Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan

First thing’s first: preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that the brownies will bake perfectly without any surprise raw spots. Next, line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it with cooking spray. This will help the brownie bites come out easily once they’re done baking.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Stir everything together until smooth. You should see a lovely, glossy mixture. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix again until fully combined. The texture should feel creamy and slightly thickened.

Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula or whisk until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; overmixing can make your brownies a little less fudgy. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, add the instant espresso powder and mix until you see no streaks of dry ingredients.

Step 4: Fold in the Chocolate Chips

Now comes the fun part! Add the chocolate chips to the batter. Stir gently to evenly distribute them throughout the brownie mix. This is where the gooey pockets of chocolate come into play, adding that extra richness and decadence.

Step 5: Bake the Brownies

Pour the brownie batter into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Pop it in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The exact time will depend on your oven, but start checking around 20 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with just a few crumbs (not wet batter), it’s done! You want these to be slightly underbaked for that rich, fudgy texture.

Step 6: Cool and Cut

Let the brownies cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once they’re cooled, cut them into small bite-sized squares. You’ll get around 24 pieces, but feel free to make them as big or small as you’d like.

Optional: Add Extra Toppings

For extra flair, sprinkle a little sea salt on top of each brownie bite. The contrast of salty and sweet is always a hit! You could also drizzle a bit of melted chocolate on top if you want to take these to the next level.