Bready or Not Original: Pistachio Cream Cheese-Swirled Brownies
Dubai Chocolate has been a big trend for a few years now–long enough that pistachio cream is now available at Walmart! That means this ingredient is now cheap enough to use for some delicious home baking in dishes like my original Pistachio Cream Cheese-Swirled Brownies.
The brownie side of things here is classic, nice and chewy and chocolatey. The cream cheese gives the swirl a mild flavor and softens the green color. Of course, some green food dye could boost that, but I didn’t bother.
I did want to make clear that these contain pistachios, though, so that someone with an allergy isn’t caught off guard. The pistachios on top act as a nice warning and they provide an incredible salty crunch.
Bready or Not Original: Pistachio Cream Cheese-Swirled Brownies
Equipment
- 9×9 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
Ingredients
Brownies
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 unsalted butter chopped
- 1 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Swirl
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup pistachio cream crunchy version if possible
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line a 9×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
- Use a big microwave safe bowl in the microwave to repeatedly zap the butter and chocolate chips to melt, stirring between each pass. Once the mix is smooth, stir in the two sugars. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In another small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, salt, espresso powder, and baking powder.
- Return to the big bowl of melted chocolate. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients. Spread about 2/3 of the batter, around 3 cups, into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Use a large mixing bowl to start the swirl filling, beating together the cream cheese, pistachio cream, white sugar, egg, flour, and vanilla. Make it smooth and consistent in color.
- Dollop the filling atop the brownie batter. Spoon the remaining brownie batter at top. Use a butter knife to swirl the layers to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle pistachios on top.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test in the middle. A digital thermometer should read over 200 degrees. Let cool at room temperature for a while, then completely chill in fridge.
- Use the foil to life the contents onto a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container in the fridge, with strips of waxed paper between stacked brownies.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Chocolate-Pecan Pie Bars
These Chocolate-Pecan Pie Bars are made in a jelly roll pan, meaning this makes a LOT of bars. This is a perfect recipe for a big potluck!
I love love love the combo of chocolate and pecans. This recipe makes that combo even better by adding a buttery crust!
The mixture of textures here is magical: a crunchy top, gooey middle, and a softly chewy base. Make this recipe for your holiday gatherings–or save it to feed a group on Pi Day (Match 14th)!
Bready or Not Original: Chocolate-Pecan Pie Bars
Equipment
- 15×10 jelly roll pan
- long aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
Make the crust
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 15×10 jelly roll pan with a long strip of aluminum foil. Apply nonstick spray or butter.
- Beat together crust ingredients until they resemble coarse crumbs. Press into base of prepared pan.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned and set.
Make the filling
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the corn syrup and chocolate in 30 second increments on high, stirring during each pause, until the mix is melted and combined. Stir in the sugar, eggs one at a time, and vanilla. Scrap the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated, then fold in the pecans and stir to coat. Pour to cover the warm crust.
- Bake for another 35 to 40 minutes. It should be firm along the sides and not jiggly in the middle. Cool at room temperature, speeding process in fridge if desired.
- Either cut in pan or use foil to lift out contents to slice into bars. Store at room temperature. If stacking in a container, place waxed paper strips between the layers.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Chocolate Scones
Scones! I haven’t featured scones on Bready or Not in a while, and that’s a tragedy. These Chocolate Scones will make everything better.
These things are dense, cakey, and loaded with chocolate. They require a drink like coffee, tea, or milk.
They are also dense enough that they travel well. Make them, freeze individually, and thaw to take for work or on a trip! I found they kept great in the freezer for an extended time.
Modified from Bake from Scratch March/April 2021.
Bready or Not: Chocolate Scones
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Scones
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips or a mix
Glaze
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons half & half
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or a butter knife and fork to cut in the butter, reducing it to pea-size and smaller. Mix in the half & half. Fold in the chocolate chips to distribute.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface to bring it together. Pat it out into a cohesive 1-inch-thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Place in fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
- Space out wedges a bit on sheet; they will spread! Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tops are set and the scones sound hollow when tapped. They should be over 190-degrees if tested with a thermometer. Let them cool on pan for 10 minutes, then move to wire rack to fully cool.
- Mix glaze ingredients together, adding just enough half & half to make it thick and drippy. Drizzle over scones. Let set, then eat. Scones can be stored at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag for up to 3 days, or frozen for weeks.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Cinnamon Shortbread
This recipe produce a big batch of delicious Cinnamon Shortbread! Cinnamon is in the dough and also on top.
This is a fun recipe to switch out with different seasonal cookie cutters, because the traditional flavors are certainly fantastic all year long. Or go neutral and use a scalloped cutter, as I did.
Adjust the flavors as desired, too, adding a touch of other spices like cardamom or nutmeg. Alternatively, use maple flavor and maple sugar on top. Consider this a good foundational recipe, and have fun from there!
Bready or Not Original: Cinnamon Shortbread
Equipment
- parchment paper
- cookie cutter
Ingredients
Dough
- 3/4 pound unsalted butter (3 sticks) room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons warm water
Topping
- 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together butter, sugar, and vanilla bean paste/extract until just combined.
- In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the moist, adding in a trickle of water here and there. Dough should come together, cohesive.
- On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to shape cookies, placing close together to fit as many together as possible. Mix together topping ingredients and sprinkle upon all cookies.
- Chill shaped cookies for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven at 350. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer cookies to the newly-prepared sheet, slightly spaced out.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes for small cookies, adjusting the time for larger ones. The edges should look set and the middle shouldn’t be gooey. Let cookies set a few minutes, the transfer to a rack to cool.
- Store cookies at room temperature in a sealed container.
