I think part of the reason why I’ve never been into baking sweets is because when I do, I end up eating half the pan. If say I make lemon bars to bring to work? Half are gone by the time I get them there! I’m not even that much of a sweet tooth, but somehow when something delicious like a buttery lemony lemon bar comes out of the oven, I can’t help but try one, then two, then just a little bit more, and more…I figure it is better just to have desserts out!

But then recently, I’ve begun to crave a little home baked sweet and thought it was time to learn how to bake just enough to satisfy the craving.

These rich, chocolaty and moist brownies are adapted from Smitten Kitchen’s my favorite brownies. I love Smitten Kitchen’s blog! She is so much fun to read and I have been meaning to try out some of her recipes for forever. She also published a book recently and I skimmed through it at Barnes and Noble. Fantastic!

For these brownies I cut the recipe in 4th, keeping the same proportions of ingredients. This recipe can make 4 brownies, but I think it makes more like 1 or 2! The only things I did differently was use whole wheat flour–trying to be a little healthy :-), and I melted the chocolate and butter right in the pan instead of using a bowl over boiling water or double boiler (I was very careful to not let it burn!). They were delicious right out of the oven (which is when I ate them), but I am thinking they would have gotten heavier once cooled because of the whole wheat flour. If I were to bring these somewhere, I would opt for normal flour like Smitten Kitchen’s original recipe.

This was actually might first time making homemade brownies. I’ve always used a box before!

I tossed in a few butterscotch chips that I had leftover from Christmas cookies, but they are totally optional. I was kind of in the mood for that super sweet butterscotchy taste, but normally I would just like them plain or sprinkled with sifted powdered sugar.

I love these measuring spoons my mom gave me that measure a smidgen, pinch, and dash. Perfect for when you need to measure something under 1/4 a teaspoon. And they are just so cute!

3/4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar (basically 6 tablespoons sugar)
1/2 egg (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Smidgen salt
1/6 cup flour
Butterscotch chips (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt baking chocolate and butter on really low heat in a small sauce pan until just melted.
3. Take off the heat and then whisk in sugar, then egg, then vanilla and salt.
4. Stir in flour.
5. Add butterscotch chips if you feel like it. Or chocolate chips. Or nuts, but I have never understood nuts in brownies!
6. Butter a little baking dish and then pour in and spread evenly.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Sift powdered sugar over the top if you feel like it.