Best Brownies
I originally picked up this recipe, “Best Brownies”, from the Columbus Dispatch about 20 years back, and it’s been the only one we’ve used in my home since then. It was posted in my blog, Confessions of a Geeky Mom.
It’s better than any box mix and just as fast to put together. The challenge will be not to eat them all before they cool off.
It is dairy and soy free. If you like male brownies, add nuts. If you have nut allergies, leave out the almond extract and nuts. I think this counts as a pareve recipe for my Jewish friends, but someone can correct me if that’s wrong.
My friends and I contend that all the calories fall out when you cut the brownies, but I suspect nutritionists would frown upon us for saying that too loudly.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9×13 pan with oil or spray with cooking spray.
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup canola oil (vegetable oil is fine if you don’t have soy allergen concerns)
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup cocoa (regular, not the Dutch version)
- 1 cup chopped nuts, optional
In one bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients until smooth. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, and then blend into the wet ingredients. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until edges of brownie pull away from the edges of the pan. Do not use the ‘toothpick test’ to check if the brownie is done, or you will overbake it. When cool, cut into squares and serve, if you can manage to wait until they’ve cooled. We never can.