Intensely chocolatey, fudgy Gingerbread Brownie Bites are flavored for the season with gingerbread spice and molasses. Layering the dry ingredients in a jar makes a great brownie mix to gift for Christmas!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TasteTheSeason #CollectiveBias
How are you doing with your Christmas shopping so far? Do you have most of your gifts together or are you just getting started?
We are taking things really easy this season. Heading to the crowded malls and stores just isn't much fun with a 5-months-old. Online shopping is coming to the rescue and a number of our gifts will be homemade this year.
Homemade gifts are also a great way to save some money this season. And in my opinion, homemade gifts are the best way to assure the recipient they are coming from the heart.
Homemade Gifts This Christmas Season
When you put not only money, but also time, into your gifts, I belive it's a sure-fire way for both the giver and the receiver to be more fulfilled during the holidays. Usually, you are also putting more special thought into the relationship you have with the person the gift is going to. Plus, they can keep your homemade gift forever (unless they're, ya know, edible).
I made these Gingerbread Brownie Bites with my sister in mind. I know that she loves fudgy brownies - especially the two-bite kind that gives you a corner piece experience with every bite *Goosebumps of happiness*. When she visited us recently, I also learned that she loves all things gingerbread. These little treats combine both of those loves!
I mentioned avoiding to hit the stores with Olivia in this busy season, but actually she was a total champ. We went to Walmart to pick up all the items needed to create this gift basket for my sister. The crinkly empty paper bag I let her play with might have had something to do with her contentment.
Seasonal Brownies Packed with Flavor
For these seasonally flavored brownies, I adapted my usual fudgy brownie recipe. I switched half of the white sugar to brown sugar. There is a generous dollop of rich molasses and a good helping of gingerbread spice mix.
I love to use Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate for really intense chocolaty brownies. Once the chocolate and butter are melted, you can add all the other ingredients to the same saucepan and just stir them together by hand. This makes for a super quick one-bowl-no-mixer recipe! Hooray for less dishes!
No Mess, Less Dishes, Winning
For no-mess filling, I use a cookie scoop to transfer the batter into the mini muffin pan cavities. If you grease the pan really well, then after baking you can simply invert it and all the brownie bites should just pop out. Boom. Nailed it.
To give these fudgy two-bite brownies a special touch, I dusted the tops with a mixture of cocoa powder and gingerbread spice.
Using Maxwell House and Mason Jars to Perfect the Gift
This concludes only the first part of homemade gift basket. To go with the sweet little treats, I added a can of Maxwell House coffee. Because you know, there is nothing better to balance the rich, chocolatey brownies than a hot cup of smooth coffee.
In my opinion, the best part of the gift basket is the mason jar of brownie mix. It's like the gift that keeps on giving. Once the brownie bites are all gobbled up, there is a mix ready to bake another batch. And the included recipe card invites the lucky recipient to keep baking these Gingerbread Brownie Bites for years to come.
Making the Best Mix In a Jar
To make a pretty layered brownie mix in a jar you need a mason jar that holds about 1 quart (1.1 L). Fill it with the dry ingredients from the recipe below: white sugar, brown sugar, salt, flour, gingerbread spice and on top Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate. Placing the chocolate chunks in a large muffin liner allows to lift them out easily for melting, before adding the remaining ingredients.
Adding the sugars towards the bottom will keep them from drying out and clumping too much. Use a funnel or spoon the flour in carefully. Wipe the inside of the jar after adding the flour to keep a clear view of the next layers. Now you just need a pretty ribbon and the instructions on a recipe card.
If you need more inspiration, check out the Cooking Up Good website. It has recipes, sweepstakes, loyalty programs, coupons and more! What's not to love? If you're looking for a new dinner idea or a chance to win some awesome prizes, be sure to check it out!
Random Questions
Chilling the brownie batter before baking can help in achieving that perfect fudgy texture. It allows the ingredients to meld together, giving the brownies a denser and chewier consistency. Additionally, chilling can prevent the brownies from spreading too much during baking, resulting in a more compact and indulgent treat.
Sometimes, brownies can turn out less chewy if the ratio of ingredients is not balanced. Using too much flour or overmixing the batter can lead to a cake-like texture rather than the desired chewiness. Ensuring the right balance of ingredients and not overbaking the brownies are key to achieving that irresistible chewy texture.
Fudgy brownies are known for their dense, moist, and rich texture, almost resembling the richness of chocolate fudge. They are characterized by their intense, indulgent flavor and melt-in-your-mouth consistency. On the other hand, chewy brownies are slightly denser than cake-like brownies, with a bit of resistance to the bite. They offer a satisfying chew without being overly dense or fudgy.
The main distinction between chewy and cake brownies lies in their textures. Chewy brownies have a denser and more substantial texture, providing a bit of resistance to the bite while still maintaining a moist and fudgy interior. Conversely, cake brownies have a lighter and fluffier texture, resembling that of a sponge cake. They are less dense and tend to have a more cake-like crumb structure, making them lighter and more airy compared to their chewy counterparts.
Recipe
Gingerbread Brownie Bites + Brownie Mix In A Jar
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar or demerara sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons gingerbread spice see my gingerbread spice recipe
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For Dusting:
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon gingerbread spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a mini muffin pan.
- In a large saucepan melt unsweetened chocolate and butter on medium. Take off heat and stir in the remaining ingredients until smooth and combined.
- Scoop batter into prepared mini muffin pan; about 1 tablespoon per cavity. Bake for 14-16 minutes. Tops should be just set.
- If you greased the pan well, you should be able to just invert the brownie bites onto a cooling rack. Regrease the pan and repeat with remaining batter.
- Place all brownie bites on a wire rack. Combine cocoa powder and gingerbread spice and use a little strainer to dust the tops.
Pin for later?
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
Check out these similar recipes!
Jacquee | I Sugar Coat It!
Whoa, I am so behind on your posts! These look fab!
Regina
Haha...no wonder. It's such a busy time of year, I could barely keep on top of my own posts 😉
Senecea
Your brownies sound divine, I have to make a batch as soon as possible..hopefully I will be able to share with my family.
Regina
Yes! Hope you and your family both enjoy these. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas holiday!
Stephanie
How sweet to think of your sister, and give her a treat made very much for her! I love getting gifts like this. It's so nice to know that the giver spent some time thinking about my likes and wasn't wondering aimlessly through the mall trying to just find something. Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe! #client
Regina
Thank you so much Stephanie. Oh how I hate the mall this time of year. I definitely prefer my own kitchen around Christmas 😉