Outrageous Brownies

Miracle Whip in brownies? Before you judge, hear this out. The mayo-style dressing replaces butter and oil in the mix, adding moisture and a barely-there tang that actually deepens the chocolate flavor. You won’t taste it, but you’ll notice the brownies are denser and fudgier than usual.

Coarsely chopped chocolate bars folded into the batter create pockets of melted chocolate throughout. The last chocolate bar gets chopped and scattered across the top right out of the oven. Five minutes of sitting melts it into a glossy, spreadable ganache-like layer.

Chopped pecans in the batter add crunch against all that fudgy richness. More on top if you want a textured finish.

Pro Tips

• Beat the Miracle Whip, eggs, and water together first until smooth before adding the brownie mix. Unmixed pockets of dressing will leave tangy white streaks.
• Coarsely chop the chocolate. You want big, irregular chunks that stay distinct in the batter, not fine shavings that disappear.
• Pull from the oven when the edges pull away from the sides but the center still looks slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool.
• Let them cool completely before cutting. Warm brownies crumble. Patient brownies slice clean.

Variations

• Use walnuts instead of pecans, or skip the nuts entirely for a nut-free version.
• Swap the chocolate bars for peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped.
• Add a tablespoon of instant espresso powder to the batter to amplify the chocolate flavor.