Best Brownie Recipes

A couple of good recipes for brownies are a staple in any cook’s collection.

I like chewy chocolate fudge brownies, but some people prefer the softer cake brownies. No problem; a recipe for both is included on this page. The third recipe is for low-fat brownies – and will appeal to those on special diets.

Trivia: We believe brownies were invented by accident when a cook forgot to include baking powder in a chocolate cake recipe. Talk about a lucky mistake! The first published brownie recipe appeared in the Sears Roebuck Catalogue in 1897.

As in all chocolate recipes, the outcome relies heavily on the quality of ingredients you use. Low-grade chocolate will result in a disappointing brownie.

First Recipe:

Easy Fudge Brownies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 tsp salt

Melt the butter, then remove from heat. Stir in the cocoa. Stir in the brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla. Next, blend in flour, walnuts and salt. Spread in an 8-inch greased pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F. Recipe brownies will bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool and frost.

Suggested Frosting:

• 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate on top of a double boiler. Add sugar, beaten egg, butter and vanilla. Remove from heat immediately. Cool slightly before spreading on recipe brownies.

Okay, cake brownie fans! This next recipe is for you.

Recipe #2:

Chocolate Cake Brownies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

Frosting for Recipe Brownies

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 1 pkg confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9″ by 13″ pan.

Mix butter, oil, water and cocoa in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Add this mixture to flour and sugar. Beat until smooth.

Add eggs, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for twenty minutes.

While the brownie is baking, prepare the frosting. Place all frosting ingredients in a saucepan. Heat but do not boil.

Frost recipe brownies immediately after removing them from the oven. Cool, then cut into squares.

The next brownie recipe is low fat and suitable for special diets.

Recipe #3: 

Low-Fat Brownies

• 2 oz baking chocolate
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 egg whites — lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup maple syrup.
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup cake flour — sifted
• baking pan with parchment paper, or grease it lightly.

Melt the baking chocolate with the vanilla on top of a double boiler. Do not allow water to boil, and do not allow a top of 3/4 cup cocoa powder.

6 oz extra bittersweet chocolate pieces (opt)

Confectioner’s sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-9-inch double boiler to come in contact with the water. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, salt, eggs and egg whites until smooth.

Mix in the syrup, apple sauce and vegetable oil.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder together, and carefully fold them into the mixture until smooth. Add the bittersweet chocolate if you are using it, and combine gently. Do not overmix.

Pour into prepared pan and bake until done about 45 minutes. Cool on a rack, then dust the recipe brownies with icing sugar.

Nutritional info per serving: 379 cal; 12g fat(28%), 68g carb, 7g pro Exchanges: 3 1/2 fruit, 1 bread, 2 fat