!
Lisa says
Hi. I saw these and couldn’t wait to get to the recipe. I don’t usually bake from scratch. Is there a boxed brownie mix I could use and add the beer to? I’m not vegan, gluten-free or soy free. I’d just like to make the brownies. They look delicious. Any suggestions?
Ruby says
So I just made these, and are in the fridge right now. But of course I couldn’t resist before trying them, and omg! Even without the refrigeration they are soooo fudgey and delicious! I did make a few modifications because I didn’t have some things on hand, so here they are, I hope they help someone else attempting this recipe: 1 cup of coffee instead of Guinness, half of a beaten egg instead of flax meal (not vegan+don’t have flax meal), and 1/4 cup coconut oil+1/4 cup and 3 tbsp instead of the full 1/2 cup of oil. Everything else i followed to the T. Im so glad i made these, I was considering other healthier brownie recipes but im a very loyal CCK fan. 🙂
Ruby says
Oops i meant 1/4 cup and 3 tbsp of apple sauce! I left that out for some reason lol
Sarah says
I so have to try this! Coffee and Chocolate?? In love already!!!
Corrin says
I just made these and they are awesome!! I made the recipe exactly as suggested, and they turned out great. Definitely up there in my top brownie recipes. Thank you so much for sharing!
Michael says
I’m definitely a beer geek. Going to make these using Belching Beaver’s Peanut Butter Milk Stout. Anyone know how long to bake these in an 8″ square pan?
Nicole B. says
Good grief, beer and chocolate is just pure heaven. I’m in love with this recipe!
Eve The Full Teaspoon says
Great recipe. It’s the third time I make it this year and it always turns amazing. I made a batch two weeks ago and it was all gone in 2 hours. My friend, one of her Kids, and even her ex husband, who came by to pick up the children, they all ate them to the last one!
deb dana says
I didn’t have the patience to go through all 200 or so comments with all the trolling and negativity that’s going on so I don’t know if anyone spoke about what’s really so inspired about using a stout the bitterness of the stout really enhances the bittersweet chocolate affect its really very very inspired and creative and great I made these brownies they are to die for I was attracted to them because I didn’t feel like messing with frosting some of Katie’s other brownies are wonderful as well but didn’t have time to do the frosting thing and these don’t need it they’re just so amazing I used coconut flour had to increase liquid by about 30% to adjust for adsorptive properties of coconut flour
Sarah says
Wow! These are so good! My family usually doesn’t drink beer(we didn’t have any in the house) so i replaced the beer with milk and these were the most amazing things i have ever tried! Even though i am not a vegan….I really really enjoy most of your recipes!
anni says
I made these brownies yesterday. They are absolutely divine! Maybe even my go-to brownie recipe. Very easy to make and so-so-so delicious! I used all the optional chocolate. As I’m not vegan I didn’t have to worry about the beer, so I used a dark cherry flavoured beer and it resulted in a slight cherry taste. Highly recommended!
Penny Ballantyne says
Hello Katie, I just baked your Black Bean Brownies and as you say they are Awesome, moist and chocolaty! However, the brownies are less than 1/2″ high, actually they didn’t rise at all while baking. I followed the recipe exactly and used an 8″X8″ pan with the oven (temp. checked & correct) at 350 degrees. Can you explain or offer any help? Many thanks. We are already addicted to your chocolate chip cupcakes so I think we may be tempting fate to perfect this recipe! Penny
Alice says
I baked these last week and they were (still are, nom nom) gorgeous! Thank you for a lovely recipe. 🙂
Marya Tracer says
Can you add chocolate protein powder to this recipe as a sweetener?
Kathy Runk says
About the “Guinness isn’t vegan” discussion….according to The Chicago Tribune website and Vegan.com, Guinness Extra Stout brewed in North America does not use isinglass. I made these brownies with it and they were delicious! I am not vegan or even vegetarian but I respect other people’s lifestyle choices so I am glad there’s an alternative.
ilona says
Katie, I’m a Guinness girl. Do you have a recipe for this with out sugar with stevia or honey and coconut flour or almond flour instead of the GF flours?
Molly says
Can it be made without the extra 1/3 cup of sugar? Or can you add more brown sugar?
Jason Sanford says
You can definitely sub in extra brown sugar. But do not omit the sugar without subbing in brown sugar, as they would not be sweet enough nor would their texture be correct.
Saz says
Ummm, think the “quick and easy” in the title is a bit misleading when you then say at the very bottom of the post to NOT eat until the following day. Who wants to make something only to eat it a day later.
Katie says
I searched around the internet for a vegan beer brownie recipe and they all seemed to call for expensive ingredients.
This recipe was perfect! It turned out great with a dark lager! Thanks Katie!
Shilpa says
These were terribly bitter! Assuming that was from the Guinness. Even the beer lovers thought so. I was so embarrassed to have served these.
Jason Sanford says
I’ve made these and never had that problem. Guinness brownies are quite a common thing so adding it to a chocolate recipe should not be bitter unless the beer was bad. Can you tell me more about the other ingredients you used and if you changed the recipe at all, such as cutting back on the sugar or oil or using a different flour?
Shilpa says
Did not make any substitutions and bought the Guinness the same day so I doubt it went bad. I used 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup white sugar, all purpose flour, almond milk, and recommended amount of vegetable oil. I also baked for 17 minutes and they still came out fudge-y, not cakey. I tasted the leftover Guinness and am certain this was the reason for the bitterness. Perhaps these are better suited for Guinness lovers.
Jason Sanford says
That could be true! I love Guinness lol!