Coffee lovers will go bonkers for these fudgy Coffee Brownies. A creamy coffee frosting and rich chocolate topping makes them absolutely delicious. They are the perfect way to perk up your day!
Coffee and chocolate are two of my favorite foods, so it only made sense to combine them into one decadent brownie dessert.
A few years ago I made these chocolate chip brownies and they have become the base recipe for almost every brownie creation I make. This time I added a little bit of espresso powder to give those basic brownies a richer flavor.
Since I love making layered desserts, I used these peanut butter truffle brownies for inspiration and added a layer of coffee frosting. If you love coffee, these brownies are for you.
Why This Works
Looking for a new dessert to make? Coffee brownies are the perfect solution.
The brownies are rich and fudgy, but it's the coffee frosting and creamy chocolate topping that makes them irresistible. They are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Or you can enjoy them as an afternoon pick-me-up. The addition of coffee is sure to perk you up and give you the boost to get everything done for the day.
If you love brownies and coffee, this brownie recipe needs to happen right away. They are great for parties, picnics, or a quiet night at home. Everyone always asks for this recipe when we bring them with us.
Ingredients Notes
The best part about these homemade brownies is that they use common baking ingredients. You may have everything you need in your kitchen already.
- Unsalted Butter - Allows you to control how much salt gets added to your recipes.
- Cocoa Powder - We like to use Hershey's dark cocoa to give the brownies a deeper flavor and darker color. Feel free to buy an 8x8 box mix if you like.
- Granulated Sugar - Sweetens the brownie mixture.
- Baking Powder - Just a little bit provides a lift as they bake.
- Espresso Powder - This helps to enhance the chocolate flavor and make the brownies taste richer and more intense.
- Flour - Our recipes always use all purpose flour unless specified. Make sure you know how to measure flour properly.
- Coffee Frosting - A little bit of instant coffee, heavy cream, butter, and powdered sugar makes a creamy coffee buttercream that is so good.
- Chocolate Ganache - Dark chocolate chips mixed with warm heavy cream will give you a rich chocolate topping.
How to Make
A pan of these coffee cream brownies are so simple to make. Simply mix, bake, cool, frost, and dive in. The frosting and chocolate takes these chocolate brownies from good to great.
- Bake brownies. Whisk together melted butter and cocoa powder; set aside. Beat the sugar and eggs until light and creamy. Stir in the butter mixture and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and spread it in a greased baking pan. Bake and cool completely.
- Make coffee frosting. Stir the instant coffee into heavy cream until mostly dissolved. Beat the butter and salt until creamy. Add the coffee cream and powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Spread on top of the cooled brownies.
- Add chocolate ganache. Heat heavy cream and chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until creamy and thick. Spread evenly on top of the frosting.
Storage
- Counter - Keep the brownies in a tightly sealed container on the counter for 3-4 days.
- Refrigerator - These brownies will keep in the fridge for 6-7 days if you place them in an air tight container.
- Freezer - Wrap the brownies tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Tips and Tricks
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper. It will make it so much easier to lift the brownies out after frosting them.
- Don't skip the coffee. It really does make these brownies so much better.
- Keep an eye on your brownies as they bake. All ovens bake differently. Test them with a toothpick 1-2 minutes before the timer goes off. There should be moist crumbs on it when you pull it out.
- Make sure you let the brownies cool completely before spreading the coffee frosting on top. Warm brownies will definitely melt the frosting into a puddle.
- Cut the brownies into little squares and add a chocolate covered coffee bean to the top of each one.
- Need more brownies? Double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pan for 30-35 minutes.
FAQ'S
What does coffee do in brownies?
Adding coffee to the brownie batter helps to enhance the chocolate flavor by making it richer and deeper.
Can these be made ahead of time?
Yes, this is a great dessert to make 1-2 days ahead of time. The flavor just gets better each day.
More Brownie Recipes
- Espresso Brownies
- Samoa Brownies
- Oreo Brownies
- Mint Chocolate Brownies
- Easy Fudge Brownie Recipe
- M&M Brownies
- Rainbow Brownies
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Recipe
Coffee Brownies Recipe
A creamy coffee frosting and a layer of chocolate makes these decadent homemade Coffee Brownies a great dessert. Perfect pick-me-up after a long day of school or work!
