Mini Brownies

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These fudgy two-bite mini brownies are quick and easy to make in one bowl and fun to decorate with your favorite toppings!

Since the kids are finally old enough to “help” in the kitchen, I love finding new easy treats that we can make together. These mini brownies, also known as two-bite brownies, or brownie bites, are a new favorite.

Fun, festive, and delicious, these bite size brownies are perfect little servings for tiny hands to grab at birthday parties. These homemade mini brownies are so much better than the stale and dry store bought ones!

Making brownies in a mini muffin pan is super easy and allows you to customize them using a wide variety of toppings in a single batch. The kids love to dig through my baking cupboard to find new topping ideas for these. Favorites include chopped oreos, mini chocolate chips, and mini M&Ms. See below for more suggestions!

A plate of mini brownies with a variety of toppings stacked upon each other.

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Ingredient Notes

Ingredients and laid out and labeled for making mini brownies.

Chocolate

This mini brownies recipe uses melted semisweet chocolate for rich chocolate flavor. Unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate may be substituted, and you can mix different types. I love to use a high-quality baking bar, chopped into small pieces, but chocolate chips work great too.

Cocoa Powder

Adding unsweetened cocoa powder to this recipe gives it an even bigger boost of fudgy chocolate flavor. I find I get the deepest flavor from dutch process cocoa personally and I typically use that.

However, you can use either natural or dutch process cocoa powder in this recipe since there is no chemical leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder to consider. Read more about the different types of cocoa powder in this King Arthur Flour article.

Butter

You can use salted instead of unsalted butter, but the added salt should be omitted. A plant-based butter should also work fine here, although I haven’t tried it with this recipe.All

Sugar

I love adding brown sugar to brownies, I find it gives them some extra moisture and rich, chewy texture. I use half brown and half granulated sugar here, but you can alter that ratio to your preference, or according to what you have on hand. Brownies are very forgiving as baked goods go!

Eggs

The major function of eggs in brownies is to act as an emulsifier, binding the batter and contributing to their rich, chewy texture.

Although I haven’t tested this recipe with any egg substitutes, many people have success with an alternative like yogurt, applesauce, mashed banana, or a flax egg (ground flax seeds mixed with water).

All-purpose Flour

I make this brownies with plain, unbleached all-purpose flour, but bread flour, whole-wheat flour, or cake or pastry flour will work too.

An all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour should work as well, but I have not tested this recipe using alternatives to wheat flour.

Overhead view of a plate of mini brownies stacked on one another with a variety of toppings.

Topping Suggestions

We love to have fun with the toppings in this recipe, and the kids love to rifle through the baking cupboard and let their creative juices flow. Here are some ideas for toppings and tips for how best to add them:

  • Chopped Oreos or other cookies: a favorite! Sprinkle chopped cookies on top of the brownies BEFORE baking
  • Mini or full-size M&Ms: These can be added either before or after baking but the mini ones have a tendency to sink into the batter a little as they bake, so I usually sprinkle some extra ones on right after they come out of the oven.
  • Hersheys’ kisses or hugs: Press these into the tops of the brownies as soon as they come out of the oven. They will melt completely if added before baking.
  • Mini or full-size chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips: Sprinkling these on AFTER baking works best in my experience.
  • Toffy pieces: These are best sprinkled on AFTER baking.
  • Spinkles: nonpareils or jimmies can be sprinkled on BEFORE baking, but they may sink into the batter a bit while baking. More can be sprinkled on as soon as they come out.
  • Chocolate or caramel sauce: Drizzle onto cooled brownies.
  • Mini marshmallows can be mixed into the batter or placed on top a few minutes before the brownies are done.
  • Mini Egg Brownies: For a festive mini Easter dessert, try pressing a mini egg into the tops before or after baking.

Any of these toppings can also be mixed into the batter as well.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. To a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the chopped chocolate and the butter pieces. Heat in the microwave in 20-30 second increments, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth.
chopped chocolate and butter in a bowl.
Chocolate and butter melted together and combined in a bowl.

2. Add the cocoa powder to the butter mixture and whisk to combine until smooth.

Cocoa powder added to a bowl of melted butter and chocolate.

