Ina Garten Brownie Pudding (Print Version)

Decadent brownie with a crackly top and soft molten center, ideal for indulging chocolate cravings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chocolate Mixture

01 - 8 oz unsalted butter
02 - 6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

→ Batter

03 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
04 - 2 cups granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

→ For Serving (optional)

09 - Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
02 - In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt the butter and semisweet chocolate together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until thick, pale, and ribbon-like.
04 - Reduce mixer speed to low. Add vanilla extract and kosher salt, then pour in the cooled chocolate mixture, mixing until just combined.
05 - Sift together flour and cocoa powder. Gently fold into the batter with a spatula just until incorporated.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. Place dish inside a larger roasting pan. Add hot tap water to reach halfway up sides of baking dish to create a water bath.
07 - Bake for 1 hour until the top is set and crackly but the center remains soft and pudding-like.
08 - Remove from water bath and cool at least 15 minutes. Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It looks impressive enough to serve at dinner parties but tastes like the easiest comfort food you've ever made.
  • The magic of the water bath means you can't really mess it up, and somehow that makes baking feel less stressful.
  • One dessert that satisfies the deepest chocolate cravings without needing a second dish of frosting.
02 -
  • The pudding is supposed to be gooey in the center—if you bake until the whole thing is set, you've overbaked it and lost the whole point.
  • Room temperature eggs matter more than you think because they whip up fluffier and mix more evenly into the chocolate without clumping.
  • The water bath isn't just a fancy technique—it's the reason the center stays soft while the top sets, so don't skip it.
03 -
  • Don't open the oven door during baking—the temperature drop can affect how the top sets, and you really only need to check once at the 55-minute mark to see how close you are.
  • If your chocolate seizes up while melting (gets grainy or thick), add a teaspoon of butter or coconut oil and whisk gently to smooth it back out.
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