Next, in a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry mixture into the creamy cottage cheese mixture until just combined—don’t overdo it! It’s okay to have a few lumps. If you want to take it to the next level, feel free to stir in a handful of chocolate chips or chopped nuts at this point. Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan, and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
Bake in your preheated oven for around 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. The smell wafting through the kitchen during baking is nothing short of heavenly! Once done, allow them to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before lifting them out to cool completely on a wire rack. Trust me, they’re even better once they’re fully cooled (if you can wait that long!).
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested this recipe three ways: with whole fat cottage cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, and even non-dairy alternatives. Let me tell you, while each version had its charm, the whole fat cottage cheese gave me the richest texture and flavor! So if you can, go for the full-fat option—it’s delicious.
Another thing I’ve learned is to make sure your butter is fully melted and slightly cooled before adding it to the mixture. This prevents the eggs from scrambling when they hit that warm butter! The smooth chocolate mixture that results is truly worth the little extra care.
Lastly, resist the urge to overmix the batter once you’ve combined the wet and dry ingredients. A few lumps are okay; they’ll disappear as they bake, and it helps to keep the brownies fudgy instead of cake-like.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake I made when I first started baking these brownies was not measuring my cocoa powder correctly. Too much cocoa can make your brownies dry and overly bitter, so be sure to level it off with a straight edge when measuring.
Another thing to keep in mind is the baking time! Ovens can be temperamental buddies, so I recommend checking your brownies a few minutes before the timer goes off. If the toothpick comes out too clean, you may end up with dry brownies, which is just heartbreaking!
Also, don’t skip the cooling step in the process. I know it’s tempting to slice into them right away, but allowing them to cool really helps them set and makes for clean cuts. Plus, the flavor deepens as they sit!
Finally, I almost forgot—the choice of pan can make a difference too! If you use a glass pan instead of a metal one, keep an eye on the baking time since glass can cook more evenly but might take a bit longer for the edges to brown.
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