Oh yes — beer brownies!
If you’re going to make one dessert for Valentine’s Day (or just for yourself), make these. They’re rich, intensely chocolatey and intentionally small — perfect for one or two people. Decadent and just the right size so you don’t have to wrestle with a giant pan of brownies.
This recipe comes from Christina’s book Sweet & Simple: Desserts For Two, freshly released and full of bakes scaled down so you can enjoy perfect portions without leftovers haunting your counter.
Christina’s small-batch approach is wonderful — she crafts recipes meant to serve two, which makes them ideal for cozy dinners or solo indulgence without overdoing it.
I have to admit: large pans of dessert are a hazard. My mom has an unmatched ability to bake a 9×13 and only take one small serving each day. I, on the other hand, hover somewhere between restraint and full surrender. Working with food professionally gives me some discipline, but when a brownie is within reach, all bets are off.
My typical pattern: bake a pan, cut a neat square, enjoy one piece quickly, then sneak forkfuls straight from the pan until suddenly there are more crumbs than I remember eating. The small-batch desserts fix that problem entirely — a perfect portion, no leftovers, no self-sabotage.
Do you relate, or would you and my mom be best friends?
One of the best parts of these brownies is how they begin: with beer syrup. That’s right — beer is reduced down into a concentrated syrup that brings a subtle, deep flavor to both the batter and the frosting. A little beer syrup folded into the brownie adds complexity; a bit in the buttercream makes the whole thing feel unexpectedly grown-up and delicious.
Beer syrup (or beer concentrate) is made by simmering beer until it reduces to a thicker, more intense liquid. It takes about 15–20 minutes and adds a lovely note to chocolate without making the brownies taste like a beer you’d drink — just a rounded, malty depth.
Beer Brownies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup dark beer
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 1 large egg white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
frosting
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon beer syrup from above
Instructions
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Heat the beer in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer until it reduces to 1/2 cup, about 15 to 20 minutes. Watch it closely so it doesn’t boil over; stir or remove from heat if it starts to bubble up.
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Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
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In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter, cocoa, sugar and chopped chocolate. Microwave 30 seconds, stir, then microwave another 30 seconds. Stir until melted and combined, then let cool a few minutes.
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Stir in 4 tablespoons of the beer syrup, the egg white, vanilla and salt. Fold in the flour until fully combined.
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Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool completely in the pan.
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Once cooled, frost with the beer buttercream and slice to serve.
frosting
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Beat the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the remaining tablespoon of beer syrup and beat until incorporated. Spread over cooled brownies.
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These are about as fudgy as brownies get — intense chocolate with a whisper of beer-flavored depth and a pillowy beer-sweetened frosting. Perfect for a date night, a solo treat, or any time you want something small, special, and utterly delicious.