Flourless Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   PREPARE THE PAN: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on two opposite sides (this makes it easy to lift the brownies out later). Lightly grease the parchment with cooking spray or butter.

2. 2

   MIX WET INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond butter and maple syrup. The almond butter should be at room temperature and well-stirred (the oil tends to separate). Mix vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon for about 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

3. 3

   ADD EGG AND VANILLA: Crack the egg into the bowl and add the vanilla extract. Beat well with a whisk for about 30 seconds until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture looks uniform - you shouldn't see any streaks of egg.

4. 4

   INCORPORATE DRY INGREDIENTS: Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix until no dry streaks of cocoa remain and the batter is uniformly dark brown. Don't overmix - just until combined.

5. 5

   ADD CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Fold in half of the chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup) into the batter. Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Use the spatula to spread it evenly into all corners - the batter will be thick. Scatter the remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top, pressing them in gently.

6. 6

   BAKE: Place in the center of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The brownies are done when the edges look set and slightly pulled away from the pan, but the center still looks slightly underdone and jiggles very slightly when you shake the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.

7. 7

   COOL COMPLETELY: This step is crucial - let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 1-2 hours. They will firm up significantly as they cool. If you cut them while warm, they'll be gooey and fall apart. Once cool, use the parchment overhang to lift the entire brownie slab out of the pan, then cut into 12 squares.