Spiced Valentine's Brownies

I recently read a recipe in Better Homes & Gardens called Sweet & Spicy Brownie Bites, and liked the sound of it. I wasn't thrilled with a dessert being spicy though, so I've made some tweaks and developed a Brownie that's spiced rather than spicy, has a wonderful depth of flavor with nutmeg, chili powder, and cinnamon, and turns an ordinary brownie into something with a little edge. Perfect for a Valentine's Day treat for your hubby or bf, and they're EASY too!

Steps I don't want you to forget or overlook are: letting eggs & chocolate mix come to room temp. and don't over mix the dry ingredients when adding them to the chocolate and egg mixture.

Spiced Valentine's Brownies 

  

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. ground Chipotle Chile powder

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

9 oz. semi-sweet mini dark chocolate chips

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

5 eggs (room temp)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter sides and bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan.
2. Sift top 7 ingredients together, then whisk.
3. Put chocolate in a mixing bowl, and place it above a small saucepan with about 2 inches of water over medium-low heat on the stove. (Double boiler). Add the butter chunks. Mix slowly as it heats. Once all butter and chocolate have melted together remove bowl from stove.
4. Add sugar to chocolate. Stir in to combine.
5. Let chocolate and eggs come to room temp before mixing them together. 
6. Add 3 eggs to chocolate. Whisk together. Then whisk in remaining 2 eggs.
7. Slowly sprinkle flour mixture over chocolate and fold together with a silicon spatula. Just until combined. Don't over mix.
8. Pour into buttered baking pan, smooth out the top, and bake for 30 minutes.

*dust with sweet ground cocoa powder or powdered sugar to really make them fancy.

THESE BROWNIES ARE AMAZING!!!! and I'm a tough critic. Better than any box mix, or store bought varieties, and the best brownies I've ever home-made. They're even better when cooled, so making them ahead of time is ideal.