Decadent Vietnamese Coffee Brownies

Flavored with espresso powder, condensed milk, and cocoa powder, these Vietnamese coffee flavored brownies are a rich, decadent treat that everybody will love. Included in this blog post are tips and tricks on how to get that crackly top everyone loves and how to adjust the sweetness to your liking.

One of my favorite flavors of all time is that of Vietnamese coffee or ca phe sua da. The aroma reminds me of growing up around my parents drinking Vietnamese coffee every Sunday. I would always sneak a little bit into my cup of milk to make the milk a tad bit tastier. In addition to drinking it, I’ve also enjoyed adding Vietnamese coffee flavor to my desserts! From tiramisu to rice krispie treats, it is the perfect flavor for desserts because the coffee balances out the sweetness of each dessert. That’s what I love most about these Vietnamese coffee brownies. Not only are they easy to make they’re also the perfect balance of espresso and sweetness.

Some deets about key ingredients

• White chocolate – Typically, chocolate is used in traditional brownies, but I chose to use white chocolate so the chocolate doesn’t overwhelm the coffee flavor. You can definitely use regular chocolate for these brownies, but the coffee flavor might not be as strong. Additionally, regular chocolate will make these brownies less sweet. I used Baker’s White Chocolate bars because they melt the best. Chocolate chips are made to hold up in the oven, so they’ll be a lot more difficult to melt.
• Granulated sugar and light brown sugar – Sugar makes these brownies sweet and makes the texture chewy. The question I always get is “can I make this less sweet?” Yes you can, but the lowering the amount of sugar will make these brownies more cakey. I discuss reducing sugar in the tips section below.
• Vanilla extract – Substitute with an equal amount of vanilla paste (my preference) or 1 vanilla bean.
• Espresso powder – Adds the coffee flavor to these brownies. I used 3 tablespoons of espresso powder which gives you a nice coffee flavor without being too strong. I tested with 1/4 cup or 4 tbsp and I thought the coffee flavor was too strong. However, if you like a really strong coffee flavor, use 1/4 cup of espresso powder. If you like a lighter coffee flavor use 3 tbsp or even 2 tbsp.
• Cocoa powder – When I was testing this recipe, I found that adding cocoa powder brings out the coffee flavor and adds another dimension of flavor to the brownies. I recommend using highly quality cocoa powder like Guittard Cocoa Powder for the best flavor.

How to make Vietnamese coffee brownies

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Prepare an 8×8 baking pan but greasing it with butter and lining with parchment paper.

Add 4 oz of white chocolate to a small bowl. Brown 1/2 cup of unsalted butter. Melt butter over medium high heat and then reduce the heat to low. Cook until brown bits start to appear. Remove from the heat and pour over white chocolate. Stir until white chocolate melts and set aside. If the white chocolate is having trouble melting, microwave in 20 second increments until fully melted. Stir in between each increment.

Combine 1/4 cup of condensed milk, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of light brown sugar, 3 eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp of salt in a large bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk the ingredients for 5-10 minutes.

Sift in 2 tsp of cocoa powder, 3 tbsp of espresso powder, and 1/4 cup of all purpose flour. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix the batter. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Take out the brownies and tap on the counter to release air bubbles. Optional: Sprinkle flaky salt on top of the brownies. Put the pan back in the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Let the brownies cool for 20 minutes in the pan before cutting into them.

Tips on how to make the perfect Vietnamese coffee brownies

Beat sugar and eggs until thick and creamy

Beating the eggs and sugar incorporates air into the brownies, creating a lift in the final product. This helps provide lift without any type of leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder. Doing this also creates that crackly top on the brownies.

Smack the brownies on the counter

This helps get rid of air bubbles and evens out the shape of the brownies, so they’re not thicker in one part and thinner in other parts.

Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?

Yes you can, but it will affect the texture of the brownies. You can reduce the granulated sugar to 1/4 cup but substitute with an egg yolk to maintain the fudgy texture. Additionally, you can use dark chocolate to reduce the sweetness of the brownie.

What if I don’t want a brownie that is fudgy or as gooey in the middle?

If you want a brownie that is more solid in the center, add an additional 1/4 cup of flour to the batter. You can also reduce the amount of sugar to 1/4 cup (like I mentioned above).

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