Indulge in the ultimate chocolate experience with these incredibly fudgy, bite-sized brownie delights! Crafted in a mini cupcake pan, these perfect two-bite treats are designed to deliver maximum chocolate flavor and a luscious, chewy texture in every single morsel. Ideal for satisfying a sweet craving without overindulging, or for gracefully serving at any gathering, these mini brownie bites are guaranteed to be a sensational hit. Say goodbye to heavy, full-sized desserts and welcome the convenience and charm of these perfectly portioned, single-serve desserts.
Making homemade fudgy brownie bites from scratch is surprisingly straightforward, yet the results are so irresistibly delicious, you’ll find it nearly impossible to stop at just one! Their charming miniature size makes them an excellent addition to any dessert platter for guests, a delightful treat for school lunches, or a quick pick-me-up anytime you need a dose of rich chocolate goodness. If you consider yourself a true brownie enthusiast, prepare to fall in love with these mini chocolate brownie bites – they’re the quintessential bite-sized sweet treat you’ve been searching for!
For those who adore chocolate as much as we do, don’t miss out on these other decadent recipes: Moist Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars.
Why This Easy Chocolate Brownie Bites Recipe is a Must-Try
- Effortlessly Simple: This mini brownie bites recipe proves that impressive results don’t require complex steps. It’s as straightforward as any standard brownie recipe, but ingeniously adapted for a mini muffin tin. Perfect for new bakers or anyone looking to whip up a delicious treat without reaching for a store-bought brownie mix.
- Unmistakably Fudgy Texture: Despite their small stature, these brownie bites boast the same rich, dense, and wonderfully chewy fudgy texture you’d expect from a premium, full-sized brownie. We’ve perfected the balance to ensure a gooey center and moist crumb every time.
- Intensely Rich Chocolate Flavor: Don’t let the small size fool you into thinking the flavor is compromised. Each bite-sized brownie is packed with a deep, luxurious chocolate flavor that will satisfy even the most discerning chocolate lover. We prioritize high-quality cocoa to ensure an unparalleled taste experience.
- The Perfect Portion Control: A full-sized brownie or a generous slice of cake can often feel like a significant commitment. These mini brownie bites offer the ideal solution for mindful indulgence. Grab one for a quick sweet fix, or enjoy several without feeling overwhelmed – they’re the ultimate flexible dessert for any occasion.
- Crowd-Pleasing Versatility: Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, preparing treats for a bake sale, or simply want a stash of delightful desserts, these fudgy brownie bites are incredibly versatile. They look elegant on a serving tray and are easy for guests to enjoy without the need for plates or forks.
Essential Ingredient Notes for Fudgy Brownie Bites
Understanding the role of each ingredient is key to achieving the perfect fudgy brownie bites. Below are important notes, with a comprehensive list available in the full recipe card.
- All-purpose Flour: Provides structure to our brownie bites. For best results, measure your flour by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off, or ideally, use a kitchen scale for precise weight measurement. Compacted flour can lead to dry brownies.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is where the rich chocolate flavor truly shines. We strongly recommend using Dutch-process cocoa powder. Its alkalized nature creates a darker color and a smoother, less bitter chocolate taste, enhancing the overall depth of flavor in your fudgy brownie bites.
- Cornstarch: A secret weapon for ultimate fudginess! Cornstarch helps tenderize the brownies by interfering with gluten development, resulting in a softer, more delicate crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and intensifying the chocolate flavor. Don’t skip it – a touch of salt makes a world of difference.
- White Granulated Sugar & Powdered Sugar: The combination of these two sugars contributes to both sweetness and texture. Granulated sugar provides foundational sweetness, while powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) helps achieve a silkier, denser texture. For the best, non-gritty results, always sift your powdered sugar to remove any lumps.
- Large Eggs & Extra Egg Yolk: Eggs are crucial for binding the ingredients, providing moisture, and contributing to the brownies’ structure. The addition of an extra egg yolk is specifically included to boost the fat content, which is a key factor in achieving that coveted fudgy, moist, and chewy texture, preventing a cakey result. Ensure eggs are at room temperature for optimal emulsion with other ingredients.
- Unsalted Butter (Melted): Butter adds incredible richness and flavor. Melting it allows for better incorporation into the batter, contributing to the dense, fudgy consistency. Make sure it’s melted and slightly cooled before adding to avoid cooking the eggs.
- Oil (Canola or Vegetable Oil): Incorporating oil alongside butter adds moisture and helps keep the brownies soft and fudgy even after cooling. Oil remains liquid at room temperature, which contributes to a consistently moist texture.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of high-quality vanilla extract enhances and complements the deep chocolate notes, adding complexity to the flavor profile.
