Tiramisu Brownies
Rich, dark chocolate brownie meets the creamy elegance of tiramisu in these irresistible Tiramisu Brownies! They feature a deeply decadent brownie base topped with a light, tangy espresso mascarpone cream. You get the best of both worlds in one unforgettable dessert.
If you love a good dessert mashup, wait until you try this tiramisu brownies recipe! The brownie base is intensely fudgy and enriched with instant espresso powder, mirroring the coffee-soaked ladyfingers of a classic tiramisu.
I’ve topped these brownies with tangy mascarpone cheese that’s whipped with heavy cream and flavored with a hint of espresso. This simple yet sophisticated cream topping replicates the iconic mascarpone layer of tiramisu, providing a light and refreshing contrast to the dense and fudgy chocolate bars beneath. A final dusting of cocoa powder completes these tiramisu-inspired brownies – perfect as a standalone dessert or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
What are tiramisu brownies?
These Tiramisu Brownies reimagines the classic Italian tiramisu in brownie form. They perfectly replicate the essence of tiramisu by featuring layers of rich, coffee-infused chocolate and a luxuriously creamy topping.
The fudgy brownie base, enhanced with espresso powder, stands in for the coffee-soaked ladyfingers, while the whipped mascarpone cream topping provides the same velvety, tangy contrast found in the original dessert. Finished with a dusting of cocoa powder, these brownies perfectly capture the irresistible flavors of tiramisu!
Ingredients needed to make tiramisu brownies
- Salted butter: While I usually opt for unsalted butter in my baked treats, these tiramisu brownies definitely benefit from salted butter. You can use unsalted butter instead, if you prefer.
- Bittersweet chocolate: I’ve used 70% bittersweet chocolate, chopped coarsely and then melted to be mixed into the brownie batter. Use a lesser percentage bittersweet chocolate for a sweeter outcome, if you prefer.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: For rich chocolate flavor. A light dusting is also added to the tops of the baked brownies, resembling that of a traditional tiramisu dessert.
- All-purpose flour: A sturdy flour for fudgy brownies. You could use gluten-free flour or other alternatives instead. Learn How to Make Chocolate Brownies Gluten-Free here.
- Eggs: Bring to room temperature before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and chewy texture.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and a crackly top to these brownies. You’ll also need sugar to sweeten the espresso cream topping.
- Salt: Always a must for balancing and enhancing the flavors of baked treats. Salt is used in both the brownie batter and the cream topping.
- Vanilla extract: For depth of flavor in the brownies and the cream topping.
- Instant espresso coffee powder: A classic ingredient for tiramisu desserts! Add it to the brownie batter as well as the cream topping.
- Mascarpone: Provides a rich, subtly sweet, and uniquely tangy flavor with a luxurious, velvety texture for the cream topping.
- Heavy cream: Added to the mascarpone and beaten for a thick and luxurious topping.
How do you make tiramisu brownies?
Prep and preheat:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Smear soft butter around and into the paper.
Make the brownie batter:
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove it from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. If the heat from the butter does not fully melt the chocolate, place it back over the heat for 10 seconds and stir until melted. Stir in the cocoa powder and set the chocolate mixture aside to cool.
- Sift the flour, espresso powder and cocoa powder into a small mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the eggs, sugars, salt, and vanilla. With a mixer, beat on high speed for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
- Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and gently mix together until combined.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, and espresso powder and gently mix together with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Bake and cool:
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top.
- Bake the brownies for about 25 minutes until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch.
- Allow the brownies to cool for an hour or so before adding the espresso cream on top.
Make the espresso cream topping:
- In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese and heavy cream for 1 minute on medium speed until combined.
- Beat in the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and espresso powder for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
Assemble and serve:
- Spread an even layer of espresso cream over the cooled brownies with a rubber spatula.
- Dust the top of the espresso cream with cocoa powder.
- Cut the assembled tiramisu brownies and enjoy!
Serving
Enjoy these indulgent tiramisu brownies as a complete dessert or serve it with a scoop of Old-Fashioned Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream, Old-Fashioned Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream, or Homemade Chocolate Sauce.
Of course, what would any tiramisu dessert be without a complementary cup of freshly brewed coffee to wash it down! This Pumpkin Spice Latte is great too.
Leftover tiramisu brownies (without the cream topping) can easily become a delicious topping for your ice cream, crumbled over, or to make a delicious brownie trifle!
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Store leftover tiramisu brownies with the cream topping in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You could store these brownies at room temperature if you haven’t yet added the espresso cream topping.
- Freezing: Wrap the cooled brownies (without topping) as individual squares in plastic and again in foil. Transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag to be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the number of brownies you want overnight in the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before topping with fresh espresso cream.
- Boozy twist: Feel free to add a splash of coffee liqueur to the espresso cream topping or dark rum to the brownie batter.
- Add-ins: Feel free to add chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the brownie batter for delicious texture and additional flavor.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the brownie batter and add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum if needed.
- Don’t overmix: Be careful that you don’t overmix the brownie batter or you will create overly dense brownies.
- Check for doneness: You can tell when the brownies are done baking by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the pan which should return clean. If it returns wet, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, keeping a close watch that they don’t burn.
- Lighter topping: Omit the mascarpone and just add sweetened whipped cream to the tops of the brownies for a slightly lighter version.
- Grease the pan: I’ve lined the baking pan with parchment paper as well as greased it with softened butter as a sure way to prevent the fudgy brownies from sticking to the pan.
- Cool the chocolate mixture: Make sure to cool the melted chocolate mixture before adding to the egg mixture or you risk scrambling the eggs.
Feel free to use Almond Flour Chocolate Brownies or Double Chocolate Brownies as the base for these tiramisu brownies.
More fudgy brownie desserts you may want to try:
- Mexican Chocolate Brownies Recipe
- Easy Brownie Ice Cream Stacks
- Ganache Blackberry Brownie Bites
- Brownie Crinkle Cookies with Dates
- Triple Chocolate Brownie Pie
Get the Recipe:
Tiramisu Brownies
Ingredients
Rich Brownies:
- 1 cup salted butter
- 14 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Instant Espresso Coffee Powder
Cream topping:
- 8 oz mascarpone
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Instant Espresso Coffee Powder
Dusting:
- 3-4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Equipment
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper; add soft butter, smearing it around and rubbing into the paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. If the heat from the butter does not fully melt the chocolate, put the pan back over the heat for 10 seconds and stir until melted. Add in the cocoa powder and stir well. Set chocolate mixture aside to cool.
- Sift the flour, espresso powder and cocoa powder into a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the eggs, both sugars, salt, and vanilla. With a mixer, beat on high speed until the mixture thickens, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture and gently mix together until combined.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, and espresso powder and gently mix together with a rubber spatula. Don’t over mix.
- Pour the batter into the 9×13 dish and smooth the top. Bake until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch, about 25 minutes.
- Allow to cool for an hour or so before adding the espresso cream on top.
Espresso Cream
- In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese and heavy cream; beat on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. Continue to beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes.
Assemble Brownies
- Top the cooled brownies with the espresso cream, using a spatula to spread the espresso cream into an even layer.
- Using a fine mesh sieve dust the top of the espresso cream topped brownies with cocoa powder.
- Cut into pieces and serve or store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
