Brownies | Traditional Chocolate Dessert From United States of America | TasteAtlas

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Chocolate Dessert

Brownies

(Chocolate Brownie)

Deliciously chewy, dense and fudgy with a rich chocolate flavor, the beloved brownies are one of the most popular American desserts. Some claim that Bertha Palmer, wife of the owner of Palmer House Hotel, asked the chef to invent a new chocolate dessert to serve at the 1893 Colombian Exposition.

Others say that it was an accident, when Brownie Schrumpf, a librarian, excluded baking powder from a chocolate cake and was left with a thick, black cake bar. Regardless of the origins, what really popularized the brownies were instant, boxed mixes from the 1950s made by two brands - Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker.

Of course, the best brownies are not the ones from a box. Some prefer them underbaked, moist, and fudgy on the interior, while some like them well-baked until they develop a spongy texture. The chocolate used for brownies must be of high quality, dark and bittersweet.

Nowadays, there is a number of brownie varieties with added walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, or even chili powder. Portable, easy to prepare and satisfying, brownies are said to taste the best when paired with a glass of cold milk.

United States of America

Pairing tips

Coffee

Caffè Americano

Italian caffè Americano is prepared by adding hot water to an already extracted espresso shot. The ratio of coffee and water can vary, but the process should partially ... Read more

Recipe variations

4.7
Fudgy Brownies
READY IN 3h 5min
This is the traditional fudgy brownies recipe; all that it takes to prepare them is chocolate, butter, eggs, cocoa powder, salt, and flour. Once the batter is prepared, you can mix in additional ingredients such as pecans, walnuts, and chocolate chips if desired.
4.7
Cakey Brownies
READY IN 2h 55min
This is the traditional fudgy brownies recipe; all that it takes to prepare them is chocolate, butter, eggs, cocoa powder, salt, and flour. Once the batter is prepared, you can mix in additional ingredients such as pecans, walnuts, and chocolate chips if desired. Unlike fudgy brownies, cakey ones have more flour and less butter and chocolate.
4.7
Molasses Brownies
READY IN 45min
The first known printed recipe that uses the word brownie comes from Fannie Merritt Farmer's 1896 The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book. The adapted recipe is for a simple molasses cake, and with its simple ingredients and preparation process, perfect for when you're craving something sweet.
4.7
Boston Cooking School Brownies
READY IN 3h 20min
Another adapted recipe from Fannie Merritt Farmer’s The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, but this time the 1911 edition, is for chocolate brownies filled with roughly chopped walnuts. As with any brownie, the recipe is quite simple to follow but results in a cake so delicious it will satisfy even the most discerning eaters.
4.7
The Palmer House Brownies
READY IN 5h 50min
Invented in the kitchen of the Palmer House Hotel in the late 19th century, the Palmer House brownie has been first served at the Columbian Exposition World Fair. The recipe is adapted from the hotel’s official website and has been served at the hotel to this day.
4.5
Marbled Brownies
READY IN 3h
The marbled brownies recipe makes brownies consisting of two differently flavored layers. The dark batter on the bottom and top is flavored with chocolate and chopped walnuts, but it’s cream cheese that adds flavor to the white batter placed in the middle.
4.7
Candyland Brownies
READY IN 4h
Another recipe adapted from the Palmer House Hilton Hotel’s website is for special celebratory Christmas brownies. The brownies are made with equal parts of flour and butter, and once baked, coated with fudge and crushed peppermint.
4.6
Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies
READY IN 2h 50min
This no-fuss brownie recipe, courtesy of the famous actress Katharine Hepburn, is as straightforward and classic as the actress herself. Given there is very little flour in the batter, the brownies are incredibly fudgy.

Brownies Authentic recipe

PREP 20min

COOK 45min

RESTING 2h

READY IN 3h 5min

This is the traditional fudgy brownies recipe; all that it takes to prepare them is chocolate, butter, eggs, cocoa powder, salt, and flour. Once the batter is prepared, you can mix in additional ingredients such as pecans, walnuts, and chocolate chips if desired.

VIEW RECIPE

WHERE TO EAT The best Brownies in the world (according to food experts)

David Lebovitz and 9 other food critics.

"I should also let you know that I have a crush—not just on the crushed-Altoids in brownies, but on the owners of Baked, in Brooklyn."

Stephanie Parker and 9 other food critics.

"Good choice - it was fantastic!"

BELLA LA Magazine and 9 other food critics.

"The desserts, including the fudge brownie, are nothing short of deliciousness."

Julia Bainbridge and 6 other food critics.

"An ode to my favorite baked good of all time, the fudgy brownie, this cookie has a healthy salt content and, to me, is perfection."

Travel + Leisure and 5 other food critics.

"Baked & Wired isn’t just one of the best bakeries in DC—it’s often considered one of the very best in the country, remaining the place to go in DC for fudgy brownies."

Amy Scattergood and 4 other food critics.

"Sometimes topped with sliced almonds, sometimes with other nuts, sometimes plain, these are über brownies, your Mom's afterschool snacks reworked as a chocoholic's Platonic ideal."

Jeremy Jacobowitz and 4 other food critics.

"If you are looking for a sweet treat in San Antonio, make sure to stop by Bird Bakery run by TV star Elizabeth Chambers! Make sure to try their Fudge Walnut Brownies."

Tabelog and 5 other food critics.

"These brownies are bite-sized treats that are moist, decadent, soft and chewy. They also come with a rich topping of chocolate chips that adds extra crunchiness to the brownies."

Tabelog and 4 other food critics.

"A creamy, rich, and moist chocolate brownie. Not only that, it comes in mint flavor and can be enjoyed over a cup of coffee, green tea, chai, shakes, or even a bottle of beer."