In case you're wondering who needs more old-fashioned brownies with walnuts recipes, let me tell you we all do. Nutty, simple chocolate brownies are great at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator. The flavor is sweet but intense and they freeze well. Irresistible fudgy brownies to add to your files.
This is an easy recipe for chocolate lovers.
Intense but sweet dark chocolate brownies topped with a layer of crunchy nuts. A vintage classic that stands the test of time.
Yes, there are never too many brownie recipes. It's a never-ending story that I'm glad to adhere to.
Brownies have evolved so much over the years that you can try dozens of similar recipes and get different results each time.
If I were you, I'd go into the kitchen, pull out the good dark chocolate from the pantry, and get my hands dirty making a batch of these chewy brownies. Chocolate cravings deserve a quick chocolate treat.
Why make this walnut brownie recipe
- Extra chocolate: they have a larger amount of semisweet chocolate than most brownies I have made. So the flavor is intense in a great way.
- Chewy and fudgy: two characteristics we love. This walnut brownie recipe delivers big time. If you like a cakey brownie, this is not your recipe.
- Make ahead: though they're out of the oven in 45 minutes, brownies must cool down completely before eating them. I firmly believe chocolate bakes are better the next day because the flavors can meld and settle. These keep well for several days at room temperature and can be frozen.
- Special dessert: this recipe is especially good for serving with ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce or caramel.
Walnuts
The top layer is made of broken walnut pieces that get toasted as the brownie bakes.
I like it better than adding the nuts to the batter since the two layers are distinct and the crunch is much more noticeable. A bite will all the right adjectives.
How to store nuts?
I keep them in airtight containers or bags in my freezer or refrigerator.
In case you keep them in the pantry, beware of kitchen moths; they love nuts and will make your life miserable - very miserable - if they happen to appear among your nuts, walnuts especially.
It happened to me once and since then it's either the fridge or the freezer.
Ingredients
- Chocolate: use your favorite dark semisweet chocolate for this recipe. I like Callebaut 54% chocolate wafers or Ghirardelli Premium baking bar.
- Walnuts: they will be broken into pieces or coarsely chopped, so there's no need to buy the whole, more expensive nuts.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking soda: make sure it isn't expired.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
- Brown sugar: light or dark.
- Unsalted butter.
See the recipe card at the end of this post for quantities.
How to make walnut brownies
- Chocolate: make sure it's chopped so it melts well.
- Butter mixture: the sugar, water, and butter are melted on low heat. It's used to melt the chocolate and helps with the fudgy texture.
- Bowl and whisk: no need for an electric mixer. This recipe only needs to be well integrated by hand.
The hot butter mixture is poured over the chopped chocolate and stirred until completely melted.
Both eggs are added next, and then the vanilla, and flour mixture.
The final batter is smooth, shiny, and thick. Spread it evenly on the prepared pan.
The chopped walnuts are added on top. They will toast as they bake and add a wonderful crunch.
Baking
- Lining the pan: I butter or spray it and then line the bottom and two sides with a strip of parchment paper (image below). This helps remove the whole block of brownies from the pan.
- Preheated oven: make sure to turn it on before making the brownie batter.
- When are the brownies done? The center should still jiggle when you remove the pan. This is important for fudgy (not dry and tough) brownies. They will firm up and settle as they cool down.
Variations & substitutions
- Nuts: use a different nut, like pecans or hazelnuts.
- Boozy: add a tablespoon of your favorite liqueur to the chocolate batter.
- Chips: sprinkle ¼ cup of chocolate chips (semisweet, milk, or white) together with the walnuts. Or add them to the batter.
- Less sweet brownie: use bittersweet chocolate and a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to reduce the sweetness.
Search our archives for more brownie recipes.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Don't overbake them! It's important that the brownies still jiggle when you take them out of the oven. This will keep them fudgy.
- Walnuts: no need to buy the more expensive whole ones, as they will be chopped. I buy chopped walnuts.
- Storing brownies: they keep well at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerated for 5-6 days, or frozen for a month. The texture will become more compact (fudge-like) when you chill them.
Related recipes you might like:
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Print
Brownies with Walnuts
Nutty, simple chocolate brownies are great at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator. The flavor is sweet but intense, and they freeze well. Irresistible fudgy brownies to add to your files.
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 9 squares
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (100g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10.5 oz (300g) semisweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips that melt)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- â…“ cup (75g) unsalted butter
- â…” cup (140g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup 60g walnuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
- Butter or spray an 8-inch square pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper that covers the bottom and two sides. This will help remove the baked brownies.
- Put the chopped chocolate and vanilla in a bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the butter, sugar, and water. When it breaks to a boil, remove it from the heat and immediately add it to the chocolate. Let stand for 30 seconds and mix well with a whisk until smooth. Let stand for 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Add both eggs and mix well.
- Add the sifted flour, baking soda, and salt. You can sift them before or have the ingredients measured and sift them directly over the butter mixture (my choice).
- Mix well until the batter is smooth and shiny, and spread evenly in the prepared pan.
- Scatter the walnuts on top and bake for about 20 minutes, until the top is dry but still jiggles in the center. It might be slightly cracked in parts. Don’t overbake them, or they will be dry.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Run a smooth-bladed knife around the edges to loosen up any bit that might be stuck, and lift the whole block with the help of the paper.
- Transfer to a flat surface and cut into squares.
- Keep covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Don't overbake them! It's important that the brownies still jiggle when you take them out of the oven. This will keep them fudgy.
- Chocolate: use your favorite dark semisweet chocolate for this recipe. I like Callebaut 54% chocolate wafers or Ghirardelli Premium baking bar.
- Walnuts: no need to buy the more expensive whole ones, as they will be chopped. I buy chopped walnuts.
- Storing brownies: they keep well at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerated for 5-6 days, or frozen for a month. The texture will become more compact (fudge-like) when you chill them.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bars & Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/9
- Calories: 382
- Sugar: 34.8 g
- Sodium: 116.6 mg
- Fat: 21.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.8 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 5.9 g
- Cholesterol: 59.4 mg
Keywords: walnut brownies
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
I keep my entire nut inventory in the freezer. So yes, a very good idea. So are fudgy brownies! A new-to-me cookbook. So many of the older ones have really, really good recipes. I'll be on the lookout for this one!
Paula Montenegro says
I have so many old cookbooks, many not easily available, with amazing recipes! Not good if you need a nutella idea though, haha.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
That looks so fudgy and good!