Name: Brownie Pudding (For Two)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (43g) salted butter (melted and cooled); 1 large egg; ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar; 3 tablespoons (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder; 3 tablespoons (23g) all purpose flour; couple pinches salt; ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 3 tablespoons (36g) semisweet chocolate chips; ice cream and/or caramel sauce (optional for serving)

When you want a warm, gooey chocolate dessert without a whole pan of leftovers, this small-batch brownie pudding is the answer. Rich and fudgy with a molten center, crackly top, and chewy edges. This is the perfect treat for date night, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, or a cozy evening at home.

Brownie pudding in a white ramekin sitting on a grey towel.

What sets this recipe apart

Small batch: This recipe is inspired by Ina Garten’s popular Brownie Pudding. This version makes 2-3 servings instead of 6-8.

Brownie-pudding-molten lava cake: This a mashup of a brownie, chocolate pudding, and molten lava cake. It bakes up moist and gooey on the inside with a crunchy crust and chewy edges.

Minimal ingredients: You only need seven basic “pantry” ingredients for this recipe.

Ingredients for brownie pudding: cocoa powder, flour, sugar, chocolate chips, egg, butter, vanilla.

Visual recipe overview

Light yellow batter in a large white bowl.

Step 1

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat egg and sugar for 3 minutes until thickened and light yellow.

Step 2

Add cocoa powder and flour.

Brownie batter in a white bowl with a grey spatula.

Step 3

Add melted butter and vanilla followed by chocolate chips.

Brownie batter in two round ramekins sitting in a white square baking dish.

Step 4

Divide the batter between two ramekins and place them in a baking dish. Add hot water into the large baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Overhead photo of brownie pudding in a white round ramekin.

My recipe testing tips and notes

Don’t skip: Beating the egg and sugar for a full 3 minutes. This helps the brownie puff up and have a crackly crust.

Optional: The original recipe this is based off of does not include chocolate chips. I love the melty bits of chocolate chips running throughout but feel free to skip the chocolate chips if you’d prefer.

Ramekins: I make this recipe in two 7-oz ramekins (as photographed). You could likely stretch this into three servings using 4-oz ramekins. Bake time will be about the same.

Bake time: This brownie pudding takes a full 45 minutes to bake. This long bake time (while in a water bath) is what creates a soft, moist, molten center. Want a quicker option? Try these: Brownie in a Mug or Small Batch Brownies.

Brownie pudding on a spoon sitting on a ramekin.

Serving suggestions

This brownie pudding should be served warm, ideally shortly after baking. It’s rich and fudgy and delicious on its own, but you can take it over the top by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce.

Brownie pudding topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

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Recipe

Brownie Pudding (For Two)

5 from 4 votes

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Course: brownie, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 55

Servings: 2

Calories: 566kcal

Author: Allison Mattina

Ingredients

▢ 3 tablespoons (43g) salted butter, melted and cooled
▢ 1 large egg
▢ ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
▢ 3 tablespoons (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder
▢ 3 tablespoons (23g) all purpose flour
▢ couple pinches salt
▢ ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
▢ 3 tablespoons (36g) semisweet chocolate chips
▢ ice cream and/or caramel sauce, optional for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 7-oz ramekins and place them in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. Set aside.
Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly while you proceed with the recipe. With a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg and sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes, until thickened slightly and light yellow. Place a sieve over the mixing bowl and sift the cocoa powder, flour, and salt directly into the egg/sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. With the mixer still on low, slowly add in the melted butter and vanilla and mix again until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Divide the batter between the two ramekins and smooth the top. Pour hot tap water into the larger baking dish (that the ramekins are sitting in) the water should go almost halfway up the side of the ramekin (about and inch or two).
Carefully transfer the whole pan into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. The top should be set and puffed, with a slight jiggle in the very center. Cool slightly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce

Notes

Bake time

This brownie pudding takes a full 45 minutes to bake. This long bake time (while in a water bath) is what creates a soft, moist, molten center. Want a quicker option? Try these: Brownie in a Mug or Small Batch Brownies.

Recipe updated January 2026. I changed the ramekin size and bake time.

Adapted from Ina Garten

Nutrition

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

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Comments

5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

What sets this recipe apart