Cappuccino Brownies
Rich, dense, and fudgy, these Cappuccino Brownies are topped with a white chocolate ganache to give you the froth-y flavor and beauty of your favorite cup of cappuccino. Perfect for coffee and chocolate lovers alike!
Rich & Fudgy Coffee Brownies
If there’s one sweet that I crave regularly, it has to be brownies. I like them rich, dense, and fudgy. And these Cappuccino Brownies are capital I “Incredible” and “Irresistible”!
Besides having the perfect brownie base, these beauties are adorned with a gorgeous white chocolate ganache, a play on the steamed-milk foam atop a cappuccino. Lightly dusted with cinnamon, the cappuccino sentiment is complete.
The first time I made these decadent coffee brownies was for a girlfriend’s birthday celebration many, many years ago. Normally my girlfriends might not even finish a full piece of dessert. But not that time. I had cut large portions and every single one of us had seconds. These truly are some very special brownies!
These cappuccino brownies are extraordinary to me, as I truly am not a white chocolate person. I love my chocolate dark. Really dark. And I’m always the first to point out that white chocolate is really not chocolate at all. But I love these brownies with my whole heart, white chocolate and all.
What You’ll Need
These cappuccino brownies start with a simple brownie batter before being topped with an easy 3-ingredient ganache.
FOR THE BROWNIES:
- Unsalted butter – Dice it into smaller pieces and melt with the chocolate.
- Unsweetened chocolate baking bar – Be sure to use a good quality bar as it will affect the flavor. Chop it for easier melting.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Instant espresso powder – The espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor and turns these into “coffee brownies” with a deeper flavor. I LOVE what espresso powder does for brownies and chocolate cakes!
- Pure vanilla extract
- Salt – Salt balances out the sweetness in the recipe.
- All-purpose flour – Sift before adding to the mixture.
FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- White chocolate baking bar – Again, look for a high quality baking bar, like Ghiradelli.
- Heavy cream – Gives the thick, creamy texture.
- Ground cinnamon – To finish, sprinkle some cinnamon over the top. It not only tastes wonderful, but it’s also extra pretty!
How to Make Cappuccino Brownies
These espresso brownies are easy to make, just be sure to leave time for the brownie base to cool before adding the white chocolate ganache. And the ganache will need some time to chill as well.
- Make the brownie batter. Stir together the butter and chocolate over medium heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar and eggs, then the espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Sift the flour over the top and stir to combine.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Then let cool.
- Make the white chocolate ganache. Bring the cream to a simmer in a saucepan and then pour it over the white chocolate in a bowl. Let sit for 30 seconds then stir until white chocolate is melted and smooth. Chill until the ganache is thickened but still spreadable.
- Assemble the brownies. Spread ganache over top of espresso brownies. Sprinkle the ganache lightly with cinnamon.
- Chill and serve. Chill the brownies until the ganache is set. Then cut and serve!
Tips for Success
Just a few things to keep in mind, for the very best cappuccino brownies:
- Prep the pan. If you want to have those perfect looking edges/cuts, be sure to line your pan with foil so the whole brownie can be lifted out of the pan prior to cutting.
- Use quality ingredients. For extra decadence, be sure to use good quality butter, chocolate, and white chocolate. There’s even “good, better, best” when it comes to cinnamon!
- Don’t over-bake the brownies. When inserting a toothpick into the brownies, the toothpick should still have just a bit of moist batter attached to it. The brownies will continue bake in the pan for a bit, once removed from the oven. For the fudgiest, chewiest brownie base, do not over-bake the brownies!
- Let the brownies cool. Before adding the ganache, it’s important to let the brownies completely cool.
- Allow the ganache to thicken. For ganache that leaves a thick layer on the brownies, it’s important to allow it to cool once the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth. But don’t let it cool too long as it still needs to be spreadable.
- Can I use a different topping? Yes, if you’re not a fan of white chocolate ganache you can substitute a simple buttercream frosting instead.
Serving Suggestions
If you really want to treat yourself, enjoy one of these coffee brownies with….you guessed it…a cup of your favorite coffee. A most delightful afternoon pick-me-up!
I also recommend enjoying these rich, fudgy brownies with a tall glass of cold milk. I am definitely a brownies and milk kinda girl.
And for a little celebration, a glass of red wine (a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, perhaps?) is quite beautiful with these brownies. What a lovely way to top off a special Valentine’s Day meal!
How to Store Cappuccino Brownies
- How to store. Store the brownies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 3 days. If your home is overly warm, store the brownies in the fridge to prevent the ganache from softening too much.
