I was granted a small reprieve when the first day of school was actually cancelled because of the heat. Yes, that’s right, too hot in North Dakota to go to school. Of course none of the buildings have air conditioning because normally school closures involve the mercury going in the other direction. The school handbook explicitly states that there will be recess unless the temperature is 15 below zero or colder, but says nothing about heat indices.
I slept like crap the night before school started—tossing and turning like I was the one going to my first day of class. Giving up I crawled out of bed before dawn to a ferocious rainstorm. I’m not sure what kind of sign that was, other than a reflection of what was happening in my heart. But I carried on nonetheless, packing her first lunch—cheddar cheese, a warm tortilla, Joe-Joes, an apple, and a few cherry tomatoes from the garden. We did all the morning duties, ate breakfast and got dressed, with plenty of time for the kids to fight over toys, clothes, who got to carry what, who got to put their shoes on first, etc. which ended in someone getting hurt and lots of crying, so you know, normal morning stuff, all was going according to plan.
And so here we are. I know I should’ve made something for my daughter to celebrate her momentous move into real world of kindergarten, but instead here’s to me, to celebrate me making it through her aforementioned momentous occasion and for making it through the last 5 years of really, truly giving it my all. No joke. I’d say I deserve a brownie.

Fudgy Kahlúa Brownies
Dairy-free, boozy brownies with an ultra fudgy texture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Kahlúa
- 1/2 cup cappuccino chips (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper or foil. Grease the parchment paper.
- Combine chocolate chips, butter, and unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Heat until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, combine flour, espresso powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. In a separate large bowl beat the eggs until smooth. Add sugar and whisk until eggs are pale in color and thickened slightly. Add cooled chocolate and Kahlúa and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Fold in the cappuccino chips, if using.
- Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool in the pan completely before cutting.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 614Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 335mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 4gSugar: 43gProtein: 8g
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