Brownie in a Mug

There are plenty of days when we’re fired up and eager to begin a baking project. Unfortunately, those moments don’t always line up with when our chocolate dessert cravings hit. More often than not, we start wanting a warm, fudgy homemade brownie right as we sit down to relax in front of the television, perfectly content to not move for the rest of the night.

Unfortunately, we can’t just snap our fingers and have a brownie appear. But this brownie in a mug recipe gets us pretty close — you’ll have a brownie in your hands in less than five minutes.

This single-serving brownie is perfectly portioned for you and only you, which means you don’t have to worry about what to do with the rest of the pan. I recommend making it in an 8-ounce ceramic mug, which will ensure it will cook evenly in the microwave.

This fudgy brownie recipe is made entirely out of pantry ingredients. Making it in a mug also means fewer ingredients, so even if you’re down to the last few tablespoons of sugar or flour, you can still whip this up.

• Unsalted butter: The butter is first melted in the mug, swirled to coat the inside, then poured into a bowl to make the brownie batter. For a vegan version, use coconut oil.
• Light brown sugar: Use light brown sugar for its caramel flavor from molasses. It will also give the brownie a chewier texture.
• Whole milk or non-dairy milk: If you’re looking for a vegan treat, simply use your favorite dairy-free milk.
• All-purpose flour: You only need 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour for this single-serve brownie.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: If you don’t have cocoa powder, you can use 2/3 ounce (20 grams) unsweetened chocolate, and reduce the butter by two teaspoons. Melt it with the butter, then proceed with the recipe as directed. You could also use chocolate chips or a sweetened bar of chocolate, but you’ll want to use less brown sugar to keep the brownie from tasting overly sweet.
• Vanilla ice cream (optional): I enjoy my brownie in a mug with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, as it melts into the warm brownie. Vegan ice cream would be equally as delicious.