Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 inch baking dish (or 8x8 inch for thicker brownies) with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later. While the oven heats, measure out all your dry ingredients—cocoa, flour, salt, and espresso powder—into a small bowl and whisk them together to distribute the espresso powder evenly throughout. Dissolve the coffee granules in 1 teaspoon of hot water in a separate small cup and let it cool slightly; this concentrated coffee will intensify the chocolate flavor without making the batter too wet.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes—this aerates the batter and creates a tender crumb structure. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature (around 70°F) before adding them, as they'll incorporate more smoothly and create a silkier batter. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then pour in the vanilla and cream liqueur, mixing until fully combined. I like using Kerrygold butter here because its higher fat content creates incredibly fudgy brownies, and the cream liqueur adds a subtle richness that complements the espresso.

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredients in two additions, folding gently with a spatula rather than stirring vigorously—this keeps the batter light and prevents overdeveloping the gluten, which would make the brownies tough. After the first addition is just combined, add the dissolved coffee mixture and fold it in, then add the remaining dry ingredients. Fold until just barely combined; a few streaks of cocoa are okay and actually preferable to overmixing.

Fold in the chocolate chips gently—I use Ghirardelli 60% cacao chips because they provide a richer, more sophisticated finish than milk chocolate. Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes; the brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter, but not completely clean either). The residual heat will continue cooking them slightly as they cool, ensuring they stay fudgy.

While the brownies cool slightly (about 5-10 minutes), melt the remaining chocolate chips with the cream liqueur in a microwave-safe bowl, heating in 20-30 second intervals and stirring between each, until smooth and pourable. Pour the warm glaze over the cooled (but still slightly warm) brownies and spread evenly with an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Let the brownies cool completely at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares, which allows the glaze to set and the flavors to meld beautifully.