Grab your mini cupcake tin because these Fudgy Brownie Bites are one of the easiest bite-size treats to make! They’re rich and chewy chocolate brownie bites with a light and creamy chocolate mascarpone whipped cream that is absolute heaven!
Adapted from my Double Chocolate Mint Brownies recipe, these ultra-fudgy brownie bites are perfect for taking to any party, outdoor picnic, or book club night! And like my Salted Pecan Pie Caramel Brownies and Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Brownies, I’ll be impressed if you can eat just one—they’re quite addictive!
The chocolate mascarpone whipped cream is optional, but I highly recommend including it! It’s light and fluffy and perfectly complements the brownies’ rich chocolate flavor. And if you end up loving it, try it with my Moist Banana Cake which includes malted milk powder for that classic malted chocolate flavor!
Table of Contents
Ingredients Needed
You will need the following pantry staples to make this rich and fudgy brownie bites recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. I used Hershey’s brand of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Unsalted Butter. Room temperature is best. If you use salted butter, omit the salt from the ingredients list.
- Vegetable Oil. You can also use coconut oil or canola oil.
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs. You’ll need three large eggs at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract
- Dark Chocolate. I recommend 60-70% dark chocolate. My favorite is Trader Joe’s or ALDI.
- Heavy Whipping Cream. This is best kept cold when making chocolate mascarpone whipped cream.
- Powdered Sugar. For a smooth whipped cream, sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the mixture.
- Vanilla Extract
- Mascarpone Cheese. A creamy, spreadable cheese that is comparable to cream cheese that is used for bagels, toast, tiramisu, and this chocolate mascarpone whipped cream recipe! You’ll need an 8-ounce tub to make these chewy, fudgy brownies. The brand of mascarpone cheese I use is Bel Gioioso.
- Dark Chocolate Curls. I used the Choco Maker brand. Or you can learn to make your own homemade chocolate curls!
What is Mascarpone Cheese?
Mascarpone cheese is the slightly sweet Italian cousin to the slightly acidic cream cheese we know in the United States. Both mascarpone cheese and cream cheese are made from cow’s milk, but mascarpone has a higher fat content, giving it a milky, rich, buttery taste and creamier texture.
Mascarpone is most commonly seen in the popular dessert Tiramisu, while American cream cheese is often used in cheesecakes and on top of bagels. You can swap out one for the other, but it’s best to check what ratios will work best for your recipe.
Helpful Tips
- These fudgy brownie bites will continue to bake a little after you take them out of the oven, so it’s best to take them out when an inserted toothpick comes out with some brownie bits and crumbs still on it. They’ll be a little puffy, too, which is normal. They’ll deflate as they cool and form their crackly tops.
- After baking the brownie bites, let them cool in the mini cupcake tin for 10-15 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.
- For the chocolate mascarpone whipped cream, both the heavy whipping cream and the mascarpone cheese are best left in the refrigerator to keep cold until ready to use.
- I like to chill a mixing bowl and a whisk in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before making the whipped cream. This is especially good for making whipped cream on a hot day!
- Once you add the mascarpone cheese to the rest of the whipped cream mixture, it doesn’t take long—maybe 1-2 minutes—before it forms stiff peaks.
Recipe FAQs
For this recipe, I recommend using this 24-count mini cupcake and muffin tin.
No, you can spray each cupcake cavity with some flour-based baking spray. My favorite is Baker’s Joy. If you choose to use mini cupcake liners, you do not need to spray the cavities.
They’ll be puffy when you bring them out of the oven but will deflate some as they cool, giving them their crackly tops!
No, but it is helpful on warmer days. I recommend chilling the bowl and whisk for 10-15 minutes in the freezer.
These are best kept in the refrigerator in a sealed food container for up to a week.
More Yummy Chocolate Recipes!
Take a look through the Beyond the Butter Recipe Box to see all of my chocolate recipes and more!
Easy Fudgy Brownie Bites
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Hand Held Mixer
Ingredients
fudgy brownie bites
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil, or you can use Canola or Coconut
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 3 Large Eggs, whisked slightly
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 oz Dark Chocolate, melted
chocolate mascarpone whipped cream
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream, cold
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 8 oz Mascarpone Cheese, cold
Instructions
fudgy brownie bites
- Generously spray each cavity of a 24-count mini cupcake tin with a flour-based baking spray. Set aside.
- Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center), preheat oven to 325ºF.
- Place the dark chocolate into a small, microwaveable glass bowl. Heat the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute on high, stirring each time, until it's fully melted. Set aside and allow to cool slightly. For reference, I had to heat my chocolate twice each for 1 minute on full power.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside.1 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1/2 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light in color and fluffy in texture.1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil, 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- Add in the slightly whisked eggs, vanilla extract, and melted dark chocolate, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.3 Large Eggs, 2 tsp Vanilla Extract, 4 oz Dark Chocolate
- Switching the mixer speed to low, add in your dry ingredients, mixing until it's blended with the wet mixture. Be careful not to over-mix though.
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop, place one scoop of the brownie batter into each cupcake/muffin cavity. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 325ºF. Your brownies might look puffy when you bring them out of the oven, but they will deflate and get their crackly tops as they cool.Baking Tip: Insert a toothpick to ensure your brownie bites are done. Remove them from the oven if they still have crumbs on the toothpick. Your brownies will continue to bake even as they cool. If they still have brownie batter on the toothpick, keep them in, but monitor them every minute.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly for 10-15 minutes. Remove them from the mini cupcake tin and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before piping on the chocolate mascarpone whipped cream.
- Fudgy brownie bites are best kept in the refrigerator in a sealed food container for up to a week.
chocolate mascarpone whipped cream
- Optional Step – chill the mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before using them to make the chocolate mascarpone whipped cream.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla extract together on low speed at first so the powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder don't go flying everywhere. Once the mixture is partially mixed, switch the speed to medium-high, whisking until soft peaks form (approx. 2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream, 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar, 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Add the mascarpone cheese and continue to whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (approx. 1-2 minutes).8 oz Mascarpone Cheese
- Fill a large piping bag that's been fitted with a decorating tip of your choice (I used the Wilton 8B) with the chocolate mascarpone whipped cream. Pipe onto the tops of each brownie bite, then top with the chocolate curls (optional). Tip: If piping isn't your thing, you can use an angled spatula and apply the whipped cream this way.
Video
Notes
- The Wilton 8B decorating tip I used for all 24 brownie bites left me just a little amount of leftover chocolate mascarpone whipped cream. If you choose to use a smaller decorating tip or an angled spatula instead, you will have a fair amount of whipped cream left.
- The dark chocolate curls I used are from Choco Maker.
- I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop, adding one scoop to each mini cupcake cavity.
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used. See Nutritional Disclaimer for more info.
How long is the mascarpone whipped cream stable?
Thanks!
Hi Pamela! It will stay stable for up to a week in the fridge, but will lose some of the freshness.
The chocolate mascarpone whipped cream is a total game changer! I think I’ll never make any other chocolate frosting again because this one is simply perfect and so easy to whip up!! Haven’t tried the brownie recipe yet, but I bet it’s just as delicious. ♡
Thanks Janna! It’s definitely a game changer for sure! I’m super happy to hear you loved it!
Made this recipe, have struggled with mascarpone frostings in the past but I followed Jen’s instructions and honestly, maybe the best thing I’ve EVER made. So easy and insanely wonderful results. GO MAKE IT NOW.
So glad you loved it Gabbie!! Thanks!!
These are so adorable, and I’m so all about the mascarpone whipped cream! Beautiful work!
Thanks Jo! This whipped cream is so good, you could just eat it with a spoon!