Holiday Hacks from Classic Kia: Best Brownie Recipes, Brownie Making Hacks, and More

Dec 8, 2023

Today is National Brownie Day! Perhaps you’re not a fan of the holiday cookie platter, and instead rather indulge in these delectable, fudgey, ooey-gooey confections. We’re right there with ya. We’ve also got some tips for baking things juuuuust right, from ooey-gooey center squares or to the crisp and chewy edges. There’s no denying brownies are a timeless treat no matter how you slice it!

Here’s some tips from the folks here at Classic to perfect your holiday baking, and bring your brownies to the next level! From add-ins to mix-ins and ratios, you’ll find some great hints:

For a seasonal surprise, try adding some crushed peppermint candies or mini marshmallows to the batter.
Craving a peppermint mocha latte? Take your favorite brownie recipe up a notch by adding a teaspoon or two of instant espresso granules and a little bit of peppermint extract to the batter. Top with a little dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder just before serving.
For gooey, soft brownies you should look for a recipe with a higher concentration sugar, butter, and eggs. You can also try folding in some mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips into the batter for little pockets of melty flavor.
For cakier style brownies, you’ll want to use a higher ratio of cocoa powder and flour than the rest of the ingredients (butter, sugar, egg)
If you’re mixing your batter and the ingredients start to separate due to the melted butter and oil, you can add a little bit of milk into the mix to help it all meld together
Your choice of brand in cocoa and melting chocolate does matter; you need to select higher quality ingredients for each to produce that prime fudgy texture and richer flavor. Cut any bitterness of dark chocolate or higher cacao percentages by adding a little pinch of sea salt.
Avoid dry, flaky brownies by pulling your pan out a little bit early while they appear “underdone” and softer in the center as they will set while cooling in the tin

Whether you’re looking to flex your baking muscles or keep it simple and classic, we’ve got a brownie recipe to fit your needs:

Crinkle topped brownie bites in a muffin tin
Some sweet and nutty British Brownies
Ooey-gooey Salted Caramel center brownies
Quick and easy One-bowl brownies
Spice up Friday Pizza night with a Brownie Dessert Pizza
The very first “Palmer House Brownie” recipe with apricot glaze
Super chocolatey Black Bean brownies
5-ingredient Flourless Chocolate brownies
Chocolate chickpea brownies are a fun alternative to traditional brownies
Race to the top of the favorite bakers list with these fabulous Racecar Brownies!
Perfectly fudgy frosted brownies
Delectable crackly topped gooey chocolate brownies
Don’t let friends with allergies go hungry, try some gluten free, dairy free cocoa brownies
Accommodate dietary needs with these Paleo and Keto friendly super fudge brownies
Spectacular 4-ingredient breakfast brownies (Yes, you heard right!)
Nanny’s Fudge Brownie Bundt Cake
A batch of brownie batter waffles
And who could hate these delectable, decadent Deep Dish chocolate brownies

If you’re looking for some fun suggestions on how to create some festive brownie treats for your friendly neighbnourhood mechanic or car dealership (nudge nudge) here’s some of great kitchen tools to do just that! Plus, we’ve also got some great gadgets for baking top-tier traditional brownies:

Charming Baking Molds with Car Shapes!

These amazon silicone car molds for baking would be perfect for XL brownies and fudge cake recipes. Yum!

This great two pack of mini silicone chocolate car molds for cake, jello, candy and more! Would also be a great way to make brownie bites or chocolate minis for cake decorating.

For a little variety in your baking, try these clever little truck and car themed bakeware trays! And buy an extra set for multipurpose use for crafting in addition to the ones used for baking.