Brownies. Just the word makes people smile. They’re one of those forever desserts that never really go outta style.
But would you believe the brownies we know and love today didn’t even show up until the early 1900s? Yep—these gooey, fudgy squares have only been around a little over a century.
And we’ve got Fannie Merritt Farmer to thank for that.
So, Where’d Brownies Even Come From?
Before they were chocolatey and chewy, “brownies” used to just mean anything… well, brown. Weird, right?
But around 1906, Fannie Merritt Farmer (basically the queen of organized home cooking back then) published a recipe that looked a lot like the brownies we bake now.
It was in The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, and it was simple: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, chocolate. Boom.
What made it special? It was easy. Like, really easy compared to the fancy pastries folks were making at the time. No layers. No frostings.
Just rich, chocolatey goodness that you could whip up with stuff already in the pantry.
The Simplicity Is Kinda the Point
One of the best things about old recipes is how unfussy they are. No sea salt flakes or espresso powder or twelve-step ganache layers here. Just basic stuff that comes together into something amazing.
This old-school brownie recipe leans hard into the essentials—unsweetened chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, flour. That’s it.
And if you wanna get fancy, toss in some chopped walnuts. They add a nice crunch and that toasty flavor that plays real nice with the chocolate.
You end up with a brownie that’s got a crackly top, chewy middle, and enough richness to satisfy any sweet tooth without being over-the-top.
Why They’re Still a Go-To Today
Even with a million brownie recipes floating around online—some with tahini, some with black beans (yep)—these pioneer brownies still stand their ground. There’s something nostalgic about them, but also just… right. You know?
They’re also super versatile. Wanna dress ’em up? Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Or keep it simple and grab one straight from the pan with your morning coffee.
No wrong answers here.
And because they’re easy to tweak, they work for pretty much anyone. Cut the sugar a bit. Use gluten-free flour. Sub the butter if you need to.
They’re surprisingly forgiving for a recipe that’s over a hundred years old.
Little Tips for Big Brownie Wins
Wanna nail the texture? Here’s a few tips that make a difference:
- Use good chocolate. Seriously. It’s the main flavor—don’t skimp.
- Melt butter and chocolate together. It blends smoother and gives you that glossy, rich batter.
- Beat your eggs well. This helps that classic crackly top show up.
- Let them cool. We know, the smell is torture. But cutting them too soon = brownie crumble mess. Let ‘em set and you’ll get clean slices.
A Brownie Worth Baking Again (and Again)
This recipe’s a reminder that you don’t need bells and whistles to make something amazing. It’s just good ingredients, a bit of history, and a whole lotta flavor.
Baking these feels like tapping into a simpler time—but the end result? Still just as crave-worthy today as it was in 1906.
So whether you’re feeling nostalgic or just want a dessert that always delivers, give these pioneer brownies a go. You might just end up making them your new old favorite.
Pioneer Brownies – A Classic 1900 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Prepare the baking pan by greasing a 9×13-inch pan and lining it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Mix the base ingredients by combining the sugar and melted butter in a large bowl until fully blended.
- Incorporate the eggs, adding them one at a time and whisking thoroughly after each addition to ensure a smooth batter.
- Stir in the melted chocolate, followed by the vanilla extract, mixing until evenly combined.
- Gently fold in the flour, ensuring it is just incorporated without overmixing, then add the chopped walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the brownies have set and a slight crinkly top forms.
- Cool completely in the pan before lifting the brownies out using the parchment paper sling. Slice into bars and serve.
Notes
- For a nut-free version, simply omit the walnuts.
- These brownies pair wonderfully with a glass of milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgence.
Source:
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.