The Secret To Irresistible Brownies Is This Tasty Retro Powder

Brownies are such a classic dessert that it's easy to come back to them again and again. Whether you're baking for the holiday season, prepping for a bake sale, or just want a late night snack, this chocolatey treat always delivers. While you can always make your brownies fudgier, sometimes you might just want a little extra flavor boost. And there's one old-school ingredient which can give you just that. Malted milk powder.

This retro powder is made with malted barley, wheat flour, and dried milk, adding a richer and more complex flavor profile to your brownies. The toasty, nutty notes will enhance the chocolate while balancing out the sweetness, making your brownies taste more indulgent without anyone knowing your secret. To add the malted milk powder, incorporate around 1 to 2 tablespoons into the brownie batter depending on how intense you want the flavor boost to be. The best part is, you can also use this powder to enhance other desserts like cookies, cakes, and homemade pancakes.

If malted milk powder isn't your thing, there's a few alternatives to making your brownies taste irresistibly good. Adding in a little espresso powder, or swapping out some of the liquid for hot coffee, is a great way to intensify this dessert's flavor. Coffee enhances the complexity of chocolate, making the brownies taste richer and bolder, without making them taste like coffee. If your brownie recipe calls for butter, browning it before incorporating will add a nuttier, more caramelized flavor to this chocolate dessert — plus it helps create a fudgier brownie texture.

There's also plenty of easy add-ins to make your brownies tastier, like swirling in some peanut butter, Nutella, or fruit jam before baking. For an additional layer of crunchy texture, mix in some chopped nuts, pretzels, or any of your favorite candy pieces. You can also add some salt to the batter, or sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top after baking — this will enhance the sweetness of your brownies, and round out any bitterness. Whether you stir in malted milk powder or try another smart upgrade, your brownies will taste like they came straight from a bakery.