Fudgiest Espresso Cashew Brownies Recipe

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Updated March 29, 2025
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Yvonne Ruperti

Decadent, fudgy brownies with a kick of espresso and a handful of crunchy sweet cashews. Extra whisking will give you a crustier top.

Notes: Whisking the mixture well helps to dissolve the sugar and contributes to a crackly crust. The sugar should end up mostly dissolving, and the mixture should appear smooth and glossy. For fudgy brownies, avoid overbaking.

Recipe Details

Fudgiest Espresso Cashew Brownies Recipe

Prep 15 mins
Cook 25 mins
Active 20 mins
Total 40 mins
Makes 1 pan
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Ingredients

  • 7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 8 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped

Directions

  1. Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom and two sides of an 8- by 8- inch baking pan with foil, allowing edges to overhang the sides. Grease the pan.

  2. In a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, heat butter, chocolate, espresso powder, and salt until melted and smooth.

  3. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Whisk in sugars until combined. Add eggs, one by one, whisking well after each addition. Add vanilla and mixture for one minute.

  4. Add flour to chocolate and whisk until combined and mixture is smooth and glossy (see note). Stir in cashews. Spread into pan and bake until just set and top is crusty, about 25 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool before cutting into squares.

Special equipment

8- by 8-inch baking pan

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
3584 Calories
241g Fat
298g Carbs
64g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 3584
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 241g 309%
Saturated Fat 133g 664%
Cholesterol 590mg 197%
Sodium 1181mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 298g 108%
Dietary Fiber 42g 149%
Total Sugars 162g
Protein 64g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 359mg 28%
Iron 49mg 271%
Potassium 2535mg 54%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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