Black Cocoa Brownies with Oreo Meringue
Fudgy brownies made with black cocoa for an intense dark chocolate taste, covered with a crispy meringue with oreo bits.
Black cocoa brownies, intensely bittersweet and fudgy, topped with a sweet crispy oreo meringue.
I think of these as the brownie ode to oreos. This takes all the goodness from our favorite chocolate sandwich cookie (the darkest chocolate, the sweet cream filling) and puts it into a fancy dessert with a chewy/crispy/fudgy, complex texture.
Black Cocoa Brownies & Oreo Meringue
During the summer I had some ground oreos leftover from another baking project and threw them into a meringue mix for something that would be like an oreo mcflurry (see below). They baked up nicely and were SO GOOD I wanted to make them the start of a dish (or two!) and while brainstorming what to do, I thought I could make another twice baked meringue concoction.
Putting meringue on brownies is fairly common, but usually the meringue is not baked on top (it might be torched a bit, so that the resulting dish is kind of s’mores-like). And those dishes are more like brownies with a fancy buttercream on top where as this is a layered, fully baked brownie bar.
Black Cocoa Brownies
If you’ve been around buttermilk, you may recognize the brownie recipe and likely, you won’t be surprised at the use of black cocoa either. The choice to use some black in here was twofold: black is what is used to make the cookie part of an oreo (where it gets its deep, almost smoky taste) and because it is devoid of the usual chocolatey sweetness, it would contrast nicely with the sweet vanilla meringue on top. I only swap in 1/4 cup of the cocoa for black but you could do more (1/2 cup or even for the full 3/4 – but beware, they will be very strong tasting if you do so). Generally I like some black cocoa but not too much because I still want some of that chocolatey taste to come in via natural or dutch cocoa.
What else can I make with black cocoa?
Should you have extra black cocoa, I have some suggestions for what you can use it for: chocolate mascarpone buttercream, chocolate sugar cookies and darkest chocolate ice cream.
Meringue Brownies Twice Baked Brownies
This flourless chocolate meringue cake is beloved on the site, much to my amazement! When I first published that recipe I was skeptical it would resonate as much as it did; partially because it’s such an un-traditional dish, but also because there was a lot of room for baker’s error in the bake time and thus getting the texture right. Like that cake, to make this first you bake the bottom layer (the brownie in this case) and once it’s partially done you add the meringue on top and return it to the oven. When it comes out of, you want the brownies to be cooked but not overdone, and the top of the meringue crispy and a bit marshmallowy in the center.
I made this two ways: with the top layer as a dried out meringue (in the photo below) and then with it more pavlova style where the outside was crispy but the inside was soft. If you look closely at the top photo of this page you can see the two layers of meringue and the brownie layer, nice and fudgy.
How to make fudgy brownies
Fudgy brownies depend on a few factors: ingredient ratios; method of incorporation, and baking time. A brownie recipe with a lot of flour is going to be cakey; which is why mine has very little. A good brownie recipe is a combination of eggs, sugar, butter and of course, chocolate. Some recipes use cocoa and some melted chocolate; melted chocolate is welcome imo but only in addition to the cocoa because it comes with added sugars and fats and lacks the intensity of the chocolate flavor that cocoa brings. A good fudgy brownie does not have leavening in it; you don’t need baking soda or powder. To get an even denser brownie you can add chopped chocolate to the base, like I do in these shiny top brownies.
As for methodology, stirring the flour in at the end, just barely, ensures that your batter doesn’t toughen. I make my sugar/butter mix over a bain marie to melt them together but not directly over heat less I risk burning it. Finally, baking on a slightly lower temperature for longer also helps get that perfectly chewy, fudgy center.
How to make Meringue Brownies
Essentially making a meringue is about whipping sugar and egg whites together until the sugar granules have dissolved and the mix has reached stiff peaks (ie. holds its shape).