3. While the chocolate mixture is still warm, add the sugar, brown sugar, room temperature eggs, vanilla, and salt to the bowl and stir or whisk to combine until smooth and fully incorporated.

A bowl of raw ingredients for making brownies.

4. Add the flour to the mixture and stir vigorously until well-combined, smooth and shiny. Do not worry about over-mixing the batter.

Flour being added to brownie batter in a bowl.
A bowl of raw brownie batter.

5. Scoop the batter into a mini muffin pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full. Sprinkle toppings on top if desired (see list of ideas above and for important tips on whether to add each topping before or after baking).

A mini muffin pan filled with brownie batter and topped with a variety of toppings.
Pan of baked mini brownies with a variety of toppings.

How do you know when mini brownies are done?

Mini brownies baked in a mini muffin tin are done when the center has not yet fully set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with some moist crumbs on it, but not very wet batter.

The brownies will continue to cook a little as they cool in the pan, so it’s ok if they’re a little underbaked when they come out. Over-baked brownies will be dry.

How do you get brownies out of mini muffin pans?

To make sure your mini brownie bites come out of the pan cleanly, use the following tips.

  • Use a non stick mini muffin/cupcake pan.
  • Grease or butter the pan and then flour it before baking, even if it’s non stick.
  • Let the mini brownies cool in the pan for a few minutes before attempting to remove them. They will firm up as they cool and will be less prone to coming apart as you take them out.
  • Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to release the brownies from the pan.
  • Use a gentle twisting motion when pulling them out. This also helps to gently release them from the pan.
  • Another solution is to use parchment liners. I try to avoid excess paper whenever possible though!
A close up of a mini brownie with a bite taken out to show the texture.

How to store mini brownies

These brownies keep very well in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. After that they may begin to dry out.

Freezing brownie bites

Brownies and brownie bites freeze very well. Simply place them on a lined baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. At that point you can transfer them to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Thaw as many at a time as you like by leaving them at room temperature for a few minutes.

More brownies and bars you might like

Raspberry and White Chocolate Blondies

Biscoff Blondies

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

A mini brownie with a bite taken out to show the inside texture.

Mini Brownies

These fudgy two-bite mini brownies are quick and easy to make in one bowl and fun to decorate with your favorite toppings.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate Save
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes
Servings: 30 brownies
Calories: 112kcal
Author: Ann Otis

Tools for This Recipe

  • 1 non stick mini muffin pan

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder *see note
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 3 eggs at room temperature*
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup toppings of choice (optional) (chocolate chips, sprinkles, M&Ms, chocolate kisses, chopped oreos or other cookies, peanut butter chips, toffee bits, etc)

Instructions

  • Preaheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a non stick mini muffin/cupcake pan.
  • Place the chopped chocolate and butter In a medium microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave on full power in 20-30 second blasts, stirring after each one until smooth.
  • Whisk cocoa powder into the butter mixture until smooth.
  • Add sugar, brown sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla to the mixture and whisk until smooth.
  • Vigorously stir the flour into the mixture until the batter is completely smooth and no streaks or lumps of flour remain. Do not worry about over-mixing for this recipe.
  • Scoop the batter into the prepared mini muffin pan, filling each about 3/4 full. If you have a 24-cup pan, you may have some batter left to make a few more after the first batch is done. I usually get around 30 mini brownies.
  • Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for about 11-13 minutes. Brownies are done when a toothpick or cake tester comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Be sure not to overbake, or they will be dry.
  • Let cool in the pan for a few minutes and then remove to cool completely. If you have any trouble taking them out, run a knife along the inside edge to loosen them first. I find a gentle twisting motion helps them come out easily.

Video

Notes

*Cocoa powder: either natural or dutch process cocoa powder will work fine in this recipe.
* Eggs: It’s important for eggs to be at room temperature in this recipe. Cold eggs will shock the mixture and make the melted chocolate re-solidify so you’ll have bits of chocolate in the batter. To warm cold eggs quickly, put them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before breaking and using.
* To help release brownies from the pan, you can run a knife along the inside edge of each cup. Using a gentle twisting motion to remove them also helps. See the full post for more tips.
*Nutrition information does not include optional toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
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