Brown Butter Ginger Molasses Brownies from Two Peas and Their Pod

Brown Butter Ginger Molasses Brownies - made November 9, 2022 from Two Peas and Their Pod

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup unsalted butter, melted, browned and cooled slightly

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup molasses

Sparkling sugar or sanding sugar, for sprinkling on the bars

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together browned butter and brown sugar, until well combined. Add in egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and molasses, beating until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed after each addition, until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Pour into prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake. Cool completely before cutting.

I'm not normally a ginger molasses fan but 'tis the season, right? I don't dislike the flavor combination but it isn't my favorite. I don't mind the ginger but oftentimes I find the molasses a little overpowering.

So I was pleasantly surprised how well these turned out and that I actually liked them. I didn't have sanding sugar so I used regular granulated sugar. I think they would've been better with sanding sugar to get the big sugar crystals. But still, these were pretty good, both in terms of taste and dense texture. If you want them a little more cakey, you could bake them a little longer but I prefer the dense chewiness of a brownie. It ships better and takes longer to dry out in transit.