Ina Garten’s Viral Brownie Pudding: Small Batch Recipe with Gooey Center

Ina Garten’s Viral Brownie Pudding (Small Batch)

I saw this brownie pudding all over my feed and finally caved, and wow, it was worth every single bite. Ina Garten’s viral Brownie Pudding has taken over Instagram and TikTok, and the moment I saw that glossy, crackly top with a spoon sinking into a molten center, I knew I had to make it myself.

There was just one problem. The original makes a full pan, and that is a lot of dessert for a weeknight craving in a small household. So this small batch version is the answer.

It is halved from Ina’s original, which means it fits neatly in an 8×8 inch dish and makes four servings, enough for 2 to 4 people depending on how generous you are feeling.

this …

It is rich, fudgy, and ultra gooey, with perfectly crisp edges and a molten, pudding like center that you eat with a spoon straight from the pan.

I made a few tweaks that I think make it even better. I added espresso powder and a pinch of salt to deepen the chocolate flavor.

I swapped the vanilla bean pod for vanilla bean paste because it is far more practical for a small batch. And I left out the framboise liqueur, mostly because buying a whole bottle for a teaspoon and a half felt silly. If you love the stuff, by all means add it in.

This is the kind of dessert that satisfies a serious chocolate craving without leaving you staring down a full pan of leftovers. It is easy enough for a beginner baker, special enough for a dinner party, and it can be doubled if you are feeding a crowd. From start to finish, plan on about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Below you will find my ingredient notes, the step by step directions, expert tips, variations, and storage advice. Let’s get baking.

Table Talk with Tawnie

If you have spent any time on social media lately, you have probably seen this one. Tawnie from Kroll’s Korner caught it everywhere on her feed too, and as a serious chocolate lover she did what any of us would do. She made it.

Her verdict? Ina’s original does not disappoint. It is perfectly gooey, easy to make, and the kind of dessert you stand over the counter eating with a spoon. She calls it rich and great with vanilla bean ice cream, which is honestly the only way I want to eat it now.

Her most practical tweak was size. This small batch version is built for 2 to 4 people, so it fits a normal weeknight instead of a holiday crowd. The good news is that it can easily be doubled when you are feeding more.

Ingredient Notes

Every ingredient here earns its place, and a few of them matter more than you might expect. Here is the full list.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder, choose a good quality brand like Ghirardelli or Guittard
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
• About 1 tablespoon softened butter, for buttering the 8×8 inch pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons framboise liqueur, optional
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Now the details that actually change the outcome.

Cool the butter. Melted butter that is still hot will scramble your eggs the second they touch it. Give it a few minutes to cool down.

Room temperature eggs are mandatory. Extra large eggs at room temperature provide structure and richness, and they help the center stay soft and custardy rather than cakey.

Pick a good cocoa. High quality cocoa powder such as Ghirardelli or Guittard is where the deep, intense chocolate flavor comes from. Do not reach for the dusty stuff in the back of the pantry.

Espresso powder is my addition. It is not in Ina’s original recipe. I add it to enhance and deepen the chocolate flavor, and no, it will not make the pudding taste like coffee.

Vanilla bean paste over a pod. It is practical, and vanilla extract is a perfectly fine substitute if that is what you have.

The liqueur is optional. I skip the framboise because I do not want to buy a whole bottle for such a small amount. Your call.

Step by Step Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly butter an 8×8 inch baking dish before you begin.

The full method is broken down below, step by step.

Melt the butter

Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish in 30 second increments until it is fully melted.

Set it aside to cool slightly while you move on to the eggs. Barely warm butter blends smoothly into the batter and will not cook the eggs.

Beat eggs & sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium high speed for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is very thick and light yellow. This step is not a shortcut.

That long beating dissolves the sugar and incorporates air, which gives the pudding structure, a crackly top, and a custardy center.

Sift dry ingredients

Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.

Set the dry mixture aside so it is ready the moment your eggs are done. Sifting keeps the cocoa smooth and helps prevent lumps in the finished pudding.

Bring it together & prepare to bake

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the vanilla bean paste, the framboise if you are using it, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined.

With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined. Be careful not to over mix. Over mixing deflates the batter and can make the finished pudding tough instead of tender.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and set that dish inside a larger baking pan. I use a 9×13 pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the outer pan to come halfway up the side of the small dish.

That is your water bath, also called a Bain Marie. It regulates the heat and keeps the center soft and creamy.

Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted 2 inches from the side should come out about three quarters clean. The center will appear very under baked, and that is exactly what you want.

