Hot Chocolate Brownie Cups — fudgy, easy-to-make brownie cups filled with a rich chocolate ganache and topped with mini marshmallows. These adorable brownie bites are reminiscent of sweet little cups of hot chocolate!
These last few days of January have been particularly gray. It’s not quite cold enough for snow, but there has been plenty of rain.
It’s the perfect kind of weather for huddling under a warm blanket with a big cup of hot chocolate — or maybe one of these hot chocolate brownie cups.
I’ve been experimenting with a lot of different kinds of brownies recently (these Nutella Brownies being one of my most recent, favorite developments), but this is the first time I’ve done brownie bites.
They’re easy to make, a simple brownie batter divided into muffin tins — just make sure you grease the muffin tins well to make sure the brownies won’t stick when they’re done. If you use a spray, make sure it’s specifically baking spray, which contains flour and will keep the brownies from sticking, and not a cooking spray, which I have not had very much success with.
I thought about using the hot chocolate mix in these brownies but decided that I liked them much better when they were made without the powdered mix.
Don’t worry, we keep things classic for the best hot chocolate flavor possible: chocolate, sugar, cocoa, cream, marshmallows — all of the ingredients for hot chocolate are present without having to open up a powdery packet.
The center are filled with a creamy ganache — I added a splash of bourbon for a rich flavor that pairs amazingly with the chocolate. I first tried this bourbon addition in my Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (which is where I got the idea for the filling for these brownie cups) and while it’s optional, I wanted to include it in the recipe because it really takes the filling to a whole new level of deliciousness.
These hot chocolate brownie cups are the perfect way to stay cozy through the winter. Enjoy!
Hot Chocolate Brownie Cups
Ingredients
Brownie Cups
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- ½ cup semisweet choc chips
- ½ cup natural cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee grounds optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon bourbon optional, it gives a nice rich flavor and doesn't make these treats alcoholic
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mallow bits extra small marshmallows, usually found in the hot chocolate aisle
Instructions
Brownie Cups
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a 24-cavity mini muffin tin by spraying with baking spray or lightly greasing and flouring. Make sure that you spray/grease and flour not only the wells, but also the top of the muffin tin around each well.
- Place butter and chocolate chips in a large, microwave-safe bowl and microwave on 30-second increments (stirring in between) until completely melted.
- Stir in cocoa powder.
- Add sugars, and stir well.
- Add vanilla extract and instant coffee (if using) and stir in eggs and egg yolk, one at a time. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add flour mixture to batter, stirring until completely combined.
- Use a 1 ½ tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to drop batter into prepared muffin tin wells.
- Lightly dampen your fingertips and use them to lightly tamp down the batter for a smooth surface.
- Bake on 350°F for 18-21 minutes (until centers of brownie bites are cooked and an inserted toothpick comes out clean/with few crumbs).
- Allow brownie cups to cool for 5 minutes, and then use a rounded teaspoon to press into the center of each brownie bite and create a well (press a little more than halfway into each brownie bite).
- Allow brownie bites to cool another 10-15 minutes in the muffin tins, and then gently remove to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, prepare the ganache.
Chocolate Ganache
- Combine chocolate chips, heavy cream, and butter in a small saucepan over medium-heat.
- Stir frequently until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, bourbon (if using), and salt. Stir well.
- Allow mixture to cool slightly at room temperature, about 10 minutes.
- Use a small spoon to pour ganache into the indent of each brownie.
- Sprinkle mallow bits over ganache before it can harden completely
- Allow ganache to firm up before eating (about 1-2 hours -- or you can enjoy them warm, it'll just be a bit messier).
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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In the recipe you say to preheat the oven to 350 degrees, but in the instructions you say 340 degrees for 18-21 mins. Is this a typo or do you turn the oven down?
350F. Fixed, thank you. Enjoy, Pam!
Hi Samantha, thanks for such a lovely recipe. I’m just a little confused – when does the 1/2 cup chocolate chips go into the muffins? There’s no mention of them in the instructions.
Thanks very much
Thank you for asking – they go in with the butter in step 2. The recipe is updated!