Chocolate Brownie Bites with Nuts

There's something about the smell of brownie batter that makes a kitchen feel instantly like home. I discovered these little bites one afternoon when I was trying to use up some leftover mixed nuts and didn't want to commit to a full-sized pan. The result was pure magic—fudgy centers with just enough crunch to keep things interesting. Now they're my go-to when I need something that looks impressive but feels entirely effortless.

I made these for a book club gathering last fall, and they disappeared so fast I barely got to taste one myself. Someone asked for the recipe before they'd even finished chewing, which told me everything I needed to know. The best part was watching people reach for a second bite without thinking, the way you eat something genuinely good.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: Use 3/4 cup (90 g) for structure without making the bites cake-like; sift it if it's been sitting in your pantry for months.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: That 1/4 cup (25 g) is where the real chocolate flavor lives; don't skimp or reach for the sweetened version.
• Baking powder: Just 1/2 teaspoon keeps things tender and helps them rise just enough to stay fudgy in the middle.
• Salt: A pinch of 1/4 teaspoon does more than you'd expect to deepen the chocolate notes.
• Unsalted butter, melted: Use 1/2 cup (115 g); melted butter means you don't need a mixer and everything comes together in minutes.
• Granulated sugar: 3/4 cup (150 g) provides sweetness and helps create that characteristic fudgy texture.
• Light brown sugar, packed: That 1/4 cup (55 g) adds depth and a hint of molasses that regular sugar can't match.
• Large eggs: Two eggs bind everything together and add moisture; bring them to room temperature if you remember.
• Pure vanilla extract: Just 1 teaspoon, but it rounds out the chocolate flavor in a way that makes people pause and say, 'What is that?'
• Mixed nuts, roughly chopped: Use 1 cup (120 g) of your favorites—walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts are my usual trio, but trust your instincts.
• Semisweet chocolate chips: 1/2 cup (85 g) is optional, but they're worth adding if you love chocolate even more than you love variety.

Instructions

Heat your oven and prep:

Preheat to 350°F (175°C) and line a mini muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well; this step takes 30 seconds and saves your bites from sticking to the bottom.

Build the dry foundation:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; this keeps lumps from hiding in your batter.

Create the wet base:

In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with both sugars until smooth, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each; the mixture should look pale and fluffy.

Add the vanilla:

Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until it's completely incorporated and the bowl smells like a bakery.

Combine wet and dry:

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula until just combined; resist the urge to overmix, which is the hardest part but also the most important.

Fold in the texture:

Gently fold in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips, being careful not to deflate what you've already built.

Fill the muffin cups:

Spoon the batter evenly into each cavity, filling about 3/4 full; this keeps them from overflowing while still giving you plenty of brownie.

Bake until fudgy:

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, watching for the moment when the tops look set but a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; this is the sweet spot between underbaked and dry.

Cool and transfer:

Let them rest in the tin for 10 minutes to set, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely so they firm up without getting hard.

Save

These bites taught me that sometimes the best desserts are the ones that don't try too hard. They're humble enough to be everyday snacks but fancy enough to impress, which is a rare quality in anything, really.

The Art of Not Overbaking

The line between fudgy and dry is a single minute, and your nose will actually tell you when you're getting close. At around 18 minutes, the kitchen will smell less like raw batter and more like a proper bakery, and that's when you start checking. The toothpick test is real; it should come out with moist crumbs clinging to it, not clean.

Nuts as the Secret Ingredient

Nuts aren't just a texture thing; they're flavor carriers that add earthiness and prevent these from feeling one-dimensional. Walnuts bring a subtle bitterness that plays beautifully against the sweetness, pecans add richness, and hazelnuts feel almost elegant. You could even toast them lightly before adding if you want to amp up the flavor, though it's not necessary.

Storage and Make-Ahead Magic

These keep beautifully in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, though honestly they rarely last that long. If you want to get ahead, you can even freeze the baked bites for up to two months and thaw them on the counter whenever a chocolate craving hits. For extra decadence, drizzle the cooled bites with melted chocolate or dust them with powdered sugar right before serving.

• Keep them in a container with parchment between layers so they don't stick together.
• Bring chilled bites to room temperature for about 15 minutes before eating to bring out the fudgy texture.
• If your kitchen is warm, store them in the fridge to keep them from softening too much.

Save

These little bites are proof that sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones worth keeping around forever. Make them once and you'll find yourself reaching for them whenever you need something that tastes like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.

Common Questions

→ Can I use different nuts?

Yes, walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts work best, but you can substitute seeds for a nut-free version.

→ How do I store these?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days to maintain freshness.

→ Are these bites fudgy or cakey?

These brownie bites are designed to be rich and fudgy with a moist center.

→ Can I add chocolate chips?

Absolutely, fold in half a cup of semisweet chocolate chips for extra decadence.

→ What is the yield?

This batch yields 24 mini brownie bites, perfect for sharing at parties.