These are the recipes for the winning brownies from the 2025 Erie Canal Bicentennial Brownie Competition at the Niagara County Fair

First Place – Cynthia McCarver, Amherst, NY
Brownies
Ingredients:
225 g. Butter
225 g. chocolate chips
85 g. chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
1 Tbs. espresso powder
1 Tbs. vanilla
250g. sugar
60 g. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
Directions:

1. Grease and flour ¼ sheet pan. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Melt butter with chocolate over very low heat.
3. In large bowl, whisk eggs, espresso powder, vanilla, and sugar. Add butter and
   chocolate slowly.
4. Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together in small bowl. Stir into chocolate mixture.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

Second Place – Sylvia Gugino, Sanborn NY
Peanut Butter Blossom Brownie
Peanut Butter Dough:
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup peanut butter – chunky
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cream together peanut butter, butter
   and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add eggs one at a time.
3. Mix together dry ingredients and add
   to batter. Mix to combine.
4. Refridgerate dough. There will be
   extra that can be frozen for a later
   baking day.

Brownie Dough:
Ingredients:
1 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 extra large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 tsp. expresso powder
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Dark Chocolate kisses
Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350F. Prepare 9×13 pan by lightly greasing and lining with parchment.
2. Melt butter in mixing bowl, bloom cocoa powder, expresso powder and sugars in warm
   butter. Mix very well to dissolve sugars.
3. Add eggs and vanilla mixing batter well.
4. Mix dry ingredients together.
5. Fold in dry ingredients just until combined.
   Assemble:
6. Spread brownie dough evenly in pan. Make ½ inch thick disks of peanut butter dough.
   And dip tops in granulated sugar, spacing them evenly over the chocolate brownie
   batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until set. Don’t overbake.
7. Immediately after removing from oven, push kisses into soft brownie.

Third Place – Olivia Bidak, Lockport, NY
Caramel Cashew Brownie
Caramel:
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened, cut into
tablespoons
½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
½ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan heat the
   sugar on medium heat for 5 minutes
   and occasionally stir the sugar to
   make sure there is no scorching.
2. Sugar will become smooth and light
   brown. Once you reach this stage
   remove from heat and add butter.
   Mixture will bubble.
3. Continue stirring until completely
   combined.
4. Pour in the heavy cream and salt and
   use a spatula to combine. Remove
   from heat to cool.

For the Brownies:
Ingredients:
¾ cup unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 cup plus ¼ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla bean paste
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup plus 2 Tbs. all purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate
1 tsp. expresso powder
1 cup roughly chopped toasted cashews
Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350F.
2. Place cashews on a cookie sheet and roast for 5-8 minutes or until golden in color.
3. Allow the nuts to cool then chop roughly. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Add chopped nuts. Set aside.
5. In a sauce pan melt butter and ¼ cup of sugar on medium heat until melted.
6. Turn heat off and stir in chopped chocolate and espresso powder until combined.
7. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs and remaining white sugar, brown sugar, oil and
   salt.
8. Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Wisk until smooth.
9. Add the vanilla and whisk in cocoa powder until there are no lumps.
10. Fold the nuts into the batter just until combined.
11. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Drizzle cooled caramel over the top. Add
    remaining batter to the pan.
12. Sprinkle whole cashews on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out
    clean.
13. Place on a wire rack to cool. Remove from pan. Slice and enjoy.