Ancho Chili-Cinnamon Brownies Recipe

By
Carrie Vasios Mullins
Carrie Vasios Mullins is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Carrie Vasios Mullins
Carrie Vasios Mullins is the former national editor at Serious Eats, with a focus on all things sweet.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Jul. 16, 2020

These fudgey brownies have a subtle, smoky heat thanks to ancho chile powder. Cinnamon and cayenne round out the warm flavors while the chocolate chips add a double dose of chocolate.

loosely adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Classic Brownies

Recipe Facts

5

(1)

Active: 10 mins
Total: 40 mins
Serves: 9 to 16 brownies

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Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

  • 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 2 eggs

  • 3/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Grease pan with butter.

  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all melted. Add chocolate and cook, stirring constantly, until melted. Take off heat and scrape into a large bowl.

  3. Whisk sugar and vanilla into bowl. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Add chile powder, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and espresso powder and whisk to combine. Add flour and stir just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips, then transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake just until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely then cut into squares.

Special equipment

8- by 8- inch square pan, saucepan, whisk, spatula

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
236 Calories
15g Fat
22g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 236
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Cholesterol 34mg 11%
Sodium 85mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 27mg 2%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 193mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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