There are two ways to do this: the French method which is to add dry sugar slowly as the egg whites whip, and the Swiss method which is to whisk the meringue over a bain marie until the sugar dissolves. Chef Yotam Ottolenghi has this sort of in between method where he warms the sugar for 7-8 minutes and then adds it, to ensure the sugar blends nicely into the whites. I definitely prefer the Swiss or Ottolenghi method as I find heating the sugar is a more reliable way to ensure the granules have melted before the meringue goes into the oven.
I give two options for how to make and cook the top layer: one that yields a dry meringue texture and one that gives you a softer more chewy, marshmallow like center.
Ingredient Info & Suggested Substitutions for Black Cocoa Brownies with Meringue
Brownie
Black Cocoa: KAF is a great source. They also make a double dutch cocoa which ultimately, is exactly what we need here. Alternatively, you can use a good quality dutch cocoa and you will have aces brownie.
Granulated Sugar: I’ve been asked why I don’t use brown sugar in my brownies because it apparently makes them moister. I don’t see this in mine, and because mine are so heavy on the cocoa, the ‘caramel/butterscotch’ notes from the brown sugar would be lost anyway.
AP flour: I think you could use an alternative flour like rye in these or oat flour but I’d shy away from buckwheat or whole wheat as those change the texture more dramatically.
Butter: Unsalted so you can control the salt level but if you only have salted just add less salt.
Eggs: large, no substitutions. Don’t try this with flax egg or aquafaba!
Meringue
Eggs: this you can sub with aquafaba but only if you are short on eggs, because you do need eggs in the brownies so this dish can’t be egg free.
Granulated Sugar: no subs! Brown is likely interfere with the crispiness of the meringue.
Vinegar & Cornstarch: These are used as stabilizers and to make a marshmallowy center (rather than a fully dried out meringue).
Ground oreos: You’ll need to remove the cream in the middle, we don’t want to add anything that can compromise the structure of the meringue so something with heavy fat is to be avoided. The cookie crumbles are like nuts and become part of the meringue without interfering.
Two ways to meringue topping for brownies
- Crispy, fully dried meringue: skip the vinegar and cornstarch and bake the dish 5-10 minutes longer.
- Crispy shell, marshmallowy center: use the vinegar and cornstarch, bake as instructed.
Steps & Equipment to make Meringue Topped Brownies
- Make brownie batter over a bain marie and with a whisk, partially bake
- Make meringue over a bain marie and with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment
- Remove brownies from oven when half done, dollop meringue on top
- Bake them together, until meringue center is set and outside is dry.
Recipe for Black Cocoa Brownies with Oreo Meringue
Black Cocoa Brownies with Oreo Meringue
Ingredients
Black Cocoa Brownies
- ¾ cups unsalted butter chopped
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup black cocoa
- ½ cup dutch process cocoa
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Oreo meringue
- 3 large egg whites
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon imitation vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup ground oreos cookie only
- 1 tsp vinegar
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Method
- Preheat oven to 335. Line an 8” square pan with parchment paper.
- Make the brownie batter: Over a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl over simmering water – with the water not touching the bowl) add the butter. Once the butter melts add the cocoas and sugar, cook while stirring until the temperature reaches 140 F and at that point, remove from the heat.
- Let cool for a few minutes, and once warm to touch (but not hot) and add the eggs, salt and vanilla. Whisk quickly until you have a very smooth, well-blended batter, about a minute or two. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine. Pour batter into pan. Bake brownie layer for 20 minutes.
- While the brownies are baking, add the egg whites and sugar to a bowl and whisk. Set over a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a pot with simmering water, without the water touching the bowl) whisk together the mixture constantly until it is frothy and no sugar granules can be felt when you rub the meringue between your fingers.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the meringue until it is thick, shiny and holds fairly stiff peaks. When the meringue is almost done beating, add the vanilla, salt, cornstarch and vinegar to blend it in. Fold in ground oreos gently and in big streaks (you only need to do 3-5 folds).
- When the brownies reach the 20 minute mark, remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Gently dollop the meringue on top of the brownie (it will puff and spread so don’t worry about getting it to the edges). Return to oven and bake for another 25 – 30 minutes. It’s done when the meringue is dry to the touch and the mix doesn’t jiggle when you shake it. Allow to cool fully before slicing and serving.
