This is my mom’s brownie recipe.  It’s super easy and just about as fast to make as a brownie mix, but so much better.  When I was in high school, we used to triple it and bake it in a turkey roasting pan for youth group.  Even with that many, they were gone so fast!  They’re absolutely heavenly when warm but stay good for a day or two out on the counter and last a long time in the freezer (if you can leave them there that long).  I like to eat them frozen even!  They’re also good with peanut butter on top, which makes them really healthy, obviously.  Enjoy!

Brownies
from my mom
makes 24 brownies (or more or less, depending on how you cut them)
the amounts in parentheses are for a 1/3 batch, when you’re really craving brownies but you don’t want to make a whole pan and you’re also almost out of cocoa powder.  Yes, this was me a while ago! 🙂

1 C butter (1/3 C, which is 5 and 2/3 T)
¾ C cocoa powder (1/4 C)
1 ¾ C sugar (1/3 +1/4 C)
1 tsp vanilla (scant 1/2 tsp)
Melt the butter.  Mix in the cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla until all lumps are gone and the batter is smooth.

3 large eggs (1)
Beat in each egg thoroughly, one at a time, make sure to fully incorporate each one.  By the end of the third egg, all the butter/cocoa powder mixture should be fully incorporated.  Make sure to scrape off the spoon into the bowl before you finish stirring (to get off any butter/cocoa that’s not mixed in).

1 ¼ C all-purpose flour (1/3 C + 1 T + 1 tsp)
½ tsp baking powder (scant ¼ tsp)
½ tsp salt (scant ¼ tsp)
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until just combined.

Spread evenly in a greased 9×13 pan (or a loaf pan if making the 1/3 amount)* and bake in a 350 oven for 25-30 minutes until just set (less time for the smaller amount.)  Try not to over-bake.  If you like your brownies on the fudge side, then you could even under-bake them a bit.

*1/4 C chopped walnuts (optional)
If using, sprinkle them over the surface of the brownies before baking.  I love them with walnuts but am so lazy that I haven’t bothered to add them for years.  Perhaps this is a good reason to make another batch! 🙂

Cut them in the pan and serve.  Try not to eat the whole pan, like our covenant group almost did the other night.