Mexican Brownies

By Liz Allred


• 2 sticks Unsalted Butter, plus more for greasing

• 2 cups Sugar

• 4 large Eggs

• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

• 2/3 cup good-quality Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

• 1 cup all-purpose Flour

• 1 teaspoon ground Mexican Cinnamon (canela)

• ¼ teaspoon pequen Chili Powder or Cayenne Pepper

• ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt

• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and lightly grease the paper with butter.

Melt the 2 sticks of butter in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat; do not boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder, salt and baking powder and mix until smooth.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.