There’s nothing like a fresh batch of warm, slightly gooey brownies to make a cold day seem more cheerful. The trouble is that most recipes make dozens of brownies, which is way too much! This recipe is for a small batch of brownies, made with cocoa powder. So, you don’t even have to go out and buy baking chocolate or special ingredients.
I made it in my new favorite little baking dish (it’s about 6.5 inches square, instead of 8 or 10, so it’s perfect for baking small batches).
The other great thing about this recipe is that you only need one bowl to make it. Just put everything in the bowl, mix it all up, pour it in the dish, and bake.
I don’t know where the original recipe came from, but I did cut down the sugar a bit and change the sugar it used. As written, it called for all brown sugar. It also said to use an entire cup of sugar. I thought that was a bit much for a small portion, and I also thought that all brown sugar would be too sweet. I used half granulated sugar and half brown sugar, and reduced the total to 2/3 C (1/3 C each kind of sugar).
I still think that’s a bit sweet, so I may reduce it to 1/4C of each the next time. However, since I know I tend to like less sugar than many other people, I’ll leave the larger amount here in the recipe.
A small batch brownie recipe made with cocoa powder. This is easy to make and only requires one bowl.
Ingredients
- 2 heaping tablespoons good quality cocoa powder, such as Cadbury Bourneville
- 1/3 C brown sugar
- 1/3 C granulated sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 C melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup flour, sifted
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees.
- Put all the ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix thoroughly, about one minute.
- Butter and flour the baking dish and pour the chocolate mixture into the dish.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the dish comes out clean.
- Eat!
Notes
You can also add 1/4 C chopped nuts if you like.
Tools and Ingredients for Small Batch Brownies with Cocoa Powder
First, you’ll need a small baking pan. Since this is a small-batch recipe, using a large one will likely cause the brownies to get overcooked and burn. It’s not just for brownies though. Use it for a small lasagna, for quiche, or to bake a small coffee cake.
The next important thing is the cocoa. Use a high quality brand, such as Cadbury or Droste if you can.
Cadbury Bournville Cocoa
This is what I used to make my brownies. It’s dark, rich, and delicious (makes great hot cocoa too). It is a bit pricey, but it lasts forever so long as you keep it in a cool, dark place, away from anything damp.
Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
For this, or any other recipe that calls for it, make sure to use genuine vanilla. Not “vanilla flavored,” but the real thing. The artificial stuff is made from wood! It’s a large bottle, and since you don’t use much vanilla in most recipes, it should last a long time.
More Dessert Recipes
Easy Chocolate Mousse (only five ingredients)
Pear Crepes (whole wheat tortillas do double-duty as crepes)
Cinnamon Sugar Bananas (another quick dessert, made with a splash of brandy)
Greek Yogurt Chocolate Cake (pure decadence, tempered slightly by using yogurt instead of sour cream)