Buttered Popcorn Crunch Brownies.
Say hello to the brownies that save.
Save what, you ask?
Well.
Everything of course.
Sugar, salt, chocolate and butter. If that doesn’t save everything then I’m pretty sure we are all doomed.
I don’t know why I think that a batch of brownies covered in popcorn qualifies as an actual recipe. Who do I think I am? Or should I say: I don’t know why I thought that before I ate one.
So I ate one.
Um. I really don’t even have that many words. People in my life that could care less about brownies and popcorn could not stop eating these. It made me feel less alone. Which is saying a lot because I was on the couch searching for my feelings in the 15th anniversary Sex and the City marathon and the bottom of a Talenti pint. Spoiler alert: I didn’t find them.
I have always been the weirdo that has added chocolate to my bowl of popcorn. Have you been one of these weirdos? I hope you’ve been a weirdo. I’d like to be weirdos together.
Here’s the deal: the popcorn is not going to completely stick on this brownie because if it did, we would have a crunchy caramel corn and while it doesn’t sound horrific in the slightest it is not what we’re going for. I wanted actual salted, buttered popcorn on top of a fudgy, chewy chunk of chocolate. And that’s what I’ve got.
The popcorn will stick – you use a hefty drizzle of sweetened condensed milk and chocolate, but if somebody grabs a square, a few pieces of popcorn may dribble down. That is when you just eat those little pieces.
You could also just crumble some brownies in a vat of popcorn but… what would be the fun in that?
Buttered Popcorn Crunch Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ounces high-quality milk chocolate, melted
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips/chunks
topping
- 3 cups freshly popped popcorn
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon flaked sea salt
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, approximately
- 2 ounces high-quality milk/dark chocolate, your preference
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 baking pan with butter or nonstick spray liberally.
- In a large bowl, combine melted butter with sugar and vanilla extract, whisking until combined and almost smooth. Whisk in each egg one at a time, stirring until a smooth batter forms. Stir in oil and melted chocolate. Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter in the 8×8 baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Remove and let cool.
- Pop popcorn and coat with melted butter and sea salt, tossing well. Melt milk chocolate and stir in coconut oil until completely smooth.
- Once brownies are cool, remove them from the pan in one bit square. Set them on a sheet of parchment paper and cut into equal pieces, but keep the brownies pushed together into one big square. Slicing them ahead of time just makes it simpler so you don’t have to cut through the popcorn. Add a drizzle of condensed milk on top of the brownies and add a layer of popcorn. Continue to drizzle and layer popcorn on top (you do not have to measure anything purposely – it’s all fun!) until the popcorn is sort of “stuck” to the brownies and each other. It will never be super sticky and in one piece, but that’s the fun of it – this way it’s truly like buttery popcorn and not like caramel corn. Drizzle chocolate over top.
- Let brownies sit for about 20-30 minutes so the chocolate can firm up a little, then serve immediately. These really do need to be eaten the day they are made since the popcorn is fresh.
Notes
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90 Comments on “Buttered Popcorn Crunch Brownies.”
Oh my gosh! These brownies look so good. I love the popcorn on top of them. That is so unique and adds crunch to the brownies. Yum! :)
WHAT.
I must eat these immediately. Nothing further.
Popcorn and brownies? I can honestly say I never thought of that combo, but it does look good!
Unrelated to the food but totally related to the Sex And The City reference. 1) How is it possibly already the 15th anniversary?? 2) Have you noticed now when reading trashy mags (only buy cosmo in the airport…) that instead of saying things like “that’s soooooo Samantha” of you, it’s now “what a Marnie thing to do.” Whaaaaaaaat? Do you realize there is going to be a whole generation of girls who have no IDEA who Carrie/Samantha/Charlotte/Miranda are? Is that even ok?? .
PS: Brownies look awesome! Sweet and salty 4eva!
Genius! I’ve made the buttered popcorn cookies from Smitten Kitchen and they are a game changer. I can only imagine how delicious these brownies are!!
Ah yes!!
I just made a popcorn dessert yesterday and now you have me needing to go make another! I am going to be drowning in sweet, salty, buttery, chocolate popcorn!
I am 100% okay with that!
I just showed these to Ankur and he said “next time use salted caramel instead of sweetened condensed milk.” #ilovemyemployees.
I’m still trying to figure out a way to make these things magically appear in my lap. Oh, and yes, have always been the one to put chocolate, specifically Milk Duds in my popcorn. Milk chocolate for the win!
