There’s something about baking for the holidays that’s relaxing and exciting at the same time. It’s a great pleasure to bake in anticipation of sharing good things with friends and family. Brownies with Jammy Bits are a very special brownie at my house. They are intensely chocolatey, moist and chewy, and have little bits of jam scattered throughout.
If you’ve never heard of jammy bits, you need to know about them! They hold their shape and soft, chewy texture even after being baked. I get mine from King Arthur Baking, who inform us they are made from fruit puree, apple juice, sugar, and pectin. They add bright fruit flavor and a lovely chewiness to anything they’re baked in. My favorite is the raspberry flavor, though cherry, apricot, or orange are also delicious with chocolate.
It’s much easier to include jammy bits than it is to spoon bits of jam into the brownie batter, though if you want to try that, a swirl of jam (always seedless, please!) is a good substitution.
In the recipe, I give proportions for both an 8×8 pan, and a larger 9×13 pan, so you can bake just as many brownies as you’ll need. While they’ll last for a week or so if well wrapped or stored in an airtight tin, I’m betting they’ll all be gone much sooner than that. And that you’ll want to make another batch of these brownies with jammy bits right away!
Brownies with Jammy Bits
Ingredients
FOR 8X8 PAN:
- 2 eggs
- 10 Tbsp dark dutch-process cocoa powder (½ cup + 2 Tbsp)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup jammy bits
FOR 9X13 PAN
- 4 eggs
- 1¼ cup dark dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks)
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 cup jammy bits
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease the pan of your choice. To make very even bars, line the with a foil cradle, and grease that also. You’ll use it when the bars are cooled to remove them from the pan in one large piece, so you can cut them in beautiful even portions. I don’t usually bother with this. My rustic kitchen means that my bars are charmingly uneven.
- Set out all the ingredients, measure them, and have them ready to add to the bowl as they’re called for. This is a one-bowl brownie that goes together quickly.
- Beat eggs with cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until very smooth. Add the sugar and melted butter, stirring well until no streaks remain. Add flour and jammy bits, stirring to incorporate all the flour.
- Spread the batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes for an 8×8 pan, more like 40 minutes for a 9×13. cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look moist but not uncooked.
- Let the brownies cool fully in the pan before you slice and serve them.