Brownie Pie

In the 12 or so years in which I’ve been baking, I’ve built up a bit of a repertoire – I’ve created all different variations of cheesecake, mastered the famously fussy bittersweet chocolate soufflé, and can now whip up homemade ice cream, no problem (whatever kind you want! I’ve developed 15 different flavors to date!) However, all of these more elegant desserts can be traced back to this one right here – the humble brownie pie.

This pie marked the beginning of my love affair with baking, as it is the first dessert I ever made on my own, at age 13. That year in particular I had decided I wanted to contribute something to our family’s Easter lunch – washing the dishes and setting the table had become boring, not to mention the rule in my family is that whoever cooks doesn't have to clean up.  I came across this recipe, then labeled “Chocolate Pie” while looking through my mother’s collection of cookbooks (which, by the way, occupies an entire bookshelf and then some.) 

It was written on an index card in blue pen in handwriting I didn't recognize, tucked into one of my mom’s Junior League cookbooks (I can only imagine it was given to her by an acquaintance or friend of hers at some point when I was little – my mother has no recollection of receiving the recipe.) I was immediately drawn to the simplicity of the directions and its ingredients, and so decided to give it a try. I remember being extremely pleased and excited with the results – the pie came out perfectly, a rich chocolate-y beauty that was perfect served warm with a scoop of ice cream or some fresh sweetened whipped cream. The dessert was a hit with my family, and I remember being extremely pleased and excited about the prospect of exploring other dessert recipes.

This pie remains a recipe that I continue to come back to years later, whether it be for a birthday party, a dinner party, or just to satisfy a chocolate craving. Everyone needs a recipe like this in their repertoire – it is quick (seriously, all you have to do is stir all the ingredients together in to a bowl!) easy, and delicious. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Looking for more pie recipes? Check out this list here.

Looking for more brownie recipes? I’ve got these classic fudge brownies, these dulce de leche brownies, these brownie cookies, and these cheesecake brownies.

BROWNIE PIE

Serves about 8-10 people.

Ingredients:
1 stick (112 grams or 8 tablespoons) melted butter, still hot
3/4 cup (128 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (65 grams) flour
1/2 cup (100 grams) light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

Directions:
Preheat the oven the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the pie plate with the prepared pie crust. In a large bowl, pour the warm melted butter over chocolate chips. Stir until the butter completely melts the chocolate and the mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together brown sugar, white sugar, and eggs, and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Stir this mixture into the chocolate mixture.

Add the flour to the chocolate/sugar/egg mixture and stir until no more streaks of white flour remain and everything is well combined. Pour the brownie pie batter into your pie crust and bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if you’d like.