Crispy Brownie Brittle
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Crunchy, thin crackly chocolate squares with a snap. Brownie edges taken to the extreme. Uses semi sweet choc melted with sugars, milk swapped for oat milk for creaminess. Slightly less flour but added cornstarch for crisp snap. No em dash here—only commas and semicolons. Adjusted bake time, still watching color and firmness over numbers. Tossed pecans on top for a nutty crunch twist. A past batch turned dense when over stirred; folding dry gently avoided that. Microwaving chocolate with sugars melts faster; keeps texture silky. Mid-bake flip key to even browning; had darker edges without it. Intense chocolate smell, crackling sound as cool sets. No fail, just respect for timing and tactile cues.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
33 min
Total:
45 min
Servings:
12 servings
#baking
#chocolate
#snack
#easy dessert
#nut topping
Crunch, crack, snap—brownie brittle is the dark, chewy edge of your standard brownie amped to thin crispy shards. Think brownie but thinner, baked till firm and brittle with a gloss that glints in the light. Tried countless times with milk swaps; oat milk gives this a richer finish I swear. Melt sugars and chocolate together in the microwave, no double boiler fuss, but careful with heat or you get grainy mess. Flour amount tweaked down and cornstarch added last time to get faster snap; worked a charm. Folding dry into wet, never mixing aggressively; tough brittle ruins the mood. Bake time slightly trimmed, watch for firm top and crackle sound, trust senses over timer. Tips learned the hard way: pan rotation mid-bake, cooling fully before break, and nut topping for satisfying crunch. No mystery here, just attention and care.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
- 1/4 cup oat milk, substitute any milk or water with splash of vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour minus 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips for topping
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
About the ingredients
Swapping milk for oat milk or any plant-based milk changes nothing but boosts creaminess and subtle sweet flavor. Skip milk altogether with water plus splash vanilla if dairy-free. Chocolate quality matters; use something you like eating plain or add espresso powder to deepen flavor. Flour should be sifted or whisked with cocoa and baking powder—no lumps equals no hard spots. Baking powder, not soda—it’s gentler here. Salt is tiny but crucial to balance the sugar. Eggs must be room temp for better emulsifying. Oil I prefer neutral—vegetable or light olive. Coconut oil works but adds distinct flavor. Nuts optional, toasted pecans add great texture; can replace with seeds or omit. Sugars mix brown and white for balance, but all brown makes richer brittle. Adjust quantities slightly if making smaller batches—dry ingredients absorb moisture differently every day.
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, line a 11x17 inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper for safe release.
- Combine sugars, chocolate chunks, and oat milk in a microwave safe bowl; zap in 30 second bursts stirring between until completely melted and glossy, about 1-2 minutes total. Set aside to cool slightly; you want warm but not hot so eggs don’t scramble.
- In a large prep bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to get rid of lumps and aerate dry mix. Keeps crumb light.
- Once chocolate mixture cools to warm, add eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir thoroughly but gently, create uniform glossy liquid base.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet with a spatula until no dry streaks remain but batter still tender. Overmix and you’ll toughen brittle with gluten development.
- Quickly pour batter onto prepared sheet; smooth into very thin, even layer, about 1/8 inch thick. Thin means crisp, thick means chewy brownie clumps, not brittle.
- Scatter chocolate chips and nuts evenly on top; press lightly so chips stick but don’t sink.
- Bake center rack 30-35 minutes watch for firm top that stops wobbling when nudged; edges darken slightly and emit faint crackle sounds. Rotate sheet halfway for even bake; uneven heat chips bunching on one side happens otherwise.
- Remove from oven; cool completely on wire rack before breaking. Brittle snaps sharply, no bend. Warm? Breaks gummy and sticky.
- Store airtight at room temperature if not eaten same day. Keeps days but freshness fades; toaster oven reheat crispifies remnants.
Cooking tips
Microwave chocolate with sugars carefully, stir between bursts. No rush; water baths waste time and clean-up. Dry ingredients aerated keeps brittle crisp and crumbly. Folding, not stirring! Overworking toughens brittle; one mistake I made repeatedly. Spreading batter thin, key for crispy brittle edges—not a gooey tray. Resist urge to pile batter or use thick batter. Baking mid rack ensures even heat; ovens vary drastically so watch changes in structure and sound, not just time. Rotate pan halfway to avoid one side burning or uneven cooking. You’ll hear a slight crackling from near edges at finish, and top becomes firm with a bit of shine, no jiggle. Cool completely before breaking; warm brittle tears or chews. Store airtight or brittle softens. Reheat leftovers in toaster oven for crisp revival. Nuts and chips add texture contrast but not mandatory. Watch for burnt edges; batches vary. Practice teaches these sensory cues.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Microwave chocolate with sugars in short bursts, stir often; prevents grainy texture, keeps glossy. Cool before adding eggs, avoid scrambled mix. Folding dry into wet gently; no overmix or brittle toughens, gluten clumps. Thin batter layer crucial, about eighth inch - thicker means chewy clumps, not brittle. Use oat milk or swap milk for water plus vanilla; creaminess held but dairy free.
- 💡 Mid bake rotate pan half way through or edges burn unevenly. Watch slight crackle noise, subtle but sharp sound means edges firming. Oven temps vary wildly; rely on sound and top firmness more than timer. Nut topping optional; toasted pecans bring crunch but chips or seeds add texture too. Scatter evenly, press lightly so chips stick but no sinking.
- 💡 Flour sifted with cocoa and baking powder aerates, avoids lumps and dense spots. Cornstarch last time boosted crisp snap, slight tweak worth trying. Eggs at room temp; better emulsify in chocolate base. Oil neutral works; vegetable or light olive preferable unless coconut flavor wanted. Sugars mix balances sweetness; brown all or white all shifts brittle texture subtly.
- 💡 Cooling fully on wire rack mandatory before break brittle; warm brittle tears or chews gummy. Store airtight or brittle softens fast, fridge not ideal—adds moisture. Reheat in toaster oven short burst to revive crisp. Folding technique key—fold gently until batter tender but no dry streaks. Over stirring toughens brittle with gluten, subtle but real.
- 💡 Watch for visual changes: glossy top dulls slightly when baked, faint crackle pops near edges, edges darken but don’t burn. Remove from oven when top firms on gentle nudge; slight wobble or jiggly means underdone. Break brittle with snap, no bend. Skip water bath melts; microwave faster and cleaner. Every oven differs; sensory cues over strict times.
Common questions
How do I avoid tough brittle?
Fold dry into wet gently, stop when no streaks still tender. Overmix means gluten develops, chewy brittle. Watch thickness layer; thick piles chewy. Thin batter thin crisp more fragile but better brittle texture.
Can I replace milk with something else?
Use oat milk mostly, swaps dairy creaminess well. Water plus splash vanilla also works for dairy-free without textural loss. Other plant milks okay but test flavor differences. Swap doesn’t affect crisp snap much, more cream and subtle sweet from oat.
Brittles too dense or chewy, what happened?
Over stirring main culprit, gluten forms tough texture. Thick batter layer also chew not crisp. Folding technique. Bake time; underbake no crackle sound, dense chewy. Adjust bake time, watch sound and firm top cues.
Best way to store leftover brittle?
Airtight container at room temp avoids moisture softening brittle. Fridge adds dampness, brittle soggy. To crisp leftovers, toaster oven short heat cycle revives crunch. Leftovers last few days but freshness drops. Nuts accelerate stale feel; omit or toast for longer shelf life.
