Chewy Mini Football Brownies
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If there’s one dessert I know will always hit at a party, it’s brownies. That’s why these mini football brownies are my go-to dessert for watch parties, Super Bowl, and tailgating! They’re extra chewy, full of chocolate, and bite-sized for easy grabbing.
Happy January a.k.a. “What day is it again?” a.k.a. almost Super Bowl! If we’re being completely honest here, I used to hate January and February but now I kind of get it? It’s a chance to do all the things you want to do around Christmas time but don’t have time to do because of the holidays. So far, my January has been full of snowshoeing and making stew and LOTR marathons while it’s snowing outside.
And, making all the football desserts. I mean, yes, on a scale of 1-10, I’m about 1,000,000/10 excited for the Kendrick half-time show and about 2/10 excited for actually watching football. But I will always make a themed dessert when given the chance.
Like my mini football cupcakes, these little brownie bites are super easy but a little more elevated than your basic game day treat. They’re basically a thinner but chewier version of the triple chocolate brownies that I have been making since pastry school. And since they’re bite-sized, you get lots of servings for a crowd. Win-win.
A grab-and-go game day dessert
More than anything, what I love about this recipe is that you don’t need plates or forks or even napkins for that matter. Since they’re just 2 bites, these brownies are lovely for a crowd.
- The brownies are made in one bowl for a quick and simple batter.
- The football decoration is so easy. Trust me, you don’t need to be an expert decorator here.
- You’ll end up with about 40 brownies, so they’re great for get togethers!
- Add them to a dessert table for Super Bowl, tailgating, or watch parties.
Football cookie cutter
For easy slicing, you will need a mini football cookie cutter. Mine is 2-inches which is the perfect size for a 2-bite treat. But feel free to use a 3-inch or 4-inch cutter for larger brownies.
And sorry, but I wasn’t able to figure out a way to get that classic football shape without a cookie cutter! If you don’t want to buy a cutter, I would just make these classic brownie bites and add the buttercream lace decoration on top. 🙂
Everything else you need
A lot of science goes into making brownies fudgy vs. chewy, cakey vs. dense. Some recipes call for butter, some for oil. Some have just chocolate and some have just cocoa. But my recipe uses a mix of all 4 for a good mix of moist, chewy, and chocolatey brownies!
- Unsalted butter – you will need 1 cup, or 2 sticks, of unsalted butter for both the brownies and buttercream.
- Bittersweet chocolate – make sure to get something good-quality for the best flavor!
- Sugar – granulated sugar is key for those shiny tops.
- Brown sugar – a little brown sugar makes the brownies more chewy, but you can also just use more granulated sugar.
- Cocoa powder – trust me, it has to be Dutch process cocoa. Natural cocoa will make the brownies dry!
- Oil – any neutral oil will work here. Canola, vegetable, avocado, etc.
- Espresso powder – totally optional but recommended for a more pronounced chocolate flavor.
- Vanilla extract – use pure vanilla extract always!
- Eggs – pull them out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking for easier mixing.
- All-purpose flour – just a touch of all-purpose flour will bind the batter.
- Salt – I like Morton’s Kosher salt best.
- Powdered sugar – don’t forget to sift it to remove any lumps before making the buttercream.
- Whole milk – just a splash for thinning out the frosting!
Bake the brownies
Don’t overheat the butter and chocolate, or the chocolate will seize and become grainy. I like to microwave it for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in-between, until the mixture is hot and smooth.
The key for shiny tops is to beat the eggs into the batter for 3-4 minutes! It will whip the egg whites which creates a light meringue on top.
To check if the brownies are done, insert a toothpick in-between the center and edges of the brownies. If the toothpick has a few moist crumbs, the brownies are ready to go!
Vanilla buttercream
Make sure to whip the frosting for a full 3-4 minutes! You want it to be extra light and fluffy for easier decorating.
Slice & decorate
You’ll need a very small round tip for piping the laces on the brownies. I used Wilton tip #2.
