Bourbon Biscuit Brownies (Brick Brownies)

Name: Bourbon Biscuit Brownies (Brick Brownies)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 410 min
Ingredients: 200 g 70% Cocoa dark chocolate; 180 g Butter; 250 g Caster sugar; 3 Medium Eggs; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract; 100 g Plain flour; 1 Tablespoon Cocoa powder; 300 g Bourbon biscuits; 100 g Milk chocolate chips

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These bourbon biscuit brownies are thick, fudgy and perfectly chewy with a crunch in every bite. My very own take on the viral bourbon brick brownies!

If you're on social media, you have undoubtedly seen bourbon brick brownies doing the rounds! They blew up in popularity when Great British Bake Off winner Frances Quinn shared her recipe on Instagram a few years ago, and again very recently! So here's my take on them.

My bourbon biscuit brownies are super easy to make, even for beginner bakers. They have a dense and fudgy texture and a bit of biscuity crunch in each bite. I can't wait for you to try them!

Instead of putting the bourbons underneath the batter, I decided to put them on top. I found it a bit easier this way because you can stick them to the batter and line them up more neatly. It's also easier to make clean cuts because they sit slightly above the brownies in straight lines rather than sinking into them.

For those of you who are new to making brownies, you can find detailed notes, step-by-step pictures and top tips below. Otherwise, you can find the short and condensed version in the recipe card at the end of the post. And if you like this recipe, check out my Bourbon biscuit tray bake too. Enjoy!

Ingredient notes

Dark chocolate: You'll need to use good-quality chocolate for this recipe, one that's as close to 70% cocoa as you can find. Cheap chocolate is not great for making brownies because they have too much sugar and not enough fat. Using this kind of chocolate will give you oily brownies so use 70% dark chocolate if you can!
Butter: Melted butter is mixed with the dark chocolate to form the base of this recipe. The fats will solidify again after baking which will turn the gooey brownie centre into a firm and fudgy one.
Eggs: Eggs are a key ingredient in bourbon brick brownies, for emulsifying and leavening. The recipe doesn't use much flour so the eggs ensure that we don't just end up with a solid lump of chocolate.
Vanilla extract: This is optional for extra flavour but recommended. You can swap it out for a teaspoon of cold coffee for an intense chocolate flavour if you like.
Plain flour: To give the brownies structure. Always use plain flour for brownies and never self-raising flour, unless you like them cakey.
Cocoa powder: Just a touch, to deepen the chocolate flavour. Use unsweetened cocoa powder.
Bourbon biscuits: The star of the show for bourbon biscuit brownies! I used a 300g pack, setting 9 aside for the topping and crushing the rest up into the brownie batter.
Chocolate chips: For extra flavour, sweetness and texture. I used milk chocolate chips but you can use white or dark chocolate chips if you prefer.

hand holding chocolate bourbon biscuit brownie

Equipment notes

8x8-inch tin and baking paper: Don't change the tin size unless you also change the ingredient quantities. This is the correct tin size for thick and fudgy bourbon brownies.
Baking tray: To warm the bourbon biscuits so they separate easily.
Mixing bowl: A large one, to make the batter.
Utensils: A mixing spoon, a tablespoon and teaspoon, and a sharp knife for cutting the brownies.
Saucepan: For melting the butter and chocolate in.
Electric hand whisk: Or a stand mixer, to whisk the sugar into the eggs properly. If you have the arm strength and the patience, you can also do it using a regular hand whisk!
Food scales: I don't typically include cup measurements in my recipes because most of the time, accuracy is really important. Use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients to ensure success on the first try.

How to make bourbon biscuit brownies

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 160°C. If you're using a fan oven, set it to 140°C instead to prevent burning. Then line an 8x8-inch tin with baking paper.

Step 2: Break up 200g of dark chocolate and add it to a saucepan with 180g of cubed butter. Place it over low heat on the stove and stir occasionally until there are no lumps left. Then remove it from the heat and leave it to cool for 10 minutes or so.

You can melt this in the microwave instead if you prefer. Just make sure to use a heatproof bowl and take it out every 30 seconds to stir it, to prevent burning.

Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together 250g of caster sugar, 3 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. It's best if you use an electric whisk or stand mixer to do this. When you're done whisking, the mixture should have increased in volume and look pale and silky.

eggs and sugar whisked together in a bowl

Step 4: Pour the cooled melted chocolate mixture into the bowl and stir it into the egg/sugar mixture. Then stir in 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and 100g of plain flour to make a smooth brownie batter.

Step 5: From 300g of bourbon biscuits, set aside 9 of them and crush the rest into small/medium chunks. Fold the biscuit chunks into the brownie batter with 100g of milk chocolate chips.

Step 6: Spoon the batter into your lined tin and spread it out evenly.

Step 7: Place the remaining 9 biscuits onto a large baking tray and pop them into the oven for around 3 minutes until the filling is melted. Then just slide the biscuits apart, making 18 biscuit halves. Place the biscuit halves on top of the brownie batter in the tin in 3 rows of 6.

Step 8: Bake for 35-40 minutes. The batter underneath should have formed a crust and there should be a very slight wobble when you (gently!) shake the tin.

Step 9: Let the brownies cool in the tin then put them into the fridge for at least 6 hours to set (but overnight is best). This will make them firm and fudgy rather than gooey.

Step 10: Once they've set, cut them into 18 slices using the biscuits as a guide and enjoy!

Brownie tips

Use an 8x8-inch tin to ensure correct baking time and temperature.
Gently heat the biscuits in the oven to make it easier to break them into halves. Trying to half a cold bourbon will likely result in breakage.
Refrigerate your bourbon brownies if you like them fudgy. This step shouldn't be skipped!

FAQ

How long do bourbon biscuit brownies last?

These will last for up to 1 week if you keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They don't last quite as long as some of my other brownies because of the biscuits, which can become soggy. For more storing information, check out my how to store brownies guide.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, pop your bourbon brick brownies into airtight containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Alternatively, freeze the whole brownie slab until solid then wrap it up tightly in clingfilm or pop it into a large freezer bag. To defrost them, let them sit in the fridge overnight. Do not refreeze.

More brownie recipes:

I hope you like my take on the viral bourbon brick brownies. If you try the recipe at home, please leave a comment and rating below to let me know what you think. Enjoy!