Chocolate Chipotle Brownies

• 1 ½ sticks butter

• ½ cup cocoa powder

• 1 ¼ cup brown sugar, packed

• 1 egg, beaten

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon chipotle pepper

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• ½ cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a square 8x8” baking pan with cooking spray and then line with parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and brown sugar followed by the egg.

In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, chipotle pepper, and baking powder. Whisk that into the chocolate mixture, combining well. 

Finish by add in the vanilla. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Remove the brownies from the pan by pulling up the parchment paper. Slice and serve.

Make It Easier: Brownies can be tough to cut. They stick to the knife like crazy. An easy way around that is to use a plastic knife. It cuts right through and nothing sticks to it. 

Makes 12 brownies