Chocolate Coffee Cranberry Brownies

 I'm a dessert gal at heart. I've been baking for much longer than I've been cooking, and I've always had a sweet tooth, so desserts hold a special place in my heart. And my husband's heart. I'm so lucky to have married someone who is willing to taste-test for me. (He would say the same about marrying someone who lets him taste-test for her.) 

Anyway, I really wanted brownies. And not just any brownies-- fancy brownies. So after perusing my pantry for extra ingredients, this is what I came up with. (And after seeing how much sugar I used, I worked out while they baked. That makes it a wash, right?)

Chocolate Coffee Cranberry Brownies, makes 9

 Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1-2 tbsp instant coffee (depending how strong you want your coffee flavor to be; I used 2)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a small microwavable bowl, melt butter in microwave for 30 seconds to one minute. Pour into mixing bowl. Add sugar, flour, cocoa, coffee and eggs. Whisk until well combined. Fold in cranberries.
2. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper (I do this because it makes it so much easier to get out of the pan later). Spray pan and paper with non-stick spray. Pour batter into dish, spreading evenly. Bake for 22-25 minutes. I like my brownies a little under-done and fudgy, but you can add about 3-5 minutes for more well done, if desired.
3. Cool completely (this is the hardest part). Top with powdered sugar or your favorite frosting recipe (a chocolate coffee frosting on top of this would be divine). ENJOY!