Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Brownies
For a special treat try these Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Brownies; the cinnamon and spices in the Kahlua are a perfect fit with chocolate.
Too much? Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Brownies are my favorite brownie with a buttercream frosting and all made with the addition of Pumpkin Spice Kahlua. Of course you could just sip this liqueur over rocks or even my favorite; with a bit of vodka and half and half. No longer just a White Russian, we would have to christen it The Spicy Russian!
These brownies have long been a favorite; they are not even close to cake-like brownies; as a matter of fact my friend Chris that shared her recipe with me 28 years ago called them Baked Fudge and that so fits.
I’ve added espresso and Kahlua along the way and made them even more decadent with a buttercream frosting; the original recipe was actually included in this blog but dated in the last century (1997) and that was just wrong! Want something less seasonal? Just use regular Kahlua or even bourbon; I love both!
These are my perfect brownie; so incredibly rich and moist and with another concession I’ve made over the years that helps to take them over the top.
Toasted Walnuts. I used to just tolerate walnuts and would often simply substitute my more favored nut, pecans. Then one day some recipe somewhere must have called for toasted walnuts and life as I knew it changed. I had never thought of them as ‘raw’ before if they were not toasted but that was it; that’s what I did NOT like.
Now I toast both pecans and walnuts prior to including then in any recipe; that step changes them for the better in my book and I want better every chance I can and this is an easy one.
The Kahlua serves mostly to make that chocolate ever so much better; coffee and chocolate are super compatible friends. Still, I can tell a greater difference with the Pumpkin Spice Kahlua. Not a huge one but that spiciness comes though and it’s a great addition and so perfect with chocolate. Watch out for that frosting too; it is definitely spoon-worthy!
PIN IT! ‘Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Brownies’
Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Brownies w/ Brown Butter and Kahlua Frosting
Ingredients
For the Brownies::
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tsp espresso powder optional
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup Pumpkin Spice Kahlua or regular Kahlua if unavailable
- 1 cup toasted walnut pieces divided
For the Brownie Glaze::
- 2 Tbsp Pumpkin Spice Kahlua
For the Icing::
- ¼ cup 1/2 stick butter
- 2 Tbsp Kahlua
- 1 Tbsp whipping cream
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
To Prepare brownies:
- In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- Use a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (water from either should not actually touch inserted pan).
- Combine butter, chocolate chips and espresso powder in top unit and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool down.
- Beat sugar, eggs and 1/2 cup Kahlua in mixer. Pour in chocolate mixture and beat well. Mix in dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
- Add 3/4 cup toasted walnuts and stir into brownie dough.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean (slightly gooey is fine; these are not cake brownies!). Top may be slightly cracked.
- Remove brownies from oven and immediately brush the top of the warm brownies with 2 Tbsp of Kahlua. Let brownies cool completely.
To Prepare Icing:
- Brown butter in saucepan. Remove from heat and add Kahlua & whipping cream. Whisk in powdered sugar until you have a smooth but still pourable consistency.
- Pour on top of cooled brownies and spread to edges to cover completely.
- Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of reserved toasted walnuts; light press nuts into frosting.Refrigerate until set (chilled brownies are easier to cut. Use a large, sharp knife that is warmed in a glass of hot water; wipe clean after each cut).
- Store brownies in a covered container; best if eaten within a couple of days.
Baked fudge? There is no way I’m not making these! And Kahlua. Barb, I think you may have hit it out of the ballpark on this one!
I’ve gotta try that Pumpkin Spice Kahlua! On the rocks and in a brownie – sans frosting for me 🙂
Oh my!! I am so making these! I am still so intrigued by this pumpkin kahlua… and so perfect for autumn. Fabulous!!
If you didn’t have me at Kahlua, you certainly had me at Brownies. These look jaw-dropping delicious.
Just stumbled upon your blog while i was visiting another blog. Those pumpkin spice brownies look absolutely fantastic! The icing and pumpkin glaze sound and look super delicious! I bet they taste even better! Thanks for sharing!
Barbara, I can just imagine how exquisite these little things must taste… oh my! Kahlua has always been a favourite. Your additions sound delicious.
They are pretty doggone good Lizzie…truly my favorite brownies with or without the pumpkin spice version of Kahlua!
Too much?! Hah! It’s like you don’t even know me. Brownies without buttercream are naked. These look fantastic! And now I have a great reason to buy that new Kahlua!
Right…I mean if not going that extra mile why not just make a cookie? 🙂
I have seen a lot of pumkin recipes over the years but I have never come across a pumkin brownie. It sounds so good. Its mixing 2 of my favorite things 🙂
I have seen folks put pumpkin in brownies and I’m sure it’s a bit like adding zucchini to bread; their flavors alone are not really very strong but they offer a lot of moisture. I think the biggest part of this addition is how Kahlua accentuates the chocolate and the underlying spice taste that does come through; we LOVED them!
Good god these look amazing! I cannot make this recipe. I would eat the whole pan myself!
How did you know? Just kidding but I could have!
I am drooling. Gosh these look good! If I had this recipe one day sooner I would have made it my birthday treat for some neighbors to enjoy with me while we watched the Broncos and Rapids (soccer) play yesterday. Next time these are at the top of my short list for decadent desserts!!
It’s amazing how toasting/roasting nuts brings out flavor, isn’t it? Anyway, such a nice brownie! It does look a bit like fudge. Love the idea of the Spicy Russian – you should definitely do that! 😉 Thanks for this.
I once had someone leave a comment that they preferred pecans raw but otherwise liked a recipe. I had never considered them as such but son of a gun when I was buying some pecans at Vitamin Cottage yesterday if they aren’t marked as raw. It’s evident I don’t like raw nuts!
Okay, I stopped and let my eyes roll back into my head at ‘baked fudge’. Just the sound of that makes me hungry. These sound terrific.
These sound ridiculously good! And yes, by all means start adding that Kahlua to everything! I’m about to do a blog post for my maple pecan sticky bars, throwing in a little Jim Beam Maple bourbon. Sometimes you just have to kick things up a bit 😉