Two of my favorite things packed in one – Oreo cookies and brownies. When the prime mix is so good, you know you cannot go wrong with this dessert.
The Oreo cupcake brownies combine the best from both of the worlds; crunchy Oreos and fudgy brownies. This is a match made in a heaven, but a rather sinful dessert. It is loaded with chocolate and has an impeccable taste.
The texture is a mix of crunchy and gooey and this what makes these cupcakes stand out of the crowd. If you are looking for a new favorite dessert, try this one out.
How to Bake the Best Oreo Brownie Cupcakes?
Chocolate: do not go cheap on this. A quality chocolate will ensure you have good brownies. Use real chocolate and cocoa powder. You can make brownies with either of both, but for the astonishing results use both. Though natural cocoa can be used, I recommend using the processed or Dutch cocoa for a deeper and smoother chocolate flavor.
Butter: I have seen and actually made brownies with oil instead of the butter, but butter is what give these a great flavor. So, I advise you to stick with a butter.
Sugar: you can use white or brown, but I always tend to use brown. The brown sugar gives a nice moist touch to the baked goods, and in this case leaves the center moist and gooey.
Eggs: the eggs are one of the main ingredients for these brownies. They bind, tenderize and give the amazing texture. The eggs here give a tight crumb and fudgy texture.
Flour: although this may seem like a small amount of the flour, do not forget that cocoa is in there too. The cocoa will perfectly mimic the flour in this recipe. If there is too much flour, the brownies will be on the cakier side, rather than being fudgy.
How to Tell When Oreo Brownie Cupcakes Are Done?
Although our ovens seem like they are all the same, I have learned that you cannot always rely on the baking time indicated in the recipe. I had my failures with baking, unbaked or overbaked brownies, so I learned this; as soon as you pick up that chocolaty flavor, make sure you check them.
It can be around 15th minute, for some, around 20th, but as soon as you can smell the flavor, check them by use of a toothpick. If there is wet batter stuck on your toothpick, they need more time. But, if there are few crumbs on your toothpick, your brownies are done. The overbaked brownies result in a clean toothpick, and you do not want that.
I have also read that some famous chefs bake their brownies twice. They bake them for 15 minutes, remove from the oven for the same amount of the time, then return to the oven until they are baked. I have not tested this with the brownie cupcakes, but for classic brownies, this baking method is a hit. It truly makes gooier brownies.
Cacao vs. Cocoa?
Cacao and cocoa are different ingredients. Each of these have unique flavor and texture. Not only that, but the cacao and cocoa have a different melting point and affect your desserts differently.
The difference between these two comes from the start. The cocoa has been processed at high heat, while the cacao has been fermented and processed at lower heat. This method makes cacao more intense and with a bitter taste than cocoa. Also, unlike cocoa, the cacao is less soluble in water.
When making something that calls for cacao or cocoa in the recipe, I advise that you stick with the recipe. Although it seems simple and you think that you can just swap these two, I assure you that you will not have the same results. If you do insist on swapping these, here are some guidelines to follow:
- The cocoa has a less bitter taste so when swapping this with cacao, make sure you are using less cacao. If you use the same amount, your baked goods may be too bitter.
- The cacao is less soluble in water, so when swapping these, make sure you use the appropriate amount of liquid. Add more or less to get the right consistency.
- Baking soda or baking powder; the cacao and cocoa react differently with the raising agents, so keep this on mind when substituting. The cocoa is less alkaline, so it will not react with baking powder same as the cacao.
Why is There No Rising Agent?
As mentioned above, the cocoa is not alkaline. This means it will not react with the baking powder to make the brownies rise. I could use some of the baking soda, but in that case I would get a cakier version of brownies.
So, if you are into dense and rich brownies, make sure you skip any rising agent. There are eggs inside and they will provide structure, the height and the texture you need.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup melted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 8oz. chocolate (4oz. melted, 4oz. chopped)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp table salt
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 12 Oreo cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a mixing bowl, beat or whisk butter with brown sugar. You should have fluffy mixture.
- Add eggs, and beat until the eggs are incorporated.
- Chop the chocolate and place in a microwave safe bowl. Melt the chocolate on high in 30-second bursts. Remove chocolate and stir.
- Add the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Stir well to combine.
- Fold the flour, cocoa, and salt into the mixture. You can sift the flour and cocoa to remove any lumps.
- Stir until the mixture comes together.
- Take the remaining chocolate and chop it however you like. Fold the chopped chocolate into the batter.
- Line 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners. Place one Oreo cookie per paper liner.
- Place an ice cream chop of the batter over each Oreo, so the liners are ¾ full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes.
- Cool in a tin for 5 minutes before removing.
- Serve.