Notes
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Question: you mention in step 3 adding chocolate chips, but there’s no measurement for this in the ingredients… help, please ?
Ah, thank you for this comment! It was something I mentioned up top in the text: if you add bits of chocolate you get a fudgier/denser brownie. But it’s entirely optional (maybe even a bit excessive) for this recipe. I removed it from the instructions, but if you want to you’d add like 50g finely chopped chocolate in with the flour.
These are *incredible* and so worth the effort. They were such a hit after I recently brought them into work that I’m going to have to do it again as soon as possible! Comments included that these are “the best brownies ever” and “mind-blowingly good.” Thanks, Sam!
Hi sam!i really love your recipe it was great!
Unfortunately i’m having prob with the meringue.
I baked according to the temp but its still very soft!
I try baked it more at 170° for 40mins but still very soft and in the end it burns out ? pls help.thanks sam!xoxo
Hi Sandra, hmm I wonder if it’s an oven temperature issue? Sometmies a secondary thermometer can help ensure. The other things I’m thinking is 1. if the meringue wasn’t whipped to stiff peaks this would have affected it setting and about the material of the pan (glass and ceramic pans take longer to warm up and longer to cool down).
So good! The meringue provides a nice contrast to the chocolate brownies. Brought these to a party and they were a hit. You don’t need a lot of Oreos for the crumbs. I wish I counted but it’s probably under 7 cookies. I think it’s ideal to make this the night before so the meringue can harden for consumption, but you can still make same day and it’s good.
Best brownies ever!!! I’m a meringue devotee thanks to Buttermilk by Sam 🙂
Fabulous! I used a lot less meringue on top as I had a leftover Italian meringue from a different recipe and it was still great. I baked in a round 26cm pan and the brownies baked very nicely still soft and chewy. The color is to die for.
Made this last week and received lots of good comments. Superb and ?loving it ?
Thanx for the recipe
Delicious, as can always be expected from Sam. I, for once, did not have oreos in the house so I added graham cracker crumbs to the meringue instead. Gave it a nice s’mores-y vibe!
Oh that’s amazing Anna! Would never have occurred to me to use graham crackers but I can definitely see a s’mores taste with the rest of those components!
Why do you need to start the meringues over the double boiler? Just wondering what the purpose is. I have made meringue before and I only used a hand mixer. Thanks! 🙂
Hi Sara! This is the swiss method for making meringue – my preferred way.You can also do it by slowly adding the sugar to the egg whites if that’s what you prefer.
Finally made these today exactly as written and they were incredible. Used “the cocoa trader” black cocoa that I purchased on amazon. I was concerned that they would come out too wet for me, but honestly, as you mentioned, once these are cooled they are perfect. I did 25 min in the oven once the meringue was on top, and it made for a brownie that was definitely gooey and fudgy, but holds together and can be sliced. The gooey-ness really works with the crisp meringue, and I like how even the meringue had layers and variety of textures. The flavor of the brownie itself is out of this world, but I love all the contrasting textures as well. Thank you so much for coming up with this! It certainly lives up to the visuals.
I made this for a Labor Day cookout I had this weekend and it was amazing! The perfect fudgy brownie without being undercooked! And the merengue was perfect! Made it as written, but cooked in a 9” round! Perfection!
Hi! I love your blog and recipes! I’ve made these brownies a couple of times and I have a hard time getting them to bake in the middle which stays consistently very gooey, practically raw. Which I don’t find to be much of a problem! However, it doesn’t seem to the case for other people. I was wondering if you could give me some guidance for this issue. I’ve baked them in metal tins and aluminum and for way longer than the bake times posted.
Thanks!
Hi Maria! I wonder if you are using a pan that’s on the smaller side? Sometimes a 9″ works better for these. Also, check your oven temperature with a second thermometer to be sure it’s correct. And if you find that it’s still a problem then just bake the brownie layer a bit longer before you put on the meringue.
