Hello! I missed you. How is your day, friend?
I want to talk to you about a very serious subject today. That is: brownies.
I believe every household should have a favorite brownie recipe on hand, when the craving strikes. I feel deep sorrow for those who are without. I aim to help at least some of those today.
Before I begin: there are “cakey brownie” lovers and “fudgy brownie” lovers. I fall firmly in the fudgy brownie camp. If you love cakey brownies, alas, I cannot help you find your best brownie recipe. (Perhaps you can talk amongst yourselves in the comments and share links?) To all my fellow fudgy brownie lovers, let’s get to the good stuff.
My dear friend Kate Newsome, who used to live here in Winona with me, gave me a parting gift of her ridiculously delicious brownie recipe. Every time I eat these brownies, I think of this beautiful domestic goddess that is my friend. She combined several recipes and tested different combinations and basically has this recipe down to a science. PLUS, she has this handy/dangerous method of pre-mixing the dry ingredients so it’s basically like a DIY brownie mix.
Which means that at any moment, I am literally five minutes and a few eggs away from smelling brownies baking in your oven. I KNOW RIGHT?!? That’s the kind of reality I live in. And you can, too.
I like them best served warm with a glass of milk, but smashed brownies over a bowl of vanilla or chocolate ice cream deserves honorable mention. (Also: I’m not too proud to eat them plain, at room temperature and straight out of the pan until I’ve scraped up every last crumb. LIVING IN PARADISE, PEOPLE.)
Without further ado, and with Kate’s permission (bless her soul), I present to you: The Recipe.
May these brownies remind you how good it is to be alive and to have taste buds.
The Best Brownies In The World
- 3/4c veg oil
- 1.5tsp vanilla or almond extract (or both, depending on your pantry and personal preference)
- 3 eggs
Dry ingredients
Split the dry ingredients into two jars as directed below if you are preparing a DIY Brownie Kit ahead of time. Makes a great gift! For someone else, or for your future self. ♥
- 1.5c sugar (jar 1)
- 3/4c ap flour (jar 2)
- 1/3c + 3 tbsp cocoa, heaping (jar 2)
- 1/4tsp + 1/8 tsp baking powder (jar 2)
- 1/4tsp salt (jar 2)
Prep your 9×9 pan, or other favorite brownie pan, with butter and flour or cooking spray.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine oil, extracts, and sugar (Jar 1). Add eggs and mix until well incorporated.
Slowly combine Jar 2 ingredients to egg mixture.
Pour batter into a prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes.
Variations: You may throw in some cinnamon, orange extract, peppermint bits, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or slivered almonds to the mix.
Don’t hate me when you want to eat a whole pan twice a week. Kate warned me, and I’m warning you!
// Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash, with modifications by yours truly
