spicy mocha brownies

Anyone who knows me well knows that I LOVE to bake - A LOT - maybe too much according to my husband's expanding waistline! (He says I'm a 'feeder', but in reality he just can't resist the goodness that comes out of my oven.) Anywho...I was sitting there on Sunday trying to decide what to bake. I found a lot of great ideas online, but had to table them for later due to a lack of certain ingredients. So, I decided to make good old brownies, but not just any brownies, brownies with a twist! I had some white & semi-sweet chocolate chips in the freezer so I figured I'd throw them in. Somehow the combination of white and dark chocolate made me think of Caribou's Spicy Mocha (I developed a slight obsession with these this winter) and BAM! Spicy Mocha Brownies were born. Here's the recipe for anyone who'd like to try them. Enjoy.

Melt the butter in the microwave-safe bowl.

Add the granulated sugar and stir.

Mix in the eggs.

Next, add the vanilla.

Now let's make it a brownie by adding the cocoa powder!

Time for the spices! I used 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 1tsp. of cayenne pepper, but if you don't like things really spicy, use less. And, if you can get your hands on ancho chile powder, give that a whirl (that's what Caribou uses, but I didn't have any at home). And then 2Tbsp. of instant coffee granules.

And finally, add the flour and give the batter a good stir.

Next, toss in 1 cup of chocolate chips or pieces (I did 1/2 white and 1/2 semi-sweet).

Choose your favorite brownie-cooking vessel and lightly grease it. I like thicker brownies so I always use an 8"x8" pan.

Pour your batter into the pan and pop it into your preheated oven. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until set.

Mmmm...my favorite, the ooey-gooey center pieces! :o)

SPICY MOCHA BROWNIES

• 1 cup Butter
• 2 cups White Sugar
• 4 whole Eggs
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• ⅔ cups Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 tsp (or less) Cinnamon
• 1 tsp (or less) Cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Instant Coffee Granules
  
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8"x8" or 9"x13" pan. Melt butter. Remove from heat and add ingredients in the order listed, stirring well by hand. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until set. Cut and serve.