Maui Brownies: The coconutty, chocolatey squares to combat all your cravings
In September Chase & I got to spend six days in Maui to witness one of my closest friends get married. We logged 30 miles hiked and over 500 miles driven during our stay. Our longest drive was to Hana and then continuing around the entire southern tip of Maui in one day. After traveling two hours on the Road to Hana, we found ourselves in Hana and starving. We ended up at an amazing Thai food truck, but I barely remember the lunch we ate because of the dessert we had...HELLO COCONUT BROWNIES! The secret to these babies? The lady who makes them uses coconut oil instead of butter. Also, the name of the lady who made them? Marley. So obviously, me & these brownies were meant to be. So when I was feeling a little nostalgic about our trip to Maui & in dire need of a chocolate fix I threw together these...
Ingredients:
1 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut oil, measured solid
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 + 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped (optional!)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Mix together coconut oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and yolk, and vanilla. Add the flour, cocoa powder, 3/4 cup coconut flakes, salt, and baking soda and stir until just combined. Mix in macadamia nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for about 35 minutes.
In a large heatsafe bowl combine the chocolate and 1 tablespoon coconut oil and microwave until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over brownies. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of coconut flakes and peanuts (if using!) over melted chocolate.
Let cool and cut into squares.
***You may ask why my brownies are an odd rectangle shape and not being cooked in a brownie pan. Well...that is because on my first batch of these babies, the pan slid out of the oven (the oven racks are slightly slanted #fixerupper) and proceeded to shatter on the floor, sending glass, brownie batter, & nuts all over my kitchen & cabinets. Thank god for the pocket doors as I was able to lock both dogs & Chase out of the kitchen long enough to whip together a second batch, throw them in the oven and then proceed to scrub brownie batter off the cabinets. It wasn't pretty but the brownies are still pretty dang good ;).