Do you ever get a strong craving for rich, fudgy brownies, but don't want to make a big batch and have a bunch of leftovers? That's how I was feeling when I created this small batch brownie recipe! It's super easy to make in a loaf pan! With just 1 egg, you'll get 8 brownies with crinkly tops, gooey centers, and crispy edges!
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Small-batch recipes are great when you only have a few mouths to feed or don't want to waste leftover ingredients (have you seen grocery prices these days? 😅)!
With how much love my sourdough discard cookie recipe gets (it only makes about 9 cookies), I thought a brownie equivalent would be helpful!
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Why You'll Love These Small Batch Brownies
- This recipe makes 8 regular-sized brownies, but sometimes I like to cut them into 12 or so tiny bite-sized pieces! It's the ideal brownies for one or two people recipe.
- Anytime I see brownies, I get such a craving for them, but I don't like making a big batch since it's just my husband and I. Fresh, homemade beats frozen or store-bought every time!
- Everything you need is probably already in your pantry, and even if you're running low on ingredients, this small-batch recipe is the best way to use them up!
- Baking them in a loaf pan means everyone gets an edge piece!
- These brownies have the best fudgy texture with shiny, crackly tops.
Recipe Ingredients
This 1 egg brownie recipe uses simple ingredients. Here's what makes them so incredibly fudgy:
Ingredient Notes:
- All-Purpose Flour - Just ⅓ cup is all you need! For the most accurate results, I recommend weighing your flour with a food scale. I haven't tested this recipe with other flours, but please let us know how they turn out in the comments if you do!
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - This is where the deep chocolate flavor comes from. Dutch process or natural cocoa both work, so use whatever you have on hand! My go-to brands are Hershey's or Good & Gather's.
- Unsalted Butter - Unsalted is best so you can control the amount of salt that gets added. Melt it in the microwave and let it cool a bit before adding it to the batter so it doesn't cook your egg.
- Granulated Sugar - Mixing the sugar with the warm butter and egg helps create that crinkly top and fudgy inside.
- Large Egg - One egg is all you need for this small batch recipe! If you love the idea of using just one egg in your baking, you'll also love my peanut butter cookies that use just one yolk!
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - I think these level them up, but you can leave them out if you don't want the extra chocolate! Feel free to use dark, bittersweet, milk, or a combination instead of semi-sweet.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Brownie Mix-Ins
Feel free to add up to ¼ cup of your favorite mix-ins! Things like...
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- White chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet
- Peanut butter or Nutella (swirled on top or in the middle)
- Espresso powder for mocha brownies
- Mini marshmallows and graham cracker pieces for a s'mores vibe
If you want individual brownies that are already portioned out, try my mini brownie bites!
How to Make Brownies in a Loaf Pan
These loaf pan brownies come together so easily! Here's how to get amazing results every time:
Before You Start
Preheat your oven to 350°F/177°C. Lightly grease an 8x4 or 9x5 metal loaf pan with baking spray. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the pan, folding it over the sides for easy removal (see step 5's photo below).
Dry Ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, add the melted (but slightly cooled so the egg doesn't cook) butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg. Whisk everything together really well for about 2-3 minutes.
Combine Ingredients
Add your dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pro Tip: Be careful not to over-mix the batter! This can cause them to have more of a tough cakey texture.
Fill the Pan
Pour the brownie batter into your prepared loaf pan and use a spatula to smooth out the top.
Bake
Bake the brownies on your oven's middle rack for about 25-30 minutes.
Check For Doneness
It can be tricky to know when brownies are done baking! They'll keep baking for a bit in the hot pan after you take them out of the oven, so you want to be careful not to over-bake them. Here's how I check if they're done:
- Does the middle jiggle when I shake the pan? If it does, they need a bit more time in the oven. If not, check with a toothpick.
- Does the toothpick come out mostly clean? If it has a few moist crumbs clinging to it, they're done! But if a lot of wet batter is sticking to it, they aren't quite done yet.
Pro Brownie Tips
- To get those gorgeous crackly brownie tops, whisk the wet ingredients really well! Mixing the sugar with the warm butter helps dissolve it, and mixing the egg in with that really well creates almost a meringue-like batter.
- I know it's hard to resist brownies straight out of the oven, but letting them cool is important! They'll develop their rich flavor & fudgy texture as they cool, and it'll make them easier to cut.
- For clean edges, cut the cooled brownies with a warm chef's knife. I just run my knife under hot water for a few seconds, carefully wipe it dry, and then slice!
FAQ
I haven't tested this, but you could try substituting the egg with ¼ cup of applesauce or a flax egg. Let us know how it turns out in the comments if you try it!
If you want a brownie fix without any baking at all, my edible brownie batter is eggless and ready to eat in 5 minutes!
Sure! Feel free to 2x the entire recipe and bake it in an 8x8 inch pan for about 30-35 minutes. Or, check out my dessert bars for more brownie recipes.
This recipe is designed for an 8x4-inch or 9x5-inch loaf pan. You can use any size loaf pan, but keep in mind that the smaller the pan, the thicker the brownies will be.
No, I do not recommend using a glass pan. Please use metal!
Since glass is an insulator, it doesn't like to let heat move around and therefore takes a long time to heat up and bakes unevenly. Glass pans can also shatter if they go from hot to cold too quickly!
However, metal is a conductor, so it's quick to warm up and moves the heat around much more evenly!
Storage
Room Temperature
If you happen to have leftover brownies, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I think they peak the day after they're made!
Serving Tip: Warm your brownie in the microwave for about 15 seconds and then place a scoop of ice cream on top 😋
Freezing Instructions
If you want to save some for way later, wrap the cooled & sliced brownies in a freezer-safe container and store them in the freezer for up to 1 month! Let them thaw at room temperature before eating.
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Thank you!
-Kayla
📖 Recipe
Fudgy Small Batch Brownies
Equipment
- 8x4 or 9x5-inch Metal loaf pan greased & lined with parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Spatula
- Whisk
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (32 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter measured, then melted & slightly cooled
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (175 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ¼ cup (45 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or your favorite chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/177°C. Lightly grease a metal loaf pan with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper (folded over the sides).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the slightly-cooled melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg really well.6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- With a spatula, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ones just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips so they're evenly distributed.¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with the spatula.
- Bake on the middle rack for about 25-30 minutes.Check for doneness: Does the center jiggle with a gentle shake? If yes, keep baking. If no, stick a toothpick in the middle. Is the toothpick covered in batter? If yes, keep baking. If there are just a few moist crumbs, they're done.
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