These Guinness Brownies are a delicious treat that any chocolate lover will enjoy! They are fudgy, rich, and extra chocolatey, deep dark, and filled with amazing flavor. They're easy to make with pantry ingredients and completely guilt-free - made with wholesome ingredients without refined sugars.
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Last week I was under so much pressure. I was constantly watching the news, following what's going on with the outbreak, trying not to worry too much. But no matter how hard I tried to stay calm, I still got affected by the news.
So my brain was in a state of complete mess for a few days. I almost canceled everything cheerful I had planned for my family. But then I just got myself together. Every year we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, and we're not canceling ANYTHING due to Coronavirus this year.
Baking always sets me in a happy mood, so to fight all the bad news, I just grabbed the bowls and my whisk and decided to make this dark chocolate beauty. Honestly, these dark chocolate Guinness Brownies saved me from getting completely crazy.
They turned out fabulous, as always. Deep dark, rich in flavor. Fudgy and chocolaty, loaded with incredible bittersweet flavor. So irresistible. So addictive. Just what I needed to boost my mood.
These Guinness Brownies aren’t overly sweet. They are very dense and very moist. They taste almost like dark chocolate fudge.
Ingredients used
For this Guinness brownies recipe, you will need only a handful of very basic pantry ingredients:
- Dark chocolate. I used 85% dark chocolate here. You can go with fewer cacao percentages but don't go below 75%. The darker, the better.
- Oat flour. Oat flour is great here since these brownies don't need to rise like other desserts. Plus, oats are whole grain, meaning healthier and more nutritious, an excellent source of fibers that keep our heart healthy (1).
- Cacao powder. Raw cacao powder is just beautiful. Unprocessed, bitter, deep-flavored, and incredibly healthy, one of the richest sources of polyphenols – a powerful antioxidant. (2) Cacao powder health benefits are numerous and you don't need to feel guilty indulging in chocolate treats anymore. This superfood is filled with only good healthy stuff.
- Butter. When baking sweets like these, I usually go with coconut oil. But since this IS a St. Patrick's inspired dessert, this time I used butter.
- Sweetener. To sweeten these Guinness Brownies, I used coconut sugar. Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than regular table sugar, which makes him a healthier sugar alternative.
- Guinness beer. AKA The star of this dessert. Guinness stout, with its roast coffee and caramelized flavors pairs so well with dark chocolate. It gave these brownies richness and a beautiful depth of flavor.
Other pantry ingredients you’ll need:
- Egg - I used free-range, pasture-raised.
- Vanilla extract.
- Salt - I used Himalayan salt.
How to make Guinness Brownies
These brownies, like any other brownies, are a no-brainer to make. It requires some mixing but you'll need only basic equipment.
- Position an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 350F (176C) on the oven.
- Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some of the paper hanging out opposite sides like handles. Set aside.
- Prepare and measure all ingredients. I like to use measuring cups.
- In a small saucepan, bring Guinness beer to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, until reduced by half (you should have ⅓ cup reduced syrup). Set aside to cool.
- In the microwave or a double boiler, melt dark chocolate and butter until completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add melted dark chocolate and Guinness syrup and whisk to combine.
- Stir in oat flour and cacao and a pinch of salt. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Use the whisk.
- Pour the mixture into a prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake!
- Take the pan out of the oven. Let it cool slightly.
- Carefully take the brownie out of the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with cacao powder (I like to use a small fine mesh).
- Slice and serve (I like to use a pizza cutter).
- Makes 9 slices that serve 9 people.
Substitutions
- Flour. You can substitute oat flour with any whole grain flour. Or use plain/all-purpose flour if you prefer. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio.
- Butter. You can substitute butter with coconut oil. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio.
- MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Use certified gluten-free oats/oat flour or almond flour.
Tips for storing
- Counter: Once brownies are completely cooled, store them in an airtight container and keep them on the counter for up to 3 – 4 days.
- Refrigerator: Brownies will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.
- How to freeze? Place the brownies in an airtight container. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on room temperature.
Useful tips
- To check whether brownies are done, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it, they are ready to come out of the oven.
- Make sure you use eggs at room temperature. Pull them out of the fridge before baking so they can rest for a bit. Or run the eggs under warm water to speed this process or set them in a bowl of warm water.
- If you're using coconut oil, in order to get all the health benefits from it, make sure to choose organic, virgin coconut oil rather than refined versions.
- If using butter, choose organic unsalted grass-fed butter.
Faq
You can use either quick oats or rolled oats. Put the oats in a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until the oats become a fine powder. This will only take a few seconds in a high-speed blender, and a little bit longer in a food processor. 2 cups of oats will make approximately 1.5 cups of oat flour.
These brownies do not taste like beer. But they taste different from other brownies. They are not overly sweet and Guinness with its rich roast coffee / caramelized flavor did contribute to the overall unique taste but not overwhelming.
If you're looking for more healthy St. Patrick's Day recipes to try, here are some of my favorites.
More chocolate desserts to try
- Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies
- Dark Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Tahini Brownies
- Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownies
- Chocolate Walnut Brownies
These dark chocolate Guinness Brownies are the ultimate pleasure. Instant mood booster. Filled with dark chocolate and amazing stunt beer flavor, bitter-sweet and dense, they areabsolutely perfect. Make them for ST. Patrick's Day or anyday when you need a little chocolaty boost.
📖 Recipe
Guinness Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup Guinness beer
- 1 ½ cup dark chocolate chopped
- ¾ cup unsalted butter or coconut oil
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup oat flour or any whole-grain or all-purpuse flour
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some of the paper hanging out opposite sides like handles. Set aside.
- Prepare and measure all ingredients using measuring cups.
- In a small saucepan, bring Guinness beer to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, until reduced by half (you should have ⅓ cup reduced syrup). Set aside to cool.
- In the microwave or a double boiler, melt dark chocolate and butter until completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add melted dark chocolate and Guinness syrup and whisk to combine.
- Stir in oat flour and cacao with pinch of salt. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Use the whisk.
- Pour the mixture into a prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake!
- Take the pan out of the oven. Let it cool slightly.
- Carefully take the brownie out of the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with cacao powder (I like to use a small fine mesh).
- Slice and serve (I like to use a pizza cutter).
Notes
- Flour. You can substitute oat flour with any whole grain flour. Or use plain/all-purpose flour if you prefer. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio.
- Butter. You can substitute butter with coconut oil. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio.
- Counter: Once brownies are completely cooled, store them in an airtight container and keep them on the counter for up to 3 – 4 days.
- Refrigerator: Brownies will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.
- How to freeze? Place the brownies in an airtight container. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw on room temperature.
Nutrition
This post is originally published in March 2020. It's updated with new information and republished in March 2021. The recipe stayed the same.
Julia says
Wow this was so fudgy and the beer added another depth of flavor! Loved it!
Ana says
I have a sweet tooth, and your brownies look divine! I feel like grabbing them from the laptop right now. Thanks for sharing the recipe. It could be a perfect hit on any occasion!