Mollie's Brownies Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Serves a Crowd

by: Blissful Baker

April30,2021

3.7

12 Ratings

  • Serves 12-24, depending on how big you like your brownies

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

I’m a purist when it comes to brownies. I don’t believe in adding nuts, chips or frosting. To me, that’s necessary only when a brownie doesn’t have enough flavor to hold its own. I grew up with amazing brownies. They were created by my Great Cousin Mollie, over 50 years ago. I never met her; she died before I was born. Yet, she was a tangible presence in my life, appearing anytime my mother made brownies, and she has continued to appear in all the kitchens of my adulthood. I’m now 42 years old, and I realized I had never tested her brownies against some of the famous ones: King Arthur, Barefoot Contessa, Katherine Hepburn, Cooks Illustrated. Maybe my nostalgia was clouding my judgment & there was a better brownie out there. I decided to get scientific. I made a batch of each & gave my husband & I one of each kind. It was seriously no contest; Mollie’s won hands down. I thought, ‘How is this possible? The others have more chocolate, more butter, more ingredients, or more steps, yet somehow less flavor.’ I think the lesson is that sometimes the simplest recipes are the best.If you’d like Mollie to visit your kitchen, give these simple brownies a go, but don't let the simplicity of this recipe fool you. They are divine! —Blissful Baker

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 4 ouncesunsweetened baking chocolate
  • 12 tablespoonsbutter
  • 2 cupssugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoonsvanilla
  • cupsflour
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt the chocolate & butter together in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk to blend.
  3. In large bowl, blend sugar, eggs & vanilla at high speed for a couple of minutes. Add the chocolate-butter mixture & blend well & then add the flour & blend well.
  4. Pour batter into greased 9x13 pan & bake 25-35 minutes. (Note: Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a little of the moist brownie stuck to it, but not like it’s been dipped in wet batter. If the toothpick comes out completely dry, the brownies have been cooked too long.)

Tags:

  • Cookie
  • Brownie
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Dessert

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29 Reviews

kourtcooks October 26, 2022

I think this recipe could be adjusted. I like to bake brownies with Callebaut chocolate that i can easily get within a few days from OliveNation. Their milk or lower dark chocolate would be great for this and then you could reduce the sugar quantity and also have a way better chocolate taste

Matthew O. July 29, 2021

This is the perfect recipe for a heart attack! 2 cups of sugar for this amount of chocolate... Are you mad?!?

Shirley T. March 27, 2020

I found this recipe a few years ago & finally got around to making them. What a disappointment. No chocolate taste; I would never call this a brownie. After reading other reviews, I cut back on the sugar, & they were still too sweet. In fact, that is the predominant taste: sweet. What a waste of ingredients. But, to each his own.

plevee March 26, 2020

Best and easiest brownies. I added a tsp of espresso powder but otherwise mixed everything by hand. Made in a hurry but I'll make these again.

Nicole L. November 5, 2017

This recipe came through in a pinch, however... they are not the best, flavor-wise. The chocolate is more of a 'sour cream chocolate' cake resemblance. I would suggest some espresso powder to give the chocolate more of a leading role.

Max H. August 12, 2017

I added pecan and walnuts, your advice of no nuts is rubbish

Michelle May 5, 2017

If you like more cakey brownies, this recipe is for you. I halved the recipe (small pan) and it still turned out well. As other commenters have pointed out, it's not very chocolate-y and it comes out much lighter in colour than typical brownies. Also, if you're not fond of super sweet brownies, I would advise cutting the sugar in half. I did 3/4 the recommended amount and still found it a tad sweet. Overall, a decent brownie, pretty moist and just dense enough.

Leslie E. July 15, 2016

These were awful. They were not chewy and chocolaty at all, but more like a cake. We even added an extra cup of chips to the batter to make them super rich. The batter was barely light brown and not dark and rich as brownies should be. I think the measurements are off. Will not make them again.

Clarissa A. March 23, 2016

Has anyone tried with cocoa powder yet? How was it?

shiza September 29, 2015

if we dont have chocolate bar can we use COCO powder with butter and then melt it in the saucepan..

Jessica36 January 27, 2015

I made these a few days ago and they were fantastic! I reduced the sugar by one cup and still found them to be PLENTY sweet. They were a big hit with adults and kids, plus they are super easy to make, so this is my new go-to brownie recipe. Thanks for sharing!

Eva November 9, 2014

Super tasty! Nice and moist, although the edges got a little dry. I think I'll try baking them at a slightly lower temp (325ºF) next time to see if that helps keep the edges moister. The edges were delicious anyway, so maybe I won't bother (extending the baking time is the last thing I want when I'm craving brownies!!).

Shirley T. November 7, 2014

Do you use salted or unsalted butter?

Erin November 3, 2014

I made these a few days ago and the brownies didn't have enough of a chocolate taste for me! I'm going to try these with 2 oz. more chocolate and see if they work. Hopefully it won't mess up the balance of sugar, as I don't want to add any more sugar to them.

eva H. August 5, 2014

I added 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder because I was using accidentally purchased compound chocolate that wasn't very chocolatey (I needed a way to get rid of it!). This recipe transformed it into something deliciously edible, thank you! I also had to use 1 cup of brown sugar because I unexpectedly ran out of white. Despite all my short comings it turned out fudgey and beautiful, super recipe.

kati March 21, 2014

Is it self-raising flour or plain flour?

Blissful B. March 21, 2014

Plain.

kati August 5, 2014

Thank you!

ahelfeld January 25, 2014

Delicious recipe. Baked 30 minutes and let cool completely.

shafeeah August 25, 2013

Hi I made these brownies but unfortunately they turned out more like a pudding, any suggestions as to why it happened?

