Small Batch Brownies
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These are the best small batch brownies ever! They’re gooey, fudgy, and have a gorgeous crinkle top. They’re made in one bowl, with no mixer, using just 8 ingredients and no melted chocolate. This recipe makes 8 perfect brownies!
Small batch recipes are so great, whether you’re running low on ingredients (we’ve all opened the fridge midway through a recipe to find just one lonely egg in there) or you just don’t want to have a ton of leftovers, this recipe makes just the right amount of brownies.
Usually when I’m craving sweets but don’t feel like making a full batch of something, I love to whip up these small batch chocolate chip cookies.
But if I’m in the mood for something super chocolatey, my go-to recipes are edible brownie batter or these small batch brownies!
Why You’ll Love These Brownies
- While I did test the brownies with melted chocolate, I ultimately preferred the version with just cocoa powder – this is part of what keep the recipe as simple as possible.
- These brownies are freezer friendly, so if you are looking for an even smaller portion, you can easily freeze any leftovers.
- On the flip side, you can easily double this recipe, as many readers do!
Featured Reader Review
“This is literally my favorite brownie recipe! It always hits the spot and fulfills my craving for brownies. Perfect fudginess and I like to add chocolate chunks on top for extra crunch. I sometimes double this recipe and put it in an 8×8 pan. It’s perfect!”
Jess
Ingredients Needed
- Cocoa Powder: For best results, use unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder. If you only have natural cocoa powder, that will work fine.
- Flour: This recipe calls for all-purpose flour. I haven’t tested the recipe gluten free so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out. Readers have reported great results when using gluten free 1-1 baking flour, so that’s what I would recommend trying if you’d like to make these gluten free.
- Butter: regular butter or dairy free/vegan butter will work in this recipe. It has been tested both ways!
- Chocolate Chips: chocolate chips are optional. I like to use semisweet (regular or vegan), but you can also use milk or dark chocolate chips. You can also chop up a chocolate bar and use chocolate chunks instead.
How To Make These Brownies
Whisk sugar and butter together.
Add in egg and vanilla.
Whisk in the dry ingredients and then…
Time to bake!
Expert Tips
- Properly measure your flour and cocoa powder – If you over-measure your flour or cocoa powder, the brownies won’t be as fudgy, and will be drier and more cakey. I recommend weighing both ingredients with a kitchen scale.
- Don’t over-mix the batter: over-mixing can change the texture of your brownies and even cause them to sink. You should whisk in the dry ingredients only until the last specks of dry ingredients have disappeared.
- Don’t over-bake the brownies! It can be tricky to know when to take brownies out of the oven. The first thing to look for is whether the brownie batter jiggles if you shake the pan. If it does, they need more time, and if it doesn’t, you can do the toothpick test. If a toothpick inserted in the middle of the brownies comes out covered in batter, they need more time. The toothpick should not be completely clean but should have just a few wet crumbs on it.
- Let the brownies cool completely before slicing: The brownies will continue to set as they cool, so resist the urge to cut into them right away to avoid a gooey mess. They will be much easier to slice once they’ve cooled as well.
More Small Batch Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Small Batch Brownies
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons (79 g) butter, melted, (regular or dairy free)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (75 g) light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons (40 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 Tablespoons (32 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips, (regular or dairy free)
Instructions
- Prepare an 8×4 or 9×5 loaf baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some over the sides to make it easy to remove the brownies from the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in the microwave until melted (or melt butter over the stove). Add in both sugars and whisk until the mixture pulls away easily from the sides of the bowl as you mix, with a paste-like consistency.
- Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, and salt, then whisk until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the parchment-lined pan, spreading it around in an even layer and bake for 26-36 minutes. The top should be crackly and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with just a few wet crumbs on it, but not covered in batter or completely clean. The batter should also not be jiggly in the pan.Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before slicing.
