This is a recipe adapted from my mother’s 1974 Betty Crocker’s Cookbook.
These brownies are definite comfort food for me because they’re the brownies I grew up eating. I started adding cinnamon and chili powder to the original recipe at some point in high school after I became obsessed with the Mexican hot chocolate at Pannikin. This recipe is a go-to for me when deciding what to bring to a house party or potluck.
Yield
32 small brownies or 16 large brownies
Ingredients
4 (original recipe) to 6 (my preference) oz unsweetened chocolate (4-6 Baker’s squares)
2/3 cup butter (the original recipe says shortening)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of chili powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or butter a baking pan (I use an 8 x 8 square pan). Melt chocolate and butter (or shortening) in a saucepan over the lowest possible heat setting (you can also use a double boiler, but it’s not necessary and it means more cleaning up).
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. At this point your house should smell like heaven.
Crack eggs into a mixing bowl. Add sugar and vanilla to bowl. Pour melted chocolate mixture into the bowl a little at a time, mixing as you go, to avoid cooking the eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Spread in pan. Bake 30-37 minutes (depending on how firm or gooey you want them to be). Cool. Cut into bars.
Cindy Makes Food 