Saucepan Brownies

So, guys, I know that there are not only a billion brownie recipes out there, I know that there are a billion delicious brownie recipes out there. I mean, brownies are chocolate which is practically a guarantee that they are going to be YUM. Right?

I personally have 3 favorite brownie recipes that I cycle through depending on the occasion.

I have one recipe that makes totally and completely over-the-top brownies that result in me feeling 100% satisfied, 100% guilty and 100% chubby. And then I have a recipe that tastes totally killer but is made with non-guilty ingredients (like coconut oil and whole wheat flour and coconut sugar) so I don’t have to feel bad for eating it (right?). And then there are these brownies.

My I’m-Not-Feeling-Particularly-Sinful-OR-Particularly-Angelic-But-I-Could-Go-For-Something-Chocolatey Brownies.

In my opinion, the perfect brownie.

They’re soft and fudgy and chewy and not at all cakey because if you want cake-like brownies than just make some cake, gosh darn it.

The trick to making these successfully is to frost them RIGHT when they get out of the oven. Like, Oh hello, browniesWHAM!frosting. Super fast. The frosting kind of melds with the brownie so you can’t tell where one starts and the other ends and it turns into this fudginess that just melts in your mouth. Mmmmm. Delicious.

Saucepan Brownies

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
4 beaten eggs
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium sized saucepan, melt butter over low-medium heat. Stir in cocoa powder. Turn off your stove and remove pan from heat. Let the pan cool enough that your eggs won’t cook when you stir them in. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the batter is set (it no longer jiggles). While the brownies are baking, make the frosting recipe (below). As soon as you remove the brownies from the oven, spread the frosting evenly on top. Let cool for about 20-30 minutes before cutting into bars.

Chocolate Frosting

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk (or cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

To make the frosting, melt the butter. Add remaining ingredients and stir until completely smooth.