Dark chocolate. Bulleit Bourbon. Jacobsen Sea Salt. We knocked it out of the park with this one.
Brownies are not typically my dessert of choice, partially due to a brownie overdose while working in the camp kitchen 7 summers ago. We made enormous trays of brownies for the campers, and then ate the batter straight from the mixing bowl. It was a fat and delicious summer.
But these brownies have surpassed the camp boxed brownies in flavor, fudginess, and portion control. And with the bourbon and sea salt, these are a little fancier than your typical summer camp brownie.
These are made with spelt flour, which I’d never heard of before entering the land of Gwyneth’s cookbooks. I picked some up at the store a few weeks ago, thinking it could be an interesting addition to breads and baked goods. Apparently, spelt is a whole grain that is high in fiber, protein, and iron. So, while I think it would be a stretch to call these brownies “healthy,” they are slightly better for you than regular white flour brownies. And trust me when I say you won’t taste the difference.
Mostly, what you’re going to taste is dark chocolate, followed by a splash of bourbon, with a kick of sea salt. It’s a fudgy fiesta. I think these brownies would make a pretty excellent addition to a camping trip (imagine the possibilities when used as the chocolate in a thick, grown-up s’more), or an indulgent dessert served alongside some coffee (or a huge glass of milk).
If you’re looking for more ways to bake with bourbon, check out my other favorite bourbon recipes: Strawberry Parfaits with Bourbon Whipped Cream, Kentucky Mint Bourbonale, Brown Butter Bourbon Spice Cookies, Kentucky Derby Pie Cookies, Whiskey Cinnamon Cookies, and Whiskey Cinnamon Rolls.
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 cup spelt flour*
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1½ ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- flake sea salt, for sprinkling
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch square dish with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar and butter together until it reaches the consistency of wet sand. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
- Once the butter mixture has cooled, stir in the egg, vanilla, and bourbon. Stir in the flour mixture until well combined. Stir in the dark chocolate.
- Spread the mixture evenly into the lined baking dish. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. (18 minutes was the perfect bake time for me.)
- After removing brownies from the oven, sprinkle with flake sea salt.
For nicely sliced brownies, allow them to cool completely before slicing. For happiness, eat while warm, topped with ice cream.
-Ally
Chris Watkins says
This blog is doing terrible/wonderful things to my diet.
Natty says
Okay, no fair to make these while I’m out on vacation. Therefore, you must make another batch! Take my money! All the money. Must have brownies.
Ally says
Haha! Jess missed out too, so I’ll have to send another batch along soon!