Best Ever Bourbon Brownies

One of our neighbors celebrated her birthday on St. Patrick’s Day; I wanted to bake her something to celebrate, but couldn’t decide what to make.  So many recipes, so much indecision.  First I was thinking of cupcakes, but then decided to go an entirely different direction, ending up with Best Ever Bourbon Brownies, a tried and true from a Supper Club gathering a few years ago.  Alcohol on St. Patrick’s Day seems like a perfectly logical decision to me, made even more right by the fact that she’s Irish on top of it.

One of my old friends is fond of saying “Everything is better with bourbon,” and if you’ve had this recipe, you just might nod your head in quick agreement.  Truly, it’s the frosting that does it for me.  Completely does me in.  It’s creamy, but thick and just oh.so.damn.good. 

I made this batch with Nicholas helping and the bourbon ended up going in the recipe during baking, instead of poking holes in the finished brownies and pouring it in afterwards.  The distractions of a five-year-old underfoot, what can I say?  No matter … whatever way it gets in, right? 

Best Ever Bourbon Brownies

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 to 3 tablespoons bourbon

Icing:

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 to 3 teaspoons milk (more if needed)
• 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8×8×2 pan; set aside. In medium saucepan, combine 1/3 cup butter, granulated sugar and water. Cook and stir over med heat just until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup chocolate pieces, stirring until melted. Stir in eggs and vanilla, beating lightly with spoon just until combined. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in pecans. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until edges are set and begin to pull away from sides of pan. Using fork, prick warm brownies several times. Drizzle bourbon evenly over brownies; cool in pan on wire rack.

For frosting:
in small bowl, beat 3 tablespoons butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in 2 teaspoons milk and vanilla. If necessary, beat in remaining milk to reach spreading consistency. Spread over brownies. Drizzle melted chocolate over frosting. Cut into bars.

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