My latest obsession… BROWNIES! I go through phases of dessert cravings lately, you’d think I was pregnant or something. A few weeks ago it was ice cream for a few weeks, then I moved on to cookie dough and now it’s brownies. I’m in love with them, I can’t stop thinking about them. I’ve been stopping by a local bakery way too often this past week to get one of their delicious brownies. I decided I needed to create my own brownie recipe at home rather than getting them from the bakery so often. Also, I happened to have some left over evaporated milk in the refrigerator I didn’t want to just toss out and needed to find a use for it. Brownies + evaporated milk, it was meant to be. Hence the secret ingredient.
This brownie has everything I want in a brownie. Its perfectly chocolaty, chewy, fudgy, dense, tender, sweet, decadent and it has that heavenly, thin, crisp layer on the very top (ahh) and last but not least it’s such a convenient recipe using ingredients that you likely always keep on hand. I am a milk chocolate lover but if you are a semi-sweet chocolate lover you may want to increase the cocoa amount to 1/2 cup (and add an extra 1/2 Tbsp oil) rather than using 1/3 cup.
The perfect brownie needs no upgrades, no added caramel, chocolate chunks, mints, frosting or even powdered sugar, it stands confident all on it’s simple own and I’d have to say I think this just may be it! Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa and salt until well blended and cocoa clumps have all broken up, set aside. In a small saucepan, melt butter with evaporated milk over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (I just did this by whisking it for 1 minute, alternately the butter can be melted in microwave with evaporated milk in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted). Pour melted butter mixture into a large mixing bowl and whisk in sugar and vegetable oil. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until well blended. Add in dry ingredients and mix, using a wooden spoon, until combine. Pour and spread batter evenly into a buttered 8 x 8 baking dish. Bake in preheat oven for 32 - 36 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Allow to cool for about 15 - 20 minutes before cutting into squares.
- Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
Turmeric n Spice: am loving your sweet addiction !! :) this one is a classic May 18, 2012 at 12:48pm
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious: Evaporated milk? Who would’ve thought?! Thanks for sharing your secret! May 18, 2012 at 1:12pm
Crunchy Creamy Sweet: ooohh, brownies.. Jaclyn, these look amazing! The texture is what I love in a brownie. Yum! Love the secret ingredient :) May 18, 2012 at 2:04pm
monsterscircus: What a secret, brillant with the evaporated milk!!! That recepie is bookmarked! But my, I also have to give the blueberry lemon brownies a try! Very nice blog and photos! Have a lovely weekend! May 18, 2012 at 2:42pm
Jaclyn: Thanks for the comments! and sweets addiction, my love and my nemesis. Desserts like these brownies are what keep my butt running on the treadmill =). They are so worth it! May 18, 2012 at 3:45pm
Anonymous: I made these brownies the day I found the recipe and they were so easy to make and SO good!! I think this is my new homemade brownie recipe. Everyone loved them and gobbled them up fast!! June 5, 2012 at 9:52am
Jaclyn: Anonymous – I’m so happy to hear you thought so =). Thanks so much for your comment! June 7, 2012 at 10:45am
Anonymous: I just stumbled on your blog and I’m in heaven. I can’t wait to try a few new recipes. Thank you! September 20, 2012 at 5:22pm
Dena: Brownies were dry and not that great…. Not sure how everyone else got such a great turn out. March 4, 2013 at 8:12pm
alana: Making these right now! EXCITED!!!:))) April 22, 2013 at 5:38pm
Jaclyn: I hope you love them Alana :)! April 22, 2013 at 6:12pm
alana: These are sooo delish! Making them again 2marro!!! Thanks for sharing your secret recipe! XX April 23, 2013 at 4:25pm
Jaclyn: That’s awesome to hear you liked these Alana! I wish I had a whole pan of them now :)! April 23, 2013 at 7:49pm
allyb: hi–making these, no baking powder needed? Thanks! April 28, 2013 at 2:01pm
Jaclyn: No not for these. I hope you like them! April 28, 2013 at 3:02pm