Description
These Halloween Monster Brownies are a festive twist on classic fudgy brownies, topped with adorable pretzel monsters made from white and dark chocolate, candy eyes, Oreos, and colorful M&Ms. Perfect for spooky celebrations, these brownies combine rich chocolate flavor with fun, creative decorations that kids and adults will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownies
- 3/4 cup (94 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (120 grams) cocoa powder, unsweetened (regular or Dutch processed)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules + 1 teaspoon water (optional)
- 1 1/4 cups (283 grams) unsalted butter
- 4 1/4 cups (510 grams) powdered sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pretzel Monsters
- 4-5 large pretzel twists
- 4-6 small pretzel twists
- White chocolate melting chips
- Dark chocolate melting chips
- Oreos
- Black licorice
- M&Ms, yellow or orange colored
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Prepare coffee mixture (optional): Combine instant coffee granules with water in a small bowl until dissolved. This enhances the chocolate flavor but can be skipped.
- Melt butter and sugar: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt unsalted butter with powdered sugar in 30-second increments, whisking between each, until smooth and sugar is fully dissolved (about 4-5 increments). The mixture should resemble melted white chocolate.
- Whip eggs: Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or handheld mixer, beat the 4 room temperature eggs on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until pale yellow and foamy.
- Combine wet ingredients: Slowly pour the hot butter and sugar mixture into the whipped eggs while continuing to whisk on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and the coffee mixture (if using) and mix until fully incorporated.
- Fold in dry ingredients: Gently fold the flour, cocoa powder, and salt mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, taking care not to whisk and deflate the batter.
- Bake the brownies: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges are set. Remove from oven and let cool completely at room temperature.
- Make white chocolate monsters: Melt white chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring each time until smooth. Dip small pretzel twists in melted white chocolate, drizzle chocolate over them, and attach two candy eyes per pretzel. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet and chill in fridge for 10 minutes to set.
- Make dark chocolate owl monsters: Split Oreos, keeping cream side up, place candy eyes in cream, and add 1-inch black licorice pieces above the candy eyes. Melt dark chocolate similarly to white chocolate. Dip and drizzle large pretzel twists in dark chocolate, stick on the Oreo eyes, and place a yellow or orange M&M between the eyes as the nose. Chill in fridge for 10 minutes to set.
- Assemble: Once brownies are fully cooled, remove from pan and arrange pretzel monsters on top. Either cut around the monsters or pre-cut the brownies and then top with monsters. Serve and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
- Using instant coffee enhances the chocolate flavor but is optional.
- Make sure eggs are at room temperature for better whipping volume.
- Fold the dry ingredients gently into the batter to keep brownies light and airy.
- You can prepare the pretzel monsters a day ahead and store them in the fridge.
- Store brownies in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to 4 days.
- Use parchment paper lining to easily remove brownies from pan and for easier clean-up.
- Mix and match white and dark chocolate decorations to customize monster designs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie (approx. 1/16 of batch)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 50 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