Chill the brownies for easy slicing
After making this recipe many times, I can promise you that it’s 1,000% easier to slice brownies when they’re cold. I like to cool the brownies at room temp for about 1 hour and then refrigerate them for another 1-2 hours. Once they’re cold, grease the cookie cutter and slice the brownies. Wipe any crumbs off the cookie cutter in-between slices so they don’t cause the brownies to stick.
Storing & freezing tips
If you have leftovers, place them in a single layer in an airtight container. Store at room temperature (or refrigerate) for up to 3 days.
You can also add a layer of parchment on top and freeze the brownies for up to 3 months. Just make sure you’re using a freezer-safe container so they don’t get icy!
Measuring flour & cocoa powder
As you know, I always recommend weighing ingredients with a kitchen scale. Just a little too much flour or cocoa can make these brownies dry! But, if you don’t have a scale, then here’s how to measure flour and cocoa with cups. First, whisk the flour or cocoa until it’s fluffy. Spoon the flour or cocoa into the measuring cup. Then, use a flat edge (butter knife, etc.) to level the flour or cocoa off without packing it in.
Doubling this recipe
Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, you should end up with around 40 brownies. If you need to double the recipe for a crowd, make 2 separate batches of batter – sometimes doubling batter can cause things to go wrong in the final product. Also, you can make just 1 batch of frosting, it’ll be plenty!
Don’t throw away all those brownie scraps! They’re delicious with a scoop of ice cream or in a trifle. You can also pop them in a zipper bag and freeze them for another time.
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
Chewy Mini Football Brownies
Ingredients
Chewy Brownies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, sliced into chunks (170 grams)
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (114 grams)
- 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted (72 grams)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed (158 grams)
- 1/4 cup neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado (56 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (80 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (57 grams)
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (120 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon whole milk plus more as needed (15 milliliters)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of Kosher salt
Equipment
- Kitchen scale (or measuring cups)
- Parchment paper
- Wilton tip #2
Instructions
Chewy Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×13'' baking dish with butter or baking spray and line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- Add the butter and bittersweet chocolate to a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl. Melt the butter and chocolate together in 30-second increments, stirring with a rubber spatula in-between, until it's smooth and fully melted.
- Add the sifted cocoa powder. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it's very smooth. Then, add the sugar and brown sugar. Beat until the sugar is very well combined and starting to dissolve, about 2-3 minutes. (It won't dissolve all the way.)
- Stir in the neutral oil, espresso powder (if using), and vanilla extract. Then, add the eggs one at a time. Turn the mixer to high and beat the chocolate mixture until it's lightened in color and texture, about 3-4 minutes.
- Fold the flour and salt into the chocolate mixture, stirring just until there are no more streaks of flour. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared 9×13 pan.
- Bake the brownies for 16-20 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still a bit underdone. To test if the brownies are done, insert a toothpick into the area in-between the edges and center of the brownies. If the toothpick has just a few moist crumbs, they're ready to go.
- Let the brownies cool completely at room temperature. Then, cover and refrigerate the brownies for 1-2 hours (optional but highly recommended for extra easy slicing). Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove the brownies from the pan.
- Grease the mini football cookie cutter and use it to cut out as many brownies as you can. Wipe the cutter in-between slices to prevent the edges from getting crumby, which can cause the brownies to fall apart. You should get about 40 brownies total.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Add the unsalted butter and half of the powdered sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar until it's fluffy. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until the frosting is smooth.
- Add the milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Turn the mixer to high and whip the frosting until it's super light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. (Fluffy frosting is much easier to pipe.) If the frosting is too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
Decorating the Brownies
- Fit a piping bag with a small round piping tip. I used Wilton tip #2. Fill the piping bag with the vanilla buttercream.
- Working one brownie at a time, pipe a long horizontal line across the football. Then, flip the brownie 90° and pipe 3 vertical lines across the horizontal line to create the laces. (See the post for visuals.) Repeat this process with the remaining brownies and enjoy!
