May 14, 2012

Mexican brownies

Plate of cut up Mexican brownies.

Homemade moist and chocolaty brownies with a little kick from cinnamon and cayenne make a fun and delicious dessert.

Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase an item from these links, a small percentage goes to support the work of this blog. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
 
Homemade brownies are always a special treat and these ones are a favorite. If you are looking for a dessert for a party when you are having Tex-Mex food, give these Mexican brownies a try.
 
These brownies are very chewy and full of chocolate flavor. They are the perfect brownie texture in my opinion. 
 
Mexican brownies, similar to Mexican hot chocolate, have a little kick from the addition of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Don't let the bit of cayenne pepper scare you away. There is plenty of chocolate and sugar in here to offset the small amount of heat and spice.
 
The recipe includes only a tiny amount of cayenne pepper in the entire batch and provides just enough to give these a bit of extra warmth along with the warm cinnamon. It does not make the brownies hot and spicy.  
 
Top view of Mexican brownies dusted with powdered sugar.
 
However, you can add a touch more if you want more of a kick! Or even a bit more cinnamon for extra spice flavor. I'd suggest trying them as written first and then see if you'd like more the next time you make them.

I've made these brownies for dinner parties when we've had tacos or fajitas for the main dish. People love trying them and pretty much always enjoy them a lot.

I love to top these with a dusting of powdered sugar, but this is optional. I like the way to dusting looks and the bit of sugar flavor it provides when you first bite in.

These brownies are also delicious without the spices. I use this brownie recipe anytime I make homemade brownies. You can leave out the spices, add some walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips, etc. to customize the basic brownie base however you like. 
 
However, be sure to try them this way with the cinnamon and cayenne pepper as well. They will surprise people and hopefully in a good way!

Side view of Mexican brownies.

Serve these brownies with hot coffee or hot tea for a delicious dessert. Or make them for a potluck for something different. 

This recipe is slightly adapted from this recipe for Mexican Brownies from Food Network. 

Yield: about 18 brownies
Author: Amy (Savory Moments)
Mexican Brownies

Mexican Brownies

Homemade moist and chocolaty brownies with a little kick from cinnamon and cayenne make a fun and delicious dessert.

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
  • 1-3/4 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • icing sugar, for dusting, optional

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper so it overhangs on two sides. Fold/tuck it down into the corners. Lightly grease the paper and other sides of the dish with butter.
  3. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the saucepan with the butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
  4. Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and baking powder. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Pour into the baking pan and spread the batter evenly.
  5. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, about 30-35 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack.
  6. Use the parchment paper to remove them from the pan. Slice and dust with icing sugar, if desired. Store in an airtight container.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @savory_moments on instagram and hashtag it # savorymoments

I hope you give these Mexican brownies a try! Let me know in the comments below.

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

Mexican brownies on serving plates.

This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated in 2023 with a recipe card, new text, and more to improve reader experience.

Check out these other brownies and bar recipes:

Glazed Strawberry Cake Mix Brownies

Chocolate Chip Rhubarb Brownies

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies  

Chocolate Crispy Rice Treats

25 comments:

  1. Chile with chocolate is so delicious! These brownies look delightful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. These look so good! I love the touch of cinnamon and cayenne in there!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I made Mexican hot chocolate once. Definitely a unique flavor combo but not a bad one at all!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The chocolate and cayenne does make for a great contrast. There are a lot of blending of heat and sweet when it comes to Mexican cuisine. I do not favor all of them but this brownie is one that rates with me, they do look like they have that wonderful fudgey texture as well-yum!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would not be afraid of the cayenne! It gives it such depth. Loving all the spices and the sweet with a touch of heat.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have really wanted to make Mexican brownies, and this looks like a great recipe. I love Aaron Sanchez so I'm sure this is a win. Bookmarking this one!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Interesting to see the cayenne pepper in these brownies. I would never have thought to add something like this to brownies. They sound wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I thought you would use the Mexican chocolate to make this brownies because it is called the Mexican brownies. I guess that it got this name due to the spices in this chocolatey treat. It sounds very flavorsome to me.

    ReplyDelete
  9. These are a great reminder because I've been meaning to make spiced up brownies like this! They look so utterly fudgy delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  10. And the presentation and photos are just mouthwatering.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Brownies are usually yummy but as a cinnamon lover, I am voting for the Mexican brownie.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like the simple confectioners sugar topping on your brownies!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh Amy, I have not had brownies for a long time and I love how this sound...chocolaty, cinnamon and a touch of cayenne pepper...awesome recipe.
    Thanks for sharing it and hope you are having a wonderful week :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looks like you had some very lucky guests :) I'm afraid I would become very addicted to these brownies very fast! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I used to be skeptical of cayenne in brownies too - until I tried them! Your brownies look great, thanks for sharing the recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love Mexican chocolate but have never heard of Mexican Brownies….Yum! They look and sound wonderful! I would love to give these a try! Nice Job!

    ReplyDelete
  17. This looks like a wonderful twist on brownies!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I tried making aztec chocolate cupcakes with ancho chili powder. They turned out dry, but the flavors were so fun! Maybe I'd have better luck with gooey brownies!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh I love the spices in these brownies! They must give them a unique kick.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great recipe. I used Kahlua instead of vanilla and ... yummy!! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  21. These look great, love the extra kick with the cayenne pepper!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Made these this evening..Wow! Absolutely delicious! My mom and cousin were here keeping me company, and we all loved them! This will be my brownie "go-to" recipe. Awesome blog, btw.. great recipes!

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear from you!