I always like to find recipes that take something you’ve tried many times before, in this case, chocolate brownies, and switch it up a bit.  One of my favorite holiday cookie recipes does this same thing; taking a traditional sugar cookie and kicking it up with Chai spices…but more on that in a future post!

So, this recipe came from Paula Deen.  I’ve made a few of her recipes over time, that I have enjoyed.  I know, some of you may disapprove of that…but the original recipe wasn’t hers at all!  This is what Paula wrote in a note accompanying the recipe, you can find on the Food Network website here.

“I’ve had the opportunity to make so many new friends in the restaurant. Robin Wilson from Altamonte Springs, Florida, is one of those. Robin recently was one of a hundred finalists in the 39th Pillsbury Bake-off, where she won a side-by-side refrigerator and a trip to San Francisco. As she and her husband were enjoying lunch at The Lady and Sons, she mentioned her Orange Brownies, and she was happy to share the recipe. Thanks, Robin, and good luck to ya in your next bake-off! Get that gold, girl!” ~Paula Deen

The other thing I love about this recipe, is that you can use lemons instead of oranges.  Or even lime!  Imagine a “Margarita” brownie…and you can experiment with different extract flavorings too, like Almond, Cherry, etc.  It’s a great base bar recipe.  So let’s get baking!

Orange Brownies:

1 and 1/2 half cup of all-purpose flour

2 cups of sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (two sticks) butter, softened

4 eggs

2 teaspoons pure orange extract

2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 cup of confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons of orange juice

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease up a 13 by 9 inch pan, set aside.

Clean & dry your orange.  Carefully zest the orange; be sure not to get any of the white skin, as that will add a bitterness into the brownies.  I zested the entire orange, even though it was more than the recipe calls for.

Mix together the flour, sugar and salt.  In another bowl, add the butter, eggs, and 1 teaspoon of the orange extract; beat until well blended using a hand mixer or with your stand mixer.  Once wet items have been mixed, slowly add in the dry ingredients.  (batter will be thicker than normal Brownie batter…) Spoon batter into the pan and spread evenly across pan.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until light golden brown and the batter has “set”.

To make the glaze, mix the confectioners’ sugar, orange juice & remaining zest together until smooth.

You’ll then gently pierce the entire pan of brownies with a fork.  Pour the glaze over the brownies and cool cake.

These bars are great to take with you to a Barbecue or Picnic.  Because they are so bright & fresh looking, they would even be fun at a baby or wedding shower!  You can also make them Gluten free by changing up the flour.  I should have done it that way…but was hoping most of them would get eaten by my family!

I hope you enjoy a wonderful, relaxing Memorial Day weekend!  I am thankful to my Dad, for his years of service to our country and all the others who did the same, that we remember this weekend!

If you make these, let me know how they were!  Enjoy!

Shawn