This is the month to indulge in all things sweet so why not start with brownies! I haven’t met a brownie I didn’t like. I don’t discriminate between fudgy or cakey, nuts or no nuts. I just love brownies, all kinds. I recently picked up a copy of  America’s Test Kitchen Christmas Cookies for a little holiday inspiration. When I came across a recipe for gingerbread brownies, I had to make them.

Gingerbread and chocolate are two strong flavors but this recipe gets in right. The molasses gives a nice chew but doesn’t overpower the chocolate. The ground ginger cooks at medium high heat with the butter to bring out the spicy ginger flavor. The result is an unconventional brownie that will please both chocolate and gingerbread lovers. Give them a shot this holiday season!

I love brownie corners. I may need to buy this pan very soon.

Gingerbread Chocolate Chip Brownies

Recipe barely adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Christmas Cookies

Make about 24 Brownies

Ingredients:

11/2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

8 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 cup molasses

1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 325 and adjust oven rack to middle position. Make a foil sling for a 9×13 pan and grease with butter or cooking spray. (Read how to make a foil sling here.)

Whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside. Using an 8 inch skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add ginger and cook, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn for about 15 seconds. Pour butter ginger mixture over chocolate and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then whisk chocolate mixture until chocolate is melted and smooth.

In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, eggs and molasses until well combined. Add chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until completely incorporated. Stir in flour until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter into an even layer on prepared pan. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, for about 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Allow bars to cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours. Once cool, cut into squares. Brownies taste best the day they are made. If for some reason you have leftovers mix them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or make a brownie sundae!

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