Mexican Brownies (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1″ pieces
- 1-1/4 cups sugar
- ¾ cup Scharffen Berger natural unsweetened cocoa powder (or other high-quality cocoa powder)
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- I teaspoon roasted cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (from one medium orange)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup gluten-free flour or all-purpose flour (see Notes)
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8x8x2″ glass baking dish with foil, pressing firmly into pan and leaving a 2″ overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray; set baking dish aside.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl to combine.
- Pour butter in a steady stream into dry ingredients, whisking constantly to blend.
- Whisk in vanilla and orange zest.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition.
- Add flour and stir until just combined (do not overmix).
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
- Bake until top begins to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30-40 minutes.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely in pan.
- Using foil overhang, lift brownie out of pan; transfer to a cutting board and cut into 16 squares.