Having last minute friends over? These triple chocolate brownies are chewy, fudgy, and the batter can be whipped up in less than 15 minutes! With a mix of bittersweet chocolate, Dutch cocoa powder, and mini chocolate chips, this recipe makes brownies that are nice and thick with that classic shiny, crackly topping. A true chocolate-lovers dream.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8x8'' pan with butter or baking spray and line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine the butter and bittersweet chocolate. Melt the butter and chocolate together in 30-second increments, stirring in-between rounds, until it's smooth and fully melted.
Next, whisk in the cocoa powder, oil, and espresso powder until you have a smooth, silky mixture. While the mixture is still hot, add the sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat the sugar into the butter-chocolate mixture until the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 3 minutes.
Then, add the eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla extract. 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 until there are just a few streaks of flour left. Then, add the mini chocolate chips and mix just until the batter is fully combined.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared 8x8 pan. Bake the brownies for 27-32 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 - for easy slicing). Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove the brownies from the pan and cut them into twelve 2x2-inch squares. Enjoy!
Notes
To make sure the brownies come out amazing every time, I highly recommend weighing the ingredients with a scale instead of using measuring cups. If you don't have a scale, make sure you're using the fluff-scoop-level method for the flour. Start by fluffing the flour with a whisk. Then, spoon the fluffed flour into a measuring cup and level it off without packing the flour in.High quality chocolate makes a big difference here. Since it's the main flavor in this recipe, use good quality bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.For brownies with a shiny, crackly top, beat the batter for 3-4 minutes after adding the eggs. I recommend using a hand mixer for ease but if you like a good arm workout, a whisk will work too!For easy slicing, refrigerate the cooled brownies for at least 1-2 hours. It's by far the simplest way to cut the brownies so they look nice and pretty! You can eat them chilled or warm them up for at least 1 hour before serving.