Skillet Brownies with Salty and Sweet Candied Nuts are a quick and perfectly sweet dessert recipe!
The brownie batter is a traditional brownie batter, but instead of baking it in a large tray and cutting them into brownies once cooled, it is poured into cast iron skillets so that you can enjoy them straight out of the oven. With a sprinkling of perfectly roasted salty and sweet candied nuts and a dollop of vanilla ice cream these skillet brownies definitely won’t last very long!
Happy Sunday friends! Let’s roll right past Monday with skillet brownies, shall we!? I hope you guys are having a wonderful weekend and indulged in warm sunshine and yummy goodies. While for the most part I try to eat healthy throughout the week (most of the time), all bets are off on the weekend. My indulgence in sweet and salty treats usually breaks records on the weekend.
I always crave something salty when I eat something sweet, and vice versa. I normally can’t have one without the other, unless I’m having some kind of out-of-body experience or something. No, always need that saltiness when eating something sweet.
This is why I love this recipe for skillet brownies with salty and sweet nuts. I get a lot of inspiration from cookbooks, and this recipe is definitely inspired from a couple of different recipes from Ina Garten’s Make it Ahead cookbook. She has so many fabulous desserts in this cookbook, that I have almost worked my way through it already! This doesn’t sadden me. Bring on all the dessert!
Skillet brownies have definitely been done before, but I thought it was time to share my favorite recipe. These skillet brownies are pretty traditional, except for the crunchy and delicious salty and sweet candied nuts that are thrown on top at the end. Add a creamy dollop of vanilla ice cream…and heaven…just heaven.
I hope you guys enjoy this recipe for skillet brownies just as much as I do. Pair them with a chocolate stout or porter and have a wonderful week!
Skillet Brownies with Salty and Sweet Nuts
Servings:
4Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Salty and Sweet Nuts
- 1 cup roasted and salted cashews
- 1/2 cup roasted and salted almonds
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Skillet Brownies
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips divided
- 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
Salty and Sweet Nuts
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, toss together the nuts. Pour them onto the prepared baking sheet. Roast them for 10-12 minutes or until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly. Leave the oven on for the skillet brownies.
- In a large saucepan, combine the sugars and water. Cook over medium heat until the sugar has melted, swirling the pan after it has melted frequently. Continue to cook for 10-12 minutes or until the mixture because golden brown and "caramely." Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the nuts and the salt to the pan and toss together until coated. Pour the nuts back onto the baking sheet. Spread the nuts into an even layer and sprinkle with additional sea salt. Let cool completely.
- Once cool, break the nuts apart with your hands. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for about a week.
Skillet Brownies
- At this point, your oven should already be preheated to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Using a double boiler, combine 4 ounces of the chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and butter in a heat-safe bowl. Stir together just until the chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and let the chocolate cool for 5-10 minutes.
- In another large bowl, stir together the eggs, espresso powder, vanilla and sugar until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and then fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir until just moistened and then fold in the remaining chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into either 1 greased, large and deep (12 inch) cast iron pan or 4 individual cast iron pans (5 inch). Smooth out the top to even out the batter. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until just set on top. A toothpick will not come out clean.
- Serve immediately with salty and sweet nuts and vanilla ice cream! These skillet brownies are best served straight out of the oven!
Recipe Inspired from Ina Garten’s Make it Ahead
9 Responses
these look divine Justine! My mouth is watering just looking at the pictures! Yum!
Appove
Thank you so much, Manali! <3
Skillet brownieeeeeeeeees! These look amazing, Justine. And you are right…skillets really are the best way to bake a cookie.
Thanks, Mary! I knew you would agree ;)
Oh this is just calling my name, Justine! Skillet desserts are my favorite! Love the candied nuts in here, too. This works for breakfast, right? :) Pinned!
It DEFINITELY works for breakfast. ;) Thanks for the pin, Gayle!
Thanks girlfriend!