I feel dangerous just looking at this!!!!!!!!!!! Your posts really make me smile :)
these remind me of the chocolate drizzle popcorn at trader joes. soooo good.
Nothing better than pouring a bag of M&Ms into hot popcorn. Chocolate+Popcorn is the best combo, I’ll be making these!
Mercy, those look fabulous. Love your blog!
Salty and sweet, crunchy and gooey, something for every mood in these babies!
holy moley I am drooling on my desk! Must make these babies!
Well you’ve done it. You’ve come up with something so totally weird and unusual that we just HAVE to try it. Never in a million years would I have thought to top my brownies with popcorn. Brava!
As someone who has been incorporating popcorn into their ice cream for DECADES, I seriously appreciate this post :)
What an awesome idea! Love it!
As someone who is not a huge popcorn person, I might actually really go for this!
I never thought of this combo and I just have to try it. Looks too amazing! Your posts always make me smile :)
Um… ok . I’d like to have a popcorn brownia and SATC marathon ASAP! And don’t worry – no popcorn ‘crumbs’ will go to waste. ;)
chocolate and popcorn is such a good combo. ooo and you added condensed milk. OMG! I want this
You are ridiculous. In a really good way. But you’re ridiculous. Having recently started eating gluten-free and vegan (mainly for digestive issues), this is like torture to look at. And I’m not even a big dessert person. Or even a popcorn person for that matter. But I’m drooling right now.
gluten free brownie mix and popcorn with earth balance. do it.
This is wildly different, and something I would never think of. I’ll bet it’s really good!
I can not wait to try these with some bacon thrown in too. Salty sweet treats drive me to eat!
Life is only made grander (is that a word?) when chocolate, brownies, and popcorn are mixed altogether. BOO-YAH, baby!
This looks gorgeous.. Love the salty and sweet combination…
I love that you say these need to be eaten the day they’re made…as if there would even be a crumb or a kernel left!
Weirdo right here! And I have totally searched for my feelings on the couch with countless snacks and an empty pint of ice cream. Guilty as charged!
Can’t wait to chow down on this deliciousness!
Since I was a teenager, whenever we went to the movies, I always bought, or asked for candy with my popcorn, my favorite being chocolate covered caramel peanut chews. A handful of each into my mouth at once – sweet, ‘chocolatey’, buttery, salty crunchy, chewy heaven. Exactly what your brownies are, These will surely be making appearances at our ‘most used’ movie theater presently – the couch!
AHH! Chocolate + popcorn all the way. I used to dump a box of milk duds [the best!] into my bucket of popcorn when I was a kid. Big time yes to this.
We’re soul sisters apparently, because I was also watching Sex and the City last night with a pint of Talenti. Craved it all day and made my hubby go get it on his way home from the gym last night :) Chocolate Peanut Butter rocks my life!
Well aren’t these the cutest thing on the internet! LOVE!
I don’t…but the…popcorn…
I have no words. I need one (or 10) of those immediately.
Wow, loving these!! You’ve combined two of my favourite things :D
♥♥♥♥♥
Jessica, I’m so loving this creation of yours! All of the fun-ness in one bite!
I always eat popcorn with Skittles and Sno Caps… I’ll be weird with you!
I once tried tossing some Junior Mints in my salty, buttery popcorn because I’d heard it was omgdelicious. It didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. Your popcorn brownies look like they taste much better than my Junior Mint-popcorn concoction.
Jessica? I love you.
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Seemingly stranger combo, but I think it would taste amazing! Very interesting idea.
Sorry, STRANGE combo. Not stranger :)
Beautiful. I do love M&Ms sprinkled into my popcorn. I’d be happy to pump up the chocolate with a fudgy brownie.
You’ve got to be KIDDING me with this recipe. This cannot be serious… Brownies=amazing
Popcorn=my all time FAVORITE snack.
This. is. insane. You are too awesome, Jessica.
Yum! What a great combo of flavors!
Would these be good to take to an event? As in would the texture still be okay for a few hours after making? You know how popcorn gets stale really fast. Need your wisdom!
Mmmm…Love Talenti. Did you see they now have gelato pops? Unbelievable!
these brownies look amazingly awesome – SO original, too. Love the pictures….gorgeous as always :)
I ALWAYS throw a handful of chocolate chips in my bowl of popcorn! These beownies look like my religion which I think makes you my god(dess). Consider me saved. Amazing, as always!
M&Ms and popcorn is like my favorite thing. ever. These brownies would be right up my alley. Uh-mazng!