Chai Latte Brownies

Brownies and chai tea. Two of my very favorite indulgences. Why not blend them into one? Granted, it wasn't originally my idea (that honor belongs to Cooking Light magazine), but I was wise enough to give them a shot and I think you should try them out too.

This batch of brownies isn't overly brimming with chai flavor - it's more subtle than you might expect. Think of these as the Mexican hot chocolate of brownies. But they have a unique flavor profile that makes them a bit different from your everyday brownie. A hint of cinnamon, a touch of spice, and all the warmth and cardamom-y fullness you can expect from a steaming mug of chai.

These brownies are best served hot and sticky with a cold glass of milk... but they're delicious no matter how you chose to enjoy them!

Chai Latta Brownies 

recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 3 cardamom pods, crushed
• 3 whole allspice, crushed
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 /2 tsp salt
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degees. Prepare a 9 inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine milk, crushed cardamom pods, crushed allspice, cloves, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes.

3. Strain milk into a microwave safe bowl being sure to discard any pieces of the aromatics that may find their way into the bowl. Add chocolate chips and butter, and microwave for 20 second intervals until chocolate and butter melt. Stir to combine.

4. Along mixture to slightly cool, then add eggs, stirring to combine.

5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to fully mix all dry ingredients. Add dry ingredient mixture to wet, stirring until just combined. (This makes a really sticky dough - I adapted the recipe to include more milk in order to decrease stickiness but it should still be a bit gooey.)

6. Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees fro 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack fro 10 minutes. Enjoy!