Fudgy and chewy brownies made with Guinness stout and Irish cream frosting. These rich brownies are perfect for celebrating St Patrick’s Day!
Sugar plus butter plus chocolate plus beer. The most glorious combination that we never knew existed. With St Patrick’s Day on the horizon, I’ve had Guinness Brownies and Guinness Mac and Cheese on my brain. I figured why wait? Any day is a good day for brownies!
This recipe is proof that brownies can come in all different forms and be equally delicious. These brownies are completely different than my go-to Homemade Brownies but they are just as tasty. This recipe uses melted chocolate, melted butter, and Guinness syrup to create super chewy, moist, fudgy brownies with crackly tops.
Even if you aren’t a fan of Guinness I can guarantee you that you will like these. The Guinness intensifies the chocolate flavor and adds a hint of malt. Don’t worry, the brownies don’t actually taste like beer.
How to make Guinness brownies
- Start by making the Guinness syrup. Boil ⅔ cup Guinness for about 5-10 minutes, until thickened and reduced by half.
- Melt butter and chocolate chips until smooth and combined.
- Whisk sugar, eggs and vanilla. Then whisk in the melted chocolate and the guiness syrup.
- Add flour and salt, stirring the batter until well combined.
- Pour into a 9×9 baking pan and bake 35-40 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Line your pan with foil or parchment AND spray with nonstick spray. These brownies are chewy and sticky, so if you skip spraying the foil/parchment they are likely to stick.
- Do not overbake. The brownies should be removed from the oven when a toothpick comes out without raw batter on it (a few fudgy crumbs are just fine).
- Spray your knife with nonstick spray before cutting the brownies to prevent sticking.
- Store leftovers in the freezer. These brownies freeze beautifully. They can even be eaten straight from the freezer (they’re super cold, chewy, and delicious)!
Irish Cream Frosting
This optional frosting really helps to incorporate the “Irish” aspect to these brownies – making them perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. To make the frosting, simply beat butter, powdered sugar, Irish cream, and a touch of vanilla. I like to pipe the frosting in a small swirl on top of each individual brownie.
If you want to skip the frosting, these brownies are equally delicious with a dusting of powdered sugar on top.
If you are brownie obsessed you’ve come to the right place! You can also try my Caramel Brownies, Peanut Butter Brownies, Nutella Brownies, Coconut Brownies or Mug Brownie.
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Recipe
Guinness Brownies
Ingredients
Guinness brownies:
- ⅔ cup Guinness stout
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar, for garnish
Irish cream frosting (optional):
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 2 tablespoons Irish cream, I use Bailey's
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Brownies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 pan* with foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray (don't skip this step or the brownies will stick). Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, bring Guinness to a boil. Boil for 5-10 minutes, until reduced by half (you should have ⅓ cup reduced "syrup"). Set aside to cool slightly.
- In the microwave or a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and butter until completely smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add melted chocolate and Guinness syrup and whisk to combine. Stir in flour and salt.
- Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without batter on it (a few fudgy crumbs are ok). Be careful not to overbake. Place on a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar (I use a small fine mesh sieve) and top with frosting (if desired).
Frosting:
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until combined. Add Irish cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for a minute or two, until smooth and creamy. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar, to thicken or more Irish cream to thin. Because the tops of the brownies are so crackly I find it easiest to apply the frosting by piping it on rather than spreading it. I use a large open star tip to put a swirl of frosting on top of each individual brownie**.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Robin R. says
In 40+ years of baking I hadn’t found a homemade brownie recipe that was consistently better than a good boxed mix until this one. It is dense and fudgey (if you prefer more of a cake-like brownie) and intensely chocolate, which the Guinness syrup must enhance. I usually don’t like frosting on brownies, either, but this Irish Cream topper is sooo good. Highly recommend!
Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks for the kind review, Robin. I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Shari Herbert says
For Christmas, my husband and I gave ourselves and our adult children with their significant others, a 23andMe DNA Ancestry kit. We agreed that we wouldn’t share our results with one another until we could all get back together. Everyone was to bring a food that represented part of their newly learned, or that already assumed was part of their Ancestry report. I made this recipe for the Guiness Brownies with the Irish Cream frosting to represent my Irish genes. Oh my!!! They were absolutely delicious and they were definitely a hit with my family! This recipes will become a part of my special family recipes. Thank you for sharing!!!
Allison says
How fun! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Celeste says
The brownies have good taste but seem to be underdone and very gooey. The frosting is fantastic. We even cooked them longer than recommended to make sure they were done. If we were to cook them longer I think they would be tough and not edible.
Allison says
Did you use a different pan size than the 9×9?
Jc says
Think I could add walnuts?
Allison says
Sure! Just stir into the prepared batter before adding to the pan.