Microwave Brownie in a Mug
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When you want a warm, chocolaty treat in a hurry, this brownie in a mug recipe has you covered—fudgy, rich, and ready in minutes with minimal clean-up. No oven or mixing bowls necessary!
When summer is in full swing or the holidays roll around, and the house is buzzing with kids, friends, and all the wonderful chaos they bring, I’m all about baking big batches of sweets. But once the kids are back at school and it’s just Michael, the pups, and me, I definitely don’t need a whole tray of my favorite brownie recipe tempting me every time I walk through the kitchen! My go-to for those sudden chocolate cravings? A microwave brownie in a mug—the perfect dose of gooey, chocolaty goodness for one.
This brownie in a mug is everything you love about a delicious brownie, in single-serve form. Plus, clean-up couldn’t be simpler, with just one mug to wash. Enjoy it as-is, or top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
And if you’re a fan of quick and easy microwave desserts, be sure to try my chocolate chip cookie in a mug recipe—it’s another instant hit!
“I love a single serve brownie (and this one’s the best I’ve made). A little indulgent, but fewer calories than overdoing it with a whole tray!!”
What You’ll Need To Make A Brownie In A Mug
- Butter: Melts with the chocolate chips to form the rich, gooey base of the brownie.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips: Bring deep chocolate flavor. For even more chocolate flavor and pockets of melty chocolate, sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top halfway through cooking.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Sweetens the brownie and adds a bit of chew.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavors with warm, aromatic notes.
- Salt: Just a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness and bring out the chocolate flavor.
- Egg Yolk: Adds richness and helps the brownie set up properly in the microwave.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the brownie structure.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Melt the butter and chocolate. Put the butter and chocolate chips in a mug—an 8-ounce mug is ideal, but a bigger one works too. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring in between, until the chocolate is mostly melted, about 40 seconds total. (Melting the mixture in short bursts and stirring between intervals helps prevent the chocolate from scorching, which can give the brownie a bitter taste.) Using a small spoon, stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and completely smooth.
Step 2: Add sugar and flavoring. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Step 3: Mix in the egg yolk. Add the egg yolk and stir until smooth. Just the yolk is used to keep the brownie rich and fudgy—using the whole egg would make it too rubbery or cakey in a single serving.
Step 4: Stir in the flour. Add the flour to the mug and stir to combine. Stop stirring when the batter is smooth and shiny. Using a paper towel, wipe down the batter on the inside edges of the mug. Wiping down the inside of the mug keeps the top edges from burning and makes the finished brownie look prettier.
Step 5: Microwave and serve. Microwave uncovered on high for 45 to 55 seconds, until the brownie is puffed and set. (If your microwave runs hotter or cooler, you may need to adjust the time.) Let it rest for 5 minutes (it will firm up a bit as it sits), then dig in straight from the mug!
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Place the butter and chocolate chips in a mug (an 8-ounce mug is the perfect size, but larger will work too) and melt in 20-second increments in the microwave, on high power, stirring in between, until the chocolate is mostly melted, about 40 seconds total. Using a small spoon, stir until completely smooth. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the egg yolk and stir until smooth. Stir in the flour until smooth and shiny. Using a paper towel, wipe down the batter on the inside edges of the mug.
- Microwave, uncovered, on high power for 45 to 55 seconds until puffed and set. (You may need to adjust the time for less or more powerful microwaves.)
- Let the brownie rest for 5 minutes. Serve in the mug with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
- Note: If you'd like melty chocolate chips on top, as shown in the photo, microwave the mixture for 30 seconds, sprinkle on some chips, then finish cooking for 15 to 25 seconds more.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (1 servings)
- Calories: 567
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated fat: 22 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Sugar: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 19 g
- Cholesterol: 207 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn,
could you please tell how many watts your microwave has on ‘high’, so that I have an idea if and how to adjust the time? Thanks in advance!
Hi Edit, I’m not at home right now but I believe my microwave is 1200 watts on high. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn. I just made the brownie. It was very good, but it was grainy in texture. I think the sugar didn’t dissolve enough. Any suggestions? Many thanks for the recipe..
I’m sorry it came out grainy for you! Did you use standard brown sugar (versus turbinado/demerara or another variety)? Did you make any adjustments to the recipe/ingredients?
This was delicious!! I made it exactly as written and it turned out to be the best mug cake/brownie I’ve ever made! It’s so rich and was just the chocolate fix I needed. I’m saving this recipe for the next time I get a chocolate craving!
This was delicious. My husband was craving something sweet and I wanted something quick and easy to put together. I was originally looking up Jenn’s mug cookie recipe when I found this brownie recipe. So glad I tried it.
Unsurprisingly, this is by far the best brownie in a mug recipe I’ve made. And I’ve made a lot; i have a whole board dedicated to mug recipes on Pinterest.
This is perfect. Delicious, easy, chocolatey. Thank you so much, Jenn!
Can I use a gluten-free flour
Yep!
Could I use a whole egg? Mj
Hi Mary Jo, I’d stick with just the yolk here.
I like the idea of this recipe , but not the high calorie count 567. Is there a way to reduce the calories ? Use sweetener vs sugar , and applesauce for some of the butter ?
Hi Kathy, you could certainly give it a try, but because the amounts of ingredients are so small, it could have a significant impact on the result. That said, feel free to use half butter and half applesauce. I don’t have any experience with sugar substitutes, but you could certainly give that a try as well. Please report back if you try it with these tweaks!
Very good recipe. My only doubt is the melting temperature for chocolate. My microwave manual suggests 40% power. I use 30%.
I love this concept, but don’t have a microwave (a space issue in my very small kitchen). Any suggestions for adapting for the oven? Bake in ceramic ramekin or small Pyrex?
Hi Rebecca, I think that could work. I’d bake it in a 350-degree oven and start checking at about 10 minutes (although it could take as long as 20 minutes). Please LMK how it turns out if you try it.
Is it possible to make this with cocoa? I have a lot of cocoa but no chocolate chips.
Unfortunately that won’t work — sorry!
I have tried several mug dessert recipes and they have always been disappointing. Finally a good mug recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I just made my “brownie in a mug” a few minutes ago. So easy. So good. I added walnuts. What a great little snack when you’re craving something and do not want to bake. Thanks, Jenn.