- Can I freeze these? Yes, these espresso brownies can be frozen, with or without the ganache. Once they’ve chilled completely with the ganache, place them in an airtight container, with layers separated by parchment paper or wax paper. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Brownie Recipes:
- Heart Shaped Brownies
- Chocolate Mint Brownies
- Espresso Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Brownies with Mocha Buttercream
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Cappuccino Brownies
Ingredients
for the brownies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter diced
- 3 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate baking bar chopped
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 1.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
for the white chocolate ganache:
- 6 ounces good quality white chocolate baking bar chopped
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream
- ground cinnamon
Instructions
- For the brownies: Preheat oven to 325° F. Fold a 16″ long piece of foil into an 8″x16″ strip; place in 8×8 metal baking pan, leaving overhang on 2 sides. Repeat with another sheet of foil in opposite direction, lining pan completely. Lightly spray foil with nonstick spray.
- In large heavy saucepan over very low heat, stir butter and chocolate until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, then eggs, 1 at a time. Whisk in espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Then sift flour over the top and stir to blend well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
- Bake brownies until puffed and dry-looking and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.
- For the white chocolate ganache: Place white chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl. Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate in bowl. Let stand 30 seconds, then stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave on low power in 10-second intervals until white chocolate is melted completely. Do not overheat. Chill until ganache is thickened but still spreadable.
- To assemble: Using foil as an aid, lift brownies from pan. Turn over onto sheet of parchment paper and peel off foil.
- Spread ganache over top of brownies. Lightly sprinkle ganache with cinnamon.
- Chill until ganache is set, at least 2 hours. Cut and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
This post was previously published in 2010 and then updated in 2022.
do you think I could use parchment in place of foil? I use it quite often for this type of thing.. Thanks
Hi Nancy – yes, I think that will work just fine. Please send me a brownie, I LOVE these!! :)
I don’t know what happened to my 8X8 pan. It’s taken a hike, probably when my son moved out. So I simply used my 9″ cake round. What the heck, right? And then I used a cookie cutter to make shaped brownies. And ate the leftover pieces. Hey–I’m the cook. I get to do that!
It’s all good, folks.
Ended up borrowing an 8×8 pan. So I made one batch in a metal 8×8 with espresso and one batch in a glass 8×8 without the espresso. (some of my friends are sensitive to caffiene) Both turned out great! I may get a tummy ache from eating all the corners I cut off while making neat little squares to match your picture ; )
The ganache and cinnamon are what makes them incredible in my opinion. I thought I wouldn’t like them without the espresso, but both were equally good. YUM! Thanks Brenda!
I know very well that tummy ache you’re talking about!!
So I want to make more than an 8×8 pan. Do I have to use two 8×8 or do I dare double the recipe and use a 9×13? I’m guessing they won’t come out of the larger pan well…
I can’t promise you anything, but I think it would be worth a try in a 9×13. You’ll probably have a slightly thicker brownie, but that’s an ok thing! I don’t see an issue with them coming out of the pan – they lift out very nicely with the tin foil. Take note of the baking time and report back, please! It would be great to have a larger size option, as they disappear all too quickly.
These made me SO happy! Thanks Brenda! After we tried them last winter…I made them myself and they turned out awesome! Definitely my favorite chocolate dessert. (I even had them instead of my morning coffee) I love, love, love them!
I am happy to oblige in making you happy, Ann. :-)
Just added the cappuccino brownie recipe to my plans for the week! They look delish! I cannot wait to try them.
Sara – these will more than fulfill your tasty summer eating adventures, might even cover your adventures for a few days, they’re that good!
Okay! I’m making these for a potluck this weekend! Plus some extra for me. Consider my waistline blown for the summa ; )
WooHoo!!
You just described my most favorite brownie; rich, dense and fudgy. I’ve never been able to make one from scratch that has come out that way, but this one looks like it would be perfect. Not to mention chocolate AND espresso together!
I’m adding this to my list of things to try, and this may just make it right up closer to the top since I’ve had a craving for something chocolate and rich.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Pam! If that’s how you like your brownies, you won’t be disappointed. I’m already thinking about variations I can use with this brownie base. :-)
I can imagine a caramel variation. And I know my kids would flip if I did a marshmallow/chocolate topping. But I’m trying them the way you made them first, since I’m a chocolate/coffee freak. :)
We think alike! :-)
Very good! Very good! This is a perfect meal-ender in the heat of summer…fills the dessert and coffee cravings!
These brownies were the perfect way to finish off our meal while camping last weekend. Thanks for bringing them. So-o-o good!!
So this might be my most favorite thing Brenda has ever made!! Make them. Make them now! Make many. Share!
Beautiful and oh so fudgy! A definite addition to my favourites *must try* folder. Thanks for posting. I really would love to sample one right now with a tall glass of ice cold milk :)