These made from scratch M&M brownies are rich, fudgy and most importantly loaded with M&M's and chocolate chips. Even better, they only take 10 minutes to prep before throwing in the oven.
You can never have enough dessert - from brown butter chocolate chip cookies to congo squares to Guinness brownies.
But is there much better than a good old-fashioned chocolate brownie? I know everyone loves the box mix and I'm a huge fan too. But making homemade brownies is actually quite easy and not really any extra steps. Plus everything is better with M&M's!
Everyone has their favorite type of brownie - from a more cake-like to fudge brownie. I lean fudge which is what these are like. The middle is still kind of gooey and just melts in your mouth.
These M&M brownies are perfect for any party. And you can't say no to topping them with some vanilla bean ice cream and homemade chocolate syrup! Of if you want a different candy, try these Kit Kat brownies.
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Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate - I like to use a combination of semi-sweet chocolate chips and cocoa powder.
- Eggs - whisking the eggs not only helps create that crinkle top that everyone loves, but it adds structure.
- Espresso powder - no it doesn't make the brownies taste like coffee. Just adds some richness to the chocolate.
- Baking powder - allows the brownies to rise.
- M&M's - adds texture and flavor and just makes the brownies fun to look at and eat.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can exchange some of the ingredients with this brownies recipe. The variations include:
- While semi-sweet chocolate is my go-to, milk or dark chocolate also works.
- I use granulated sugar for a slightly airier batter, but light or dark brown sugar is a good substitute.
- I go with unsweetened cocoa powder as these brownies are already pretty chocolatey, but if you want it even richer, use dark cocoa powder.
- These are called M&M brownies for a reason, but you could sub with other candy like Reese's Pieces.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Microwave the butter and ¾ cup of the chocolate until melted. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs until bubbly on top. Stir in the sugar, vanilla and espresso in the melted chocolate before adding the eggs.
In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Fold in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients as well as the M&M's.
Add to a pan and sprinkle with some M&M's. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until done.
FAQs
A typical brownie recipe uses just cocoa powder but using primarily chocolate chips helps make these M&M brownies extra fudgy. With that said, if you want just cocoa powder, use ½ cup instead.
Use quality chocolate when making these brownies as that is where the flavor comes from. I like to use Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips.
You will know when the brownies are done when you insert a toothpick and a few crumbs are on it. The toothpick should not come out clean, otherwise it is overbaked at that point.
Make sure you grease and line your pan with some parchment paper. Crumble it up and then spread out so it will easy fit in the pan.
To maximize the shelf life of the brownies, place it in a covered airtight container or cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
• Brownies at room temperature will last 2-3 days
• Brownies in the fridge will last 1 week
• Brownies in the freezer will last 3 months
Variations
While these are called M&M brownies for a reason, you can sub out the M&M's and use the base batter to make a ton of different types of brownies. Some options include:
- Candies - sub the M&M's for Reese's Pieces, sprinkles or another flavored M&M.
- Caramel - drizzle some caramel sauce on top or add some soft caramels into the batter.
- Nuts - add some nuts like peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds or pecans.
- Nutella - mix in ½ cup of Nutella for extra gooey brownies.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the recipe turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Large bowl - used to whisk together the ingredients.
- Rubber spatula - something is needed to mix together the ingredients. Can also use a spoon.
- Brownie pan - you want an 8x8 pan for the brownies.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Don’t overbeat the eggs as it introduces air and makes the brownies more cake-like and less dense. You should beat just until bubbles form on top.
- Sifting together the dry ingredients fluffs them up and allows the wet ingredients to bind more quickly and evenly.
- Let the brownies cool completely before cutting them so you can get clean cuts.
- You can double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan. It will probably take a few minutes longer to bake.
Other Dessert Recipes
If you’ve tried these M&M brownies or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
M&M Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup M&M's, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper and butter generously.
- In a microwavable bowl, melt butter and ¾ cup chocolate chips until melted and smooth. Stir in 30 second intervals. Stir in sugar, vanilla and espresso.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until bubbly on top, about 1 minute. Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture.
- In another small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined and then add the remaining chocolate chips and ¾ cup M&M's.
- Spread evenly into the pan and sprinkle remaining M&M's on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes. A cake tester should come up with a couple of crumbs. Let cool and then cut into 9 squares.
Notes
- Grease and line your pan with parchment paper so you can easily get the brownies out.
- Use quality chocolate when making these brownies as that is where the flavor comes from. I like to use Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips.
- Don’t overbeat the eggs as it introduces air and makes the brownies more cake-like and less dense. You should beat just until bubbles form on top.
- Sifting together the dry ingredients fluffs them up and allows the wet ingredients to bind more quickly and evenly.
- You will know when the brownies are done when you insert a toothpick and a few crumbs are on it. The toothpick should not come out clean, otherwise it is overbaked at that point.
- Let the brownies cool completely before cutting them so you can get clean cuts.
- You can double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan. It will probably take a few minutes longer to bake.
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