mexican hot chocolate brownie bites

 

i am finally exploring the combination of spicy chocolate & i have to say, i LOVE it. i am not even a spice person, but when it is in a dessert & mixed with chocolate i am down. i can't wait to make spicy chocolate ice cream next & adding one more element to the mix.. ice! i was originally going to use fresh chillis but i found them to be way over powering. i think they would have made for a not so enjoyable spice! the mixture of cayenne & cinnamon work perfectly because cayenne is super spicy & cinnamon is sweet spicy. these brownies don't taste spicy upon first bite, but then BOOM it will hit you. i made these for the housewarming party & everyone loved them. they couldn't believe the touch of spice to a brownie. AND yes, these are fudgy brownies & this might be the first time i ever say this.. but these brownies are perfect! i can't even tell you how many brownie recipes i have made & none satisfied me with the texture i wanted. i think the key here is to not over bake them! take them out when they look a little undercooked, after all this is a brownie not a cake. the center should be fudgy & gooey.

to make these i used the new vitamix ascent a3500! it made for the silkiest batter & really helped puree those raw sugar crystals. usually i use raw sugar because i love the texture it brings, but in this recipe i wanted it to just be smooth & fudgy. this vitamix is amazing! it has a touch screen interface, five program settings, a timer & wireless connectivity that helps adjust the motor based to the container size. seriously, it is the best kitchen appliance i have because you can do way more then a smoothie in this thing. my old blender couldn't even whip up a smoothie without sounding like it was going to break down.

anyways, i am off to the city the second i hit publish so that is all from me today. have a lovely sunday!

xo

ingredients (makes 12 brownie bites)

for the mexican hot chocolate brownies

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup raw sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

for the mexican hot chocolate frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions

for the mexican hot chocolate brownies

  • place melted butter & cocoa powder into the blender. puree until well blended.
  • add the raw sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, sea salt, cinnamon & cayenne pepper. pulse until a silky smooth batter is formed.
  • pour into a greased muffin tin or a 9-inch square baking dish if you want to make regular brownies.
  • bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
  • let cool completely before frosting.

for the mexican hot chocolate frosting

  • in the bowl of a standmixer add the butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper & vanilla extract.
  • beat on high speed until light & fluffy, about 8-10 minutes.
  • frost brownie bites as desired.

this post was created in partnership with vitamix! thank you for supporting the brands that help me do what i love. xo