Boozy Brownies

Boozy Brownies

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Cooling: 30 mins
Total: 110 mins
Servings: 12 servings

Store-bought brownie mix is underrated. Convenient and budget-friendly, brownie and cake mixes are actually great aids in the kitchen when you're pressed for time and need a dessert. For our decadent and delicious recipe, we relied on a sweet store-bought mix and added bourbon, a yummy rum cream, and chocolate glaze for what looks and tastes like gourmet brownies.

Easy enough for a rookie baker, our recipe is very forgiving, as the icing and drizzle can cover-up potential flaws in the brownies without diminishing their finger-licking qualities. Make a pot of strong coffee to accompany this beautiful dessert and, if you'd like, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream for an extra treat.

Before you start, be sure to have at hand the ingredients required to prepare the brownies according to the package instructions. Store any remaining brownies in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

  • 1 (19- to 21-ounce) box brownie mix, or brownies made from your favorite recipe

  • 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey

For the Icing:

  • 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter

  • 3 tablespoons rum

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

  • 1 tablespoon shortening

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    Boozy Brownies ingredients

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Prepare and bake the brownies in a 9 x 9-inch pan according to the package directions. Use a 9 x 13 pan if you prefer thinner brownies.

    Boozy Brownies batter in a baking pan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. As soon as the baked brownies are removed from the oven, cool them off for 10 minutes before brushing them evenly with the bourbon. Place the pan of brownies on a cooling rack and place them both in the refrigerator.

    baked brownies in a baking pan on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Cream the butter with the rum and powdered sugar using a standing mixer or a whisk. Mix until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter mixture and the texture is creamy with no lumps.

    butter, rum and powdered sugar in a bowl

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and spread the rum icing evenly on the cooled brownies. Place the brownie pan back in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

    icing spread on top of the brownies in the baking pan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Melt the chocolate chips with the shortening in a double bath: Place a medium-sized pot with water on the stove, and bring it to a simmer. Add the chocolate chips and shortening into a small saucepan and place it on top of the pot with hot water. Mix with a rubber spatula until the chips are melted and well incorporated with the shortening.

    Add the chocolate chips and shortening into a bowl above a small saucepan

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and drizzle all the chocolate on top of the brownies. Place them back in the fridge until it's time to serve.

    drizzle chocolate on the brownies

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  8. Cut in squares and enjoy!

    Boozy Brownies

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Other Liqueurs, Additions, and Substitutions

  • ​Bourbon and rum are the suggested alcohols to use, but you can switch it up and use whatever you have available. Flavored liqueurs like Chambord and Grand Marnier would also be delicious.
  • Add 3/4 cup of roasted pecans to the brownie batter before baking. Pecans go really well with bourbon, but any nut will also add flavor and crunch. Use almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, or a mix of two or more of these delicious nuts.
  • For extra chocolate flavor, use chocolate icing. In a standing mixer, cream 4 tablespoons of butter, margarine, or shortening with 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, and 3 to 4 tablespoons of rum. Mix well until creamy and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract right before the final whisk. Use this icing on top of the brownies.
  • If using the chocolate icing, make a white drizzle using white chocolate instead. Use the same amounts (1 cup of white chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of shortening) and melt in a double bath. Drizzle on top of the iced brownies.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
302 Calories
21g Fat
29g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 302
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 13g 64%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 130mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 63mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)