Cooking With Beer – AleSmith Speedway Stout Brownies

American Craft Beer|August 30th, 2025|

Festive foods take on new meaning when made with serious beer, like these delicious brownie bites made with a smartly crafted Imperial Stout.

Although the recipe might benefit from any high-octane stout, we went with AleSmith Speedway Stout, a delicious 12% ABV Imperial Stout with rich chocolate, dark fruit, toffee, and caramel notes. The stout’s healthy dose of locally-roasted coffee adds to the brownie’s dark chocolate flavors.

So, let’s do this!

AleSmith Speedway Stout Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa, chopped or chips)
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
½ tsp salt
½ cup Imperial Stout (room temp, reduced to ~¼ cup for richer flavor)
Optional add-ins: 1 cup chocolate chunks, walnuts, or pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment.
Reduce the stout: In a small saucepan, simmer ½ cup of imperial stout until it reduces to about ¼ cup. Let cool. This intensifies the malty, chocolatey flavors.
Melt butter & chocolate: In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (or microwave in short bursts), melt the butter and chocolate together. Stir until smooth, then let cool slightly.
Mix sugars & eggs: Whisk in the granulated and brown sugar until glossy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
Add stout: Mix in the reduced stout until fully incorporated.
Dry ingredients: Sift in flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Fold gently until just combined (don’t overmix).
Optional mix-ins: Fold in nuts or extra chocolate chunks if using.
Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 28–32 minutes, until the center is just set (a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs).
Cool & cut: Let brownies cool in the pan before slicing into squares.