Brown Butter Walnut Brownies

Brown butter walnut brownies may be the best brownie you’ll ever eat. Dark cocoa brownies with a rich, fudgy center and crunchy walnuts. Amazing!

I have seen this brown butter walnut brownie recipe pop up on several other blogs lately and it’s no surprise why, with how delicious the cover of February’s Bon Appetit magazine looked.

Cupcakes may be king with pies trying to stage a coup, but nothing will top the nostalgia of a great simple brownie in my book. The basic Nestle Chocolate Chip cookie and Hershey’s brownie are two recipes that are my father’s tried and true favorites (and for good reason, as they are great every single time he makes them). But watch out Dad, because this brown butter walnut brownie just may give yours a run for the money.

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Brown Butter Walnut Brownies

original recipe, “Cocoa Brownies with Browned Butter and Walnuts“

From: Bon Appetit: February 2011

Ingredients:

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, chilled
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 cup walnut pieces

Preparation:
Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt. Stir to blend. Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Cut into 4 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 4 brownies.

DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Here’s what the people at Bon Appetit had to say about these brownies, “These are some of the best brownies we’ve ever had—fudgy in the middle and chewy on the outside with a shiny, crackly top. The browned butter adds a rich, nutty flavor.” Yeah. They weren’t lying. 😉

It’s all about the brown butter.