Guinness Brownies

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These Guinness brownies are the moistest brownies ever! They’re an awesome combination of cakey and fudgy with a boozy kick. Did I mention that they’re topped with a silky smooth, rich Guinness chocolate ganache? You won’t be able to stop eating them.

Why You’ll Love This Guinness Brownies Recipe

These brownies are flat out amazing and hard to resist. They are based on this brownie recipe, but modified for the carbonation and such in Guinness. I originally tested this recipe no less than 10 times. And before posting this update, I messed with them again to see if I could make them even better. But guess what? They were already perfect. I just love, love these brownies and I know you will too. Here’s my favorite things about them.

• The best texture. These brownies are super moist and are the perfect combination of fudgy and cakey. They aren’t crazy dense, like some fudgy brownies, but they are dense enough while still maintaining a lovely cake-like quality.
• Guiness-y, but not too Guiness-y. The Guinness in these brownies and in the ganache comes through just the right amount. It enhances the flavor of the chocolate and you can taste the beer just enough, but not too much. Not a beer lover? Me neither. I still love these.
• Finished with a flare. The Guinness chocolate ganache is the perfect addition to these moist brownies. It adds an elegance and an extra boost of chocolate-y flavor that takes them over the top.

Looking for more brownies to try? I have lots of brownie recipes you’ll love!

Do These Brownies Taste Like Guinness?

While huge Guinness fans might not think these brownies taste enough like their favorite beer, I think they have a lovely Guinness flavor to them. The truth is that Guinness acts a little bit like coffee with chocolate. It enhances and complements the taste of the chocolate. However, unlike coffee, I really do think you can taste the Guinness. Especially with the Guinness ganache topping. That said, it’s not going to taste a strongly as the beer itself.

One thing I tested with these brownies was cooking down the Guinness, much like I do with things like strawberry puree or even champagne, to give it a stronger flavor. With the Guinness, it made absolutely no difference. In fact, my taste testers thought the one without it cooked down was the one with it cooked down. The good news about that is that there is no need to spend time on an extra step like that.

What You’ll Need

Time to gather your ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need to bring this Guinness brownies recipe to life. Have a look at the recipe card below for exact measurements.

For the brownies

• Vegetable oil – The vegetable oil works to keep these brownies wonderfully moist. Delish!
• Guinness Stout beer – You could try a different brand of stout if you’d like. It should be quite full-bodied.
• Sugar
• Espresso powder – The espresso powder accentuates the chocolate flavor, but it’s not necessary if you don’t have it on hand.
• Vanilla extract
• Salt – Adding a little salt to these brownies helps balance out the sweetness, enhancing the flavor of the dessert.
• Unsalted butter – Using butter in addition to vegetable oil brings added moisture and a wonderful richness to the brownies that you wouldn’t get with vegetable oil alone.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
• All-purpose flour – It’s always important to measure your flour correctly. Over measuring can give you dry brownies. I highly recommend a food scale or the spoon and level method.
• Dutch-processed cocoa – Feel free to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder instead. That being said, I am partial to the rich flavor of the Dutch-processed cocoa in these.

For the ganache

• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – To get the right consistency, you’ll want to stick with semi-sweet chocolate.
• Unsalted butter
• Guinness – Another full-bodied, flavorful stout would also work.
• Powdered sugar – To give it a bit of an icing-like quality.

How to Make Guinness Brownies

Time to learn how to make some of the best brownies ever! Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F, grease a 9×9 square baking pan, and line it with parchment paper.
• Combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the oil, Guinness, sugar, espresso powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk in the butter followed by the eggs, one at a time.

• Add the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour and cocoa into the wet ingredients.
• Bake. Spread the batter into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
• Cool. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan.

• Make ganache. Combine the chocolate chips, butter, and Guinness in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the Guinness gets hot and the butter starts to melt. Whisk until smooth and then whisk in the powdered sugar.
• Finish it off. Spread the ganache over the brownies, lift the brownies out of the pan, and cut them into bars.

Tips for Success

Want to knock this recipe out of the park the first time? Here are some pro tips that will help you achieve the best results possible.

• Don’t skip the parchment paper. It is not enough to grease the pan here, folks. You need to line it with parchment paper as well. The parchment paper should stick out a bit over the sides so that you can use it to lift the brownies out of the pan once they have cooled.
• Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients. Mix just until everything is incorporated. Mixing past this point can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, giving you tough brownies.
• Don’t over-bake. No one likes dry brownies so be sure not to over-bake these. If they don’t pass the toothpick test, let them bake for a bit longer. But keep an eye on them.
• Let the ganache set. Allow the ganache-topped brownies to cool completely in the pan before removing and slicing for cleaner cuts.

Proper Storage

• Refrigerator. Arrange the brownies in a single layer in an airtight container and close the container. You can store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. Past that point, store them in the fridge (up to 5 days).
• Freezer. Arrange the brownies on a sheet pan and pop them in the freezer for several hours until the ganache has firmed up. Wrap each brownie in plastic wrap and then load them all into a freezer bag. You can freeze them for up to 3 months. Allow the brownies to thaw in the fridge before enjoying.

More Brownie Recipes To Try

Brownies, brownies everywhere! Once you’ve gotten this recipe down, try one of these other decadent favorites. Let me know how you like ’em!

• Just Like Box Mix Brownies
• Cookies and Cream Brownies
• Praline Pecan Brownies
• Ultimate Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies
• Fudgy Brownies with Crunchy Butterfinger Crust
• Nutella Fudge Brownies

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