Calling all edges-only brownie fans! Chewy Chocolate Brownie Bark is a slightly crispy, most definitely chewy, chocolate chip-topped treat that makes it impossible to stop at just a taste. If you love crunchy brownie edges, this is the recipe for you!
Table of Contents
This chewy chocolate brownie bark recipe needs little explanation beyond its title: It’s chewy. It’s chocolatey. It’s a brownie. And it’s got that bark-like crunch.
Consider this your ultimate copycat brownie brittle recipe. And if you’ve never had it before, it’s essentially a flat, brittle-like snack made from a brownie batter that is spread thin and baked until it becomes crisp. The result is a crunchy, wafer-thin treat that delivers the rich chocolate flavor of brownies in a whole new texture.
Bottom line: If you’re always reaching for those crispy brownie edges, you’ll love brownie bark!
What’s to Love
- Irresistibly crunchy and chewy.
- Rich chocolate flavor.
- No-fuss ingredients.
- Perfect edges every time.
- Minimal cleanup.
- All-purpose flour: Adds structure and stability to this treat. Plus, it’s a pantry staple, so no need for extra trips to the store!
- Salt: A pinch of salt goes a long way in boosting the chocolate flavor and ensuring the perfect balance of sweetness.
- Baking soda: Make sure your baking soda is fresh for optimal leavening. To test, add a pinch to vinegar – if it fizzes, it’s good to go!
- Eggs: You’ll need 1 large egg + 1 large egg white. Using both the whole egg and an additional egg white contributes to the perfect balance of richness and structure, ensuring a chewy yet light texture in your brownie bark.
- Sugar: Just good ol’ granulated sugar.
- Cocoa powder: Just like in my skillet brownie recipe, go for the unsweetened cocoa powder – it’ll add a pure and intense chocolate flavor to your brownies.
- Espresso powder: I’ve noted in the recipe that this ingredient is optional but even if you’re not a coffee fan, I highly recommend adding it! It enhances the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee. It’s the secret ingredient in my brownie cookies recipe, too!
- Vegetable oil: Unlike my recipe for pecan pie brownies, I’ve opted for oil instead of butter for that perfect texture – it keeps things light and lets the rich chocolate flavor take the spotlight without any added buttery notes.
- Vanilla extract: If you have it, use homemade vanilla extract.
- Chocolate chips: Any kind is fine, but I love using a mix of dark and milk chocolate chips. This combo isn’t just a winner for brownie brittle; it’s my secret for the most irresistible chocolate chip cookies, too!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Kelly’s Note: The original recipe featured nonfat dry milk powder, but I’ve simplified it to eliminate the need for this obscure ingredient. But don’t worry! The result is even more delicious without any extra hassle.
Making copycat brownie brittle is a breeze. Just spread the brownie batter thinly on a baking sheet, similar to brittle candy. Then, bake it to crispy, chewy perfection. And don’t just stop at munching on this chocolatey snack; it adds a fun crunch to ice cream, yogurt or other desserts, too! Let me walk you through each step:
- Start by preheating your oven to 325°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Next, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg and egg white until light and frothy. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, oil and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the other combined ingredients. Stir in half of the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter onto the parchment paper, spreading it as thin as possible. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips atop the batter.
- Bake the bark for 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and using a sharp knife, cut it into squares. Do not separate the pieces. This step is what guarantees that perfect brownie bark texture.
- Return the bark to the oven and bake it for 5 more minutes. Remove the bark from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the pan before breaking apart the pieces. No need to fight for the coveted brownie edge – it’s all yours!
- Any size baking sheet or jelly roll pan will work for this recipe, as long as it’s at least as big as a quarter sheet tray.
- Using an offset spatula is the easiest way I’ve found to spread the brownie batter into a thin, even layer. If you don’t have one, use the back of a spoon.
- Since oven temperatures can vary, keep a close eye on the brownie bark towards the end of the baking time to achieve the perfect texture. The edges tend to brown faster, so cover them with foil if needed to prevent over-browning.
- Elevate your brownie brittle with a sprinkling of sea salt flakes as soon as they come out of the oven. Just like my recipe for salted chocolate chip cookie bars, it takes these crispy brownies to the next level!
- A pizza cutter works really well to quickly cut the bark into squares after the first bake.
Store the brownie bark in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to a week.
If it loses some of its crunch over time, you can reheat it in a low-temperature oven for a short period. This can help restore its original texture.
FAQs
Absolutely! Feel free to add chopped nuts, dried fruit or even crushed candy canes for a holiday touch.
Check the baking time and temperature. If it’s too soft, it might need additional time in the oven. Ensure that it’s baked until the edges are slightly crispy.
No, you don’t have to add espresso powder. It’s an optional ingredient, so feel free to leave it out if you prefer or if you don’t have it available. The brownie bark will still be tasty without it.
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Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg white
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg white and egg until they're light and frothy. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder (optional), oil and vanilla, whisking until smooth.
