Mocha Cream Brownies are the best brownie recipe for coffee and chocolate lovers! Soft and chewy chocolate chunk brownies, layered with a coffee cream and chocolate ganache, they are rich, decadent, and creamy!
Are you a chocolate lover as well? You will LOVE my poppable, make-ahead Chocolate Covered Cheesecake bites, and for something even more spectacular, my Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie tastes like heaven in a bite!
Coffee and chocolate are one of my favorite flavor combinations (after peanut butter and chocolate, of course!). There’s just something so comforting and addictive about these rich flavors especially when they’re combined.
I didn’t think my brownies could get any better until now. These Creamy Mocha Brownies start with my Best Brownie Recipe. They’re the perfect brownie: soft and chewy on the outside and firm around the edges. They then get coated in a velvety coffee cream layer and topped with a rich chocolate ganache. Ready in just an hour, these easy mocha brownies are INCREDIBLE!
Instead of making mocha brownies with coffee frosting, the brownies are layered with a coffee-infused cream then topped with a chocolate ganache. This Mocha Brownie recipe is super rich and decadent.
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What makes these brownies so good
- Browned butter: This adds so much flavor and extra nuttiness to the brownies. Totally worth the extra step!
- Less flour: This makes the brownies chewy and fudgy.
- Light brown sugar: I used a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar for extra flavor and softness.
- Instant coffee granules: Instant coffee granules are added to bring out the cocoa flavor in these mocha brownies. You can also substitute espresso powder if you have that on hand!
Ingredients
The full ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.
For the Brownies:
- Butter: Browned butter makes these mocha brownies taste SO rich and decadent. It also adds a caramel note to the brownies.
- Sugar: This recipe uses both granulated sugar and brown sugar. The granulated sugar is purely for added sweetness, and the brown sugar adds a delicious caramel undertone to the brownies.
- Cocoa Powder: I used unsweetened cocoa powder to give these mocha brownies that rich, chocolate taste we all love!
- Coffee Granules: Adding instant coffee granules to chocolate recipes like brownies and cookies is one of my favorite tricks to making them taste SUPER chocolatey!
- Flour, baking powder, and eggs: These are the basic ingredients for the batter. Flour is the bulk of the recipe, eggs and baking powder help the ingredients to bind and rise.
- Chocolate Chunks: You can also use chocolate chips here, but I do love a good bite of chocolate in my brownies!
Coffee Cream Layer
- Cream and butter: Cream and butter provide richness, creaminess, and are the main ingredients in the cream layer.
- Coffee Granules: This is how we add the coffee flavor to the coffee cream! Instant coffee granules mix so well with the cream layer, without leaving any chunks behind.
- Sugar: We need some sweetness here! I used powdered sugar as it keeps the coffee cream nice and smooth, unlike granulated sugar.
Chocolate Ganache
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: They’re easy to melt and not too sweet. Most of the sweetness comes from the brownies and the coffee cream layer in this mocha brownie recipe, and I didn’t want to add too much more sweetness. Bittersweet chocolate would also work well.
- Cream: I used heavy cream which is the best type of cream to use when making a ganache, as it gives the sauce that shine we all love to see!
How to make Mocha Brownies
Brownie Layer
Coffee Cream Layer
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Cream the butter: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream butter until light and fluffy.
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Add and mix: Next, add in heavy cream, coffee granules and powdered sugar. Mix until combined and smoothed. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the brownies.
Chocolate Ganache
How to store mocha brownies
Store these homemade brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
How to make Chocolate Ganache
I top the Mocha Brownies off with a simple Chocolate Ganache after I’ve smothered them in the coffee cream. The ganache is super easy to whip up: just melt chocolate and heavy cream in the microwave until smooth and melted. You can also cook the ganache over a double boiler. Allow the ganache to cool for about 2-3 minutes before spreading it on top of the coffee cream layer, and place the mocha brownies in the fridge to allow it to set.
What kind of coffee should I use to make these mocha brownies?
I highly recommend using instant coffee granules instead of ground coffee. Instant coffee granules mix much easier than ground coffee and keep a nice smooth texture without the grainy feel that ground coffee would give.
Here are more delicious dessert recipes to try!
- The BEST Brownies
- Texas Style Blueberry Cobbler
- Easy S’mores Bars
- The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Zucchini Brownies
Mocha Cream Brownies
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs, cold
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips
Coffee Cream Layer
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Chocolate Ganache
- 1½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Brownie Layer
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 or 8 x 8 pan with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.Add butter to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until light brown / caramel in color. 5-10 minutes. Make sure to keep and eye on it so butter does not burn. It also helps to use a light colored saucepan for this.
- Pour browned butter into a large bowl along with both sugars, cocoa powder, salt, instant coffee granules and baking powder. Stir until combined and allow to rest for 5 minutes or until the mixture has cooled down.
- Stir in the eggs and vanilla and mix until batter has a nice sheen to it.
- Fold in the flour and stir until combined. (Do not over mix)
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is set and a toothpick comes out clean.Allow the brownies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cool spread the brownies with the coffee cream.
- Top with the chocolate ganache.
- Place the brownies in the fridge to set for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Coffee Cream Layer
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream butter until light and fluffy.
- Add in heavy cream, coffee granules and powdered sugar. Mix until combined and smoothed. Set aside until you are ready to assemble the brownies.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a small saucepan add the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth and melted, set aside.
Notes
- Nutrition Analysis is for brownies only
- Coffee Cream adapted from Inside BruCrew Life
Nutrition Information
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