Almond Brownies with Dulce De Leche

Why you’ll love this almond brownies recipe:

Brownies are everything! They’re gloriously fudgy and delightfully decadent with an intense chocolate flavor.

One might think it couldn’t get any better until you add dulce de leche to the mix!

• Flavor: While these brownies aren’t overly sweet, you’ll enjoy rich caramel-like sweetness from the dulce de leche.
• Texture: Crunchy almonds add the perfect texture to the fudgy base.
• Ease: Most brownies are easy to make, and these are no different! You only need ONE bowl, some measuring cups, and LOTS of self-control. Dulce de leche is good enough to eat with a spoon!

Key Ingredient Notes:

• Bittersweet chocolate – For that intense chocolate flavor! For best results, use a high-quality bittersweet chocolate bar like Ghirardelli.
• Unsalted butter – The fudgiest brownies have a high fat-to-flour ratio! Butter gives you that ultra-fudgy texture.
• Almond extract – A little bit goes a long way! If you don’t like the flavor of almond extract, you can leave it out. It tastes very similar to amaretto.
• All-purpose flour – You can weigh the flour or use the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with the flat edge of a butter knife.
• Almond flour – Be sure to use finely sifted almond flour, NOT an almond meal. Almond flour creates a soft yet fudgy texture and a subtle almond flavor.
• Dulce de leche – Use canned dulce de leche from the store or make your own! Dulce de leche means sweetened milk. It’s a thick caramel-like sauce made from caramelized milk and sugar.
• Slivered almonds – For an extra nutty crunch!

How to make this brownie recipe:

1. Make the brownie batter

• Melt chocolate and butter: In a medium heatproof bowl, melt the butter and chocolate over a pot of simmering water. Or you can also melt it in the microwave in 30-second increments until smooth.
• Add sugar: Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in the sugar. Let the chocolate cool, so the eggs don’t cook when you add them next.
• Add eggs and extracts: Stir in the eggs, almond and vanilla extracts to the chocolate mixture. Mix until just combined.
• Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, almond flour, and salt. Mix until combined, but don’t overmix or the texture will suffer.

2. Assemble & bake

• Pour the brownie batter into an 8×8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. And spread the batter evenly.
• Add dulce de leche and almond slivers. Using two teaspoons, drop small amounts of dulce de leche all over the top of the brownies. And swirl it around with a knife or toothpick. Then sprinkle slivered almonds on top
• Bake the almond brownies for 20 minutes at 350°F, then insert a toothpick to check if they’re done. The toothpick should be slightly moist with a few crumbs, not covered in batter. Add a couple more minutes, if needed.

Let the brownies cool completely in the pan set on top of a wire rack before cutting and serving.

Brownie Tips for Success:

• Don’t overmix the batter! Overmixing the batter incorporates air into it, giving you a dry yet cakey texture.
• It’s better to underbake than overbake brownies. If you slightly underbake them, they just taste fudgier! If you overbake them, they taste dry and crumbly.
• They get fudgier the longer they sit. Hot brownies are tempting, but it’s best to let them cool. Not only are they easier to cut, but the texture is better too!
• Homemade dulce de leche is easy to make with a sweetened condensed milk. The longer you cook it, the darker it gets!

Make-Ahead Tips:

• You can make the brownie batter up to three days ahead of time. Pour into the baking dish and cover with saran wrap until ready to bake!
• Almond brownies freeze well! Make a batch for a party or get together up to two months ahead of time!

Decadent Brownie Recipes

• Fudgy Raspberry Brownies
• German Chocolate Brownies
• Extra Fudgy KitKat Brownies
• Snickers Brownies