I like brownies that are unmistakably rich. Forget the cakey, dry kind that crumbles in your mouth. Give me something I can sink my teeth into, A moist chewy bar, with lots of deep chocolate flavor.

Besides tasting wonderful, I also like to make brownies that are simple enough that I can whip up in a hurry. Something so easy that when the need strikes, I don’t have to run to the grocery store to buy fancy chocolate for baking. I can simply use inexpensive, always on hand, unsweetened cocoa powder.

This recipe, which I’ve adapted from Brigham Young Universities famous Mint Brownies, is one of my favorites ( but you may need to trip to the store for the peppermint extract). If you are a BYU alumni like myself, you may feel some nostalgia for the Cougar Eat, and every catered campus occasion that served this dessert. Besides fry sauce, these mint brownies were some of my finest culinary discoveries my freshman year.

This recipe is pretty similar to the brownies that once sustained me during my undergrad years. There’s the fudgy brownie on the bottom. A cool layer of mint frosting in the middle, and rich chocolate frosting to hold everything in on top. I like mine without walnuts (no please), and a big, tall glass of ice-cold milk.

Chewy, Mint Chocolate Brownies

adapted from BYU Mint Brownies recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons honey

4 large eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir melted butter and unsweetened cocoa powder together. Next, beat in the eggs. Once incorporated, add in the honey, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated and the batter is thick and smooth. Pour brownie mixture into buttered pan, bake for 20-25 minutes. Around 20 minutes, prick with a toothpick. They will be done when a few crumbs cling to the toothpick, these brownies are chewy and moist so be careful not to over bake. Set aside to cool.

While the brownies are baking, make the chocolate and mint frosting.

For the mint frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 1/3 cup confectioners sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

2-4 drops of green food color

With an electric mixer, cream butter till smooth. Gradually add in the confectioners sugar and mix for one minute. Add in the milk to thin out the mixture to your preference. (I like the frosting a little on the thicker side so I usually one put in 1 tablespoon.) The mixture should be light and creamy. Then add in the peppermint extract and the green food coloring. I like to add just a couple of drops of color and give the frosting nice sea foam green color. Mix for one more minute till the color is completely incorporated. Set aside.

For the chocolate frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups confectioners sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2-4 tablepoons milk

With an electric mixer, cream butter till smooth. Gradually add in the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder and mix for one minute. Add the vanilla extract. Like the mint frosting, mix in the milk to thin out the frosting to your preference. Beat for another minute more till creamy.

To assemble:

Frost the cooled brownies with the mint frosting first. Place pan in the freezer for a few minutes to give the frosting time to set. Once hard, layer the frosted mint brownies with the chocolate frosting. The two layers of frosting are so pretty, and the brownies taste even better the second day straight from the refrigerator.