I made some awesome Black Bean Chili the other day and what goes great with chili? Chocolate! In the spirit of not wanting to “accidentally” eat an entire pan of brownies, I decided to make two little single-serving fudge brownie pots instead. Sure, I could have made a Chocolate Mug Cake and killed the craving in about 60 seconds, but I wanted an extra rich, oven-baked brownie this time. You know, the kind that has your whole house smelling like chocolate heaven?
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These fudge brownie pots are kind of smack dab in the middle of being fudgy and cakey. It’s a little more cakey on the outer edges and a little more gooey and fudge-like in the center. The cakey part is not dry, but compresses into a nice rich fudge texture. Okay, wow, I’m going to need to stop talking about this before things get too serious over here…
Oh, and be prepared. This dessert has a lot of butter and a lot of sugar, as all good brownies do. It’s the nature of the beast, my friends.
Fudge Brownie Pots (for two)
Servings 2Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp butter ($0.40)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar ($0.08)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla ($0.07)
- 1 large egg ($0.19)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour ($0.05)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ($0.21)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder ($0.02)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.02)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Cut the butter into chunks and place it in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir until the butter is fully melted. Add the sugar and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir again, then repeat the 15 second intervals until the sugar and butter no longer separate from each other after being stirred (about 30-45 seconds total).
- Add the vanilla extract and egg to the melted butter and sugar, then stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Pour the bowl of dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir just until a smooth, chocolatey batter has formed. Pour the batter into two 8oz. ramekins.
- Bake the brownies in the preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the center of each brownie has risen up into a dome and the surface looks glossy and cracked. Let the brownies cool slightly before eating.
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Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Fudge Brownie Pots – Step by Step Photos
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Melt 4 Tbsp of butter in a microwave safe bowl. I usually microwave on high, then stir until the butter finishes melting. This and the next step can be done on the stove over low heat, if desired.
Add 1/2 cup sugar to the melted butter, microwave for 15 seconds, then stir again. Repeat the 15 second intervals until the sugar no longer separates out from the melted butter after stirring. This should only require 30-45 seconds total. (When you first add it, the sugar will look very granulated and the oil from the butter will seep out. After heating it a bit more, the sugar melts a bit and the two incorporate into a mostly smooth mixture. It may still looks every so slightly granular.)
Add 1/4 tsp vanilla extract and one large egg.
Stir those in until the mixture is smooth.
To a separate bowl, add 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/8 tsp salt. Stir until they are very well combined and no clumps remain.
Pour the bowl of dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir until everything is combined and a smooth, chocolatey batter has formed.
Pour the batter into two 8oz. ramekins.
Bake the brownies for 25-30 minutes, or until the centers have risen up into a dome and the surface looks glossy and cracked. Mine could have gone for a minute or two longer because the center deflated a bit upon cooling, but I was okay with that because it just meant that the center was extra fudgey. Yessssss.
Let the fudge brownie pots cool for a minute so you don’t burn your tongue off, then DIG IN.
A little fudgey, a little cakey, a LOT of delicious.
If I may offer a suggestion in changing the order. I have made homemade brownies from scratch for years and years.
ALWAYS bloom your cocoa in the warm butter and let cool before you add the sugar and egg. So few recipes tell you this but it can be a game changer.
Several people mentioned it was dry…either back off the cocoa a smudge or add a tad of heavy cream or whole milk..or even and extra TBSP of butter.
This is such an easy recipe and very adaptable. I’ve made it several times and it has always been delicious. My husband and I do NOT need a full pan of brownies in the house.
I tend to bake it in a small 7 x 5.5 inch pan that I have. It gives 4 nice size brownies and I start checking it at 20 min as it cooks faster than the ramekins.
Great, quick dessert
Seriously delicious and so easy to make! I added a few chocolate chips (probably unnecessary as it’s rich enough as is, but hey, I was really craving chocolate!) but other than that followed the recipe exactly as is. My mini ramekins were 7 oz each and the mixture fit perfectly between those two mini ramekins. Will 100% be making this again in the future.