This dessert lives somewhere between a brownie and a chocolate pudding. Start checking at 38 to 40 minutes, since every oven runs a little differently, and it is better to pull it a touch early than to over bake it.

Bake & enjoy!!

Bake for approximately 40 to 50 minutes, then let the pudding cool for 10 to 15 minutes while it is still sitting in the water bath. That rest lets the texture thicken slightly while staying molten.

Lift the dish out and serve it warm with vanilla ice cream. The contrast of cold ice cream against that hot, gooey center is the whole point.

Expert Tips

Five things make the difference between a good brownie pudding and a great one.

• Use room temperature eggs. They emulsify smoothly into the batter and give you a richer, more custard like texture.
• Beat for the full 8 to 10 minutes. This dissolves the sugar and whips in air, which is what gives you a crackly top and that soft custardy middle. Cutting it short gives you a dense, greasy result.
• Do not over bake. The center should look very under baked. Begin checking at 38 to 40 minutes since all ovens vary. When in doubt, pull it early.
• Rest it in the water bath. Ten to 15 minutes of resting lets the pudding set slightly while staying molten. Skip this and you lose some of the magic.
• Serve it warm. Vanilla ice cream is the classic pairing, and lightly sweetened whipped cream works beautifully too.

One more note on doneness. If you are ever unsure, remember that this dessert is supposed to be spoonable. A perfectly clean toothpick in the center means you have baked a brownie, not a pudding. That custardy middle is the entire point, so trust the wobble and pull it out.

Browse Other Desserts

If you love this one, there is plenty more where it came from. Browse cakes, cookies, bars and brownies, and frozen desserts for your next sweet craving.

Variations / Substitutions

This recipe is forgiving, so feel free to make it your own.

• Extra chocolate: Stir a handful of chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate into the batter for even more intensity.
• Gluten free: Swap the all purpose flour for a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend.
• Seasonal twist: Add a few drops of peppermint extract or some orange zest for a festive spin.

Storage / Freezing

Brownie pudding is at its absolute best warm, straight from the oven. That is when the center is at peak goo. Still, leftovers happen, and here is how to handle them.

• Room temperature: Cover and keep for up to one day.
• Refrigerator: Cover and keep for up to three days. The texture will firm up once it is chilled.
• Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to bring back that gooey center.

This is a fresh eating kind of dessert, so enjoy it the day you make it when you can. If you do chill it, that quick microwave reheat is your best friend for restoring the molten middle.

FAQs

Ina Garten’s Viral Brownie Pudding (Small Batch)

---

• Total Time: 70 min
• Yield: 4 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Ina Garten’s Viral Brownie Pudding (Small Batch) I saw this brownie pudding all over my feed and finally caved, and wow, it was worth every single bite. Ina Garten’s viral Brownie Pudding has taken over Instagram and TikTok, and the moment I saw that glossy, crackly top with a spoon sinking into a molten center, I knew I had to make it myself.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 extra large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. espresso powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
salt, pinch
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
~1 Tbsp. softened butter, for buttering the 8×8 pan
1½ tsp. framboise liqueur
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

---

Instructions

Instructions
1-Preheat and prep: Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 325℉. Lightly butter an 8×8-inch baking dish.
2-Melt butter: Melt butter: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish in 30-second increments until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
3-Beat sugar and eggs: Beat sugar and eggs: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 8-10 minutes, or until very thick and light yellow.
4-Sift dry ingredients: Sift dry ingredients: Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, and salt together and set aside.
5-Bring it together: Bring it together: When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla bean paste, framboise (if using), and the cocoa powder/flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined. Careful not to over mix.
6-Prepare water bath (Bain-Marie): Prepare water bath (Bain-Marie): Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan (I used a 9×13 pan). Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish.
7-Bake for ~40-50 minutes: Bake for ~40-50 minutes. A toothpick inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding. Start checking at 38-40 minutes. Brownie pudding is all about that custardy center, so it’s better to pull it a touch early than over-bake.
8-Cool and serve: Cool and serve: Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes in the water bath still, then lift it out and serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream. YUM!

• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 582kcal (29%)
• Sugar: 55g (61%)
• Sodium: 77mg (3%)
• Fat: 33g (51%)
• Saturated Fat: 20g (125%)
• Carbohydrates: 75g (25%)
• Fiber: 9g (38%)
• Protein: 9g (18%)
• Cholesterol: 158mg (53%)

Keywords: Ina Garten’S Viral Brownie Pudding