Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Instantly: The Ultimate Fudgy Mug Brownie Recipe (Ready in 5 Minutes!)
There are those moments when a deep, rich chocolate craving strikes, but the thought of baking an entire batch of brownies feels overwhelming. Perhaps you’re looking for a quick, personal indulgence, or maybe you simply don’t want the temptation of a whole pan sitting on your counter. Whatever the reason, the solution is here: the Fudgy Mug Brownie. This incredible single-serving dessert is designed for ultimate convenience and instant gratification, delivering a perfectly gooey, intensely chocolatey brownie experience right in your favorite coffee mug.
Forget preheating the oven, pulling out multiple mixing bowls, or waiting an hour for your treat to bake and cool. This revolutionary recipe transforms simple pantry staples into a decadent fudgy delight in under 10 minutes – often as little as 5! It’s the ideal fix for sudden sweet cravings, a late-night snack, or a quick dessert when you’re short on time but big on chocolate desire. Prepare to be amazed by how effortlessly you can create a warm, melt-in-your-mouth brownie, tailor-made for one.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Ingredients: Unlocking the Fudgy Magic
- Chocolate (¼ cup, 42g semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips/chunks): This is the heart of your brownie. Using high-quality chocolate, whether semi-sweet for a balanced flavor or dark chocolate for a richer, more intense experience, will significantly impact the final taste. Chips or chunks both work wonderfully; the key is that they melt smoothly to create that luscious chocolate base.
- Unsalted Butter (2 tablespoons, 28g): Butter is essential for moisture, richness, and carrying flavor. We use unsalted butter to have full control over the salt content in the recipe, ensuring your brownie isn’t too salty. It melts beautifully with the chocolate, creating a smooth, glossy foundation for your batter.
- Granulated Sugar (2 tablespoons, 25g)*: Granulated sugar provides sweetness and contributes to the brownie’s tender crumb. While a small amount is used, it balances the bitterness of the cocoa and dark chocolate.
- Light Brown Sugar (2 tablespoons, 25g, packed): The light brown sugar is a secret weapon for fudginess! Its molasses content adds moisture and a subtle caramel note, enhancing the deep chocolate flavor and ensuring a supremely chewy, fudgy texture. Using both granulated and brown sugar creates a more complex sweetness and texture profile, but if you only have one, ensure the total amount is ¼ cup.
- Large Egg White (1 large, 33g, room temperature, ~30g): This is crucial for achieving that signature fudgy, dense texture. Unlike a whole egg which adds more moisture and can make a brownie cakey, the egg white provides structure without excess leavening. Bringing it to room temperature helps it incorporate more smoothly into the batter.
- All-Purpose Flour (2 tablespoons, 15g): Just a small amount of all-purpose flour is needed to provide structure without making the brownie dry or cake-like. Over-measuring or over-mixing flour can lead to a tougher brownie, so measure carefully!
- Cocoa Powder (2 teaspoons, 4g): For an extra boost of intense chocolate flavor. Using unsweetened cocoa powder ensures a deep, rich chocolate taste. Along with the chocolate, it forms the backbone of the brownie’s decadent flavor.
- Salt (1 tiny pinch): Don’t skip the salt! It’s a flavor enhancer that brings out the sweetness of the sugars and deepens the chocolate notes, preventing the brownie from tasting flat. A tiny pinch is all you need to make a big difference.
Equipment: Simplicity at Its Best
- 11-12 Ounce Mug: The star of the show! A standard coffee mug of this size is perfect. It acts as both your mixing bowl and your baking vessel, minimizing cleanup and making this recipe incredibly convenient. Anything smaller might overflow, and anything much larger might spread the batter too thin. The Instagram famous mug from Target is a great option if you’re looking for a stylish choice, but any suitable mug will do!
- Fork: That’s right, no fancy whisks or electric mixers required! A simple fork is all you need to combine your ingredients thoroughly, making this recipe truly accessible and quick.
- Measuring Spoons & Cups/Scale: While not strictly “equipment” in the mixing sense, accurate measurement is key for baking success, even in a mug brownie. A kitchen scale for grams is highly recommended for precision, especially with dry ingredients, as it eliminates variations that can occur with volume measurements.