These are very good! I have to use gluten free flour and I want you to know there’s very few glutened desserts that I change to gluten free that taste really good and this is one. Thank you!😊😊
The recipe calls for two 8oz ramekins but mine are 6oz instead meaning I have to divide the batter further. How many do you suggest I use-3 or 4?
I recommend you use 3. Just remember a smaller amount of batter will cook faster, so adjust the time accordingly. As we have not tested it in smaller ramekins, all I can suggest is for you to keep an eye on it.
Too much cocoa; was very bitter tasting.
Thank you for the recipe. They were good . I ate it with Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream which I have never had, but that’s what the store had. I used King Arthur gluten free Measure for Measure flour.
How much chopped walnuts could be added to this?
did anyone else’s egg start cooking when added to the warm butter + sugar mixture 😅
Rebecca, next time, use a room temperature egg.
I’ve made this a couple of times, so this time I added peppermint extract, (and vanilla) measured by the heart. Which made it a bit more liquidy, so after adding the flour and coco powder, I added a touch more flour and 1/6 a cup of brown sugar. I didn’t include the baking power.
The fudgest version I’ve ever made. I crushed up a candy cane (I’m writing this in December) and added it on top before baking. The candy cane melted a bit, so it didn’t look nice. But it was delicious. It’s the best dessert I’ve made.
Do you think pre-making the batter and keeping it in the fridge to cook later would work?
Resting the batter (for up to 2 days) is actually a baker’s trick for a glossier, crustier top. It’s a great idea! XOXO -Monti
Exactly what I was looking for! All the other recipes I was finding required chocolate chips. Absolutely delicious, with a perfect combination of chewy and gooey. No change to the recipe necessary.
Great recipe! I was looking for something that could fit in my mini cast iron, and this fit perfectly! I added some molasses for brown sugar, oil, and chocolate chips like someone suggested, but I think next time i’d forgo the baking powder to make it fudgier, and add a bit more sugar. I think I might have over cooked it a bit, but great quick brownie!
I give five stars, even though I had to modify due to lack of ingredients, cause I can imagine how much better it would have tasted; mine tasting pretty good. I only had a quarter cup of cocoa and no vanilla so I used brown instead of granulated sugar and added a couple dashes of cinnamon for extra flavor.
How can you bake these is a convection oven? Should I just use a cookie sheet or them or water bath?
Unfortunately, I would need to test that first before offering a suggestion.
Very nice, but a little too dry and cakey for me. So I subbed half the sugar with brown sugar, made sure to temper the egg before mixing, added 1 tbsp oil and mini chocolate chips. Perfection. Not oily. Perfectly raised (no super high sides and doughy middle). Moist and fudgey. So good. The best Brownie from scratch and so easy. The mini chips melted into nothing, but that’s okay. Every bite was delicious.
I made the recipe as is. Sweet, indulgent, and very chocolate! I doubled the recipe and put them in the freezer.
Waiting for them to bake now but they seem rather dry. Too much dry ingredients to wet. But we will see what happens
This was delicious! I had just enough flour so this was the perfect recipe to satisfy my chocolate craving. I saw Josh’s comment so I added a splash of cream(I didn’t have milk or half and half.) As far as Billy’s comment…he is obviously not a female with a need for some delicious chocolate 😋. Thank you so much for this recipe ❤
Recipe is dope for a quick and easy dessert. I made it exactly like the recipe instructed. About to make against.
Way too big for 2 people.. more like 6 people
Love these brownie pots! I followed the recipe exactly and they were delicious!
Thought these would be dry but came out perfect! To be fair though I did add 4tbps of chocolate chips to the butter and reduced the 1/3 cup cocoa to 1/4. They took about 30 mins in the toaster oven (wanted that chew) came out amazing. Gonna save this for later
Great recipe, but brownies were a little dry. Added 1/2 tablespoon of milk or half and half works like magic.
