Mocha Brownies with Coffee Frosting

Mocha Brownies are a coffee lover's dream. The rich homemade brownies are topped with coffee whipped cream and chocolate curls. They are a great addition to any party or celebration!

Love coffee-infused desserts? Our espresso brownies will satisfy that caffeine craving. We also have mocha cupcakes, which are fan favorites.

Jump to:

• Mocha Brownies
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients Needed
• How to Make Mocha Brownies
• Mocha Brownie Toppings
• Storage Recommendations
• Tips and Tricks
• Variations
• FAQs
• More Homemade Brownies
• Recipe

Mocha Brownies

Oh my goodness! This dessert is perfect for the coffee lovers in your life. I'm a huge fan of chocolate, especially when it's mixed with coffee. Combining the two enhances the rich, dark flavors of the chocolate.

Our recipe has instant coffee powder in both the brownies and the topping. I can't resist these delicious treats, and I'm sure you'll agree with me once you've tried them!

I added homemade coffee whipped cream to make these coffee brownies even more special. The plain bars are fudgy, rich, and full of mocha flavor, but the creamy topping takes them over the top!

Why This Recipe Works

If you love brownies and coffee, you'll adore this brownie recipe! They're perfect for parties or picnics; whenever we bring them, everyone always asks for more.

• Easy to make. These brownies are as simple to make as boxed mixes, but they taste way better. The melted butter and dark cocoa powder give them a rich, dense texture.
• Bold coffee flavor. Thanks to the coffee powder, you can really taste the flavor. It wakes up the dark chocolate like nothing else!
• Rich, creamy topping. The mocha frosting uses heavy cream, brown sugar, and coffee powder for a fluffy texture and intense flavor. You'll want to eat it with a spoon!

Ingredients Needed

My favorite part about these delicious mocha brownies (besides their flavor) is their simplicity! They call for ingredients you likely already have on hand.

• Unsalted Butter - The butter will be melted, so bringing it to room temperature is unnecessary.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - To offset the sweetness, choose dark cocoa powder. I love Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa.
• Instant Coffee Granules - Instant is best because it quickly dissolves into melted butter.
• Large Eggs - Bind the batter and also help it rise without leaving agents.
• Vanilla Extract  - Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Granulated Sugar - Adds sweetness and a delicious chewy edge around the outside.
• Flour - Unless otherwise specified, our recipes always use all-purpose flour. Make sure you know how to measure flour properly.
• Whipped Cream - Use coffee whipped cream or a container of store-bought Cool Whip. Homemade whipped cream is also delicious.

BruCrew Tip: Use the leftover instant granules to make coffee ice cream or easy tiramisu.

How to Make Mocha Brownies

This mocha brownie recipe is easy and only has a few steps. It will quickly become your go-to recipe for homemade fudgy brownies.

1. Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add cocoa powder and instant coffee and stir until dissolved. Let cool slightly.
2. Beat eggs with an electric mixer in a large bowl for 3-4 minutes or until foamy, then add salt and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, beating until lemon colored.
3. Pour in the chocolate mixture and then mix thoroughly. Gently stir in the flour until combined.
4. Spread the brownie batter into a prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center has a few moist crumbs. Remove it from the oven and set it on a cooling rack to completely cool.
5. Cover the top of the bars with whipped cream, then top with chocolate curls. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mocha Brownie Toppings

There are so many ways to decorate coffee brownies. You can keep the mocha theme by adding coffee beans or enhance the chocolate flavor with one of these toppings.

• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Chocolate Curls
• A Drizzle of Chocolate Syrup
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Storage Recommendations

Keep the unfrosted brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Once they are frosted with whipped cream, they must be refrigerated.

Tips and Tricks

• Prepare the pan. Line the pan with parchment paper before baking brownies to make clean-up easier. This way, you can easily lift them out all at once.
• Use a wooden toothpick or skewer to test the baked bars. You want a few moist crumbs on them. Pulling them out slightly underdone is best because they will firm up as they cool.
• Let them cool. Let them come to room temperature before frosting! This gives the brownies time to set up and prevents the coffee frosting from melting.
• Cut the brownies with a plastic knife. This simple hack will keep them from sticking and crumbling apart. 

Variations

• Add a splash of liqueur. To make these fudgy mocha brownies even more decadent, add a splash (or two) of coffee liqueur to the frosting! 
• Use a different frosting. You can use your favorite frosting recipe! These treats are also incredible with dark chocolate frosting or vanilla buttercream.
• Make mini treats. Bake the batter in a mini muffin pan for bite-sized treats! Reduce the baking time to about 12-14 minutes. Once cool, pipe the frosting on top with a piping bag and then decorate with a chocolate curl.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar. If you don't want to add frosting, sprinkle powdered sugar on top using a fine mesh strainer.

FAQs

More Homemade Brownies

• Fudge Brownies Recipe
• Chocolate Chip Brownies
• Zebra Brownies
• Pecan Pie Brownies
• Oreo Brownies

Do you love a recipe you tried from Inside BruCrew Life? 

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This post was first published in May 2010. It was updated and then republished in April 2024.