Black Cocoa Brownies
This is the black cocoa version of my fudgy, gooey brownies. Replacing some of the Dutch-processed cocoa with black cocoa gives these brownies a deep black appearance and an earthy chocolate flavor reminiscent of Oreo cookies. The texture remains fudgy and gooey due to the low moisture and flour content in my recipe, while the high ratio of dissolved sugar ensures a signature crackly top.
Step by step:
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Read this before you begin
Measure by weight, if possible.
Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.
In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.
This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Use room temperature ingredients.
All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default.
Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.
I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive.
A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.
Substitutions are hard.
That’s not to say they’re impossible, though. For instance, in many cases, substituting reduced fat for whole milk (and thus reducing fat by less than 2%) will probably be fine. Using applesauce for oil or even Greek yogurt when sour cream is listed will definitely alter the fat content and adversely affect the crumb texture and density of the cake.
I experiment for hours to get these recipes to work for us. First, try to make them as written or use one of my tested substitutions, which I often dedicate a section to. Then, if necessary, you can make modifications afterward. Even then I would be pretty cautious, as substitutions are one of the hardest things to investigate in recipe development.
Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.
I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.
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Black Cocoa Brownies
- 100 g (2 large) eggs, room temperature
- 38 g (½ cup) black cocoa powder*
- 22 (4 tablespoons) Dutch-processed cocoa powder**
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½-1 teaspoon instant coffee/espresso powder (optional but delicious)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 120 g (8 ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold from fridge
- 165 g (1 ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) powdered sugar***
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 53 g (¼ cup) brown sugar, light or dark
- 52 g (7 tablespoons) all-purpose flour, bleached or unbleached
- 3/4 cup (about 140 g) chocolate chunks or chips**** (“dark” or bittersweet is my preference)
- 100 g (2 large) eggs, room temperature
- 38 g (½ cup) black cocoa powder*
- 22 (4 tablespoons) Dutch-processed cocoa powder**
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½-1 teaspoon instant coffee/espresso powder (optional but delicious)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 120 g (8 ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold from fridge
- 165 g (1 ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) powdered sugar***
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 53 g (¼ cup) brown sugar, light or dark
- 52 g (7 tablespoons) all-purpose flour, bleached or unbleached
- 3/4 cup (about 140 g) chocolate chunks or chips**** (“dark” or bittersweet is my preference)
- 200 g (4 large) eggs, room temperature
- 88 g (1 cup) black cocoa powder*
- 34 g (6 tablespoons) Dutch-processed cocoa powder**
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1-2 teaspoons instant coffee/espresso powder (optional but delicious)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 240 g (1 cup + 1 TB) unsalted butter, cold from the fridge
- 330 g (2 ¾ cups) powdered sugar***
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
- 107 g (½ cup) brown sugar, light or dark
- 105 g (14 tablespoons) all-purpose flour, bleached or unbleached
- 1 ½ cups (about 280 g) chocolate chunks or chips**** (“dark” or bittersweet is my preference)
- Prep the pans, oven, and eggs.
Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C) and line a pan with lightly greased foil or parchment paper.
Warm your eggs in a bowl of very hot tap water, changing the water a couple of times until the eggs feel slightly warm to the touch.
Chop your chocolate bar if using.
- Brown the butter/make cocoa powder paste.
In a small heatproof bowl, add the cocoa powders, cream of tartar, espresso powder, and salt; set aside.
Melt butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat. If it sputters, reduce the heat. Stir with a wooden or silicone spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent the milk solids from burning. Once the solids turn light brown, remove from heat and continue stirring until medium-dark brown.
Pour the browned butter into the cocoa powder bowl, scraping in the milk solids. Stir every 5 minutes and let the bowl sit for about 30 minutes to allow the black cocoa powder to neutralize a bit. (If you don’t care about the crackly sugar top, you can skip this waiting period and wait 10 minutes to let the mixture cool slightly.) - Mix the eggs with powdered sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, combine warmed eggs and powdered sugar. Whisk until no traces of sugar remain. If the sugar is clumpy, smash it with the spatula and let it sit for 5-10 minutes while the chocolate mixture cools. The final mixture should be pale yellow, slightly thickened, and feel like a smooth paste when touched. - Add the rest of the ingredients to the egg mixture.
Once the cocoa butter mixture is slightly warm, add the vanilla extract to the eggs. Add the black cocoa mixture to the eggs and mix with a spatula; it will thicken slightly. Ensure the brown sugar is clump-free, then fold it into the batter with the flour. - Pour batter into pan and add chocolate pieces.
Set aside about a fourth of the batter to preserve the crackly sugar top on your brownies. Mix the chocolate pieces into the larger portion of the batter and pour it into the pan. Then, pour the reserved batter on top and smooth it out.
Alternatively, you can mix the chocolate pieces into all the batter; the brownies will still have a crackly top, but they will be studded with chocolate pieces.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes*****.
Place the brownie pan on the middle rack. For an 8x8 pan, start checking at 18 minutes; for a 9x13 pan, check around 20 minutes. Err on the side of underbaking for the fudgiest result.
The brownies should puff up with a glossy, crystallized sugar top and be slightly jiggly in the center. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with streaks of wet batter. If you added chocolate pieces, try to angle the toothpick to avoid them since they will always come out wet. Using a thermometer, remove the brownies when the centers reach about 195 °F (90 °C). - Cool brownies completely in the pan.
Immediately after baking, the brownies may seem greasy; this is normal. As the brownie cools, the butterfat solidifies more, making it fudge-like. To remove, pull the parchment or foil sling out and slice them into squares.
Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes
*Black cocoa powder is a processed form of natural cocoa powder with a deep, dark color and a rich, intense flavor, often with a slightly bitter and earthy undertone. It’s sometimes hard to source in stores, so I buy mine online. For these brownies, I prefer (in this order): King Arthur Flour Black Cocoa, Cacao Barry Noir Intense, Magic Mountain Black Cocoa, and Cocoa Trader black.
**Dutch-processed cocoa is needed to add a depth of flavor in addition to black cocoa. It has a beautiful deep brown color and mellow chocolate flavor. I’ve used the Droste brand in this recipe, which I buy from Amazon.
***For best results, try to use powdered sugar. You can substitute castor or granulated white sugar but you must go by weight for the correct substitution. Also, if you’re aiming to get that crackly top, you need to dissolve all the sugar in the eggs, which means the eggs will have to be warmed, and you have to whisk until you can no longer feel the granules between your fingers.
****You can use any type of chocolate here, such as chips or cut-up chunks from a bar. If you prefer a sweeter brownie, go for a mix of semi-sweet and milk chocolate. I like a combo of semi-sweet and dark chocolate. Sometimes, I also like to use thin chocolate squares with filling (Ghirardhelli makes some good ones) so that when you bite into your brownie, you get a fun, gooey filling of raspberry, caramel, or mint.
****Pans of varying materials will conduct heat differently and require different baking times. All of my brownies are tested in light-colored aluminized steel pans (you can see mine here on Amazon), but if you use a different pan, such as glass or ceramic, I suggest reading this post from King Arthur Baking to ensure you get your baking times correct.
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