- Whisk the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined. Stir in ½ cup of chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter onto the parchment paper. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter as thin as possible, and then sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips atop the batter.
- Bake the bark for 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and using a sharp knife, cut it into squares. (Do not separate the pieces.)
- Return the bark to the oven and bake it for 5 more minutes.
- Remove the bark from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the pan before breaking apart the pieces.
Kelly’s Notes
- Any size baking sheet or jelly roll pan will work for this recipe, as long as it’s at least as big as a quarter sheet tray.
- Using an offset spatula is the easiest way I’ve found to spread the brownie batter into a thin, even layer. If you don’t have one, use the back of a spoon.
- Since oven temperatures can vary, keep a close eye on the brownie bark towards the end of the baking time to achieve the perfect texture. The edges tend to brown faster, so cover them with foil if needed to prevent over-browning.
- Store the brownie bark in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place for up to a week.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment below with your star rating!
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Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.
Hi what can I use instead of egg as I don’t use eggs
This recipe might be hard to use a sub for (like a flax egg) since it’s such a thin consistency.
These are delicious! At first I was confused by the milk powder comments but I can only assume it was removed from the recipe as it’s no longer listed in the recipe. I did cut the sugar back to 3/4 cup and I used half C of semi sweet & half C of milk chocolate chips. Yummy! Be sure to let cool completely!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, NiKita! Yes, an older version of this recipe required “milk powder” but I just found that was a huge waste of money and ingredients, so I re-formulated the recipe to omit it. I think the updated version is even better than the original!
Thank you! This recipe was easy to make and turned out great! I made 2 small changes: I combined steps and added all the dry ingredients together then mixed them into the egg batter after whisking the wet ingredients together. I also substituted 1 egg yolk for the dry milk powder since I did not have any in my pantry. Worked really well! Next time I try with GF flour for my GF friends.
Awesome! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Liza!
Hi! I would like to know if I can substitute the non-fat dry milk powder with regular full cream milk powder? And Is it really a must to the recipe? What if I go without it, what will happen then?
Hi there! The dry milk powder is needed so that the batter doesn’t become too thin, otherwise the brittle gets crazy crunchy and doesn’t retain any chewiness.
Just wanna let you know! Last Sunday, I baked this recipe! Was a blast!
Since there are no non-fat dry milk, I just bought readily available dry milk powder on the minimarket. You know those dry milk for young children. I just hope it works.
It was only half sucess for 1st batch (the middle is overbaked) I took them out at 20 minutes but it is already black choco at middle, but 2nd batch is perfect.
I baked the 2nd one at 18 minutes, cut them then pop them in again for 5 minutes.
I think my oven might be the one at fault haha.
Sweet but also not too sweet. And DEFINTELY Chewy. Thank goodness!
My twin niece and nephew like them. It was missing fast from the container. “Usually auntie cookies are not missing this fast.” This is one of the recipe where my baked goods was not thrown out, hit the dog in the head ,& it died. *jk*
Apparently, Auntie missing brownie bark indicated Auntie cookie this time is indeed edible. *grimaced*
I had tips to give though. I think we should paint some butter on the parchment paper before pouring any dough on it so it is easier to remove the brownie from the paper.
I can remove it but still it is hard since the paper can rip at times.
Really thanks for the recipe. I love them!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour? I used to love brownie brittle, but cannot have the gluten now.
Hi Bonnie! You could try using a gluten-free flour such as Cup4Cup that’s a 1:1 ratio as regular flour. I’ve never tried this substitution so I’m not sure what the result would be. Curious to hear your results if you give it a shot!
I made 2 batches but in the second batch I forgot the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) accidentally but they still turned out really good!!
Thanks
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jody!
i’ve had a craving for brownies for months. i’ve prowled sites looking for my kind of brownie. i don’t like gooey, i don’t like super rich, i don’t like soft. found yours and made these last night. such an easy recipe. and exactly the way i love my brownie – those edges! thank you for the perfect recipe, kelly.
Yay! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jude!
This is my son’s favorite recipe!!!just fantastic
Woohoo! Love hearing this, Gillian!
just right!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
could I use brownie mix instead?
Hi! No, the brownie won’t have the same texture if you use a mix.
What can I use to substitute for dry milk powder?
Hi Ashley! I’ve never tried making this recipe without the dry milk powder, so I can’t say for certain what substitutes would work.
These were perfectly crisp and chewy! Thanks for a great recipe, Kelly!
Awesome!
Hi… do you think I can make a peanut butter version of this? Not sure how much peanut butter I should add.
Hi Cicelia – I have never added peanut butter to this recipe so unfortunately I can’t say what the resulting texture would be. However, instead of chocolate chips, you could use peanut butter baking chips. Let me know if you give it a shot!
These were so delicious. I should add that instead of adding the dry milk, I opted to use 1 whole egg and 1 egg white (using the yolk as the dry milk replacement). The egg and egg white frothed up nicely and I had that beautiful shiny, thin crispy top. These were a huge hit!
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Rebecca!