Was so delicious! I doubled the batter and put it in a small dish which worked out really well! I wanted to know what the measurements would be to make a normal sized brownie (hope that makes sense!)? Thanks so much for this recipe! 10/10 ⭐️
This brownie is BOMB. And I’m particular about my brownies. After making it about 7 times, I decided to make a couple alterations to really add flavor: I used Natural and Dutched Blend Cocoa Powder, and for the sugar, I used half brown sugar and half granulated. Also, if you don’t have ramekins, you can put it in 4 muffin tins (cook for 20 mins.) Thank you for this recipe! Perfect.
Score!!
Made this for my daughter and I.
A few changes-reduced the sugar to 1/3rd cup, used all purpose Eikorn flour, spread a tiny bit of butter in each pan to prevent sticking and baked for 25 mins.
The batter was super thick but it didnt affect the outcome.
I spread a little peanut butter on top before eating.
This will be my go to forever.
A little dry and too sweet. I wish I would have cooked for twenty five and then checked. I went the full thirty which was a mistake. I also thought they were too sweet. It’s 1/4th cup of sugar per dessert. I would have been fine with less.
A deliciously perfect solution to celebrating a birthday, mid-pandemic, when a full sized cake would be too much, and too tempting! Thanks!
Just made this tonight but my family of three. We plan to divide it in four and one lucky person with have the last piece tomorrow. Baked perfectly in the ramekins and it was fudgey and awesome!
The flavor on these was great, but they came out a bit dry. Having no ramekins, I cooked them in small metal mini-cake pans of roughly 8 oz. Could that be the reason? If not, what went wrong and how can I fix it? I followed the recipe exactly, and cooked for 30 minutes, as my oven tends to run a bit cold.
I. Love this recipe it is simple and yet elegant for two people for dessert.
Excellent dessert! I think next time I will add chocolate chips to the batter🧐
Oh man yes!!
Made these brownies tonight and they were great! I actually cooked it in a 6 inch cast iron skillet for the same amount of time at the same temperature which worked perfectly!
This recipe is so dang good and it makes the perfect amount. They are a little dry, but my partner and I have fixed that by adding a couple tablespoons of milk or heavy cream. They go beautifully with whipped cream and raspberries 🤤😍
Could I use a microwave instead of an ice ?
Sorry I meant oven, not ice.
Microwaves and ovens cook quite differently, so I suspect that it will turn out very different. But it’s hard to anticipate how it will turn out without trying it.
This was a very good brownie and just the right size for dessert. It was very decadent. I like the cake-like top and soft center. I add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a little chocolate syrup. This is definitely a keeper.
Really good! My partner and I love these! Sometimes we swap the vinnila extract for peppermint sand it works really well!
THESE CAME OUT LIKE A BRICK, STUCK TO RAMKIN, I USED DUTCH COCOA COULD THAT BE PROBLEM?
SHOULD RAMKINS BEEN BUTTERED?
Made for husband for Valentine’s Day. 5 stars.
where are the nutritional facts …………………………………..
Niccceee!!! Could be more fudgier.. a little dry ….. But delicious 😋😋😋 would make it again
They turned out SO dry for me. :-( I followed the recipe exactly!
This recipe works great if you are trying to make marijuana edibles just melt some highly concentrated marijuana wax into the butter and bake as normal works awesome
Love it; super easy to make, I have all the ingredients on hand, and it’s WAAAAYY better than the chemical-laden mug brownie mixes available in the stores! Best of all, I live alone, and there’s nobody to share with (awwww..isn’t that just too bad? Hahahaha!), so I “have to” eat both brownies. After all, “waste not, want not”!
What size pan did you use
Those are 8oz. ramekins.
Ok, so, firt time making this, i forgot the egg. Husband says it tasted like chocolate milk without the milk. will make again, including the egg.
I was really excited about this recipe, but it just ended up being so cakey. I will definitely give it another shot, but modify it slightly, for a thinner batter and fudgier texture.
