½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces
1-1/4 cups sugar
¾ cup Scharffen Berger natural unsweetened cocoa powder (or other high-quality cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
I teaspoon roasted cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest (from one medium orange)
2 large eggs
⅓ cup gluten-free flour or all-purpose flour (see Notes)
¾ cup mini chocolate chips
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8x8x2" glass baking dish with foil, pressing firmly into pan and leaving a 2" overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray; set baking dish aside.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave. Let cool slightly.
Whisk sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl to combine.
Pour butter in a steady stream into dry ingredients, whisking constantly to blend.
Whisk in vanilla and orange zest.
Add eggs one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition.
Add flour and stir until just combined (do not overmix).
Stir in chocolate chips.
Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
Bake until top begins to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30-40 minutes.
Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely in pan.
Using foil overhang, lift brownie out of pan; transfer to a cutting board and cut into 16 squares.
Notes
* To make them gluten-free substitute the same amount of gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill Teff Flour (not Whole Grain Teff) or Cup4Cup's Original Flour Blend if you’re making them gluten-free. * Double recipe and bake in a 9x13x2-inch glass baking dish (yields 32 brownies). * Freezes well.
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/mexican-brownies-gluten-free/