Fudgy Kahlua Brownies
These Fudgy Kahlua Brownies were rich, dense, and even a bit gooey. Brownie perfection in every bite!
With Kahlua in the batter and Kahlua painted over the top of the baked brownies, the subtle coffee infusion intensified the chocolate flavor with nary a whisper of coffee. If you love a touch of mocha in your brownies, these dreamy Kahlua Brownies are a must-make recipe!!!

Kahlua Brownies
I first made these uber-fudgy Kahlua brownies back in 2011 as part of a blogger secret recipe club. Members were assigned another blog, then given the task of picking a recipe from that blog to make and share on the reveal date. The old photo, seen above the recipe, was actually my first acceptance to one of those food porn sites, Foodgawker. It was actually in focus! But 7+ years later, it was time to make and photograph them again!

Why You Must Make
- Kahlua and chocolate are a match made in heaven!
- Adding a coffee liqueur to brownies makes them even better! See why below.
- These brownies are rich, fudgy, and irresistible!
Ingredient Notes
- Pantry Staples – Flour, Table Salt, Butter (I used salted), Sugar, Large Eggs
- Baking Powder (affiliate link) – This is not the same as baking soda and has a much shorter shelf life. Most often, you won’t use it all before it expires, so check your tin and buy fresh if it’s out of date. You can check its potency by putting a spoonful in a cup of hot water. It will bubble vigorously if fresh. If it doesn’t, replace it before starting this recipe.
- Unsweetened Chocolate (affiliate link) – I use the Ghirardelli brand.
- Kahlua (affiliate link) or another coffee liqueur (most of the alcohol will evaporate as the brownies bake, leaving a subtle coffee flavor which helps enhance the chocolate flavor).
Tips for Making Kahlua Brownies
These have to be some of the fudgiest brownies I’ve ever made. Just look at them!!! Hubby noticed the Kahlua taste immediately, but the boys (both coffee drinkers and chocoholics) felt it was more subtle, and they were all in favor of me making them again.
- PRO-Tip: Did you know that coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate? The hubby is not a coffee or mocha fan, but I can usually get away with adding a little instant coffee or espresso powder to chocolate desserts.
- PRO-Tip: Kahlua, a coffee liqueur, is another, more subtle way to add coffee flavor to chocolate baked goods.
- As with most baked goods, have your butter and eggs at room temperature. But in this case, the butter was to be melted with the chocolate, so cold butter worked fine.
- PRO-Tip: Typically, I mix brownie batter by hand instead of with a mixer. This is to avoid adding excess air to the batter which takes away from the fudginess. In this case, the sugar and eggs were beaten with a mixer, but when I added the dry ingredients, I kept the mixer on the lowest speed and mixed just until the dry ingredients were incorporated. This also inhibits gluten formation.
- There is a double dose of Kahlua in these brownies. First there’s some in the brownie batter, then a tablespoon is brushed over the top of the cooked brownies.
- PRO-Tip: There isn’t enough liqueur added to provide a strong mocha or coffee flavor. But feel free to add a little instant coffee or espresso powderto the batter in addition to the Kahlua to enhance the coffee flavor.
- These super dense and fudgy Kahlua brownies cut best when cold. Otherwise you’ll need to wipe and rinse your knife after every slice. Let them sit at room temperature before serving to take the chill off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use the recipe directions as a guide, but when you start smelling the delicious aroma of baked brownies, they’re close to being done. The edges should pull away from the sides of the pan, and if you insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out with a few fudgy crumbs, not batter. If you see batter, put the pan back in the oven and check again in 5 to 10 minutes.
It’s best to stir brownie batter by hand if you want fudgy brownies. Using a mixer will incorporate air into the batter, making the baked brownies more cakey than fudgy.
Yes, you can add chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, nuts, or even chunks of chocolate candy bars. Mix in about ½-¾ cup before putting the batter into the baking pan.
You May Also Like
- I always have a bottle of Kahlua on hand for my family’s favorite Kahlua Bundt Cake and these Kahlua Fudge Brownies.
- Fudgy Mocha Brownies
- Fudgy Brownies
- Rich Fudgy Cocoa Brownies
- Symphony Toffee Brownies and my Best Fudgy Brownies are worth a gander, too!
- These Fudgy Brownies from Scratch are chock full of M&M’s and worth a look, too!
Though it doesn’t appear she’s actively blogging anymore, I hope you check out Andi’s blog, The Wednesday Baker. Thanks so much, Andi, for sharing this amazing recipe for the Secret Recipe Club.