Delicious. My whole family is making these. I made a small change. I bury about 6-7 bittersweet chocolate chips in each pot before cooking.
This was great! When I’m craving dessert I have to have it ASAP! This recipe was quick and delicious :) The second time I tried this recipe I reduced the sugar a bit and added a touch of olive oil and water to thin the batter and it was just as good. Thank you very much for sharing and this will be my 100% go to dessert.
Best,
Alaska
Enjoyed these brownies with cream poured over the top!
I’ve tried all the personal brownie recipes, and this one is the closest to an actual brownie! I did tweak it a little to my liking though. I used Brown sugar instead of white sugar, added a little bit of powdered sugar, and stirred in some melted chocolate.
Great recipe–I really enjoy I can make brownies for two. This is my go to recipe if I just want a brownie for myself!
SEARCHERS: If you are wanting a cakey AND gooey brownie with a hint of crisp for texture then LOOK NO FURTHER!!
This is the SECOND COMMENT I’VE EVER WRITTEN for a recipe! The first was for a butter cookie recipe that is now a staple dessert in our household–now your brownie recipe is too!
I made it the regular way last night for myself and my brother, who I did not expect to get a review of any kind since I always have to ask if he likes my creations. The best I ever got out of him was from the butter cookies I added coconut to; he said “best cookies I’ve ever had” :0 and he won’t eat ANYTHING with coconut!! So I was amazed. But for the brownies, THIS TIME HE CAME TO ME….?? lol with two thumbs way up and I was amazed again.
The next day, today, I made a double batch for the family. It was loved all around again and my dad doesn’t even like chocolate! So I had to write a comment, hoping brownie searchers will read my not-so-short message to them.
Oh, and I’ve already memorized the recipe ^.^ you did an amazingly great job Beth!! So much better than the box!! I’ve bookmarked your page so I can’t wait to browse and try your other recipes(:
Love,
A Creative Baker
Thank you!! I’m glad they were so well received. :)
I made these brownies tonight and they were amazing! Crackly tops, chewy edges, and a fudgey interior. I had a major chocolate craving and this definitely fit the bill! I’ll be using this recipe often– thank you for sharing!
This recipe is amazing I just made it, I made some changes though. Since I’m a vegan baker I substituted the egg with a flaxseed egg by mixing 1tbl ground flaxseed and 2.5 tbl water together and just let it Sit for at least 5min until it thickend. Than just followed the recipe as is by replacing the butter with vegan butter(earth balance). Overall it turned out pretty awesome but I think by replacing the egg with a flaxseed egg it caused the batter to be a lot thicker and for it to bake longer. In total the baking time took 15 more minutes with it still being under baked in the center which I didn’t mind.
FYI, each brownie is 426 calories. Perfect Valentine dessert!
I bit on the dry side but the flavor is excellent. I may play with the recipe and use a little oil to make it more moist and cakey. I will also add a little chopped pecans.
This came out very dense & I had no choclate flavor what so ever. I also didn’t see the point of stiring the steps butter and sugar mixture after microwave . I don’t know what happened but my brownie looks nothing like the picture.
I don’t have any ramekins. Is it possible that I can use a pie plate, or what are your suggestions? Thank you, Beth!!
A muffin tin might work or if maybe an oven safe ceramic mug?
So delicious! I love chocolate and this hits the spot. I put ice cream, strawberries, and a little bit of chocolate syrup on top just to take it to the next level.
Oh My! Why oh why did I wait so long to make these?! FANTASTIC!!
So good! Made them for my BFF and I! I added a couple of chocolate chips in them! Yummy!!!!!
delicious
These are absolutely AWESOME!! These are seriously my go-to brownie recipe…this is what I use all the time now. I quadruple the recipe portions because there are seriously, like, 9 people in my family! They were DE-LiSH each time!!!
Do you think this would still work well with coconut flour? My wife can’t have regular flour.