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips: These chips provide pockets of melted chocolate throughout the brownies, adding extra texture and a burst of intense chocolate flavor. We recommend semi-sweet over milk chocolate to avoid an overly sweet result and maintain a balanced chocolate profile.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
- Dairy-Free Option: Easily adapt this recipe by using your favorite dairy-free unsalted butter substitute (like a plant-based butter stick) and dairy-free chocolate chips. The oil in the recipe is already dairy-free, making this a simple swap.
- Gluten-Free Experimentation: While this recipe has not been extensively tested with gluten-free flour, many readers have success using a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum. If you try this, please share your results!
- Different Chocolate Chips: Feel free to experiment with dark chocolate chips for an even richer, less sweet brownie, or a mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips if you prefer a sweeter profile.
- Add a Nutty Crunch: Fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds with the chocolate chips for added texture and flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Bake Perfect Brownie Bites
Follow these detailed steps to create perfectly fudgy and delightful brownie bites every time.
STEP 1: Prepare Your Workstation. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature when your batter is ready. Next, generously spray a 24-cup mini muffin pan with a high-quality baking spray that contains flour. This is crucial for preventing sticking and ensuring easy removal of your delicate brownie bites. Set the prepared pan aside.
STEP 2: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Whisking ensures these ingredients are evenly distributed, preventing pockets of unmixed flour or cocoa in your final product.
STEP 3: Beat Sugars and Eggs for Airiness. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the white granulated sugar, sifted powdered sugar, large eggs, and the extra egg yolk on high speed for a full 3 minutes. This step is vital for dissolving the sugars, creating a light and airy base, and contributing to the brownies’ signature crinkly top.
STEP 4: Integrate Wet Ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the cooled melted unsalted butter, vegetable or canola oil, and pure vanilla extract to the egg and sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; you want everything to be incorporated without developing too much gluten.
STEP 5: Gently Combine Wet and Dry. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the flour streaks have almost disappeared. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, ensuring all ingredients are fully incorporated without overmixing. Overmixing develops gluten, which can lead to tough, cakey brownies. Finally, gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the fudgy batter.
STEP 6: Scoop into Muffin Pan. Using a 1-tablespoon scoop (a standard cookie scoop is typically too large for mini muffin cups), carefully scoop the brownie batter into each well of the prepared mini muffin pan. Aim for each well to be about two-thirds full. For a neat finish, lightly dampen your finger and gently smooth the tops of the batter in each cup.
STEP 7: Bake to Perfection. Transfer the mini muffin pan to the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes. Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so keep a close eye on them. The brownie bites are done when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, but no wet batter. A clean toothpick means they are likely overbaked.
STEP 8: Cool and Enjoy. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and let the brownie bites cool in the hot pan for at least 10 minutes. This allows them to set properly and continue baking slightly from residual heat. After 10 minutes, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling on a rack prevents the bottoms from becoming soggy.
Expert Baking Tips for Ultimate Fudgy Brownie Bites
- Achieving Peak Fudginess: To make any brownie recipe extra fudgy, increasing the fat content and limiting gluten development is key. This recipe strategically includes an extra egg yolk for more richness and cornstarch, which helps break down gluten strands in the flour. This combination results in a dense, moist, and delightfully soft texture, distinct from a tougher, more cake-like brownie.
- The Toothpick Test Explained: When checking for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a brownie bite. It should come out with moist, sticky crumbs attached, but absolutely no wet batter. If you see liquid batter, bake for a few more minutes. If the toothpick comes out completely clean, your brownies might be slightly overbaked and less fudgy.
- Baking Spray vs. Cooking Spray: Always opt for baking spray (which contains flour) over regular cooking spray when making brownies. The flour in baking spray creates a non-stick barrier that is superior for baked goods, especially for dense items like brownies, ensuring they release easily from the pan.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and butter are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify better, creating a smooth, uniform batter that bakes evenly. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to seize and result in a denser, less airy texture.
- Do Not Overmix: After adding the dry ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to a tough, chewy (not in a good way) and potentially dry brownie instead of a wonderfully fudgy one. A rubber spatula is your best friend for the final gentle folds.
- Accurate Measuring: For consistent results, especially with flour, consider using a kitchen scale. If using measuring cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a straight edge rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can compact the flour and lead to adding too much.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brownie Bites
Why did my brownies sink in the middle?
