This small batch brownie recipe is perfect for when a chocolate craving hits. The brownies are assembled in one bowl and baked in a loaf pan or muffin pan. This easy recipe produces six fudgy and moist brownies in about 30 minutes.
Small batch baking is great when you don’t want leftovers sitting around and you are short on ingredients. These brownies join our Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes and Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies as some of our favorite small batch recipes. Prefer an even smaller quantity? Try our Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
Flavor and texture: These brownies bake up moist, soft, fudgy, and chewy.
Small ingredient list: You only need eight ingredients, which are all pantry staples.
One bowl: No need to dirty a bunch of dishes, this batter comes together in one mixing bowl.
Two pan sizes: Choose from a 9×5 loaf pan or a muffin pan.
Recipe overview
*Full recipe is below in the recipe card.*
- Add butter, chocolate chips, and sugar to a microwave safe bowl and microwave until the butter and chocolate is melted.
- Whisk in egg, water, and vanilla.
- Whisk in cocoa powder, flour, powdered sugar, and salt.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into a greased 9×5 loaf pan or 6 standard muffin-cups. Bake!
Recipe tips
- Do not overbake. These brownies should be removed from the oven when they are dry on top and as soon as a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without thin raw batter on it (moist/fudgy/melted chocolate is ok).
- Don’t skip the chocolate chips! The chocolate chips help to make these brownies super chocolaty. Use semisweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate chips. Note that the sweetness of the brownies will vary based on how sweet your chocolate chips are.
- These brownies are best served slightly warm. Allow them to cool down before slicing and removing from the pan.
Pan sizes and bake times
9×5 Loaf pan: If using a loaf pan be sure it is 9×5. A larger loaf pan will produce brownies that are quite thin. If your loaf pan is a bit smaller you will likely need to add a few minutes to the bake time. My 9×5 pan is glass, if yours is metal you will likely need to add a few minutes to the bake time.
Standard muffin pan: This batter is enough to fill six standard sized muffin cups. Be sure to grease them well.
Bake time for the loaf pan will be longer than the muffin pan. Don’t have either of those pans? Ty our Homemade Brownies (in an 8×8) or our Brownie in a Mug.
Serving and storage
Serve brownies warm alongside a glass of milk or with ice cream.
Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
More brownie recipes
Recipe
Small Batch Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons chocolate chips*, divided
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- generous ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup all purpose flour**
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- couple pinches salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with foil or parchment paper leaving a couple inches overhang, grease the foil/parchment. OR grease the cavities of a 6-count standard sized muffin pan.
- Place the butter, 2-tablespoons chocolate chips, and sugar in a medium-sized microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20 seconds increments, stirring well in between, until the butter and chocolate are melted. Allow the mixture to cool down for a couple minutes.
- Add the egg, water, and vanilla and whisk for one whole minute. Add the cocoa, flour, powdered sugar, and salt and whisk until combined. Tap all of the excess batter off the whisk and remove it from the bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan or divide between 6 muffin cups. Bake the loaf pan for 25-30 minutes and the muffin pan for 15-20, until a toothpick inserted just outside the center comes out with moist fudgy crumbs but no thin raw batter (see note on bake time***).
- Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. We like these best served warm. They will firm up as they cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!Recipe updated January 2023 to make the brownies a bit thicker.
Breanna Fryman
I can eat two whole batches to myself oven is already preheating they sound so good can’t wait …
Lindsey
I made this recipe with maple syrup instead of vanilla (I had already mixed everything until that point before realizing we were out!) and used dark baking chocolate chips and they were DELICIOUS. I was skeptical bc they seemed thin. I only baked for about 15 minutes. Next time I’ll use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but it was amazing for what I had in the pantry!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Natalie George
Absolutely amazing!!!!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
SK
Best recipe for bonding with kiddo! My 7 yo and I make these weekly as our fun, joyful activity. Love the ease and taste of the recipe, including the checklist of ingredients! My kiddo can do almost everything herself with how well written it is. I love fudge brownies and she loves soft ones with edges, so this loaf pan satisfies us both incredibly well. The small batch ensures we don’t overindulge beyond a day or two — and then we can make more for connection and chatting about our weeks!
Allison
What a great idea! I love getting my kids into the kitchen, too. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy baking!
Sof
Heyy! I’ve never made brownies before but I’m excited to make these for valentines tomorrow X
Just wondering how much 4 tablespoons of butter would be in grams??
Allison
I believe it is about 56 grams.
Connie D
I made these this morning. We are in the middle of an ice storm and the power can go off any minute so I started baking and cooking up some things just in case. These brownies were delicious and quick to mix up!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them. Stay safe!
Kristin
My 11 year old daughter baked up a batch of these all by herself. They were VERY good and moist. She even melted all of the chocolate chips with the butter by accident and they still turned out very well. 🙂 They did take a little longer in the oven though, a full 25 min. But she might not have started the timer right on time either. 😉
Allison
Yay! I love that she is in the kitchen baking. I’m glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for stopping by!