Mug Brownie

A few years back, and still today, my edible cookie dough remains one of my most popular recipes. I put making a brownie in a mug on my to-do list and four years later I am just getting around to making it.

angle mug brownie with chocolate and caramel drizzle


 

Looking for something to satisfy those chocolate cravings but don’t want to make a whole pan of brownies? A mug recipe is the answer. Purposely made to be one serving, this brownie mug cake is quick and easy to whip up.

Rather than making a whole batch of brownies from scratch, this fudgy mug brownie recipe allows you to make a single-serve brownie that is the perfect sweet treat after dinner.

I like a fudgy brownie (versus cake-like) so expect a little gooiness here. It is a cross between a cooked brownie and brownie batter. And top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? Pure deliciousness and sure to satisfy your brownie craving.

straight on shot of fork digging into mug brownie

Brownie in a Mug

The challenge here is that the mixture is cooked and to get the right texture, but not too dry and not too fudgy, you still can’t really use an egg. One yolk or white and it is still too much.

I really took one for the team recipe testing and tasting over 5 mug brownie recipes. Yes, 5.

Some didn’t make enough, others left you wanting more, I didn’t like having to mix the dry ingredients, melt butter in another and then mix. I just wanted to basically have a dump cake in a coffee mug.

Don’t use a standard coffee mug. You’ll want something oversized around 14 or 16 ounce should work.

Also note that that they get super hot in the microwave. Be mindful that if it has metallics on it, it could spark or get even hotter. Stay away from those.

close up of bite of mug brownie on fork

Cooking Times

Cooking times are going to vary. I know I’ll get a billion comments about how theirs didn’t cook right so I am going to talk about this issue here and also in the recipe notes.

You can two variables (three if you count altitude): the wattage of your microwave and the shape of your mug. A higher wattage will cook faster. A squattier, wide mug will cook faster.

I recommend testing the time in 10-second increments until you find your sweet spot.

overhead shot of bite taken out of mug brownie

Add Ins

You had no idea there were so many things to consider when making a mug brownie, did you? Now to the fun stuff…

What to mix in! Here are some of my favorite toppings and mix ins. Keep in mind that some of the candies might also require a little longer cook time (only by 15 seconds or so), but they are still quick and easy.

angle of brownie in a mug with teal background

Ingredients

These simple ingredients can probably all be found in your pantry the next time your sweet tooth is craving a single serving brownie.

  • Flour – I used all purpose flour here. I haven’t tried using a gluten free flour like almond flour, but let me know in the comments if you do.
  • Sugar – Just white granulated sugar is all we need here.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – I always have a container of this in my pantry, and I’m sure you do too. It’s the powdered stuff found in the baking aisle.
  • Coarse Kosher Salt – Keep in mind that different salts measure differently, so make sure you’re using the correct salt for this chocolate mug brownie.
  • Unsalted butter – If using salted butter, omit the salt from above. Some people substitute this with coconut oil or vegetable oil. I’ve never used olive oil.
  • Milk – I prefer to use full fat milk, but you could easily substitute something like coconut milk or almond milk to make this easy mug brownie recipe.
  • Vanilla – Vanilla extract helps to round our the flavors and adds a sweet and subtle touch to this microwave brownie.
overhead shot of mug brownie ingredients in mug

How to Make a Brownie in a Mug

So here is my version (the BEST version) of a mug brownie.

  1. Stir together dry ingredients, sugar, flour, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt.
  2. Add wet ingredients including milk, cubed butter and vanilla extract. Make sure the butter is in small cubes so it melts evenly.
  3. Stir until all dry mixture is slightly damp. There will clumps of butter.
  4. Microwave mug brownie for a few seconds, remove and stir well. The butter should be melted.
  5. Heat for another minute or so on high heat. Check and if center is still wet, heat for 15 second intervals until your brownie in a mug is fully cooked. FULL INSTRUCTIONS WITH TIMES ARE BELOW!
brownie in a mug for pinterest

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angle of brownie in a mug with teal background

Mug Brownie Recipe

4.54 from 62 votes
A delicious, fudgy brownie in a mug made in just 5 minutes from start to finish. The perfect way to indulge.
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Stir together dry ingredients, sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt.
    dry ingredients for mug brownie
  • Add milk, cubed butter and vanilla. Make sure the butter is in small cubes so it melts evenly.
    wet ingredients for mug brownie
  • Stir until all dry mixture is slightly damp. There will clumps of butter.
  • Heat for 20 seconds on high. Remove and stir well. The butter should be melted.
  • Heat for another 1 minute 15 seconds on high heat. Check and if center is still wet, heat for 15 second intervals until it is fully cooked.
    cooked mug brownie at an angle
  • Finish with your favorite toppings.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments and ratings!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 785 kcal, Carbohydrates: 110 g, Protein: 10 g, Fat: 39 g, Saturated Fat: 24 g, Cholesterol: 96 mg, Sodium: 36 mg, Potassium: 354 mg, Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 70 g, Vitamin A: 1148 IU, Calcium: 98 mg, Iron: 4 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 785
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brownie in a mug, brownie mug cake, mug brownie, mug brownie recipe
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

4.54 from 62 votes (43 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    Loved this recipe! Best mug brownie recipe I have tried. Every other recipe online is too dry or not fudgy enough. Did you ever post the vanilla mug cake recipe? Anxiously waiting 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    What a great recipe just for me when I need a quick dessert and something to cure a chocolate craving.

  3. 5 stars
    i dont usually like to write comments, but i spent SO LONG looking for a mug brownie recipie that wasnt dry and over-cocoa’d, was so good that i made some with my boyfriend and he thought it was great too, and hes picky as hell.
    this is amazing! great texture, great ideas, i put some cinnamon and espresso inside of it for some added flavor, 10/10

  4. 4 stars
    For the last couple months, I’ve been going through mug brownie recipes trying every single highly-rated one and comparing. Yours was quite different mainly because it’s like twice the size of all the others! Most are like 1 Tbsp of this, 2 Tbsp of that, etc. So I was a little shocked when I saw 1/3 cups mentioned! …especially sugar. I was super hesitant putting that much in. o_O
    All in all, yours is really good! Great brownie texture and flavor! My only complaint is a silly one: I won’t make it again because it’s not healthy enough. That sounds weird to say because, duh, it’s a brownie. But I just feel so much better about myself if I have an evening snack with only 2 Tbsp of sugar vs. a whole 1/3 cup! 😉

    1. Hi Melinda, this sounds like a fun experiment! I actually tested several vanilla cake mug recipes yesterday that might be a little more up your alley- they’ll be out soon. You are right, my goal here was not to be healthy, but I appriciate your honest feedback. Stay tuned for that mug cake and in the meantime, give our single serve cookie dough a whirl.