Great! Thanks so much for the reply! I’ll try to bake them on a 9″ pan next time. : )
If I would like to use aquafaba for the meringue portion, how much should I use?
Can confirm that these can be made both dairy and gluten-free! I used earth balance butter and Trader Joe’s gluten free AP flour but I’m sure other plant based dairy/gf AP alternatives would work well too. Highly recommend using either or both of these subs to make something amazing for celiac/lactose intolerant friends! My roommate who’s both of those was SUCH a huge fan of these and my other roommate who’s suspicious of gluten free/dairy free desserts was sold as well!
Make these the day before – they are great day of, but fabulous the day after!
That’s a great point! I think the meringue dries out a bit more the next day and so the texture contrast is more prominent.
These look amazing! Can I use regular baking cocoa or must it be Dutch processed?
TIA
You can use all dutch!
I did not obtain the proper texture during the double boiler stage. I remade the brownie portion by microwaving the butter and then adding the sugar. I microwaved it again for 30 seconds and stirred and then repeated as King Arthur does with one of their brownies. I then sifted in the cocoa. It worked well and was less complicated. My family enjoyed the brownies! Thank you!!
So decadent and rich! I am a black cocoa fan. I used a cream cheese bittercream with crushed Oreos and topped with crushed Oreos instead of the meringue.
I hate the flavor of black cocoa…it literally tastes like dirt to me. I know, weird. Can I use a good quality Dutch processed in its place? Assuming that no other adjustments need to be made? Thanks for the great recipes!
Question! What’s the difference between imitation vanilla extract and vanilla? Thank you!!
Imitation is the flavor you’d likely know from ‘birthday’ cakes and doesn’t actually have vanilla bean in it, pure vanilla is made from the beans
I too find it quite strong when used by itself 🙂 Yes you can absolutely use dutch process. The brownies will still be very dark!
Hi Sam, I am going to make this tomorrow and just wanted to check what type of vinegar you used please?
I believe I used plain white vinegar. Good luck!
Made these yesterday!! I’m currently in a rental with limited equipment (lol mixing bowl with a handle over a tiny pot for my double boiler) and a questionable oven, but they were still so good!!! I doubled the recipe because all I had was a 9×13, but it worked out great once I adjusted the baking times.
Ordered the black cocoa from KAF and I think I used maybe 15 oreos for the mix in.
Will be making these again, hopefully when I get all my kitchen supplies back again!
Wow . Cant wait to try it . But i dont have dark cocoa powder . Can i use just the regular one ?!
Yay!!! That is some admirable dedication Sarah – esp for the meringue! So glad they worked out <3
What an incredible idea. I bet these two textures are amazing together. Love it.
Such a fun and inventive recipe! Looking forward to trying this one!
How much meringue should we put in?
The recipe for the meringue (as written) all goes on top of the brownie layer.
Thank u for the quick reaponse will try it out
Hi , would like to ask if you have this recipe in grams
I included these in a Christmas cookie box I made for my neighbors, and it was a hit with everyone! Soo yummy. I was worried that I had burned it during the double boiler step, because it was so dark and grainy, but I tasted a little bit and it was good (and the final result was HEAVENLY). Here are the dry ingredient measurements in grams:
¾ cups unsalted butter, chopped (170g)
1 ½ cups granulated sugar (297g)
¼ cup black cocoa (25g)
½ cup dutch process cocoa (50g)
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 large eggs
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour (45g)
Oreo meringue
3 large egg whites
⅔ cup granulated sugar (132g)
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon imitation vanilla extract
⅓ cup ground oreos (cookie only) – this was about 5 cookies for me
1 tsp vinegar
½ tablespoon cornstarch (4g)
Oh my goodness, thank you! Looking forward to making this for friends next week!!
Hi Antoniette! I currently do not have the recipe in grams yet. Next time I make it I’ll take note.
these look amazing! I’m curious why you use imitation vanilla – I make pavlovas all the time and always use regular – thanks!
You can use pure vanilla extract. I chose imitation to mimic the flavor of the creme part of the oreo and accentuate the cookie’s flavors through the dish (hence the black cocoa in the brownies).