Espresso Brownies: Coffee Oreo Boxed Brownie Hack

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I’m a sucker for brownies, which is why we don’t make them often. When we do, we tend to spice them up and combine the convenience of a boxed mix with some home brewed coffee for a delicious dessert with a twist. My family is not a fan of super sweet things, so we find that the bitterness of coffee is a perfect compliment to sweet chocolate!

INGREDIENTS FOR ESPRESSO BROWNIES

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this coffee Oreo brownie recipe:

Coffee Oreo boxed brownies

INGREDIENT NOTES

Brownie Mix: My personal favorite is Duncan Hines. You can use any box mix for this recipe and just substitute the concentrated coffee for the amount of water it calls for.

Oil: We don’t consume seed oils in our house (for the lowdown on why these are not healthy, check out Marks Daily Apple). I substitute Avocado oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a healthier option.

Coffee: Since we have four children and are usually eating this in the evening, I always use decaf (definitely a hazelnut decaf for me because it’s an affordable favorite!). You can use any coffee as long as you can make it very concentrated. 

Making Concentrated Coffee: Either brew a small 2-cup pot and double the grounds, or use a “specialty” or “iced coffee” setting if you have a fancier coffee maker. The key is to pack coffee flavor into the 1/3 cup you’ll be adding to your recipe.

HOW TO MAKE ESPRESSO BROWNIES FROM A BOX MIX

Step 1: Brew your concentrated coffee. Either brew a small 2-cup pot and double the grounds, or use a “specialty” or “iced coffee” setting if you have a coffee maker like this Ninja (which we love, BTW) You will only need 1/3 cup brewed coffee

decaf coffee

Step 2: Gently chop about 10 Oreos into bite sized pieces.

chopped Oreos

Step 3: Prepare the brownie mix according to package instructions, BUT substitute coffee for the amount of water called for. Note that some recipes will want 2 eggs, others only call for 1 for a more fudgy texture.

brownie mix

Step 4: Gently stir in your chopped Oreos and bake according to package instructions.

Stir in oreos

Step 5: Let cool and slice!

ADDITIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

  • You can use any kind of Oreos. We chose coffee to go with the theme, but can you really go wrong with Oreos?
  • To make these the ultimate brownie, add in any sort of nuts, crumbled chocolate bits, or marshmallows
coffee Oreo brownies

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why do you only use one egg? Some recipes will suggest using one instead of two for a more fudgy texture. You can use either!

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