These mocha brownies are rich and fudgy with a lovely coffee note. Top them with café latte frosting for an extra-decadent treat, or skip the frosting and fold in chocolate chips. Either way, they’re ideal for coffee and chocolate lovers.
This post was originally published November 3rd, 2016 and updated April 29, 2024
These mocha brownies combine two of my favorite things: coffee and dark chocolate. The base is super fudgy, not overly sweet, and features just enough instant coffee in the batter to bring out a mocha character that complements dark chocolate perfectly. A fluffy café-latte buttercream finishes them off and a dusting of cocoa adds the final touch. These are grown-up brownies with deep chocolate flavor and a gentle coffee kick.
For the Mocha Brownies
Brownies are typically made two ways: with cocoa powder or with melted chocolate (sometimes both). For the fudgiest texture and the best match with coffee, this recipe uses melted dark chocolate. Choose chocolate in the 60–75% cocoa range for the best balance.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) pan with parchment paper with an overhang for easy removal. Parchment prevents sticking better than foil.
- Place finely chopped dark chocolate, unsalted butter and instant coffee powder in a large heatproof bowl. Gently melt together in a double boiler over low heat or in the microwave using 45-second intervals on medium power, stirring between intervals until smooth.
- Finely chop the chocolate so it melts evenly.
- Heat slowly to avoid grainy chocolate.
- Allow the chocolate-butter mixture to cool slightly, then whisk in the sugar, whisked eggs and vanilla extract.
- Gently whisk in the flour and salt until combined, or fold in with a spatula to avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake 23–28 minutes depending on how gooey you like them. If you plan to frost the brownies, aim for the upper end of the time range so the surface is set.
The coffee flavor in the brownies comes from 1 tablespoon of instant coffee powder. Finer granules dissolve more easily into melted chocolate; I found finely-ground instant coffee works best.
For the Coffee Frosting
The café-latte buttercream is thick, creamy and full of coffee flavor. Dissolve 1–2 teaspoons instant coffee in a tablespoon of boiling water and cool completely before adding to the buttercream (placing it briefly in the fridge speeds this up).
Beat softened butter with powdered sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Add the cooled dissolved coffee and continue to beat until smooth. If the frosting needs softening, add up to 1 tablespoon of cream to reach the desired texture.
A Note About Instant Coffee Powder
Both the brownie and frosting recipes use instant coffee powder. Choose an instant coffee with very fine granules so it dissolves easily—this is especially important for the frosting. Do not use regular brewed coffee granules; they won’t dissolve and you’ll lose the intended coffee flavor. 
So to recap… These Coffee Brownies are:
- fudgy
- infused with coffee
- and topped with frosting that tastes like the foam on a latte
Mocha Brownies with Cafe Latte Frosting
Prep: 45 mins • Cook: 25 mins • Total: 1 hr 10 mins • Serves: 12 brownies
Equipment
- 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) pan
Ingredients
For the Mocha Brownies
- 5.5 oz (155 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped (60–75% cocoa)
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (84 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
For the Cafe Latte Buttercream
- 1–2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
- 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2–2 cups (165–220 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon whipping cream, if needed
Instructions
Mocha Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang, or lightly grease and line with foil.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate, butter and instant coffee. Microwave in 45-second intervals on medium power, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt in a double boiler over low heat.
- Let the mixture cool slightly, then whisk in the sugar, whisked eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Carefully fold in the flour and salt until just combined.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake 23–28 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. For frosted brownies, bake at the higher end of the range so the surface firms up.
- Cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
Cafe Latte Frosting
- Stir the instant coffee into the boiling water until dissolved. Cool completely (chill briefly in the fridge if needed).
- Beat the softened butter for about 1 minute to soften. On low speed, add 1 cup powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and beat to combine.
- Add the cooled dissolved coffee and beat until incorporated. Make sure the coffee mixture is cool so it doesn’t melt the butter.
- Beat in the remaining powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until the desired sweetness and consistency are reached. If the frosting is too thick or stiff, add up to 1 tablespoon cream.
- Remove the cooled brownies from the pan using the parchment overhang, place on a cutting board, frost with a flat-edge knife, then slice with a sharp knife.
Notes
- Instant Coffee: Use very fine instant coffee or instant espresso powder. Substitute 2 teaspoons instant espresso in the batter and 1–2 teaspoons in the frosting if desired.
- Chocolate: Dark chocolate in the 50–75% range gives the best result; semi-sweet works as well.
- Nutrition: Nutrition values are estimates for one frosted brownie when the pan is cut into 12 pieces.
- Storage: Store frosted brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Unfrosted brownies can be wrapped tightly and frozen up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.
Nutrition (per brownie)
Calories: 386 kcal; Carbohydrates: 44 g; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 13 g; Sugar: 35 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 115 mg.