Jimmy John’s Brownie Imitation Recipe

Ingredients:
– 10 tablespoons (145g) unsalted butter
– 1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
– 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
– 2 large cold eggs
– 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
– 2/3 cup (80g) chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven
– Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures the oven is hot enough when you’re ready to bake.

2. Prepare the Pan
– Line an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal. Alternatively, lightly grease the pan with butter or non-stick spray.

3. Melt Butter
– In a medium saucepan, melt the 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Once the butter is completely melted and smooth, remove the saucepan from the heat.

4. Mix Ingredients
– While the butter is still warm but not too hot, add 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully incorporated.
– Next, sift in 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
– Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Mix until well combined.

5. Incorporate Eggs
– Crack the 2 large eggs into the mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a whisk or spoon to blend until the mixture is smooth and slightly shiny. This step is crucial as it helps to achieve a fudgy texture.

6. Add Flour
– Gently fold in 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until the flour is just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the brownies dense.

7. Stir in Chocolate Chips
– Fold in 2/3 cup of chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

8. Pour Batter into Pan
– Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly and smooth the top.

9. Bake
– Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Start checking for doneness at 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The edges should look set and slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan.

10. Cool
– Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment paper overhang (if used) or carefully removing them from the pan.

11. Cut and Serve
– Once cooled, cut the brownies into squares. Enjoy them as a delicious treat!