Guinness Chocolate Brownies

Guinness and chocolate marry for moist and cakey brownies rich with flavor. Use cocoa and reduced Guinness, then add pecans for extra crunch.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated November 17, 2023
Elise Bauer
Guinness Brownies recipe
Elise Bauer

Guinness brownies anyone?

I don't know how they celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the Emerald Isle, but it amuses me to no end that here in the States we get decked out in green (lest we invite a pinch), make corned beef and cabbage, and enjoy Ireland's most celebrated foamy export—Guinness extra stout.

You know St. Pat's is close at hand when the grocery stores start stacking cases of it. It's malty, hearty, and rich. And if you want to drink your dinner, Guinness is the best way to do it.

Why Guinness Beer Is Perfect for Brownies

It's wonderful with chocolate, which is why I've been making these Guinness brownies for weeks. The rich flavor of the stout just enhances chocolate in baked goods. (If you're looking for more evidence, check out our Chocolate Guinness Cake. It's awesome!)

pecan Guinness Brownies
Elise Bauer

Ingredients in Guinness Brownies

For these brownies, we are reducing the Guinness to concentrate the flavor in the liquid, and then building up our brownie batter in the same pot, with butter, sugar, cocoa, eggs, vanilla, flour, and pecans.

The result? A dense, moist, chewy chocolate brownie with the malty notes of Guinness. Great with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or a glass of milk.

cakey Guinness Brownies
Elise Bauer

(BTW, if you've given up alcohol and/or sugar for Lent, I think they make an exception for St. Patrick's Day. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking with it.)

Love Guinness? Try These Other Recipes

What Is Guinness? 

Guinness is a dark, stout beer originally from Ireland. It all started with Arthur Guinness's brewery in 1759. It's so popular that it's currently brewed in nearly 50 countries!

It has a certain sweetness and bitterness akin to a dark roasted coffee and chocolate. So it works great in certain recipes, like this one.

Brownies Made With Cocoa Powder vs. Chocolate

Brownies made with cocoa powder tend to be softer and more cake-like in texture, while brownies made with melted chocolate are chewier and fudgier. Cocoa powder brownies have a richer chocolate flavor. The advantage of cocoa brownies is that you get to control the amount of fat and sugar in your brownie recipe. Both kinds of brownies have a special place in our hearts and in our kitchens.

How to Store This Brownie Recipe

You can store brownies on the counter for about three to four days, as long as you wrap them well in plastic to keep them from being exposed to air and going stale. They'll keep well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, but your freezer is the best option for longer storage—they'll keep for up to three months there. Just be sure to let them come to room temperature, and warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds before enjoying.

More Chocolaty Recipes for Brownie Lovers

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Guinness Chocolate Brownies

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Total Time 65 mins
Servings 16 to 25 brownies

These brownies are on the cakey side rather than being on the dense and fudgy side.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240ml Guinness Extra Stout

  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks, 140g) unsalted butter

  • 1 1/4 cup (250g) sugar

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (85g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

  • 3/4 cup (96g) all-purpose flour

  • 2/3 cup (90g) chopped pecans, optional

Method

  1. Preheat the oven:

    Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  2. Prepare a square baking pan:

    Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper or foil in a way that there is overhang over 2 sides of the dish, making it easy to remove the brownies once they are baked. Brush with a little butter or baking spray.

  3. Boil the Guinness and reduce by half:

    Pour the Guinness in a medium (2-quart) saucepan and bring to a boil. Watch out for the stout bubbling up too much, and adjust heat as needed. Boil until the liquid reduces by half.

  4. Progressively add the ingredients to the Guinness, then let cool:

    Stir the butter into the reduced Guinness until melted. Add the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Whisk in the cocoa, salt, and cinnamon.

    Whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool until just lightly warm to the touch.

  5. Stir in the vanilla, eggs, flour, and nuts:

    When the mixture has cooled until just lightly warm to the touch, stir in the vanilla extract and eggs. Stir in the flour until smooth. Then, stir in the nuts (if using).

  6. Bake for 30 minutes:

    Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

  7. Let cool, cut, and serve:

    Cool on a rack. When completely cool, lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut into 16 to 25 squares or rectangles.

    Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below! 


Nutrition Facts (per serving)
119 Calories
5g Fat
15g Carbs
2g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16 to 25
Amount per serving
Calories 119
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 28mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 14mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.