Crafting Your Perfect Fudgy Mug Brownie: A Step-by-Step Guide
This Fudgy Mug Brownie isn’t just easy and quick; it’s a revelation in single-serving desserts. Forget those dry, crumbly mug cakes – this recipe delivers an intensely rich, supremely gooey, and satisfyingly fudgy brownie every single time. It’s the perfect antidote to a sudden chocolate craving, offering instant gratification without the commitment of baking a full batch.
If you’re ever in the mood for a more elaborate brownie experience, perhaps for a crowd or a special occasion, I highly recommend exploring other delightful options like my Samoa Brownies. However, for sheer speed and convenience, the mug brownie reigns supreme.
The Simple Steps to Brownie Bliss:
- Melting the Foundation: Begin by combining your chocolate and unsalted butter directly in your chosen mug. Microwave this mixture in short bursts (around 20 seconds at a time), stirring after each interval, until the butter is fully melted and the chocolate is soft. It doesn’t need to be completely melted in the microwave; the residual heat will help you achieve a smooth, glossy consistency with a bit of stirring. This ensures a uniform chocolate base for your brownie.
- Incorporating Sweetness and Texture: Once your chocolate and butter mixture is smooth, stir in both the granulated and light brown sugars. Mix these in thoroughly. The sugars dissolve slightly, adding to the liquid component. Immediately after, gently fold in the egg white. Crucial Tip: Ensure your chocolate-butter mixture has cooled slightly before adding the egg white. If the mixture is too hot, you risk scrambling the egg white, which would lead to an unpleasant texture. Mix vigorously with your fork for about 1-2 minutes until the batter becomes noticeably thicker and slightly emulsified. This step is key for that desirable fudgy consistency.
- Adding Dry Ingredients for Structure and Flavor: Next, add your all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and a tiny pinch of salt. Stir gently with your fork, just until no streaks of dry flour are visible. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in a tougher, more cake-like brownie rather than the fudgy dream we’re aiming for. The goal is to incorporate, not aerate.
- The Microwave Magic: Now for the grand finale! Microwave your brownie mixture on 50% power for approximately 30-40 seconds. Microwave ovens vary significantly in wattage and efficiency, so this is a starting point. The brownie should emerge looking wonderfully gooey and slightly bubbly around the edges, with a soft, slightly unset center.
Achieving Mug Brownie Perfection: Troubleshooting and Tips
Microwave cooking can be a bit of an art form due to the inconsistencies between different models. Here’s how to ensure your brownie turns out perfectly:
- Too Gooey? If you take a bite and find it’s still too raw or overly liquid in the center, pop it back into the microwave for an additional 5-10 seconds at 50% power. Repeat as needed, in small increments, until you reach your desired level of fudginess. Remember, it will continue to cook slightly from residual heat once removed.
- Too Cakey? If your brownie comes out with a texture closer to cake rather than a dense, fudgy treat, it’s likely been overheated or cooked at too high a power setting. For your next attempt, try reducing the microwave power further or shortening the cooking time. The goal is to cook it just enough so it holds its shape but remains incredibly moist and gooey.
- The Egg White Advantage: The single egg white in this recipe is a deliberate choice for maximum fudginess. A whole egg contains more moisture and can introduce more leavening, which is fantastic for cakey brownies but not ideal for a truly dense, chewy fudge-like result.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Allowing your egg white (and butter, if you remember) to come to room temperature before mixing helps them emulsify more easily with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother batter and a better final texture.
Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This is where you can truly personalize your mug brownie. After you’ve stirred in the flour mixture and before microwaving, feel free to gently fold in a tablespoon or two of extra chocolate chips (white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark), nuts (walnuts, pecans), dried fruit, or even a swirl of peanut butter or caramel. Just be mindful not to overfill your mug, as the brownie will rise slightly during cooking. For best results, incorporate these additions with a light hand to maintain the batter’s delicate structure.
