These easy to make Kahlua espresso brownies are a rich mocha brownie that uses Kahlua, a coffee-flavored rum for a deep coffee flavor.

A stack of Kahlua espresso brownies on a plate, with more brownies behind it. The words on the image say "Kahlua Espresso Brownies".

I’ve been making a version of these Kahlua mocha brownies ever since they appeared in an old issue of the classic food magazine Gourmet. They’re deeply fudgy and rich, similar to my easy fudge brownies and my miso caramel soy sauce brownies. The addition of a generous amount of instant coffee or espresso powder and Kahlua, a coffee-flavored rum, gives them a deep mocha flavor.

Every time I make them, my friends clamor for them, and recently I made a double batch for a different project of mine, which resulted in a surplus of them. I gave away as many as I could (because I did NOT need that many brownies in the house), but then I got a text message from a friend who was on the receiving end of a couple brownies. He proclaimed that he was obsessed. So, I ended up making yet another whole batch just for him!

A plate of Kahlua espresso brownies with a pan of the remaining brownies next to it.

How to make these brownies

These brownies are easy to make and use both melted chocolate and cocoa powder to give it a rich fudge texture. First melt the chocolate and butter together. Then beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla, instant coffee, Kahlua, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix in the melted chocolate butter mixture. Then fold in flour and cocoa.

Once the batter is mixed, just scrape it into a prepared pan and bake! Almost as easy as a brownie from a box.

A plate of Kahlua espresso brownies with a glass of milk and a cooling rack with more brownies on it next to the plate.

Notes on special ingredients

Kahlua: Kahlua is a coffee-flavored rum liqueur that is easy to find at most grocery stores or liqueur shops. Kahlua adds a rich coffee dimension to the brownies, but if you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute the same amount of a different coffee liqueur like Irish cream, a regular dark rum liqueur, or just strong coffee if you are avoiding alcohol.
Dutch-processed cocoa: Cocoa power comes in two variants, natural cocoa or Dutch-processed. I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa in this brownie, which is an alkalized treated cocoa powder, which lends a mellow rich chocolate flavor, as well as a super dark midnight brown color. But if you only have natural cocoa powder, you can swap out the same amount of natural cocoa powder for the Dutch-process. Just swap the baking powder for 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to accommodate for the acidic natural cocoa powder.
Dark chocolate: You can use any dark chocolate you happened to have. I’ve even used semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of the chopped chocolate when I’m feeling a little lazy about chopping the chocolate. Keep in mind the darker the chocolate, the more chocolate intense the brownies will be. So, if you are chocolate fiend, feel free to reach for that super dark 85% chocolate for these! But for the average chocolate lover, a typical semi-sweet chocolate is just fine.

How to store these brownies

These brownies keep well. Store them under a cake dome or in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. Or store them in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 to 6 days. You can eat them cold or let them come to room temperature by placing them on your counter for an hour.

You can also freeze these brownies. Place them on a baking sheet in your freezer for about 2 hours, or until they are frozen solid. Then move them to a heavy duty Ziplock freezer bag to store for up to 2 months. Thaw by placing them on your counter for a couple of hours.

If you like these Espresso Kahlua Brownies, check out these other brownie recipes:

And check out these other chocolate recipes that I have:

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Kahlua Espresso Brownies

These mocha brownies have a double shot of coffee flavor from both the instant espresso and Kahlua, a coffee liqueur. You can substitute Irish Cream for the Kahlua. Try not to overnake the brownies though, as you want a mocha-infused fudgy center!

Course coffee time, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword bars, brownies, chocolate

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 239kcal

Author Irvin

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks or 170 g
4 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped 130 grams
3 large eggs
2 cups white sugar 400 g
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup instant coffee powder or instant espresso 27 g
3 tablespoons Kahlua liqueur or other coffee liqueur, like Irish Cream
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour 140 g
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa 32 g

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking oil, then line with parchment paper.
Place the butter and dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, then melt the ingredients together in the microwave, using 30 second bursts of time, stirring between. You can also melt the ingredients together on the stovetop in a medium pan under low heat.
Place the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, instant coffee, Kahlua, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Beat the ingredients together, until they are well blended.
Mix in the melted chocolate butter mixture, making sure to incorporate it together completely.
Fold in the flour and cocoa. If the cocoa is clumpy, sift it first, as that will help it incorporate into the batter.
Scrape the batter (it will be a bit stiff, the consistency of frosting) into the prepared pan and bake for 27 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs on it but isn’t wet.
If you have an instant read thermometer, the center should read 185°F. Try not to overbake it, as this brownie is best slightly underdone to give it that fudgy quality.
Let cool on a wire rack until room temperature, then use the parchment paper sides to pull up and move the entire brownie to a cutting board to cut into pieces.

Notes

Recipe adapted from an old Gourmet magazine.

Nutrition