Description
Fudge-y brownies with a hint of red wine and topped with wine “buttercream” frosting. Red wine brownies are the perfect dessert for any special occasion. Best served with some red wine!
Ingredients
- Brownies
- 1 cup + 1/3 cup dry red wine (I used Merlot)*
- 3/4 cup coconut oil
- 8 ounces dark chocolate – use dairy free for dairy free eaters (I used 66% Cocoa)
- 1 cup all purpose gluten free flour (or sub regular all purpose flour if not gf)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- Red Wine Frosting
- 1 batch healthier vegan “buttercream” frosting (click for recipe)
Instructions
- Reduce Red Wine: Add the red wine to a small sauce pot. Turn on high heat and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half. You should have 1/2 cup + 2 to 3 tablespoons once reduced. Remove the wine from the pot into another dish and place in the fridge or freezer to chill while you prepare the remainder of the brownies. (This part could be done up to 1 day in advance. Just keep covered in the fridge).
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper, set aside.
- Melt coconut oil and dark chocolate: Place the coconut oil and chocolate in a medium sized microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 second increments, stirring in between each microwave session until melted. Or you could melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Set aside and allow to cool.
- Whisk together dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix together the remainder of the wet ingredients: Once the melted chcoolate has cooled a bit (can still be a little warm), mix in the vanilla, eggs, coconut sugar, and 1/2 cup of the reduced red wine until well incorperated. Fold the wet ingredietns into the dry ingredietns until well incorperated.
- Bake: Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to spread out the batter evenly. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the brownie is slightly jiggly in the middle and a cake tester removes slightly wet from the middle – it will continue to set as it cools. This will result in a fudgey brownie. If you want a dryer brownie bake for the 22 mintues. Allow the brownie to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: While the brownies are cooling make a batch of the healthier vegan “buttercream” frosting as instructed in that recipe. (click here for recipe & instructions). Note: the frosting could be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.
- Add the red wine: To the batch of vegan buttercream frosting stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reduced red wine that has been chilled. Taste and add a little more sweeter (agave, honey, or maple syrup) if desired.
- Frost: To frost the brownies spread the entire batch of frosting onto the cooled brownies, working the frosting to the edges.
- Serve: To serve the brownies cut them into desired squares (about 16 brownies). For extra brownie points I highly recommend you serve these brownies with a glass of red wine! so GOOD!
- Store: Transger the brownies to an air tight container and store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Frosting does tend to dry out a little after 4 days, although still good they are best earlier than 4 days.
Notes
*We will be cooking all of the alcohol out of the wine, just leaving behind the flavor. This recipe will be safe for kids or pregnant woman.
Other options for wine could be, pinot noir or Cabernet sauvignon. The taste of your wine will change the taste of the frosting slightly. I found Merlot to have the most intense wine flavor (which is still fairly subtle). Just keep in mind that a sweeter wine will result in a less wine intense brownie and frosting.
The frosting is a completely optional step. The brownies are very good without the frosting. HOWEVER, if you really want brownies have a red wine taste the frosting is where you can really taste the red wine. There is a slight hint of red wine in the brownies (without frosting), but the frosting really is the icing on the cake (LOL)! Highly recommended, especially for special occasions! Plus it’s so pretty!
Red wine brownie recipe heavily adapted from Grant Melton, seen on theRachel Ray Show.
