Fudgy Irish Cream Brownies

A decadent and fudgy Irish cream brownie. Made with Irish cream in the brownies and frosted with a fluffy, Irish cream buttercream. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day or honestly anytime a brownie craving strikes!

So I did a thing and I seriously don't know if I'm going to make it.

These fudgy Irish cream brownies are not helping either!

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See, I gave up sweets for Lent. We're only five days in and I think I am dying! This isn't my first time with giving up sweets, but I haven't done it for a few years and I forgot how HARD it is!!

Then I went and made Irish cream brownies. They are seriously fudgy and topped with a fluffy Irish cream buttercream. They smell heavenly and the taste is full of chocolate and Irish cream. Pure decadence in every bite.

When I started creating this recipe, I realized that I have yet to share my favorite brownie recipe with you! Silly me, I'll have to get that on the blog soon for you as they are another staple at my house.

TO MAKE THE FUDGY IRISH CREAM BROWNIES

You'll start by melting your butter and chocolate together. I use a double boiler for this. Glass nesting bowls offer lots of options for fitting on top of your saucepans. The butter will melt more quickly if you chop it in chunks and let it melt before adding the chocolate. Then slowly work the butter and chocolate together until they are fully incorporated.

Next, you will add the Irish cream to the melted butter and chocolate mixture. Set the mixture aside to cool while you mix your sugar, eggs and vanilla in another bowl. Then add the chocolate mixture to the sugar mixture and allow to come to room temperature. I find this happens in about the time it takes me to sift the dry ingredients together.

After you add the flour mixture to the butter, chocolate and sugar mixture you will add in some chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. You will want to toss the chocolate with a little of the remaining flour as this helps to keep the chocolate from sinking to the bottom of your fudgy Irish cream brownies.

A COUPLE TRICKS TO BAKING THE BROWNIES

Line your 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper, this will help you have a much easier time getting the Irish cream brownies out once they are baked. I always give a quick rub of butter over the parchment paper as well to allow for easy removal.

Before the brownies go in the oven, drop the baking pan on the counter a few times to knock out any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes and then rap the baking pan against the oven shelf or quickly remove the pan and drop it on the counter again to force air to be removed from between the Irish cream brownies and the edge of the pan. Bake another 15-20 minutes, until a tester comes out barely clean. Do not overbake!! Just like my sugar cookie bars, we want a slightly underdone center to give us that nice fudgy center!

Then the hardest part. Waiting for them to cool..... Let the pan rest on a cooling rack. If you need to rush the process, let them cool 20 minutes or so on the cooling rack and then you can put the pan in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. Once completely cool it's time for my favorite part, the Irish cream buttercream.

MAKING THE IRISH CREAM BUTTERCREAM

I typically use my hand mixer to make this buttercream, but your stand mixer with the paddle attachment will work well too.

First you will want to get the butter all nice and fluffy by beating it on medium high to high. Then you'll add the powdered sugar and Irish cream on low until all incorporated. Finally, you will give it another good beating until you reach a light and fluffy consistency.

Then spread the buttercream over the fully cooled fudgy Irish cream brownies. Cut them into bars and sink your teeth into fudgy Irish cream brownie bliss. 😋

And think of me.

Sitting here enjoying my popcorn.

Only 41 more days, but who's counting!😉

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Fudgy Irish Cream Brownies

A decadent and fudgy Irish cream brownie. Made with Irish cream in the brownies and frosted with a fluffy, Irish cream buttercream.

Course Dessert

Servings 25 brownies

Author Tasia ~ TwoSugarBugs

Ingredients

Irish Cream Brownies:

• ½ pound unsalted butter
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips divided
• 6 ounces milk chocolate chopped
• ⅓ cup Irish Cream liquor such as Baileys or Carolans
• 3 large or extra large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Irish Cream Buttercream:

• ¼ pound unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons Irish Cream liquor

Instructions

To make the Irish Cream Brownies

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.  Alternatively, you can butter and flour your 9x9 pan, but parchment paper is my preferred method.
  
• Melt together the butter, 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate and 6 ounces of milk chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. I find melting the butter first and then adding the chocolate works best. Once the butter and chocolate mixture is removed from the simmering water, add the Irish cream liquor and mix well. Allow to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir in the butter and melted chocolate mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.
• In anther bowl, sift together ½ cup of flour, the baking powder and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture and combine with your wooden spoon or spatula.
• In a small bowl, toss 6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of the flour. (This step helps keep the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the batter). Then add the chocolate chip/flour mixture to the chocolate batter.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Drop the pan on the counter a couple times to release any air bubbles.
• Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf (or pull out and rap on the counter again) to force air to escape from between the pan and brownie batter. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Be careful not to overbake.
• Cool thoroughly. If you need to speed the cooling process, once the pan has cooled enough that you can pick it up bare-handed, you can place the pan in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
• Once fully cooled, frost with the Irish Cream Buttercream.

To make the Irish Cream Buttercream:

• With the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, or with a hand-held mixer, cream the butter for 2-3 minutes. Scrape up and down the sides of your bowl and add one cup of the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. Turn mixer up to medium high and beat for about 1 minute. Scrape up and down the sides of the bowl again.
• Add the second cup of powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of Irish Cream liquor. Mix on low speed until thoroughly incorporated and then beat on medium high to high for about 2 minutes more, until buttercream is light and fluffy.
• I like to refrigerate the brownies after frosted to allow the bars and buttercream to firm up. Once cold, use a sharp knife to cut into desired size squares. I find using a sharp knife and wiping the knife clean between cuts give you neat and even cuts.

Notes

I like to refrigerate the brownies after frosted to allow the bars and buttercream to firm up.

Once cold, use a sharp knife to cut into desired size squares. I find using a sharp knife and wiping the knife clean between cuts give you neat and even cuts.

I store the brownies covered in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies