Easy Double Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Recipe

Easy Double Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Recipe

Why You Should Give This Recipe a Try

When my kids were young and we were very poor, our go-to outing was the mall. Not to buy anything (did I mention poor?), but to wander around the stores and play with anything available. Our trip always culminated in one purchase, candy from a little kiosk. Colorful Swedish fish were one of our favorites, as were chocolate covered raspberry jelly rings. And you know what? This Easy Double Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Recipe tastes just like that jelly ring candy – in cake form!

Moist and fudgy brownies get a double dose of chocolate from cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips. The brownies alone are delicious, but then we take it up a notch with chopped fresh raspberries. They melt into the batter turning just the right amount of jammy, adding a tart taste that offsets the sweetness of the cake. Chocolate and raspberries are a match made in heaven – which is why I recommend them as a special Valentine’s Day treat even if the one you are treating is yourself. But special occasion – or no occasion at all – it’s always a great time for something delicious.

Some of the best features of this recipe:

Double chocolate flavor: cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips provide the brownie with its rich flavor. Put the chips in the cake batter and on top of the brownies for extra fudgy cake flavor.

Fresh raspberries: Fresh raspberries complement the chocolate for the perfect balance of tart and sweet.They hold together well, while also providing a little bit of a jammy texture.

Moist cake: all of the ingredients come together to create the rich, moist, fudgy texture of a brownie instead of a dry cake.

Just the right amount: Baked in a 9-inch pan, these are perfect for a small group or for a special Valentine’s Day celebration for two.

Easy clean up: Line the pan with parchment paper and you may not even need to wash the dish.

As with everything I post, this Easy Double Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Recipe is super simple to make with no complex cooking techniques, no special equipment, and with simple ingredients that are available in most grocery stores.

Recipe Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick or 8 tbsp)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar (white sugar)

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup fresh raspberries (6 oz package)

1 cup mini chocolate chips (3/4 cup for cake batter, 1/4 cup for topping)

Helpful Tools

• Large bowl
• ​Fine mesh sieve
• Dry measuring cups
• ​Wire whisk
• Measuring spoons
• Small heat resistant container/mug
• Stand mixer with paddle attachment/electric mixer/wooden spoon 
• Rubber spatula
• ​Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• 9-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Small offset spatula or tablespoon
• Wire rack

Ingredient Notes

This is a relatively small cake, so mini chocolate chips are my preference for the batter and for the top of the cake. If the regular size is all you have, that isn’t a disaster. Is chocolate ever a disaster?

Fresh raspberries are a great addition here. I pop them in the freezer for about an hour before using so they don’t give off too much liquid and so they chop up easily. They usually come in the perfect package size, 6 oz., too, so no wasted leftovers. That said, you can replace the fresh fruit with frozen raspberries if necessary.

Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe. 

Bring the eggs to room temperature before using them. Did you forget? Check the Tips & Tricks for some help.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Before you begin, pop the raspberries in the freezer for about an hour. I put the entire container in there. Leave them in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a small overhang you can use to lift out the baked cake.

4. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl. To do this, set a fine mesh sieve over the bowl. You can do the flour first and then the cocoa on top of it.

5. Gently whisk together the flour and cocoa powder. Set aside.

6. Melt the butter in a heat resistant container in the microwave, about 45 seconds. It doesn’t have to be entirely melted.

7. Add the melted butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and combine on low speed until well-blended and smooth.

8. Pour in the two eggs and beat until combined.

9. Add in the vanilla extract and mix briefly.

10. Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides and up from the bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients get evenly incorporated.

11. Remove the raspberries from the freezer and give them a large chop. Depending on the size, cutting them in half or into thirds is sufficient. 

12. Add the chopped raspberries and 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips to the cake batter. Use a wooden spoon or the spatula and mix gently until combined. Don’t mix too aggressively or you will break down the raspberries further.

13. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out evenly with a small offset spatula or with the back of a tablespoon.

14. Sprinkle the top of the entire cake with 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.

15. Place into the preheated oven and bake for about 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out relatively clean. Remember that if you put the toothpick into some melted chocolate chips, it will be wet, so try different spots. Basically, you don’t want the whole cake to be gooey.

16. Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift the brownies out using the parchment paper overhang. Place on a cutting board and let cool an additional 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife to cut into desired size.

17. Allow the cut brownies to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Check out the recipe card below for step-by-step directions for making this Easy Double Chocolate Raspberry Brownies Recipe.

Storage

Store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Tips & Tricks

Did you forget to bring the eggs to room temperature? I do that all the time. Simply fill a small bowl with very hot tap water and submerge the eggs for about five minutes. They won’t cook, so don’t worry!

Spoon and level the flour when you measure. Add the flour to the measuring cup with a tablespoon and then swipe off the extra with the back of a knife.

Be sure to sift the flour and cocoa powder. Cocoa powder, in particular, is prone to lumps and you don’t want to bite into a clump of uncooked cocoa powder.

This is a pretty thick cake batter. When you pour batter like that into a pan with parchment paper, the paper slides all over. I like to secure the paper with binder clips, one on each side of the pan, to hold the paper in place. Be sure to remove the binder clips before baking.

​Smoothing out a thick batter can also be a challenge. I suggest using a small offset spatula or even the back of a tablespoon. Smooth out from the center to the sides and be sure to move the batter into all of the corners. 

One of the keys to moist brownies is the bake time. I found that 35 minutes was perfect, but ovens differ. Above all, in order to make sure the brownies are moist, you don’t want to over bake them. You can start checking a bit before the end of the bake time and regularly as you reach the 35 minutes. It is normal if it is a little moist – particularly if you insert the toothpick into some melted chocolate chips – but it should not be gooey. You can also look to see if the sides of the cake have begun to pull away from the edges of the pan, a good sign it is baked.

This is a great dessert as is, but don’t hesitate to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream and a sprinkle of fresh berries. 

​I do love a good chocolate dessert. Among my favorites are

Easy Creamy Dark Chocolate Mousse Dessert

Creamy No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake with Oreo Crust 

Easy Creamy Homemade Chocolate Truffles with a tempered chocolate coating

Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

And if you feel like you need a little bit of a healthier chocolate dessert, you can always try these

Easy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins with Greek Yogurt