Blissful B. August 25, 2013

My guess is that you needed to cook them a little longer. You want to hit the sweet spot between dry and wet. Their ideal texture is moist and fudgy. Ovens fluctuate a lot in temperature, and I'm guessing your oven maybe runs a little cold.

shafeeah August 26, 2013

They were in the oven for about an hour because when I put a toothpick in the middle, it was wet batter

Blissful B. August 26, 2013

I'm sorry shafeeah, I have no idea how that happened. Maybe your measurements were off? This is a tried and true recipe, and if anything, it's usually easier to overcook it where it becomes too dry, rather than undercook it. I know it's frustrating when you don't know why something went wrong. I hope the "pudding" at least tasted good!

ailuros August 8, 2013

12 tbsp butter is about 170 grams, or 1.5 sticks/0.75 cup.

Blissful B. May 18, 2013

Chrisdis, you can use either. I've always used salted butter in my baking (which I know isn't the norm.)

Mollie's Brownies Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What are Katharine Hepburn brownies? ›

The brownies are made with unsweetened chocolate, which is also known as baking, plain or bitter chocolate. It is chocolate in its rawest form and this means that unsweetened chocolate is just ground cocoa nibs that have been refined and contain between 50-55% cocoa butter (cacao fat).

What can I add to brownies to make them better? ›

Stir in semisweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, and shards off the block for a chocolate brownie that's even more chocolaty. If you have leftover holiday treats, crumble in candy bars, peppermints, chopped candied ginger, or crushed cookies.

What does butter do when baking brownies? ›

the butter brownies actually had a fudgier texture. they were softer, and they really just melted in your mouth. they also had that shiny crust and just better flavor, whereas the oil brownies were actually chewier. they were crunchier at the top and at the edges.

Why do you put coffee in brownies? ›

The trick: Replace the water with coffee. You don't need much, generally ¼ to ⅓ cup. We already know that adding espresso and coffee flavor to chocolate desserts supercharges chocolate flavor, and the same principle applies here. Using coffee in your brownie mix will result in better, more chocolaty brownies.

What is a Little Debbie brownie? ›

Chewy 4 oz. chocolatey brownie topped with a chocolatey frosting and color candy coated chocolate pieces. The Little Debbie® Vending Cosmic Brownie is a chewy 4 oz brownie topped with chocolatey icing then sprinkled with colorful candy-coated pieces to make it simply out of this world!

Why are they called blonde brownies? ›

They're called blondies because they lack the brown cocoa powder of brownies. They're blonde with vanilla and brown sugar, not brown.

How to doctor up boxed brownies? ›

The first and easiest upgrade you can give to your boxed brownie mix is to add a tablespoon of instant coffee to the batter. Adding coffee to your brownies boosts their flavor because its bitter quality balances out sweetness, making it less overpowering. It allows that delicious chocolate flavor to really shine.

What does adding milk instead of water do to brownies? ›

One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.

What does adding an extra egg to brownie mix do? ›

If you want to get a little more creative with your brownie mix hacks, add an extra egg to the batter. The extra protein will help thicken up the batter and make it fluffier, creating a more decadent, fudgy texture. You can also add the yolk by itself in addition to the 2 eggs a box brownie mix typically calls for.

Can I use half butter and half oil in brownies? ›

It couldn't be easier to substitute butter for oil using a 1:1 ratio. This should work with olive, canola, vegetable, and coconut oils. Simply melt and cool the butter to room temperature, then continue with your recipe. (If the recipe calls for ½ cup oil, use ½ cup melted and cooled butter.)

Is it better to bake brownies with butter or parchment paper? ›

If you're reading this, you've probably baked a dozen — or 900 — batches of brownies. But before you roll up your sleeves to commence on your next round of fudgy treats, here's a genius tip: Line your pan with parchment paper.

Is it better to bake brownies with olive oil or butter? ›

Yes, you can use olive oil in brownies!

Olive oil has been gaining popularity in recent years as a substitute for butter and other vegetable oils in baked goods. Not only is it delicious but a healthy alternative cooking fat that can be used in most traditional baking recipes.

Why do people put mayo in brownies? ›

It's a swap that makes sense since mayonnaise is made of mostly oil and egg. It provides moisture, which keeps the baked goods soft and tender, just like oil does.

How much coffee to add to boxed brownies? ›

If you already have a favorite brownie recipe, try adding one to two tablespoons of instant espresso in with the wet ingredients. If you're making brownies from a boxed mix, you can substitute brewed coffee for the water, or simply add espresso powder in with the dry ingredients.

Can I use instant coffee instead of cocoa powder in brownies? ›

You can use natural cocoa powder in a pinch though! Flour: I've only tested these brownies with all purpose flour. Espresso Powder: you can either use instant espresso or regular espresso powder! You can also use instant coffee powder if that's all you have.

Why are brownie fairies called brownies? ›

They received their name from the fact that they are usually described as brown-skinned and completely covered in hair. In the earliest traditions, brownies are either the same size as humans or sometimes larger, but, in later accounts, they are described as "small, wizened, and shaggy".

What is the movie brownies about? ›

After enduring heartbreak, a woman with a passion for baking brownies must choose between seeing someone new or getting back with her scheming ex.

What is in brownies on the moon? ›

Description. The most delicious brownies are combined with premium high-quality chocolate cream and vanilla ice cream to give you an experience that is out of this world!

Why are they called brownies? ›

Their name comes from the story "The Brownies" by Juliana Horatia Ewing, written in 1870. In the story two children, Tommy and Betty, learn that children can be helpful brownies instead of being lazy boggarts.

References

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