Small Batch Baileys Brownies
These small batch Baileys brownies are thick, fudgy, and slathered with a decadent layer of Baileys scented dark chocolate ganache in honor of St. Patrick’s Day! The recipe is small batch, and instructs you to make the brownies in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Doing so results in just 8 brownies, perfect for 2 to 4 people.
Why You Should Make The Recipe
Now let’s talk about all the reasons why you need to make this small batch Baileys brownie recipe like… right now:
The recipe is a St. Patrick’s Day twist of a beloved Hummingbird High recipe.
These Baileys brownies are adapted from this popular small batch fudge brownie recipe on Hummingbird High. The brownies are known for their fudgy (almost ganache-like!) texture, as well as their signature top with a shiny, paper-thin crust.
This Baileys brownie recipe, however, expands on that beloved recipe. How? This recipe doubles that original recipe, resulting in larger, extra thick brownies perfect for a special occasion like St. Patrick’s Day. And to make them even more festive, I topped the brownies off with a layer of Baileys Irish Cream dark chocolate ganache! The ganache contributes to the brownies’ signature fudgy texture, and gives the brownies a subtle, boozy flavor.
The brownies store well.
Because these Baileys brownies are so fudgy, they keep really well. They stay moist and fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature. Their chocolate and Baileys flavors intensify over time, and become more pronounced the longer the brownies sit. As a result, I’d even argue that these Baileys brownies taste better the day after they’re made!
The recipe is small batch.
The best part? These Baileys brownies are small batch. The recipe instructs you to make the brownies in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Doing so results in just 8 perfect brownies—enough for a small household of between 2 to 4 people!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Now that I’ve convinced you to make these small batch Baileys brownies, here’s everything you need to make the recipe:
Shopping List For Small Batch Baileys Brownies Recipe
- unsalted butter
- dark (between 60% to 70% cacao) chocolate
- cocoa powder
- all-purpose flour
- espresso powder/instant coffee granules
- kosher salt
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- large eggs
- pure vanilla extract
- Baileys Irish Cream
- heavy cream
And let’s talk about some key ingredients and potential substitutions:
Common Ingredient Substitutions For The Recipe
Here are common substitutions for the ingredients in the recipe:
- Unsalted Butter. You can substitute the unsalted butter with salted butter without any noticeable difference in taste.
- Dark Chocolate. Check out this post to learn about the chocolate I recommend for baking, and why you should avoid bittersweet and semisweet chocolate varieties!
- All-Purpose Flour. Substitute the all-purpose flour with your favorite 1-1 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (I like the ones by Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Baking Company) to make the brownies gluten-free!
- Espresso Powder/Instant Coffee Granules. Pairing coffee and chocolate together leads to more intense chocolate flavors. You can use either espresso powder (which bakers tend to have on hand), or, in a pinch, the same amount of instant coffee granules. Don’t have either? Don’t stress! You can skip it completely—the brownies will still be plenty delicious.
- Kosher Salt. Replace the 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the recipe with ½ teaspoon of table salt.
- Brown Sugar. Either light or dark brown sugar works in the brownie recipe.
How To Make Small Batch Baileys Brownies
Here are the basic steps to make the Baileys brownies from scratch:
- Prep the ingredients. (Prep Time: 10 minutes)
- Make the fudge brownie batter. (Work Time: 15 minutes)
- Bake the brownies. (Bake Time: 40 minutes)
- Wait for the brownies to cool completely, then make the Baileys ganache. (Work Time: 10 minutes)
- Assemble the Baileys brownies. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
Best Recipe Tips
Tip About Baking The Brownies
- It’s better to pull the brownies out of the oven early than leave them in too long—if you over bake the brownies, they’ll be tough. They might appear underbaked, but I promise that when they’ve cooled, they will be perfect.
Tip About Making Ganache
- It can be tricky to get ganache right if you’ve never made it before. Make sure to follow the ingredient instructions and chop the chocolate super finely, into ¼- and ½-inch pieces. If you go bigger than that, the chocolate won’t melt properly and you’ll end up with lumpy ganache! Stir the chocolate slowly, but steadily. If you go too quickly, the ganache will split, and if you go too slowly, the chocolate won’t melt.