Unfortunately I’ve never worked with coconut flour, so I’m not sure how that would work out.
I ran out of both granulated sugar and my replacement of light brown sugar while making this, so it turned out to be about 1/3 each of granulated white/ light brown/ and dark brown sugars. It came out perfect and amazingly delicious. If only I had a bit of ice cream on hand!
I have made these three times now. I actually went to Target to buy 8oz ramekins, but once I made them the first time, I felt very suspicious that either Target was wrong about the volume or that you used 6oz ramekins instead. My batter doesn’t fill up the ramekins nearly as high as your pictures. Not to worry, however, they are still delicious; I just decreased the baking time to 20 minutes since they are on the thinner side, and they turn out great. I made these with white whole wheat flour and turbinado sugar (hey, that makes them kind of healthy, right?) and the batter is much darker than your photos but they taste fantastic. I might try using brown sugar next time, and I may even try spiking them with orange extract for a chocolate orange brownie…oh, the possibilities! Do you have any favorite add-ins or tweaks to this recipe?
Can these babies be made with oil or margarine instead of butter? I’m all out :(
Oil will definitely give them a different texture because it’s a liquid at room temperature, rather than a solid like butter or margarine. It is also 100% fat, whereas butter has other components like water, protein, and a small amount of natural sugar. Margarine is closer in texture to butter, so you could probably get away with it, but the flavor will definitely suffer. The small amount of cream in butter really adds a lot of flavor. :)
This may seem like a weird question… but would it be possible to replace the butter with applesauce? My mother used to make really moist banana bread and she always said her secret was that she used apple sauce instead of butter.
You know, I’m really not sure. People often substitute fat in baking with applesauce, but I don’t think it really has quite the same effect.
I love brownies! I am always too tempted by an entire pan, so these “little” pots are a great idea!
http://www.livingtoat.com/
These are fantastic! I scooped a hole in the center and filled it with some coffee ice cream. Really good sundae. Not surprised that this was as good as all the recipes I’ve tried on your site. Thanks for all you do.
soooo good! i used dark hershey’s cocoa powder! when done i lopped off the top, plopped some natural pb in the middle, re-topped and then snarfed it up with homemade whipped cream. the other one i’ll eat tonight!!!! sharing, indeed.
Thank you for the inspiration. I made Italian chocolate cakes in pots instead, they were overwhelmingly rich, despite that I cut the sugar. Will try this recipe next time.
Do you think using mini pie tins would work for this if I greased them? I have a couple of them lying around that would definitely be able to fit the batter, and I don’t have any ramekins. Also thanks for all of your awesome recipes, you’ve made a broke college student a much happier (and fuller) person! :)
Probably, yes! Just keep an eye on them while they bake. Pie tins are a bit thinner than ceramic ramekins, so they may bake a bit faster.
Love seeing the variations your readers have come up with so far. I feel like this would be extra fabulous with a swirl of raspberry jam inside. I really need to buy cocoa powder this paycheck and give them a try!
Delicious! Rave reviews from all the family. Next time I will cut the baking time by 2 minutes; I’m sure this will make it extra fudgey!
If Goldilocks were to make a brownie, this would be it. Not too little, not too much, not too gooey, not too cakey and perfectly quick and easy to make. :)
Do the ramekins need to be greased at all? Sprayed? Sticking not an issue?
I didn’t spray or grease them and it really didn’t stick too bad. I don’t think I could have taken the brownies out of the pots, but that’s okay because I ate it right in the dish with a spoon. :)
Agreed – since you are probably eating them right away, you can use the spoon to get every last crumb.
I just made these for the first time. I had everything at home, which is a bonus. They turned out perfect! Rich and chocolatey and delicious! Thank you!
I made this last night and it came out fabulously even though I messed up. I accidentally melted 6 tbsp butter and then had to add more sugar and flour as well. Had to make three ramekin brownies but they were delicious even so. Thanks so much!
I made these last night. I added 1/4 of espresso and they turned out really well! I had to bake them an extra 10 minutes, though.
