Tomorrow marks St. Patrick's Day and some people will celebrate the day by downing a green beer or three. I've never personally understood the appeal and I'd much rather give my nod to Ireland by spiking my brownies with one of my favorite dark beers, a classic American porter. Porters, which are closely related to stouts, are usually a bit lighter in color, slightly less thick, and lower in alcohol content than stouts. They tend to make fantastic dessert beers and, as such, pair beautifully with these brownies.
Of course, you can use any beer you enjoy in these treats, but I opted for porter because it often includes chocolaty flavors and a richness that lends itself well to this use. Beyond that, choose a good variety and you'll have an ideal beverage to enjoy alongside a serving of the brownies!
Of course, if you are looking for something a little stronger to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, feel free to pour yourself a glass of your favorite Irish whiskey and sip that alongside one of these brownies instead. It certainly beats green beer!
Beer Brownies
- ½ c. butter
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 T. dark beer
- ⅓ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ c. all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. baking powder
- 6 oz. milk chocolate chips
- ¼ c. chocolate hazelnut spread
- ⅛ c. dark beer
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and cool slightly; stir in the sugar, eggs, and dark beer. Beat in the cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not over bake.
To make the frosting, melt the chocolate chips by microwaving them in a glass measuring cup for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating period. When the chips are melted, stir in the chocolate hazelnut spread and beer and pour and spread the mixture over the warm brownies. All the brownies and frosting to cool completely before slicing into bars and serving.
- Yields: 20 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes