Who’s ready for Halloween? These espresso ghost brownies with buttercream are just what you need for your October celebrations. Super cakey and fudgy brownies are made with melted dark chocolate and coffee liqueur for a marvelously chewy bite.
Recipe Inspo
Brownies are easy because you get to dump all of the ingredients in a pan and throw them in the oven. It’s like a sheet cake but easier to serve. If you know me, I love adding a little kick to my desserts, so I poured in just a few tablespoons of Mr. Black’s coffee liqueur, which gives it a tiny kick and creates a rich flavor for these espresso ghost brownies.
The ghosts aren’t too challenging either. If mine look like blobs…so can yours.
Equipment needed for espresso ghost brownies with buttercream
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 9 x 13 inch pan – it’s long and rectangular. I use the Gold touch brand from Williams Sonoma.
- Large mixing bowl – for our batter.
- small saucepan – to melt butter and chocolate into a glossy sauce. Mine is Le Creuset.
- Whisk
- spatula
- parchment paper – to keep our brownies from sticking to the pan.
- stand mixer or hand mixer – I used my KitchenAid to whip up the buttercream, but you can also use a handheld electric mixer.
- A piping bag for the ghosts – this is the easiest way to pipe them. Otherwise you can use a butter knife to smear on the ghosts too. I got an awesome piping bag kit for $20, here.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make espresso ghost brownies with buttercream:
For the brownies
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- 4 eggs – room temperature is best
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- canola oil – you can sub coconut oil if needed
- vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract – I got vanilla bean paste at Trader Joe’s! It’s super flavorful and closer to emulating vanilla beans.
- cold brew or espresso liqueur like Mr. Black – this is OPTIONAL. But really tasty.
- dark chocolate chips
- unsalted butter
- unsweetened cocoa powder
For the buttercream ghosts
- more unsalted butter – definitely needs to be at room temperature
- powdered sugar
- heavy whipping cream – also room temperature
- large chocolate chips for ghost mouths
- mini M&M’s for ghost eyes
How to make espresso ghost brownies
Let’s make these Halloween brownies!
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line your baking pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar and canola oil. Then add the eggs and vanilla bean paste. Whisk until well combined.
Step 2
Then, let’s make our chocolate sauce for the batter. In a saucepan over medium heat, add the dark chocolate chips and unsalted butter. With a spatula, stir frequently so the chocolate doesn’t burn as it melts. Be careful, it will happen quickly!
Heat the contents and keep stirring until the butter and chocolate become a glossy sauce, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and dump in the cocoa powder. Mix together until combined and let the sauce cool for 2-3 minutes.
Step 3
Add the chocolate sauce straight to the batter. Whisk until smooth. Add in the coffee liqueur and whisk once more.
Step 4
Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Pour in the flour, baking powder and salt. Switch to a spatula and gently fold the batter until the flour appears absorbed. Scrape the edges as you go.
Step 5
Time to bake! Pour the batter into the pan and smooth with your spatula. Place it in the oven on the center rack. Bake for 22 minutes or until the top of the brownies are just barely cracking and the edges appear set. A toothpick should come out clean when removed. Set aside to cool completely.
Step 6
In the meantime, make the buttercream. In a stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter on medium high until whipped, 1-2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating on medium until incorporated, about another minute. Then add the heavy cream slowly as you beat on medium high speed for 3 minutes, or until the buttercream has absorbed the cream and becomes white and fluffy. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 7
Make the ghosts! Put the buttercream in a piping bag. I like to do this by place a piping bag in a large cup and pushing the frosting down with a spatula. Then twist the top of the bag and hold if firmly with both hands.
When the brownies are completely cool, begin piping different sized ghosts all over the brownies. Just draw blobs and fill them in! Imagine a balloon being let go in the wind. The ghosts can be all pointing different directions. Start with the outline and fill each one in with buttercream. Add the chocolate chips for mouths and mini M&M’s or chocolate chips for eyes.
Cut and serve!
Recipe Substitutions
- Use milk chocolate – dark chocolate is always my favorite, but you can use equal amounts of milk chocolate for these brownies instead, but they will taste sweeter than the original recipe.
- Make your ghosts with cream cheese frosting – you can swap the butter in the frosting for cream cheese and add the same amount of powdered sugar. Omit the heavy cream. Beat it until fluffy and pipe the same way.
- Swap coffee flavors for bourbon – if you want the brownies to taste actually boozy, add 3-4 tbsp of your favorite bourbon. It tastes great with the dark chocolate.
Storing your espresso ghost brownies
You have a couple options when storing your espresso ghost brownies. You can leave them in the pan they were baked in and cover the top with foil and leave them at room temperature for 3-4 days. Or you can slice them up and carefully put them in an airtight container. But be careful not to ruin your ghosts!
Other Recipes to Try
If you liked these espresso ghost brownies, try these other Halloween treats:
- Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes
- Jack-o’-lantern stuffed peppers
- Apple Butter Cookies with Maple Cream Frosting
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Espresso Ghost Brownies with Buttercream
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch brownie pan
- large mixing bowl
- small saucepan
- Whisk
- spatula
- parchment paper
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- piping bag for the ghosts
Ingredients
For the brownies
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp cold brew coffee or espresso liqueur like Mr. Black
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
For the buttercream ghosts
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 tbsp powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream room temperature
- 5 large chocolate chips for mouths
- mini M&M's for eyes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line your baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar and canola oil. Then add the eggs and vanilla bean paste. Whisk until well combined.4 eggs, 1½ cups granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup canola oil, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the dark chocolate chips and unsalted butter. With a spatula, stir frequently so the chocolate doesn't burn as it melts. Heat the contents and keep stirring until the butter and chocolate become a glossy sauce, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and dump in the cocoa powder. Mix together until combined and let the sauce cool for 2-3 minutes.⅓ cup dark chocolate chips, 1 stick unsalted butter, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add the chocolate sauce straight to the batter. Whisk until smooth. Add in the coffee liqueur and whisk once more.3 tbsp cold brew coffee or espresso liqueur
- Pour in the flour, baking powder and salt. Switch to a spatula and gently fold the batter until the flour appears absorbed. Scrape the edges as you go.1½ cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¾ tsp salt
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth with your spatula. Place it in the oven at the center rack. Bake for 22 minutes or until the top of the brownies are just barely cracking and the edges appear set. A toothpick should come out clean when removed. Set aside to cool completely.
- In the meantime, make the buttercream. In a stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter on medium high until whipped, 1-2 minutes.1 stick unsalted butter
- Add the powdered sugar and continue beating on medium until incorporated, about another minute. Then add the heavy cream slowly as you beat on medium high speed for 3 minutes, or until the buttercream has absorbed the cream and becomes white and fluffy. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.4 tbsp powdered sugar, 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- Put the buttercream in a piping bag. When the brownies are completely cool, begin piping different sized ghosts all over the brownies. They can be all pointing different directions. Start with the outline and fill each one in with buttercream.
- Use the chocolate chips for ghost mouths and the mini M&M's for eyes. Slice and serve!mini M&M's, 5 large chocolate chips