Beth, you are a Godsend. Totally satisfied by chocolate craving. This recipe is definitely going in the rotation! (I admit, I make one of your recipes at least 2x a week.) :)
Looks delicious!!!
http://www.gemmacarey.com/
not sure how i screwed this up. my wet portion with the butter didnt come out nearly as liquidy as yours so i added more butter. Still not sure how this didnt turn out properly. Baking might not be my forte.
Baking quantities are generally much more precise than cooking, so making corrections as you go (like adding more butter) is only a good idea if you’re a really accomplished baker.
It’s usually better to make a recipe exactly as described, and do some troubleshooting afterwards if it doesn’t work out well.
I have 3 kids who can devour a half sheet of brownies in no time. If I want to make a cake pan worth of brownies, can I double/triple recipe?
I’d say at least triple it, if not quadruple. I’m not sure about the baking time with a different sized dish, though, so you’ll have to play that part by ear.
This is basically the Hershey Fudgey Saucepan Brownie recipe from the 80s that I’ve been making forever; to make a 9×13 pan,
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3/4 c cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips (don’t skip these!!)
Bake in 9×13 pan at 350 about 30 minutes. Yes, they are totally amazing!!
Cakey on the outside and fudgy in the middle is my kind of chocolate dessert. I love to surprise my boyfriend with special desserts after a lot day, so this will be perfect.
You may have to change the title to “For One” … they look too good to share!
Jess X
chasinglifeandme.blogspot.co.uk
Hahaha true, true. ;)
Perfection — of course that little ramekin is just screaming for a scoop of ice cream on top of the brownie. Love little desserts–DH and I don’t need leftover sweets in the house!
can you please offer options for those of us who don’t have microwaves? I can figure it out (hello double boiler) but it would be nice. just saying, SOME folk who follow you don’t have microwaves. some folk like – er – me!!
Yes, there is a note in the step by step photos mentioning that you can do this on the stove top over low heat. I meant to put it in a note on the recipe card as well, but forgot. :P
This looks absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to try this recipe out :)
I LOVE brownies, and it is one of my favorite desserts!! I would serve the brownies with vanilla ice cream AND hot fudge!! Now, that is what I call a fudge brownie sundae!! :-)
You should try making black bean brownies next time! They are almost as good as regular ones. :D
Wendy —
I’ve seen a black bean brownie recipe that uses a brownie mix. Do you have one that DOESN’T use a mix?? Would love to try them!
Try this recipe for black bean brownies from Skinnytaste. They are amazing!!!
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/02/amazing-flour-less-brownies.html
I don’t have a microwave, should I use a double boiler or just the stove to melt butter and sugar?
You can do it on the stove top in a small pot over low heat. Just until the sugar and butter melt together, shouldn’t take but a couple minutes. :)
thank you!!!
Made these tonight for my daughter after a long night of after school play rehearsal. Huge hit! She’s loving it!
My son loves brownies but my husband and I don’t *need* to have a tray of them around tempting us, so I don’t make them very often. This will be perfect. Thanks!
I love your desserts for two. Can’t wait to try this one.
Perfection! Enough to satisfy my chocolate craving but not a whole pan to tempt me!
This looks incredible and would a perfect tweet for my husband and myself! Yum!
This looks so yummy! And it sounds so easy and believe it or not, I have all these ingredients in my pantry! thanks for sharing!
LOVED IT!!!! Shhh (I ate both!) YUM!
I have tried several things from your site…. and enjoyed them all! I really appreciate the easy of them and your directions. Awesome flavors. Thank you for sharing!!!! You are my go to site.
These look absolutely perfect! I’ll definitely be making these for me & my boyfriend. It’s much easier than having a whole pan of brownies hanging out on the counter calling to me!
YES! Thank you for this. My bf and I often fall victim to the full pan of brownie syndrome… I mean, we can’t waste good chocolate right?? :) I can’t wait to try these out!