Oat and Stout Skillet Brownie is a hearty, rich dessert served warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream on top. Use your favorite stout in this recipe!
After two long months of cold, rain, and more rain, the March sky has cracked open to grace us with a little sunshine. The light falls differently in our front room, and our four little dogs rearrange themselves on the floor and furniture to take advantage of every patch of sunlight. Even they know that spring is on its way. I’m so ready for outdoor activities, like planting my veggie garden. But it’s still too chilly for that. So I’ve contented myself in the kitchen, testing some cozy recipes – skillet brownie recipes in particular.
This Oat and Stout Skillet Brownie is wonderfully rich and hearty, and best served warm with vanilla ice cream. And it’s an easy fix! Because making a skillet brownie is just as easy as making a pan of brownies. You just need a heat-proof skillet. Cast iron is preferred, but not a necessity.
The best beer for brownies.
Light lagers and ales are fine for cakes, but rich chocolate brownies need a much bolder beer. Dark stouts are brewed with dark roasted malt, and have flavors that stand out against the richness of semisweet chocolate. Here I’m using milk stout, which is sweeter than most other dark stout beers. However, you can use your favorite stout in this recipe. Chocolate stout is a good choice, for obvious reasons!
Make a reduction.
Boil the beer and 1 cup of butter together for 10 minutes. During this time it will reduce slightly. This results in condensed beer flavor and gives the butter some toasty notes, too!
Pour the reduced beer mixture over chopped semisweet chocolate. Let it stand for a few minutes, then whisk it together until smooth and glossy. Let it cool about five minutes.
Next, mix up some sugar, brown sugar and eggs. Then pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Mix until smooth.
Sift in cocoa powder, flour, and pour in some old-fashioned oats. Mix all of that together until just combined.
Pour the batter into a greased 9 1/2-inch or 10-inch cast iron skillet and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Serve this brownie warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream. The dark, roasty notes of the stout give the brownie new depth of flavor. The oats make it substantial. It’s a lovely shareable dessert after a St. Patrick’s Day feast, if that is on your calendar.
Quick skillet-toasted oats makes a fine topping, and completely optional. But it gives the brownie another layer of texture and flavor. An easier garnish is a sprinkle of semisweet chips. They melt and become gooey on top of the warm brownie – highly recommend!
Related recipe: Five Ingredient Guinness Brownies
Oat and Stout Skillet Brownie
Equipment
- 9 1/2-inch heat proof skillet
- Mesh sieve
Ingredients
Skillet brownie
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup stout beer such as milk stout or Guinness
- 8 oz. semisweet chocolate chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweet cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain salt
Toppings
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
- 1/2 cup toasted oats optional -see recipe notes
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a heat-proof skillet with cooking spray.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and stout. Bring to a boil; reduce heat so that the mixture maintains a constant bubble. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate mixing bowl, add the chopped chocolate. Pour the hot beer mixture over the chocolate and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk together until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let cool slightly.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, egg yolks, and sugars. Mix well. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix until combined. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate mixture. Add the oats. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until set.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Toppings
- Garnish with toasted oats (see recipe notes) and semisweet chips, if desired.
