Toasted Walnut Chocolate Brownie

(Originally published, Aug-2015, then updated by Tania, Dec-2018)

Here’s a nutty version of my favourite ‘go to’ brownie recipe and if you haven’t made that one yet, let me fill you in…

It’s a chewy, gooey style brownie and if eaten whilst still warm still has molten chunks of chocolate through it!! To this one, I’ve gone and added some walnuts to the brownie batter which are toasted first, to intensify their nutty flavour and so that they remain nice and crispy during the baking process.

This brownie is so deliciously good and so very quick ‘n’ easy to make. It’s a great ‘thank you’ gift or as a last minute ‘plate’ as you have most things in the pantry already (well except the chocolate, if you’re anything like me you ate that 3 nights ago when the kids went to bed and you were binge-watching something on Netflix) AND who doesn’t like chocolate…not many, if any!

WARNING: If you have zero self control like myself you may want to store this one under lock and key!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup / 100 g walnut pieces or halves
250 g of good-quality chocolate (in a block or buttons)
190 g butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups / 330 g white sugar
1/3 cup / 35 g good-quality cocoa powder
3 medium-sized eggs
½ cup / 75 g standard flour

Serves 12

Note

• I used milk chocolate in this brownie, but I often use dark chocolate. It’s good because the brownie is so sweet and dark chocolate is so bitter. Half ‘n’ half is also very nice! It’s really a personal preference, just add your favourite chocolate. 🙂 

STEP BY STEP

First, place an oven rack just below the centre of the oven and turn it to 160°C fan/convection oven or 180°C conventional oven.

Line a 27 x 16 cm standard-sized, slice tin with non-stick baking paper. 

• Tip – Lightly spraying the tin before adding the paper helps the paper to not move around when fitting it.

Next, if you’re using walnut halves, you’ll need to roughly chop them up into pieces and then set them aside.

Place the walnuts in an ovenproof dish and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes, toss them well and then return them for another 3 – 5 minutes or until they are 2 or 3 shades darker. Then leave them aside to cool down.

Turn the oven down a little, to 150°C fan/convection oven or 170°C conventional.

If your chocolate is in a block use a large knife to roughly chop it up.

Place the butter and vanilla in a small saucepan and over a low heat, melt the two together.

Whilst the butter’s melting, place the sugar and cocoa powder in a medium-sized bowl and mix the two together.

Pour in the still warm butter and stir it in well.

Next, add the eggs, one at a time…

…mixing well after each addition.

Add the toasted walnut pieces, chopped chocolate (or buttons) and the flour, and fold it all together until just combined.

Give the lined tin a light going over with cooking spray and then spoon in the brownie batter, spreading it around evenly. 

Place it in the oven and it should be cooked in 40 minutes, but check by inserting a skewer or a little sharp knife into the centre and if it comes out clean it’s ready.

• The knife may go into a piece of melted chocolate so it pays to try in a few different places to make sure it’s done.

Once cooked, leave it in the tin for 10 minutes, to cool down a little.

Tilt the tin and use the paper to carefully lift/slide the brownie (paper too) out onto a cutting board to allow it to cool down to room temperature before cutting it into as many pieces as you like. (I cut mine 4 length-ways x 3 width-ways.)

Enjoy the brownies as are or warm each piece in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and serve them with a little bit of freshly whipped cream.

Keepin’ it fresh – Store in the pantry in an airtight container, with some non-stick baking paper between the layers for 3-4 days.

Related Posts…

Print Recipe

Toasted Walnut Chocolate Brownie

This easy to make but absolutely delicious fudgy, chewy & gooey, chocolate brownie is filled with crispy toasted walnuts

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup / 100 g walnut pieces or halves
• 250 g good-quality chocolate in a block or buttons
• 190 g butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups / 330 g white sugar
• 1/3 cup / 35 g good-quality cocoa powder
• 3 medium-sized eggs
• ½ cup / 75 g standard flour

Instructions

• Place an oven rack just below the centre of the oven and turn it to 160°C fan/convection oven or 180°C conventional oven.
• Line a 27 x 16 cm standard-sized, slice tin with non-stick baking paper. 
• If you only have walnut halves, you'll need to roughly chop them up into pieces and then set them aside.
• Place the walnuts in an ovenproof dish and toast them in the oven for 5 minutes, toss them well and then return them for another 3 - 5 minutes or until they are 2 or 3 shades darker. Then leave them aside to cool down.
• Turn the oven down a little, to 150°C fan/convection oven or 170°C conventional.
• If your chocolate is in a block use a large knife to roughly chop it up.
• Place the butter and vanilla in a small saucepan and over a low heat, melt the two together.
• Whilst the butter’s melting, place the sugar and cocoa powder in a medium-sized bowl and mix the two together.
• Pour in the still warm butter and stir it in well.
• Next, add the eggs, one at a time mixing well after each addition.
• Add the toasted walnut pieces, chopped chocolate (or buttons) and the flour, and fold it all together until just combined.
• Give the lined tin a light going over with cooking spray and then spoon in the brownie batter, spreading it around evenly.
• Place it in the oven and it should be cooked in 40 minutes, but check by inserting a skewer or a little sharp knife into the centre and if it comes out clean it’s ready.
• Once cooked, leave it in the tin for 10 minutes, to cool down a little.
• Tilt the tin and use the paper to carefully lift/slide the brownie (paper too) out onto a cutting board to allow it to cool down to room temperature before slicing it.
• Store in the pantry in an airtight container, with some non-stick baking paper between the layers for 3-4 days.