Easy Smarties Brownies

Name: Easy Smarties 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; 210 g Smarties; 100 g Milk chocolate chips

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These Smarties brownies are bold, colourful and packed full of chocolatey goodness. They’re easy to make with simple ingredients and they’re perfect for all occasions. If that wasn't enough, they have smarties chocolate in them!

stack of two chocolate smarties brownies

If you’re looking for a dessert that’s suitable for kids’ parties, bake sales and afternoon snacking, these Smartie brownies are just the thing! They’re easy enough even for beginner bakers and there are no complicated ingredients needed.

This is actually my fourth Smarties chocolate recipe on the blog so far, after Smarties cheesecake, Smarties cupcakes and Smarties fudge. And since I’m on a brownie-making roll right now, I figured I would do a Smartie version of those too!

They’re the fudgiest, most delicious brownies you’ll ever try and the combo of Smarties and chocolate chips means you’ll get a good dose of chocolate in every bite. I can’t wait for you to try them!

For any beginner bakers who need more guidance than the quick run-down in the recipe card, keep on reading. Below you’ll find detailed ingredient and equipment notes, step-by-step instructions with pictures, top tips and answers to FAQ. I hope you find it helpful. And for the more experienced brownie makers, you can find the condensed version of the recipe at the end of the post. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Dark chocolate: Use 70% dark chocolate for my brownie recipes if you can! It’s really important for recipe success. Darker chocolate such as 85% will have more fat and less sugar, making the brownies taste more bitter, and less dark chocolate such as 55% will have too much sugar, resulting in oily brownies. Slight variations such as 73% and 65% will work too but try not to stray too far from 70%.
Butter: The butter is melted along with the dark chocolate in this recipe to make a really rich, dense base for the brownies. Use unsalted butter.
Caster sugar: Caster sugar is a fine white sugar, falling somewhere between granulated sugar and icing sugar. It’s the best kind to use for brownies because it’ll dissolve more easily into the fats, thus improving the texture.
Eggs: Eggs act as a binder in brownies and give a slight leavening effect. I use 3 medium eggs in my brownies.
Vanilla extract: For extra flavour. If you want an intense chocolate flavour, swap this out for a teaspoon of cold espresso.
Cocoa powder: To add some extra depth to the flavour. I only use 1 tablespoon so that it doesn’t make the brownies bitter.
Flour: We need just a touch of flour to give the brownies structure. This is what will transform a lump of fudgy chocolate into a brownie! Because these brownies with Smarties are supposed to be heavy and dense, plain flour is the best type to use.
Smarties: The star of the show, Nestle Smarties! I used two 105g bags but feel free to use more or less according to your preference.
Chocolate chips: To give extra flavour, sweetness and texture. I used 100g of milk chocolate chips which complemented the Smarties chocolate perfectly.

overhead shot of smartie brownies on a white surface

Equipment

Baking tin and baking paper: An 8x8-inch tin is the best one to use for this recipe. Line it with baking paper to prevent the brownies from sticking.
Kitchen scales: As with most of my baking recipes, I use grams only because they’re more accurate, so you’ll need a food scale to measure your ingredients.
Saucepan: The dark chocolate and butter need to be melted together for this recipe. You can do this in a saucepan on the stove or in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. If you’re using the microwave, you’ll need to give it a mix every 30 seconds or so to prevent burning.
Mixing bowl and utensils: A large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon, a few smaller spoons, and a sharp knife.
Electric whisk: To whisk the sugar and eggs together. You can either use an electric hand whisk or a stand mixer.

How to make Smarties brownies

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 160°C (or 140°C if you’re using a fan oven) and line an 8x8-inch tin with baking paper.

Step 2: In a saucepan, melt 200g of dark chocolate and 180g of cubed butter over low heat on the stove. Stir occasionally until there are no lumps left then remove it from the heat. Leave it to cool for about 10-15 minutes. It’s important that it’s cool to the touch so it doesn’t cook the eggs in the next step!

Step 3: In a large bowl whisk together 3 medium eggs, 250g of caster sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until pale and silky. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and gently stir it in

mixing chocolate into egg and sugar mixture

Step 4: Next, add 100g of plain flour and 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder. Mix well to make a shiny brownie batter. Measure out 210g of Smarties and 100g of milk chocolate chips and add them to the batter. You can save a few for the top if you like.

Step 5: Transfer the batter into your lined tin then top with the remaining Smarties and chocolate chips.

Step 6: Bake for around 35-40 minutes until the brownies have formed a crust and have risen at the edges. There should be a very slight wobble in the middle but not too much.

Step 7: Let the Smartie brownies cool in the tin then transfer them to the fridge to set. I usually leave mine overnight but 6 hours should be enough if you want them faster.

Step 8: Once set, remove the brownies from the tin, cut them into squares and enjoy!

Top tips

The toothpick test won’t work for brownies with Smarties because they’re supposed to be gooey when they come out of the oven. You’ll know they’re done baking when they’ve risen and are slightly pulling away from the tin. There should also be a very slight wobble in the middle.
Baking time and oven temperature is correct if you use an 8x8-inch tin and will vary if you use another tin. If you’re using a larger tin, I recommend increasing the ingredient quantities too.
Save a few Smarties to put on top of the brownie mixture before you bake them. This will make them look more vibrant after baking.

FAQ

How long do Smarties brownies last for?

If you keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, they’ll last for up to two weeks. They’ll keep well at room temperature too for 5-7 days but the texture is much fudgier when they’re chilled.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, Smartie brownies are great for freezing. Just pop them into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, transfer them to the fridge and leave them there to thaw overnight. Do not refreeze them.

Can this recipe be made gluten-free?

I haven’t tested it myself but if you want to give it a go, I recommend using a gluten-free plain flour blend that contains xanthin gum. If you have a blend without xanthan gum, add ¼ teaspoon of it separately. You can find this in the baking or free-from section in most supermarkets.

More brownie recipes:

I hope you have fun making these Smarties brownies. If you find this post useful, please share it with a friend using the share buttons on this page. Enjoy!