Walnut Brownies – Fudgy brownies with a delicious nutty crunch! These decadent brownies are easy to make and guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate craving.
You can never have enough brownie recipes, right? This version of my classic chocolate brownie is filled with walnuts and rich cocoa flavor.
Brownies with Nuts
I’ve made a lot of brownies in my time. Which means I know a thing or two about how the make the perfect fudgy brownie with a crackly top.
- Four Eggs. These react with the other ingredients to create that shiny crispy crust on top. To get the ideal fudginess factor, you only mix the batter lightly after adding the dry ingredients.
- Mix just until combined. Less mixing reduces the amount of air trapped inside. More air = more cakey. Less air = more fudgy!
- I also use melted butter to keep the brownies dense but still soft and chewy.
- Then, there are the walnuts. Some “walnut brownies” are decorated with a layer of walnuts on top, either before or after baking. That wasn’t enough nuttiness for me so I folded walnut pieces right into the brownie batter. You add even more walnuts (and chocolate) on top before baking.
The result is a rich chocolate brownie with the crunch of walnuts in every bite. Perfection. Be sure to try our fantasy fudge too, an easy to make treat packed with chocolate and walnuts.
Don’t forget to give our cheesecake brownies a try next, with swirls of cream cheese on our classic brownie.
Ingredient Notes
Almond extract. This adds another dimension of nutty flavor to the brownies. Some people find it adds notes of cherry or amaretto. If you prefer, vanilla extract can be used instead.
Chopped walnuts. Swap them out for pecans for a tasty pecan brownie recipe! (If you LOVE walnuts, be sure to try our maple walnut fudge recipe!)
Chocolate morsels. Semi sweet tastes best in this walnut brownie recipe.
Cocoa powder. Choose unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch processed cocoa powder.
How to Make Walnut Brownies
Melt the butter, then stir in half of the chocolate morsels and the sugar. Stir until all the chocolate has melted.
Make batter. Add in eggs and mix well. Add the almond extract and stir again.
Now, add the dry ingredients. Use big strokes to gently combine the dry ingredients with the wet. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see clumps of the dry ingredients.
Fold in more chocolate chips and one cup of the walnuts.
Prepare pan. Spread the batter into a square baking dish lined with parchment paer, then sprinkle the rest of the nuts and chocolate chips on top.
Bake walnut brownies for 40-45 minutes. Let them cool in the pan completely before cutting.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a plastic knife for cutting the cooled brownies. Make long even slices for clean edges.
- Mix by hand. I use a large wooden spoon to mix the batter. Do not use an electric mixer here! Over mixing after adding the dry ingredients will make the brownies more airy and cakey.
- Line the pan with parchment paper first. A square of parchment fitted to the bottom of the brownie pan prevents them from sticking and makes for easy clean up.
- Storing. Transfer cooled brownies to an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freezing. Freeze brownies for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
- Make it a Sundae. Don’t forget to warm up the brownie, top it with some homemade vanilla ice cream, and drizzle with hot fudge sauce!
- Craving Cookies instead? Whip up a batch of Chocolate Chip Walnut bars.
Recipe FAQs
This brownie recipe yields about 9 large brownies (3 x 3 inches). Cut into smaller squares, you could get up to 1 dozen.
You could also cut them into even smaller pieces for walnut brownie bites.
Brownies fall apart or tear when they are not fully cool. They sometimes need up to one hour to cool completely. To prevent tearing, I also recommend using a clean, plastic knife. It creates the most even edges and easily cuts through the cooled brownies.
Yes, you can leave the walnuts out of this brownie recipe for a simple, delicious chocolate brownie recipe.
Variations
If you love thick and fudgy brownies, I’ve got a few delicious flavors just for you, all based off one recipe.
- Peanut Butter Swirled Brownies. Everyone loves the classic combo of peanut butter and chocolate. That swirl on top is divine.
- M&Ms Brownies. Choose your favorite flavor M&M candies or a color for a holiday treat!
- Salted Caramel Brownies. What’s not to love about this sweet and salty flavor combo? This *might* be the best one yet!
- Oreo Brownies. Milk’s favorite dessert.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Banana Pudding Recipe
- Apple Crumble
- Oatmeal Cream Pie
- Coconut Cake Recipe
- The Best Chocolate Cake
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Walnut Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels divided
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon almond extract optional
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cup chopped walnuts divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and add in ½ cup of the semi-sweet chocolate morsels with the sugar. Stir until combined and morsels are melted.
- Add in eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition.
- Add in almond and vanilla extracts.
- Add cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Using big stroked, stir JUST until combined and no longer see dry ingredients.
- Fold in 1/2 cup of the remaining semi-sweet morsels and 1 cup of the chopped walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate morsels and the remaining 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
- Bake for 42-45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool COMPLETELY before cutting.
Notes
- Do not over stir after adding the dry ingredients.
- Use a plastic knife for cutting cooled brownies.
- Store brownies in airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freeze brownies in airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
- The almond extract gives these brownies a unique nutty flavor! Some people think it gives them a cherry or amaretto flavor, what do YOU think?
Video
Nutrition
Walnuts and chocolate are the perfect pair in this Walnut Brownie Recipe. Enjoy one with a glass of milk or scoop whipped cream on top for an extra special treat!
Well I just Made them without adding the sugar on accident … I’m happy to report they are still edible even with this rookie mistake but I’ll be remaking this batch hahah! Oops!!
Can this recipe be doubled for a 9 x 13 pan? Thank you.
I just made these brownies they are in the oven now.Will let you know how they turn out .They look very 😋 yummy🙂🤗
I am so excited to try this for the holidays! Your recipe is for a 9 inch square pan, I want to make them in an 8×12 brownie pan. What are your recommendations for modifying the ingredient amounts? How much more is required to fill the larger pan?
These look so delicious and so yummy! My family is going to love these! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Walnuts brownies are my favorite but I hardly ever make them, this recipe was perfection and hit the spot! The perfect amount of fudge and crunch!
Walnuts and chocolate are a match made in heaven. The flavors go together perfectly in these brownies. I can’t wait to make them again – a family favorite.
These look amazing!! Can’t wait to try. Have you ever made these in a pan for individual brownies (every brownie has egdes) like the pampered chef brownie pan? I’m wondering how to adjust the baking time and temp.