No box mix. No shortcuts. No nonsense.

Butter and chopped semi-sweet chocolate melted together. Eggs and sugar beaten until thick and glossy. Cocoa, flour, salt — measured right and mixed just enough.

Then one small move that changes everything: a teaspoon of espresso powder.

Not to make them taste like coffee. To make the chocolate hit harder.

It deepens the flavor. Darkens the edge. Makes the whole batch feel more serious.

Dense center. Crackly top. Chewy edges.

That’s how we do it at Man Made Pies.

Fudgy Espresso Brownies

Yield: 16 brownies

Pan: 9×9-inch (23×23 cm)

Bake Time: 32–36 minutes

Texture: Dense, chewy edges, fudgy center, shiny top

Ingredients

• 170g unsalted butter (¾ cup)

• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar, finely chopped

• 330g granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 95g unsweetened natural cocoa powder (¾ cup)

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

• 125g all-purpose flour (1 cup)

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 180g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Prep

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.

2. Melt Butter & Chocolate

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chopped chocolate together in 20–30 second bursts, stirring until smooth.

Let cool slightly while you work on the next steps (2–3 minutes).

3. Whisk Eggs & Sugar (Critical Step)

In a large bowl or stand mixer, vigorously whisk:

• 3 room temp eggs (real men plan ahead)

• All the sugar (330g)

Whisk for about 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened and glossy.

Whisk in vanilla.

This step helps create that signature crackly top.

4. Combine Chocolate Mixture

Slowly pour the slightly cooled chocolate and butter mixture into the egg and sugar mixture while whisking until smooth and glossy.

5. Add Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

• Cocoa powder

• Espresso powder

• Flour

• Salt

• Fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula, or run through a fine-mesh sieve for extra manliness.

Mix just until combined — do not overmix.

Fold in all of those chocolate chips (180g).

6. Bake

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

Bake for 33-35 minutes, until:

• Edges are set

• Center looks slightly underdone

• A toothpick comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter)

  Do not overbake — they continue to set as they cool.

7. Cool Completely

Cool completely in the pan before slicing.

For ultra-clean cuts, refrigerate 45–60 minutes before slicing.

Notes for Readers

• 1 teaspoon espresso powder deepens chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee.

• Use natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed). I have Hershey’s brand on hand.

• Use a chopped chocolate bar for melting — chocolate chips contain stabilizers and won’t melt as smoothly.

• Storage containers are for quitters, but if you have leftovers, not sure why you would, store tightly covered at room temperature up to 4 days.