Are you familiar with my concept of brownies for two? I bake a small batch of brownies in a loaf pan instead of a traditional 8" square brownie pan. A loaf pan is roughly half the size of your favorite 8" brownie pan. If you’ve been reading this site for a while, you’ll know that my loaf pan is my favorite way to scale recipes down to make fewer servings. I use it for small batches of blondies, marshmallows, and even lasagna! My brownie recipe made in a loaf pan has been oh-so-perfected over the 12 years I’ve been scaling down desserts. Yes, I mean 12 years, and I’ve eaten a lot of brownies in 12 years.
What you’ll need for Small Batch Brownies
Butter. We’re using half a stick of unsalted butter for this recipe. We will be melting it, so there’s no need to have it at room temperature. Granulated Sugar. Measure out ½ cup of granulated sugar, and then add one more tablespoon for the perfect amount for these small batch brownies for two. Cocoa Powder. Unsweetened, 100% all-natural cocoa powder is the goal. Any brand will work, but just make sure you don’t buy Dutch-process cocoa powder. Salt. The smallest amount of salt (¼ teaspoon) provides the perfect amount of balance in a fudge-like rich brownie. Vanilla Extract. Yes, brownies are for chocolate lovers, but a little vanilla extract really makes the cocoa flavors sing. Egg. One whole large egg, at room temperature. If your eggs are cold, just soak them in warm water for about 15 minutes and proceed with the recipe. All-Purpose Flour.
How to make a Small Batch of Brownies:
This recipe starts by making the brownie batter in the microwave before baking in the oven. Before you begin, pre-heat your oven to 325-degrees Fahrenheit, and line your loaf pan with parchment paper in one direction. It’s okay if the brownie batter touches the edges of the pan. Loaf Pan - This is the exact loaf pan I use for all of my small batch brownies creations. When you’re baking small batch brownies, all you have to do is cut them in half and serve! Here, I cut them in small sticks instead of two big chunks, but you can serve them dusted with powdered sugar any way that you like!
Small Batch Brownies Recipe variations
Vegan - If you’re loving the idea of a small batch of brownies, but you’re cooking for a vegan, do not miss my vegan brownies for two. I honestly love these brownies as much as regular brownies! For a healthier (but non-vegan version), these black bean brownies are spectacular. Additions - To make these even fancier, you can add peppermint patties to make my peppermint brownies. Or, to make them fruity and creamy, try my blackberry cheesecake brownies or my strawberry swirl brownies version. For fall, don’t miss my pumpkin swirl brownies. Gifting - Everyone loves my caramel brownies as gifts! If it’s for Valentine’s Day, or Father’s Day, you have to make my beer brownies.
How to store this recipe for Brownies with Cocoa
These brownies don’t last long in my house, thanks to their small batch quantity. However, you can keep any leftover at room temperature for up to 2 days in an air-tight container. I don’t recommend refrigerating them. One final option: if you’ve never had a frozen brownie, I urge you to stick one slice of these small batch brownies in the freezer for later. Brownies never really freeze firm, thanks to their high sugar content, but they do become ultra rich and extra chewy when frozen. A favorite dessert in our house is a frozen brownie topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and very hot fudge sauce. The texture are amazing!
Final Note
I also just want to encourage you guys to read through the comments below to see how people made these small batch brownies for two in a loaf pan their own. Some added extra flour to make cake-y brownies, some baked them in ramekins to get a fudgier brownie, like my brownie pots. This recipe is yours to play around with! Enjoy!
More Favorites from Dessert for Two
SaveSave Storage: These brownies don’t last long in my house, thanks to their small batch quantity. However, you can keep any leftover at room temperature for up to 2 days in an air-tight container. I don’t recommend refrigerating them, but they are truly delicious and chewy when eaten frozen.
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