Pretty Little Brownie Bites

Aren't these A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E!!!!

I check The Pioneer Woman's website every morning to see what her latest creation is. As soon as I saw these I wanted to make them. They just looked so fun!!!! The Pioneer Woman ranks right up there with Paula Deen on my list of favorite chefs.

Check out her website for step-by-step pictures of making these little brownie bites. You can use a box brownie mix if your time is limited. The best part is decorating! Drenching them in the chocolate sauce and then topping them with anything and everything you can find in your pantry. My 3 year old even got a kick out of helping me find things to top them with. I used M&M's, slivered almonds, halved pecans, graham cracker crumbs, a mini Oreo, butterscotch and chocolate chips, marshmallows, Whoppers, sprinkles, sugar, and even toasted sunflower seeds (that was Carson's idea)! Your options are endless!



Pretty Little Brownie Bites
Source: The Pioneer Woman

4 whole 1-oz. Squares Unsweetened Chocolate, Melted And Cooled
2 sticks Butter, Softened (but Not Room Temperature)
2 c. Sugar
4 whole Large Eggs
3 t. Vanilla Extract
1-¼ c. Flour
1 c. Milk Chocolate Chips
1 c. Semi-sweet Chocolate Chunks

ICING/GLAZE
8 whole 1-ounce Squares Semi-sweet Chocolate, Chopped
1 c. Cream, Heated
2 T. Light Corn Syrup
2 t. Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

For brownies, melt 4 ounces chocolate and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes, allowing to cool. Chocolate should not be warm! Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs two at a time. With mixer on low, drizzle in cooled chocolate. Mix until just combined. Add flour and mix until just combined. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl and mix for five more seconds. Add chocolate chips and chocolate chunks and mix for just a few seconds on low, until they’re incorporated. Generously grease and flour mini-muffin pan. Scoop generous teaspoons of batter into each tin. (We don’t want the brownies to have muffin tops; try to get them to stay under the top of the tin.) Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until set. Remove pans and invert on a cooling rack. Allow brownie bites to cool completely.

To make the icing, mix cream with corn syrup and heat in a microwave safe container for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add chopped chocolate to a separate bowl. Add vanilla to warm cream mixture, then pour over chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate totally melts and mixture is smooth. Add brownie bites face down in the icing. Dunk to submerge, and spoon icing over the top to thoroughly coat. Remove with a fork, tapping the fork on the side of the bowl several times quickly in order to get the excess to drain between the tines. Carefully set on a baking mat or sheet of waxed paper.

Decorate as you wish! Chopped nuts, candies, sprinkles, sea salt…the world is your oyster!



*Make sure you don't fill the mini muffin tins too full. What we’re trying to avoid here is a big muffin top; you want the tops to remain below the surface of the tins.