Do you like brownies? I think I hear a “yes.” Do you like shortbread? I think I hear another “yes.” If that’s the case, there’s a very good chance you will love these Shortbread Brownies! I found the recipe over at Better Homes and Gardens. They are really yummy…so nice and thick, chewy, and fudgy. The buttery shortbread crust has mini semi-sweet chocolate chips mixed into it, which is a nice extra chocolatey touch! 

I first made these brownies years ago, but since I’ve made them recently, I thought I’d update my photo of them with a better one! 🙂 (See original photo at left.) The original recipe calls for a 9 x 9″ square baking pan. I added a little more chocolate chips to the shortbread base and the brownie mixture to make them extra chocolatey! The original recipe says it makes 24 brownies, but I cut mine into bigger pieces, so I ended up with 9. So, you’ll get anywhere from 9 squares to 24 bars!

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SHORTBREAD BROWNIES by NancyC, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Shortbread crust:

• 1 cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/3 cup  miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Brownie batter:

• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, stir together the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in the 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips.

Press mixture evenly into prepared pan and bake at 350˚F for 8 minutes.

While shortbread crust is baking, you can mix up the brownie batter. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, melted butter, and vanilla; beat by hand until smooth. Stir in the 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips. Carefully spread over the shortbread crust in the pan.

Bake at 350˚F for 35 to 40 minutes more, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or almost clean. Let brownies cook in pan on a wire rack. When completely cool, lift brownies out of pan by lifting up with the parchment paper edges. Cut brownies into squares or bars. Makes anywhere from 9 large squares to 24 small bars.

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Hope you enjoy these brownies!