Photo circa 2019. One of my first ever acceptances to the former food blogger community, Foodbuzz!
Though it doesn’t appear she’s actively blogging anymore, I hope you check out Andi’s blog, The Wednesday Baker. Thanks so much, Andi, for sharing this amazing recipe for the Secret Recipe Club.
You May Also Like
- Fudgy Mocha Brownies,
- Fudgy Brownies,
- Rich Fudgy Cocoa Brownies,
- Symphony Toffee Brownies
- These Fudgy Brownies from Scratch are chock full of M&M’s, and the colors can be changed for the season or holiday.
- My Best Fudgy Brownies are worth a gander, too!
- Plus, check out my Brownies Category Page for all my recipes!
Kahlua Brownies
Rich, fudgy brownies enhanced by a double dose of Kahlua!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup butter (10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons)
- 3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup Kahlua plus 1 tablespoon for brushing on top after baked and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper or foil (I used an 8 x 8-inch pan).
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a heat-proof bowl, gently melt the butter and chocolate, stopping frequently to stir until the mixture is smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar with the eggs and beat until light in color.
- Add the melted chocolate. Mix to combine.
- Add the Kahlua and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the batter and mix just until combined.
- Scrape into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the top springs back when touched lightly in center (with the smaller pan, I baked for 35 minutes), and the edges begin to pull away.
- Cool in pan, and when cold, brush the top with the tablespoon of Kahlua. Allow this to absorb for a bit before cutting brownies.
Notes
Adapted from The Wednesday Baker.
You can bake these brownies in an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch pan. The smaller pan will make slightly thicker brownies and will take a little longer to bake.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 brpwnieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 246Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 157mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g

92 Comments on “Fudgy Kahlua Brownies”
the brownies are looking soooo delicious…..cant wait to make them….hope they will turn out as well as yours 🙂
Wow, those brownies look so moist and luscious. Fun to learn re Secret Recipe Club.
I’m going to try these for Father’s Day. How can I miss?
this brownie looks good
These are my kind of brownies!! I love the coffee beans in the picture!
Boy oh boy do these brownies ever look moist and chewy! Great idea to shoot them on top of the coffee beans!
How beautiful are these! I absolutely love kahlua…and brownies (as it so happens)…I’d say it’s a win win combo.
Be still my heart, the words fudge and kahlua together with Brownies….sigh….I would love to try those. I have a bottle of kahlua that’s begging to be used, I may have to try this wonderful recipe!
Thanks for sharing and introducing me to another great blogger!
Dennis
First, these look AMAZING!! So rich and fudgy…I think I’m going to check out that site and maybe do one of these fun challenges. Thanks for sharing this great, fun idea Liz!!
That brownie is not messing around! My brownie recipe is not too far from this, but clearly, I have been missing Kahlua! Some for the brownies and some for me 🙂
Ooooooh – you did pick a good one! I am a fudgy brownie lover. The denser – the better as far as I’m concerned. Of course you would pick something chocolatey, and a little booze in the mix never hurt anyone..lol.
I do love Kahlua and can only imagine how delicious it is in a brownie. I would have picked this recipe too!
Great brownie, and I love the idea of the Secret Recipe Club – I am going to have to look into that more!
Yummy yummy yummy! These would not last long at my house.
I like the sound of this secret recipe club! It seems pretty cool that you get to recreate a recipe. Kahlua cake has always been a family favorite for us too, so I’m sure these would be a hit for us as well!
I’ve overwhelmed at all the delicious pictures of the recipe club! WOW. These brownies sound wonderful Lizzy! : )
These look really good!!! Love the photos!
Wow, those are some majorly fudgy brownies.
Mmm, I think that fudgy brownies are my favorite treat, can’t resist! They look great :), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters
Great looking brownies! Bet they were amazing.