A cakey texture is a common issue with mug brownies and usually points to one main culprit: overcooking. Brownies, especially fudgy ones, benefit from being slightly undercooked in the center. If your brownie comes out more like a dry cake, it was likely microwaved for too long, or at a power setting that was too high for your particular microwave. To fix this next time, try reducing your microwave’s power to 50% (if you didn’t already) and shortening the cooking time by 5-10 seconds. You want a slightly gooey, almost unset center when it first comes out.
While this Fudgy Mug Brownie is incredibly delicious on its own, a simple topping can elevate it to an even more luxurious dessert! A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream is a classic choice, melting beautifully into the warm brownie. Other fantastic options include a dollop of whipped cream, a drizzle of warm caramel sauce, a spoonful of peanut butter, a sprinkle of sea salt to enhance the chocolate, or even a dusting of cocoa powder. Get creative with your favorite brownie accompaniments!
While this specific recipe hasn’t been rigorously tested with gluten-free flour, many readers have reported success when substituting all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. The small amount of flour in this recipe suggests it might be quite forgiving. If you do try it with a gluten-free alternative, please ensure your gluten-free blend is suitable for baking and measure by weight (grams) for the most accurate results. We’d love to hear about your experience if you give it a try!
This mug brownie is truly best enjoyed immediately, straight out of the microwave, while it’s warm and perfectly gooey. It’s designed for instant gratification! However, if by some miracle you have leftovers, you can store it covered at room temperature for 1-2 days. The texture might become a little denser as it cools, but it will still be delicious. A quick 10-15 second reheat in the microwave can bring back some of its warmth and gooiness. Just remember, it will be very hot out of the microwave, so always exercise caution to avoid burning your mouth!
The primary difference lies in the fat-to-flour ratio and the leavening. Fudgy brownies, like this mug brownie, have a higher fat content (from butter and chocolate) and less flour, often relying on egg yolks for richness and structure (though we use egg white here for specific fudgy texture with less cakeyness). They are typically dense, moist, and intensely chocolatey, often tasting richer due to minimal leavening. Cakey brownies, on the other hand, have a higher flour content, more leavening (like baking powder or soda), and often more eggs, leading to a lighter, airier, more crumbly texture similar to a cake.
While butter provides a rich flavor that’s hard to beat in brownies, you can substitute a neutral-flavored oil (like vegetable oil or canola oil) for a slightly different result. Oil will yield an even moister, chewier brownie because it is 100% fat, whereas butter is about 80% fat and 20% water. If you make this substitution, the brownie will still be delicious, but the flavor profile will be subtly different – perhaps less ‘buttery’ and more purely ‘chocolate’.
More Decadent Brownie Recipes:
- Mini Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
- Edible Brownie Batter
- Mini Brownie Bites
- Samoa Brownies
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📖 Recipe
Fudgy Mug Brownie
Kayla Burton
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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(1) 11-12 ounce mug
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Fork
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Measuring spoons
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Scale or measuring cups
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (42 g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips/chunks
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar*
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 large (33 g) egg white (~30g) room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tiny pinch (1 tiny pinch) salt
Instructions
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Melt the chocolate and butter in an 11-12 ounce mug (~40 seconds, stir every 20 seconds) just until the chocolate is almost melted. Stir the melted butter and mostly melted chocolate until it’s smooth and completely melted.
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Mix in the sugars and then the egg white (make sure the mixture has cooled before adding the egg white so that it does not turn into scrambled eggs). Stir with a fork until the mixture is slightly thick (1-2 minutes).
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Add the flour, baking cocoa and salt. Gently stir with the fork until no flour streaks remain.
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Microwave the mixture on 50% power for 30-40 seconds. Enjoy!*
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Notes
*The brownie will be hot out of the microwave, so be careful not to burn your mouth! (I learned this the hard way)
Microwave times may vary. If the brownie is too gooey, heat it for a few more seconds. If it’s too cakey, it was likely heated for too long or at too high of a power.
If there happens to be leftovers, cover the mug and store at room temperature for 1-2 days.
The provided nutrition information is an estimate, the calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.