Description
Fudgy ginger molasses brownies with browned butter for nutty depth and a toasted walnut crumble that bakes into a crackly, crunchy top.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, 12 tbsp (170 g), plus 1–2 tsp for greasing (optional)
- Granulated sugar, 3/4 cup (150 g)
- Light brown sugar, 1/2 cup (110 g)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/3 cup (30 g)
- All-purpose flour, 3/4 cup (90 g)
- Ground ginger, 2 tsp
- Ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp
- Fine salt, 1/2 tsp
- Baking powder, 1/4 tsp
- Molasses (regular), 1/2 cup (170 g)
- Eggs, 2 large
- Vanilla extract, 1 tsp
- Chopped toasted walnuts, 1 cup (100 g)
- For the walnut crumble: all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp (16 g)
- For the walnut crumble: light brown sugar, 2 tbsp (25 g)
- For the walnut crumble: unsalted butter, 2 tbsp (28 g), melted
- For the walnut crumble: ground ginger, 1/4 tsp
- For the walnut crumble: fine salt, pinch (about 1/8 tsp)
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper, letting it overhang on two sides. Grease lightly if needed to help parchment adhere.
- Toast the walnuts (for deeper crunch): Spread walnuts on a baking sheet. Toast 6–8 minutes until fragrant. Cool slightly, then chop if needed.
- Brown the butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. It will foam, then turn golden and finally smell nutty with brown specks. Pull off the heat when it’s deeply amber (don’t wait for it to look dark).
- Mix sugars and cocoa with browned butter: In a mixing bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. Slowly pour in browned butter while whisking until smooth.
- Add ginger-molasses base: Whisk in molasses, then whisk in eggs one at a time until glossy. Stir in vanilla.
- Combine dry ingredients: Sprinkle in flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Mix until no dry flour remains (don’t overmix; it should look thick and fudgy).
- Make walnut crumble: In a small bowl, stir chopped walnuts with 2 tbsp flour (16 g), 2 tbsp brown sugar (25 g), melted butter (2 tbsp / 28 g), 1/4 tsp ginger, and a pinch of salt. Rub with your fingers until you get sandy clumps.
- Assemble: Scrape batter into the lined pan and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle walnut crumble over the top and gently press so it adheres.
- Bake: Bake 20–25 minutes, until edges look set and the center is still glossy and thick. A toothpick near the center should come out with moist crumbs and a smear, not clean batter.
- Cool, then chill for clean slices: Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment. Chill at least 1 hour (or up to overnight) for the best fudgy slice.
- Slice and serve: Cut into squares. Wipe the knife between cuts if you want extra-clean edges.
Notes
Doneness changes with pan materials and oven behavior. If your brownies look set on the edges but still very wet in the center, bake 2 minutes longer rather than adding time all at once. Chilling is part of the texture—plan for at least 1 hour.