Brownies — universally beloved, endlessly adaptable — can be cleanly divided into two categories: fudgey and cakey. The variety made with melted chocolate yields a dense, fudge-y bar that begs for a glass of milk. The other, the kind made with cocoa powder, comes out moist and cakey with a crackly top. We love both versions equally and could not possibly pick a side, but when we find ourselves in the middle of a chocolate emergency (you’ve had one of those before, right?), we always go the cocoa powder route. These five-ingredient brownies will scratch your chocolate itch in a hurry.
Cocoa powder-based brownie recipes are notoriously simple, requiring only a handful of ingredients and about five minutes of active work before the pan goes in the oven. Our favorite iteration requires no fancy equipment, no waiting for butter to soften, and nothing more than a few pantry and fridge staples:
That’s it. Seriously. All-purpose flour, white granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, a pair of eggs, and a bit of unsalted butter — a collection you very well may have at the ready at this very moment, just begging to become a pan of brownies. Scroll down to read Blue Apron’s Five-Ingredient, Super-Easy Brownie recipe in full and never panic during a chocolate emergency again.
Five-Ingredient Brownies
Brownie Ingredients
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup salted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
2 large eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Method
- Prepare the pan:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-9-inch baking pan across the bottom and up the sides. - Make the batter:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder. In separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter and eggs. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture, stirring until just combined. - Bake the brownies:
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top into an even layer. If you’re into it, you can scatter the top of the brownies with flaky sea salt before sticking them in the oven. The salt adds a bit of crunch to each bit, as well as highlights the full flavor of the chocolate. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
If you’re hungry for even more dessert, try these five-ingredient blondies.
