Best One-Bowl Brownies with Fresh Milled Flour
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These fresh milled flour brownies are moist and fudgy with chewy edges (like every brownie should be), yet are made with freshly milled whole grains. You just need one bowl and a pan for the best homemade whole wheat brownies ever!
The second I got my grain mill, I knew I wanted to prove to people that baking with whole grains could be just as good (if not better) than using regular flour from the store.
These dark chocolate brownies took about 5 tests before my husband and I agreed that they were the best.
They’re ooey, gooey in the middle with chewy edges and a bold chocolate flavor. The best part is the crackly crust you’ll want to pick off and eat with your fingers.
You literally would never know they weren’t made with regular all purpose flour, but they’re made with freshly milled soft white wheat flour for that classic texture and flavor. They’re the absolute best!
If you love baking with freshly milled flour, try these chewy FMF Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re soft and chewy with lots of little explosions of molten chocolate in every bite!
What you’ll love about these homemade brownies:
- The batter comes together quickly with just a bowl and a whisk
- Rich chocolate flavor in every bite
- Made with whole wheat flour
- Relies on a handful of simple pantry staples
- Adaptable with different add-ins and flavorings
- Fun for Valentine’s Day and special occasions
Equipment
To make the best brownies, you’ll need:
- Grain mill (or freshly milled flour)
- Kitchen scale to measure out the grains
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- 8 inch square baking pan (ideally dark metal, not a glass pan)
Ingredients
- Melted butter – Using melted unsalted butter helps keep the brownies dense and chewy instead of cake-like.
- Sugar
- Dark chocolate chips – These are melted into the butter for extra flavor. I have made this recipe several times without this step and they’re still good, but you get a deeper chocolate flavor that I really enjoy.
- Cocoa powder
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract – I use my homemade Bourbon vanilla extract here.
- Cornstarch – Technically this is optional, but it helps absorb moisture to make sure the brownies aren’t too gooey. I used organic cornstarch from Azure Standard.
- Kosher salt
- Baking powder – You need *just* a little bit. If you prefer taller brownies, you can definitely add more. I also made this recipe without the baking powder and it works, but since the brownies are so dense, it’s nice to have just a little.
- Soft white wheat berries – Milled at the finest setting. Do not sift. You can technically use any soft wheat you like (and you can likely get away with hard wheat, in a pinch).
How to Make Fresh Milled Flour Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 325 F and coat the baking pan with softened butter and cocoa powder. For easy removal, you can also add a square of parchment paper to the bottom of the pan.
Melt butter
- In a medium bowl, melt butter and chocolate chips in the microwave. It can help to microwave the butter for about a minute first, then add the chips. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, and whisk after each interval. Continue until the chocolate chips are fully melted.
- Add the sugar to the melted butter and chocolate mixture and whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes. This will help add that crinkly crust.
Prepare the batter
- Whisk in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the eggs and whisk well.
- Add the dry ingredients (cornstarch, baking powder, kosher salt, and fresh flour) and whisk just enough to incorporate.
- Scrape the brownie batter into a prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. I removed mine at 30 minutes and they were still quite soft in the middle, but they set up more as they cool. For a firmer center, feel free to bake for closer to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. The top should feel firm to the touch and they shouldn’t jiggle if you gently shake the pan.
Chill and serve
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the baking pan before removing them. Do not remove them while still warm or they will be too delicate and may crumble.
- Once cooled, remove from the pan (invert on a plate or cutting board) then use a sharp, clean knife to cut them into pieces. Serve and enjoy!
Storing Suggestions
If you prefer a chewier brownie, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. For a softer brownie, store at room temperature. You can also freeze the extras to eat later, but they go quickly!
Tips & Variations
- Use dark chocolate cocoa powder. I used regular unsweetened cocoa powder from Azure Standard, which worked well. I think dark cocoa would be even better, though!
- Sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top before baking for a salty-sweet flavor.
- Fold in mix-ins. Right before baking, stir in about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chunks, chopped walnuts or pecans, or your favorite add-ins.
- Add espresso powder. I tried this on one batch and really liked it. You only need about 1 tsp of espresso powder for a little extra bitterness to balance the sweetness.
- Check for doneness. So if you want really fudgy, chewy brownies, you need to understand how to test for doneness. We usually use a cake tester or toothpick to make sure there they’re baked in the center, but I don’t always follow that. Just like the best cookies, you sometimes want them to be a little extra gooey in the middle. This is why I pull them out around 30 minutes when the top is set. As they rest in the pan, they’ll continue to firm up but still stay nice and soft.
How to Serve
True brownie lovers need no tips on how to savor these little morsels. I usually like to eat mine right out of my hand, but you can also serve them with a little whipped cream and fresh fruit for a luxuriously simple dessert.
They’re also the perfect base for one of my favorite desserts – brownie sundaes, served warm with a scoop of ice cream and all the toppings. So good!
FAQs
Nope! You can replace the fresh flour with regular whole wheat flour. You’ll need about 1/2 cup of flour.
I did use brown sugar in my first batch, which worked well, but I found that I preferred the texture you get with regular white sugar. They have a bit more of a bite on the edges, and let the chocolate flavor stand out the most.
Brownies don’t require much flour, so they tend to be pretty flexible. However, I have not tried this recipe with einkorn or any other grains, so I cannot guarantee how they turn out. Feel free to give it a go and leave a comment below to share your experience!
Related Recipes
Best Fresh Milled Flour Brownies
Equipment
- grain mill
- medium mixing bowl
- whisk
- 8 in square baking pan
- silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter one stick
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 60 g fresh milled soft white wheat flour approximately 1/2 cup
- 1 T cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt use less if using fine or table salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F and coat the baking pan with softened butter and cocoa powder. For easy removal, you can also add a square of parchment paper to the bottom of the pan.
Melt butter
- In a medium bowl, melt butter and chocolate chips in the microwave. It can help to microwave the butter for about a minute first, then add the chips. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, and whisk after each interval. Continue until the chocolate chips are fully melted.
Prepare the batter
- Add the sugar to the melted butter and chocolate mixture and whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes. This will help add that crinkly crust.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the eggs and whisk well.
- Add the dry ingredients (cornstarch, baking powder, kosher salt, and fresh flour) and whisk just enough to incorporate.
- Scrape the brownie batter into a prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. I removed mine at 30 minutes and they were still quite soft in the middle, but they set up more as they cool. For a firmer center, feel free to bake for closer to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. The top should feel firm to the touch and they shouldn’t jiggle if you gently shake the pan.
Chill and serve
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the baking pan before removing them. Do not remove them while still warm or they will be too delicate and may crumble.
- Once cooled, remove from the pan (invert on a plate or cutting board) then use a sharp, clean knife to cut them into pieces. Serve and enjoy!
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