Homemade Chewy Brownies

Homemade chewy brownies are one of America’s most favorite desserts. Brownies are easy to make from scratch, easily portable, and delicious!

There are as many brownies as there are people baking them. There are many standard recipes for brownies, but brownie aficionados everywhere adapt the recipes to create their favorite version.

Many brownie lovers prefer a crispy edge with a fudgy soft center. Traditional sheet pans could only produce crispy edged brownies along the sides of the pan. Today, there are specialized pans that can be used to make all the brownies with a crispy edge.

The National Brownie Committee of America reports that Americans consume approximately 1,457,966,002 brownies a year.

Brownies were first made as blondie brownies containing no chocolate. They had a brownish color because molasses was used instead of white sugar. Later, when chocolate was added, the name brownie was genuinely appropriate.

Brownies are cakelike cookies that are eaten without a fork, so they are classified as bar cookies.

The Columbian Exposition of 1893 is credited with selling the first brownies baked at a Chicago hotel named the Palmer House.

The first brownie recipe, which was a version of a blonde brownie, was published in the Fannie Farmer “Boston Cooking School Cook Book” in 1896.

In 1897 the Sears-Roebuck Catalogue published the recipe. Several newspapers in the 1890’s also published the newly discovered dessert for homemakers to bake in their kitchens.

Chocolate was added later and the fudgy, chocolate brownie we know today was first published in 1904 in various cookbooks.

National Brownie Day is celebrated on December 8. January 22 is National Blonde Brownie Day. There are other dates throughout the year honoring National Butterscotch Brownie Day on May 9, and February 10 for National Cream Cheese Brownie Day.

In 2011, New York chefs baked a 3000-pound brownie to raise money to donate to the victims of the World Trade Center attacks.

One of the most massive brownies ever made was in 2014 at the McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and weighed over 4,000 pounds. The chocolate brownie contained 360 pounds of cocoa powder and 420 pounds of dark chocolate. When baked, it measured 15 feet by 30 feet. A portion of the brownie was donated to an organization helping the homeless.

Whether one prefers blonde or chocolate; soft or crispy; frosted or unfrosted, one can be sure that the delicacy will always be a favorite.

My Favorite Brownie Recipe

1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.

In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overbake.

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