If your brownie bites have sunken centers, it typically means they were underbaked. While we aim for fudgy, too much underbaking can cause the structure to collapse as they cool. The good news is they’ll likely still be extremely fudgy! To prevent this, ensure your toothpick test shows moist crumbs, not wet batter, before removing them from the oven. You can sometimes pop them back in for another minute or two if they’re severely underdone.
My brownies are very hard or dry. What went wrong?
Hard or dry brownie bites are a classic sign of overbaking. Brownies continue to cook slightly from residual heat after being removed from the oven, so it’s always better to err on the side of slightly underbaked for a fudgier result. Remember the toothpick test: you’re looking for moist crumbs, not a completely clean toothpick. Baking just a minute or two less can transform your brownies from hard to perfectly fudgy.
Can I make these into full-size brownies instead of bites?
Absolutely! This recipe can easily be adapted for a larger pan. Pour the brownie batter into an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking pan. The baking time will need to be adjusted significantly; it will likely take between 25-35 minutes for a full-sized pan. Start checking around 25 minutes and continue baking until the toothpick test yields moist crumbs.
Can I add nuts or other mix-ins to these brownie bites?
Yes, you certainly can! Brownie bites are incredibly versatile. Feel free to fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds along with the chocolate chips in Step 5. You could also add a sprinkle of sea salt on top before baking for a delicious sweet and salty contrast.
Exciting Recipe Variations to Try
Elevate your brownie bites with these delightful flavor twists:
- Nutella Brownie Bites: After scooping the batter into the muffin tin, dollop about 1 teaspoon of Nutella on top of each brownie bite. Use a toothpick or a small knife to swirl it gently into the batter before baking for a hazelnut-chocolate fusion.
- Peanut Butter Brownie Bites: For a classic combination, add 1 teaspoon of creamy peanut butter on top of each scooped brownie bite. Swirl it in as you would with Nutella for a decadent peanut butter swirl.
- Mint Chocolate Brownie Bites: Add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract along with the vanilla extract for a refreshing mint chocolate flavor. You could also sprinkle some crushed peppermint candies on top after baking.
- Espresso Brownie Bites: Enhance the chocolate flavor by adding 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder (dissolved in 1 teaspoon of hot water) to the wet ingredients. Espresso deepens chocolate notes without making the brownies taste like coffee.
- Cream Cheese Swirl Brownie Bites: Prepare a simple cream cheese swirl by beating 4 oz softened cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar and 1 egg yolk. Dollop a teaspoon over each brownie bite and swirl before baking.
Storing and Freezing Your Fudgy Brownie Bites
To keep your delicious brownie bites fresh and enjoyable for longer:
Store any leftover brownie bites in an airtight container, such as a cake carrier or a large Tupperware, at room temperature for up to 5 days. For optimal freshness and to maintain their fudgy texture, you can also store them in the refrigerator, bringing them to room temperature before serving.
These brownie bites freeze beautifully! Once completely cooled, place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, separated by parchment paper if stacking. They can be frozen for up to 30 days. Thaw them at room temperature for a few hours or warm them slightly in the microwave for a fresh-from-the-oven experience.
Explore More Irresistible Brownie Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed these fudgy brownie bites, be sure to try these other fantastic brownie recipes:
- Strawberry Brownies
- Lemon Brownies
- Birthday Cake Brownies
- Turtle Brownies
- Oreo Brownies
We hope you love this recipe! If you do, please consider leaving a STAR REVIEW below. Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats with your creations. For more baking inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest.
Brownie Bites
These small brownie bites are super fudgy and made in a mini cupcake pan. They are a 2-bite fudgy brownie.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 TBSP Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 cups White granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Powdered sugar
- 3 Large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Oil, canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175°C). Spray a mini muffin pan with a baking spray containing flour. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, eggs, and egg yolk on high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the melted butter, oil, and vanilla extract to the mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Remove from mixer, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold and scrape the sides of the bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Use a 1 Tablespoon scoop to fill the prepared mini muffin pan cups. Smooth the tops with a damp finger.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
- Let the brownie bites cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Flour: For accuracy, spoon flour into measuring cups and level, or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can lead to dry brownies.
- High Altitude Baking: If baking at high altitude, consider adding an extra 1 TBSP of flour.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Pull out dairy ingredients (butter, eggs) about 2 hours before baking for best results.
Nutrition Information
Carbohydrates: 17g
Protein: 1g
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0.1g
Cholesterol: 12mg
Sodium: 66mg
Potassium: 70mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 10g
Vitamin A: 88IU
Calcium: 8mg
Iron: 1mg
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