Mary’s Chocolate Brownie Pie Bars with Homemade Chocolate Espresso Whipped Cream
When I was in grade school, one of my favorite things to do after church on Sunday was to head to Baskin Robbins for a brownie sundae. Later, when my own kids were in grade school, I loved to tuck a gooey chocolatey brownie in their lunch boxes. We’re all chocolate lovers at my house.
Being from Chicago, I’m pretty partial to the brownie. Why, you ask? Because the brownie was birthed in my hometown, of course! Bertha Palmer brought this recipe to the Columbian Exposition World's Fair in 1893. It was literally created in the Palmer House Kitchen. Thank you, Bertha!
As I put my pie cookbook together (surprise!), I absolutely had to include a brownie pie. This one is delightful: The crust is flaky, the center is fudgy, and it’s an absolute dream with my chocolate whipped cream on top.
Chocolate Espresso Whipped Cream puts this pie over the top!
Before you make these pie bars, make sure you have my Chocolate Espresso Whipped Cream recipe ready to go, too. I might not go for the ice cream anymore, but I don’t have to with a whipped cream like this. Technically, you can eat the pie bars without it… but I honestly don’t know why you would. The espresso really goes a long way in bringing out the full flavor of the chocolate.
Simple garnishes for chocolate brownie pies.
In my opinion, the most adorable garnish for these pie bars is the chocolate curls. If you don’t have enough time to do the chocolate curls—or if you just want to take it easy after all that baking—not to worry. Other options for garnish include a drizzle of chocolate sauce or a handful of mini chocolate chips. I hope you’re a chocolate lover, too!
Mary’s Chocolate Brownie Pie Bars Recipe with Homemade Chocolate Espresso Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- ½ recipe Mary’s Favorite Pie Dough
- ½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoon Mary DiSomma’s Cognac Barrel-Aged Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- A pinch of salt
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- ¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional
- Bittersweet chocolate curls
- Cocoa to dust on top of whipped cream
- Chocolate Espresso Whipped Cream
Instructions
- Spray a 9-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray. Roll out the dough into a 12-inch square about 1/8-inch thick.
- Transfer the dough round to the prepared pie pan. Using your fingertips, gently tap the dough up the sides of the pan. Trim off the excess dough and crimp or flute the pastry edge.
- Refrigerate or freeze the lined pie pan for 30 minutes. Chilling the dough will make the dough firm so it doesn’t shrink during baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the lined pie pan from the freezer or refrigerator. You will be partially baking the crust before filling the pie.
- Line the dough in the pie pan with parchment paper, then evenly distribute a layer of pie weights or dried beans over the parchment paper. Make sure the weights are evenly distributed! Bake until the edges of the crust start to brown—about 12 minutes.
- Remove the pie crust from the oven and carefully lift out the parchment paper (along with the weights).
- Using a fork, lightly prick the bottom of the crust about 6 times, being careful not to go all the way through.
- Return the pie crust to the oven and bake for 4 more minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes before adding the filling.
- While the crust is cooling, begin making the brownie filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled melted butter with the oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, and—if you’re using it—the espresso powder.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then fold in the bittersweet chocolate chips and the walnuts, if you’re using any.
- Transfer the filling into the crust and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.
- Remove the baked pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack for about an hour before slicing.
- When you’re ready to serve this beauty, you can prepare the chocolate espresso whipped cream.
- To serve, cut the brownie pie into squares and place each slice on serving plates. Mound the whipped cream on top of the cooled pieces. Garnish top of the pie with chocolate curls and dust with cocoa powder.
Notes
Baking Time: 24 minutes to blind bake crust plus 25 to 30 minutes to bake the filling.