Equipment
Video
Notes
The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Absolutely delicious!!! I weighed all my ingredients as I always do for accuracy, but I found the mixture very dry. I used only 1 tsp of vanilla though (instead of 1 tbsp because most Aussie recipes only use 1 tsp, and an Australian tablespoon is 20ml.
I was a little worried about it being dry so I added a little drizzle of vegetable oil. But when it first came out of the oven it was a little oily. (Next time I will just trust the process!)
However next day OMG they are some of the most delicious brownies I’ve ever made! And I’ve made a lot of brownies over the years. Will certainly be baking some more of your recipes in the near future that’s for sure!
Thank you for your review!
AMAZING! No notes. Go make them immediately!
Hey! Just wanted to share a note for people using regular cocoa powder, the batter will look dough-y while adding the dry ingredients if you don’t pour hot butter over the cocoa powder first.
I didn’t know that this was something I could do or that dutch process works best for this recipe…so I panicked and added water thinking it would fix that 😅
Of course, it still comes out moist and fudgy, but in my case the texture was also mushy. In case anyone is like me and didn’t know the difference, I wanted to share 🙂
Hi Valerie, thanks for sharing!
Absolutely incredible! No alterations need!
loved them
You will never need another brownie recipe. These are that good! Crinkly top, chewy center – perfection. Can’t wait to make them again!
This is so sweet! Thank you!
Loved that I had everything on hand and made the perfect amount for us two for a couple of nights! Excellent brownies and so easy
Hi Oakley, so glad you enjoyed! Thanks for sharing your comment!
So good. Perfectly gooey.
Per my husband: better than a box.
Which is high praise, because over years and countless recipes that has never been achieved.
So happy to hear your husband approved! Thank you Ashley!
TOTAL yum!
Wonderful for one person 👏
These are insanely delicious. I am looking for small batch recipes and usually use another recipe. I didn’t have light brown sugar so made with dark and they are the bomb. Will use again when I get light brown sugar to see if there is a difference. Keeper.
So happy to hear this! Thank you for your review!
This is literally my favorite brownie recipe! It always hits the spot and fulfills my craving for brownies. Perfect fudginess and I like to add chocolate chunks on top for extra crunch. I sometimes double this recipe and put it in an 8×8 pan. It’s perfect!
This is so sweet, thank you for your review!
These brownies are amazing, brownies I made before turned out too cakey but these are so fudgy and have the cracked top. Taste so good, thank you.
If I double the recipe, what size pan should I use?
An 8×8 baking pan should work – I would just follow my regular sized brownie batch recipe if you’re doubling it!
made this at 3am and it was lovely !! AND I FINALLY ACHIEVED CRINKLED TOPS!!!! the portion is just nice too, id say its for when single serve brownies isnt enough but you dont want a whole pan of it laying around.
Yay! Thank you for your review!
What a wonderful recipe! The minimal ingredients come together quickly, and the resulting brownies are delightfully fudgy with a lovely brownie skin on top. It’s the perfect amount for my wife and I, and I’ve been making them once or twice a month. Thank you for sharing.
These are the best scratch-brownies I’ve ever made. I’m usually dependent on the Dolly Parton box mix, but these are almost as good and easy when I can’t find it in stores lol! I followed the recipe exactly, and can’t wait to try more of your brownie variations!
Honored you compared this to Dolly’s 🩵 Thank you for your review!
I made these today and they were a hit! It’s the perfect consistency and just the right amount of sweetness. This will be a staple from now on!
Thank you for your review!
I made these yesterday and they were the best brownies I have ever made! Thank you!
Happy to hear this! Thank you Kelly!
I am so happy I came across your page! These have been my go to sweet treat after a busy week! Thank you!
Glad you found me! Thank you for reviewing 🥰
Absolutely perfect! I have butchered several brownie recipes (not sure how) but got this one just right! Tasty and just enough to keep me from over indulging (if that’s even a such thing). Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your review!