Mommy Brownies

Total Time: 24 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 14 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 48
• 1 (19 1/2 ounce) package fudge brownie mix (family size for a 9 by 13 inch pan, i used betty crocker brand)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or 3 tablespoons instant coffee
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon extract (find it in the baking aisle near vanilla extract, etc. or use 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon)
• 1 cup cappuccino chips (could use chocolate chips)
• 1 (16 ounce) container milk chocolate frosting (again, betty crocker to the rescue)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon extract (or use 2 tsp ground cinnamon)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (can use packaged chocolate chunks)
• confectioners' sugar (optional)
• grated dark chocolate (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f line 48 mini muffin cups with paper liners. if you don't have mini muffin pans, bake them in a standard 9-by-13 pan and then cut them into small pieces after baking.
• 2 dump brownie mix into a large bowl. mix water with espresso powder and stir in along with the oil and eggs. add the cinnamon and chips stirring until just combined. note - i used cappucino chips since that's what i had. semi-sweet chocolate chips would work or cinnamon chips if you can find them.
• 3 divide the batter equally among the muffin cups. each will be about 2/3 full. using a cookie scoop makes this a little easier. or transfer all the prepared batter into a 4-cup measuring cup and pour from the spout.
• 4 bake for 12-14 minutes. (adjust baking time if using a cake pan - see box for directions). the toothpick test will be unreliable to judge done-ness since these are gooey. at 12 minutes, press lightly on the top of one - it should have some spring to it if done. mine did take the full 14 minutes and my oven runs hot.
• 5 remove to a rack and cool completely.
• 6 stir the cinnamon, ginger and chocolate chunks into the frosting. dollop a generous amount on top of each cooled brownie bite. don't be stingy!
• 7 sprinkle with powdered sugar. grate a little more dark chocolate on top.
• 8 store in the fridge and hide them from the kids. ;-).