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
For the Coffee Frosting
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee granules
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
For the Chocolate Topping
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with foil. Spray with nonstick baking spray.
- Whisk together the melted butter and cocoa powder.
- Beat the sugar, eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the chocolate butter mixture and mix again.
- Stir together the salt, baking powder, and flour. Slowly stir that into the butter mixture.
- Spread in the prepared pan and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out a little sticky. Remove and cool completely.
- Stir together the cream and instant coffee.
- Beat the butter and salt until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar and coffee cream while beating.
- Once everything is mixed in, beat it on high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Spread on top of the cooled brownies.
- Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Stir until melted and creamy. Heat an additional 15 seconds, if needed.
- Spread on top of the frosting. Let the chocolate set before cutting into 16 squares.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 253Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 103mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 27gProtein: 2g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for Coffee Cream Brownies was first published August 2017. The post was updated and republished June 2022.
Angela
From a coffee newbie, what's the difference between instant espresso powder and instant coffee granules, and can either be substituted for the other?
Jocelyn
They are similar, but made differently. Espresso powder is much more concentrated than instant coffee and usually used in baking to enhance a chocolate flavor. Instant coffee is generally used as a quick drink, or to flavor non baked items such as frosting. I hope that helps and you try the brownies!
Beryl
They have just the right amount of coffee to balance the chocolate and sweetness. I've made them twice to give as gifts. I'm not a big sweets eater but enjoy a small bite of these for a treat
jassica
Woow all these actully yummy looking amazing ,you made my day thank you for this i reaaly like your effort .
Thank you so much for sharing this
Paula
I love walnuts in brownies - do you think that would work with this recipe?
Jocelyn
I think nuts in this would be just fine. I hope you enjoy the brownies!
Sharon Spicker
Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and we're in the middle of a pandemic. My kids are 300 miles away, and Hubby can't take me out for dinner. So by golly, I'm going to make this recipe for my own Mother's Day dessert. It sounds heavenly!
Heather
This recipe is insanely delicious. Super easy to make and quick! The dark cocoa takes these brownies to a whole new level. I have made these twice in two weeks for separate dinner parties. The second time I made these I slightly modified it. I used two generous teaspoons of instant coffee to give the frosting a deeper coffee flavor and instead of liquid vanilla in the frosting, I used gourmet vanilla bean powder in both the brownies and frosting. Vanilla powder gives it a richer taste. They are so, so delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Jocelyn
That is so awesome to hear! I love the sound of the extra coffee and the vanilla powder in these. I'll have to try that the next time I make them! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your baking success!!!
Kathy
These were super easy to put together. What’s better than coffee and chocolate?! We loved these! Though I didn’t have special dark unsweetened cocoa for the brownies, I used what was on hand. They still came out awesome. They are so rich a small piece is all I needed. Thanks for the great recipe!
Jocelyn
Yay! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe. They are definitely rich, so I usually cut them into tiny bite sized squares.
Jen
When you mix the cream and instant coffee granules, the granules will dissolve fully?
Jocelyn
Yes, the coffee dissolves in the cream, then you mix it in the frosting. I hope you enjoy them!
Jennifer
These were super easy to put together. What's better then coffee and chocolate?! We loved these! Though I didn't have special dark unsweetened cocoa for the brownies, I used what was on hand Trader Joe's unsweetened cocoa. They still came out awesome . They are so rich a small piece is all I needed. Thanks for the great recipe!
Laura
Can I sub almond or coconut flour 1:1?
Jocelyn
I have honestly never baked with almond or coconut flour before, so I'm not really sure. Do you usually bake with those flours? If so, and you have had luck switching them, I don't see why not. Let me know how it works.
Jessica Wolffers
I use Chestnut flour in stead of almond. It's easier to use and much lighter.
Jennifer
I've never seen chestnut flour in any of the markets I've been to. Did you order it online? My sister has allergies including being gluten free. Does it bake like regular flour?
cakespy
I love layered brownies. These look creamy, dreamy, and with just the right amount of caffeine buzz! 🙂
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen
I love the layers too, coffee frosting is one of the best frostings out there. Then you went and put chocolate on top too! Done!!