Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 16 large marshmallows
  • Approx. 4 oz white candy melts or icing
  • 16 edible candy eyeballs
  • Small amount of red food colouring gel (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8x8 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring an overhang on two sides for easy lifting.
  2. Gently melt the cubed butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in both the granulated sugar and brown sugar until fully combined and slightly glossy.
  3. Whisk the eggs into the sugar mixture one at a time until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract until the mixture is thick.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
  5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula. Stop mixing just when no streaks of flour remain; do not overmix.
  6. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
  7. Scrape the batter into the prepared 8x8 pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges should be set, and a toothpick inserted near the centre should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs attached.
  8. Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cooling for at least one hour is crucial for clean slicing.
  9. While cooling, prepare the Eyeball Brownies decorations: Melt the white candy melts or icing. Use a small dab of the melted white mixture onto the top of each marshmallow to act as glue. Gently press one edible candy eyeball into the centre of the melted patch.
  10. Once the white base of the eye is slightly set, use a fine-tipped brush dipped in red gel colouring to paint faint veins radiating from the iris, if desired.
  11. Once the brownies are completely cool, use the parchment overhang to lift them out of the pan. Cut into 16 squares. Place one fully decorated eyeball squarely in the centre of each brownie square before serving.