Smoked Brownies

Smoked brownies are going to be your latest dessert obsession. When you can enjoy simple ingredients paired with a smoky flavor, that's one easy choice to make smoked chocolate brownies time and time again. 

Who knew that smoking brownies on the grill would be such a fun and simple task? I grew up eating my brownies out of a brownie pan that took quite a long time to bake in the oven. Now that I know that a grill is a great way to cook desserts, too, it's literally opened up a whole new realm of sweets and treats to make and explore. 

The chocolate flavor in this brownie recipe paired up with a little bit of the smokey taste will have you buying more and more charcoal each time you head to the store. 

I think that not using a brownie mix and making the smoked chocolate brownies homemade really does the perfect job of taking the flavor and taste over the top. There's just nothing like that first bite of that smoke flavor. 

Ingredients

Cocoa powder - This gives that chocolate flavor without adding sweetness. 

Baking soda - Just a pinch gives some fluffiness to the brownies. 

Salted butter - Make sure that it's softened before adding. If you use unsalted butter add an extra pinch.

Hot water - This is the moisture that holds everything together. 

Sugar - This is where most of the sweetness will come from. 

Eggs - Use these eggs as a binding agent. 

Flour - I use all-purpose flour when baking. 

Vanilla extract - Having a slight hint of vanilla is excellent. 

Salt - Salt enhances the chocolate flavor.

Semisweet chocolate chips - You can use dark chocolate or even white chocolate, too. 

How To Make Smoked Brownies

To get perfectly smoked fudgy brownies, follow the simple directions below. You're going to love the texture. 

Step One: Preheat the smoker to 325. Grease an 8x8 baking dish.

Step Two: In a medium bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and baking soda. Add half the butter and mix well. 

Step Three: Add the hot water. Stir until the mixture thickens.

Step Four: Add the remaining butter and eggs. Mix well.

Step Five: Now, add the dry ingredients and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Add in ¾ of the chocolate chips.

Step Six: Spread in the prepared pan. Top with the remaining chips.

Step Seven: Place on the smoked and close the lid. Smoke for 60 minutes until the center only jiggles slightly. Cool the smoked chocolate brownies and enjoy!

Variations

Mocha - For a bold flavor sub in hot coffee or even espresso for the hot water.

Chocolate Chips - You can sub in butterscotch chips, white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or extra dark chocolate chips depending on what you prefer.

M&Ms - Sub in candy coated chocolate morsels for the chocolate chips for color and crunch.

Nuts - Add in a handful of pecans, walnuts, sliced almonds, or macadamia nuts.

Smoked Chocolate - Instead of chips fold in some homemade smoked chocolate chunks!

Toppings

Ice-cream - Warm brownies topped with any flavor of ice cream is an incredible idea and a must-do. My favorite is a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Marshmallow fluff - A scoop of marshmallow fluff on top would add a wonderful sticky sweetness. 

Pecans - Chopped nuts are always great with brownies. Just add them right on top and press them down gently. Peanuts would be good as well. 

Caramel - Drizzle a little bit of caramel on top! Or serve with some dulce de leche mousse.

Crumbled bacon - Here me out on this one. The smoke chocolate flavor and the smoked chocolate chips will pair really well with salty bacon. 

Frosting - Sometimes, a good ol' frosting is all that you need. Since these brownies will likely have a stronger flavor, find a frosting that will stand out against it. 

Bananas - Love the combo of chocolate and bananas. Serve these with our smoked bananas!

Mini Eggs - We love our mini egg brownies so much I can't want to try those candies in this recipe too.

Common Questions

How do I stop brownies from sticking to the pan?

Having a prepared pan is key. You can line the brownie pan with parchment paper, or you can spray with non stick cooking spray before pouring the brownie batter in. 

How do I know when the brownies are done cooking? 

Using a toothpick is going to be your best bet. Insert a clean toothpick into the center of the brownies. If it comes out clean, the brownies are done and ready to start cooling down. 

Another way to check is to give the pan a slight jiggle. The middle of the brownies should move a little bit, but not a ton. As the brownies cool, the center will firm up so that there won't be a jiggle at all. 

How to store leftover brownies

The great part about this recipe is that you just need to store leftovers in an airtight container. That mild smoke flavor will be ready and waiting for you to enjoy it again! You don't have to keep them in the fridge but you can if you want. 

Can I use a cast iron skillet for this brownie recipe? 

You can, just pay attention to the cook times and temperature. The cast iron will really hold in that heat and your cooking times will more than likely be shorter than what is listed in the instructions below.