Mexican Brownies

Oh, Mexican brownies.  Featuring the fabulous combo of chocolate, Mexican cinnamon, and chili powder, these are unique enough to be special, but not SO unique that you have to be adventurous to try them.  They're my brownie-hating husband's favorite desert and my brownie-loving dad's favorite brownie, so it's a pretty safe bet to take to gatherings and potlucks.  I've yet to hear a complaint.

Wait, that's not true.

ONE complaint.

Around the holidays last year, my husband asked me to fix a batch for him to take to work.  He likes to withhold the secret ingredients, because he likes to see if people can tell (which really, you can't.  The ingredients don't make it spicy so much as just highlight the flavors of the chocolate).  Well...Uhm...he gives his coworker a brownie and said coworker just begins violently clearing his throat.  Like the way you have to grunt in order to get a stuck popcorn kernel.  Turns out, the coworker was allergic to cinnamon.  Who knew cinnamon was an allergen?  Anyway, the guy was totally fine...But just remember that if you bring these to a pot luck.  People might assume, since there's no nuts, that it's a safe choice.  But I guess you may want to label them as having cinnamon.  Just speaking from experience!

So, these puppies are super easy to make and pretty fool-proof.  There's no complicated chemistry or special tricks, you just mix everything in a bowl and bake.  Fabulously simple!  So, here's your cast of characters:

2 sticks of butter (I used salted.  Unsalted can be used as well, with the addition of 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.  Add with the flour, etc.)

2 C sugar

4 eggs

2 TSP vanilla

2/3 C cocoa powder

1 C flour

1 TSP Mexican cinnamon (can be found at Walmart, in the hispanic aisle)

1/4-1/2 TSP chili powder or cayenne pepper

1/2 TSP baking powder

6 oz. chocolate chips (I used milk because that's what I had on hand.  Semi-sweet may be preferable)

I did not document this process, because I had already started baking before I realized how blogable these are.  I'm serious.  So good.  Go make them.  The world needs to know.

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Heat the butter (over medium-low) heat, until just melted.  Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool for at least 2 minutes.  Add in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and mix.  Don't over mix.  Just make sure everything is incorporated, until it no longer looks like an egg-white lava lamp.  

Then, add your flour, cinnamon, chili powder, and baking powder.  Mx this well, but there's no need to go crazy.  I'd say 30-50 strokes should be plenty.  You'll be able to tell when it looks like batter.  Just don't go any farther than that.  

Now, stir in your chocolate chips.  Obviously, this is optional, and YES, you can add nuts if you want to.  But in my opinion, the delicate flavors in these brownies get overshadowed by nutty flavor.  I love the chocolate chips, though.  The flavor blends right in, but when the brownies are warm you get little gooey pockets of happiness and when they cool you get the satisfying bite of solid chocolate.  OM NOM.  But that's my personal preference.  You do your thing, baby.  

Pour into your prepared baking pan, and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Start with 20.  Don't be like my husband.  Don't think 20-25 means 22 and a half.  If I meant 22 and a half I woulda said it, ok?  Once these brownies pass delightfully fudgy, they will start heading towards dry and chalky pretty fast.  You don't want that.  So just keep and eye out.

Your toothpick won't come out totally clean, because you've got melty chocolate chips in there.  But it should be mostly clean with a little bit of melted chocolate, probably with a couple teeny tiny pieces of fully cooked brownie attached.  If your toothpick just sinks right in, give it another minute or two.  

These really are SO good, and SO easy.  Isn't that everything anyone could ever want in a baked good?  Enjoy!

-Sadie