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Lawrence D. Smith

Easy Brown Sugar Brownies

These easy Brown Sugar Brownies combine unsweetened cocoa powder, butter, and light brown sugar to create a rich chocolate dessert with delicious caramel-like notes. Made without white sugar, they are simple to prepare, bake in 20 minutes, and make 16 satisfying brownie squares.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 16 Brownies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs

Equipment

  • 8 x 8-inch baking pan
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Electric hand mixer or whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Fine-mesh sieve
  • Spatula
  • Cooling rack
  • Knife for cutting brownies

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Baking Pan: Grease an 8 × 8-inch baking pan to prevent the brownies from sticking.
  2. Combine the Dry Ingredients: Sift the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Set the mixture aside.
  3. Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and light brown sugar together until well combined and creamy.
  4. Incorporate the Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Blend thoroughly until the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  5. Add the First Portion of Dry Ingredients: Add half of the prepared flour and cocoa mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
  6. Finish Mixing the Batter: Add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is just combined into a uniform brownie batter.
  7. Fill the Baking Pan: Transfer the brownie batter into the prepared 8 × 8-inch baking pan. Spread it into the pan evenly.
  8. Bake the Brownies: Place the pan in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake for 20 minutes.
  9. Cool and Slice: Allow the brownies to cool before cutting them into 16 equal squares.

Notes

  • Brown Sugar Choice: Light brown sugar gives these brownies a mild caramel-like sweetness. You can substitute dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
  • Optional Mix-Ins: Stir in ½ cup of your favorite additions, such as chopped walnuts, chocolate chunks, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips.
  • Butter Temperature: Use room-temperature butter to make creaming it with the brown sugar easier.
  • Avoid Overmixing: Once the dry ingredients are added, mix only until combined to maintain a tender brownie texture.
  • Baking Time: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes, following the original recipe.
  • Cooling: Let the brownies cool before slicing so they can be cut into neat squares.
  • Storage: Keep leftover brownies in an airtight container to help maintain their texture.