Name: Football Brownies
Total time: 210 min
Ingredients: 1 (4-oz.) package unsweetened baking chocolate bar (such as Baker's), chopped; 2 cups granulated sugar; 1 cup (8 oz.) salted butter, softened; 4 large eggs; 1 cup (about 4 ¼ oz.) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided; 0.25 cup heavy whipping cream; 0.5 cup creamy vanilla frosting (such as Duncan Hines Creamy Vanilla Frosting)

Punt these into the tailgate and it's a guaranteed field goal with all the guests.

Pam Lolley

Updated on September 20, 2021

football brownies — Photo: Frederick Hardy II

Active Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

Prepare to win the next tailgate with these extra fudgy dark chocolate brownies. Not only are these bite-sized treats delicious, but their fun football shapes are almost too cute to eat. Before you begin, keep in mind that these are not a last-minute project—so plan ahead (and around) kickoff time. Start by baking the rich chocolate brownie mix in a 13-by-9-inch pan for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Once they're ready to come out of the oven, you'll want to set them aside to ensure the brownies have time to completely cool (usually about 2 hours) before making your cuts. When you're ready to make the football-shaped bites, any oval cutter will work. For those die-hard sports fans, you can find football-shaped cookie cutters at your local craft store or on Amazon.com. Once cut out, you'll dip the tops of the fudgy footballs into the melted chocolate mixture, allowing excess chocolate to drip off the brownies. (Our Test Kitchen recommends making brownie bites with the leftover scraps.) Transfer footballs to a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them chill for about 30 minutes. The final step is finishing off your sweet snacks. We used vanilla frosting to create a football effect but for an extra special touch, you can pipe the brownies in your team's colors, too.

Ingredients

1 (4-oz.) package unsweetened baking chocolate bar (such as Baker's), chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (8 oz.) salted butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 cup (about 4 ¼ oz.) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup creamy vanilla frosting (such as Duncan Hines Creamy Vanilla Frosting)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13- x 9- inch baking pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper, allowing 4 inches overhang. Microwave chopped chocolate in a medium microwaveable bowl at MEDIUM (50 percent power) 1 ½ to 2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer at medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl occasionally. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat until blended. Add flour and beat at low speed just until blended. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and stir in vanilla and 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Spread batter into prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
Remove brownies from pan using parchment paper overhang as a handle. Cut out football shapes using a 3-inch oval cookie cutter.
Microwave heavy cream and remaining 1 cup chocolate chips in a 1-quart microwaveable bowl at MEDIUM (50 percent) power for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, whisking at 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Dip tops of brownie footballs into melted chocolate mixture, allowing excess chocolate to drip off brownie. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; chill footballs 30 minutes.
Place vanilla frosting into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip or into a ziplock plastic bag with a small hole cut from 1 corner. Pipe lines and laces onto brownies to resemble footballs.