Name: Chocolate Orange Brownies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: Finely grated zest of an orange; 150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar; 50g (¼ cup, packed) soft brown sugar; 113g (½ cup) unsalted butter; 85g (3 oz) semi-sweet chocolate; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract; 30g (⅓ cup) cocoa powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 63g (½ cup) all-purpose flour; 100g (3 ½ oz) orange chocolate, chopped into small chunks; Flaky salt to serve (optional)

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These decadent orange chocolate brownies are packed with orange flavor using fresh orange zest and chopped orange chocolate. They’re rich, super fudgy, and the perfect dessert or treat for chocolate orange lovers.

These dark chocolate orange brownies use my classic crinkle top brownie recipe as the base. They are fudge-like brownies, thick and decadent and very chocolatey. They use both cocoa powder and real chocolate. I use these homemade brownies in this triple chocolate brownie and cookie butter brownie versions too.

The rich dark chocolate flavor pairs perfectly with the citrus notes that orange zest brings. Only the peel from the orange is used in this recipe. I found adding fresh orange juice changed the texture too much in the brownie. And the majority of the flavor is in the orange peel, anyway!

bird's eye view of brownies with one piece turned sideways.

Ingredients

Find the amounts of the simple ingredients for these fudgy brownies in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of what you will need.

Unsalted butter or salted butter- Melted butter adds fat, chewiness and flavor to these brownies.
Semi-sweet dark chocolate – Choose good quality chocolate with cocoa butter (don’t use compound chocolate which uses vegetable oils.)
Sugar – Both granulated white sugar and soft brown sugar are used – There’s a large amount of sugar in brownies because this helps to create a fudgy texture and helps create a shiny top. Soft brown sugar brings moisture, while granulated sugar makes a chewier brownie.
Large eggs
Salt – A pinch of salt enhances the flavor.
Orange zest – The zest of a whole orange is needed, finely grated.
Vanilla – Chocolate’s best friend. Choose a good quality pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
Cocoa powder – provides intense chocolate flavor! The type of cocoa powder can be Dutch process cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder.
All-purpose flour – Only a small amount of all-purpose flour is used for some stability but not too much, so the brownie stays moist.
Orange flavored dark or milk chocolate – This is an optional extra, but adding chopped orange chocolate in the batter adds a great texture of real chocolate chunks and another hint of orange. You could also use chocolate chips.

Method

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C) and line an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper.

Add the granulated sugar and finely grated orange zest to a large bowl. Use a fork or your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.

This releases the orange oils in the peel and increases the orange flavoring.

After this, add in the brown sugar and stir to combine.

In a small heatproof bowl, melt butter and chocolate in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring each time. Alternatively, melt it in a small saucepan over low heat.

Add it to the sugar bowl and whisk well for 40-50 seconds. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk well again for at least 40-50 seconds until thick and glossy.

Whisk the cocoa powder and salt into the chocolate mixture until well combined, followed by the flour.

Fold through chopped chocolate.

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for around 28-32 minutes in the preheated oven until a cake tester inserted should have no wet batter but has lots of moist crumbs stuck to it. The cooking time will depend on your oven.

Leave the warm brownies cool on a wire rack before lifting them from the pan and slicing them. For extra clean brownies slices, chill them in the fridge before slicing. I love to serve them with a sprinkle of flaky salt.

Serving

Serve the brownies as they are, or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a quick dessert.

Variations

Brownies are a great base to add additions to!

Spices– Next time add some ground cinnamon and cardamom for spiced orange brownies.
Nuts – Chopped walnuts or pecans bring texture.
Espresso powder – Adding ½ teaspoon of instant espresso powder will enhance the flavors of chocolate.

Storage

Store any leftover brownies at room temperature or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. These easy brownies are great for a bake sale because they stay soft and moist.

Brownies freeze very well too. Wrap them up tightly in plastic wrap or a freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. They’re super delicious to eat frozen too! They stay chewy.

More brownie recipes and related recipes

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