More Brownie Recipes
- Better-Than-Supernatural Fudge Brownies
- Claire Saffitz Brownies
- Flourless Gluten Free Cheesecake Brownies
- Milk Chocolate Brownies
- My Best Fudgy Brownies Recipe
- Sarah Kieffer Brownies
- Supernatural Brownies
- Small Batch Almond Flour Brownies
- Small Batch Fudge Brownies
- Stella Parks Brownies
- White Chocolate Brownies
More Small Batch Recipes
- Banana Nut Muffins
- Blueberry Muffins
- Brookie Bars
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Funfetti Sheet Cake
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Magic Cookie Bars
- Pecan Sticky Buns
Get the Recipe: Small Batch Baileys Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
For The Fudge Brownies
- ½ cup (4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted OR salted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 ounces (or 113 grams) dark chocolate (between 60% to 70% cacao), from whole feves/baking discs or a bar chopped into 1- to 2-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons natural unsweetened OR Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ½ cup (2.25 ounces or 64 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder OR instant coffee granules
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup tightly packed (3.75 ounces or 106 grams) light OR dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (3.5 ounces or 99 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For The Baileys Ganache
- 3 ounces (or 85 grams) dark chocolate (between 60% to 70% cacao), from whole feves/baking discs or a bar chopped into ¼- and ½-inch pieces
- 3 Tablespoons (1.5 ounces or 43 grams) Baileys Irish Cream
- 3 Tablespoons (1.5 ounces or 43 grams) heavy cream
Equipment
- 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
- offset spatula
Instructions
For The Small Batch Baileys Brownies
- First, make the brownies. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Spray the parchment, too.
- Melt the butter and chocolate. Place the butter, chocolate, and cocoa powder in the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan filled with a few inches of simmering water (be sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Cook over medium heat, using a heatproof rubber spatula to stir the mixture and scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the butter and chocolate have melted and combined, 5 to 10 minutes. Set the double boiler or bowl on a wire rack and let the chocolate mixture cool while you prep the other ingredients.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder or instant coffee granules, and salt.
- Mix the sugars, eggs, and vanilla, then add the chocolate and dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, eggs, and vanilla until just combined. Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture while whisking. Continue whisking until smooth, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the batter all at once and use a rubber spatula to mix until just combined.
- Bake the brownies. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping with the ganache.
- Make the Baileys ganache. Once the brownies are cool, make the ganache. Place the chocolate for the ganache in a small, heatproof bowl. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the Baileys and the cream over medium-high heat to just under a boil. Immediately pour over the chocolate, then place a dinner plate over the bowl to create a makeshift lid. Let sit, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the plate. Whisk slowly but steadily until the ganache is thick, smooth, and shiny.
- Top the brownies with the ganache. Immediately pour the ganache over the unsliced brownies, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly to the edges. Refrigerate the bars, uncovered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, to allow the ganache to set and cool.
- Serve and store. Run a butter knife or offset spatula along the edges of the pan and use the overhanging parchment as handles to lift the brownies out of the pan and onto a cutting board. To make 8 brownies, unmold the brownies from the pan and slice them lengthwise. Hold the two long slices together, and slice them into quarters crosswise. This will create 8 brownie squares. The brownies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days
Notes
- It’s better to pull the brownies out of the oven early than leave them in too long—if you over bake the brownies, they’ll be tough. They might appear underbaked, but I promise that when they’ve cooled, they will be perfect.
- It can be tricky to get ganache right if you’ve never made it before. Make sure to follow the ingredient instructions and chop the chocolate super finely, into ¼- and ½-inch pieces. If you go bigger than that, the chocolate won’t melt properly and you’ll end up with lumpy ganache! Stir the chocolate slowly, but steadily. If you go too quickly, the ganache will split, and if you go too slowly, the chocolate won’t melt.
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Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule
Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
