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Easy Cocoa Powder Brownies (No Chocolate Required!)
4.9 from 30 votes

Easy Cocoa Powder Brownies (No Chocolate Required!)

These super easy brownies are made with just 5 basic ingredients: butter, flour, cocoa powder, eggs and sugar. No chocolate needed. The result is utterly delicious – fudgy, squidgy, rich… and very moreish! Better still, the recipe is really easy to adapt to suit your personal tastes… and what you have available in your kitchen.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 16 brownies
Calories: 189 kcal
Course: Dessert, Snacks, Baked Goods
Cuisine: American, British

Ingredients

  • 150 g butter
  • 150 g all-purpose flour plain
  • 60 g cocoa powder see Note 1
  • 2 egg medium
  • 300 g brown sugar light or dark - whichever you prefer - see Note 2, soft

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a gentle heat. As soon as the butter is melted, take the pan off the heat and allow to cool – do not allow it to bubble.
  2. Preheat your oven to 180C / 160C fan / gas mark 4 / 350F.
  3. Grease and line a 23 x 23cm (9 x 9 inch) brownie pan. See tips in THIS POST for how to line a brownie pan.
  4. Combine the flour and cocoa in a large bowl.
  5. Crack the two eggs into a jug (or another bowl) and whisk lightly.
  6. Add the sugar to the eggs, and whisk lightly to combine the eggs and the sugar.
  7. Add the cooled melted butter to the egg and sugar mixture and whisk lightly to combine all the wet ingredients.
  8. Pour the egg/sugar/butter mixture into the flour/cocoa mixture and gently stir together until just combined.
  9. Tip the brownie batter into the prepared tray, spread the batter out to the corners and smooth the top.
  10. Place in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes depending on how gooey you like your brownies in the middle. (Don’t test with a skewer because you want them to be a bit gooey inside!)
  11. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin – until cool enough to handle – then lift out and chop into 16 squares.
  12. Can be eaten hot or cold.

Notes

  • I suggest 60g cocoa, but if you prefer a more milk chocolate style brownie, cut down to 30g… or if you prefer a super-dark brownie, bump up to 90g cocoa. Anywhere between 30g and 90g works just fine in this recipe, with no need to adjust the other ingredients.
  • The type of sugar you use will affect the flavour of the brownies. Dark soft brown sugar will give you a richer flavour. If you prefer your brownies less rich, I recommend you use light brown sugar. (You can even use caster sugar, if you don’t have any brown sugar – but if you do the flavour will be even less rich, and slightly sweeter.)
  • Suitable for freezing.
  • Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

Nutrition Information

Calories 189kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g (2%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g (10%) Trans Fat 0.3g (15%) Cholesterol 41mg (14%) Sodium 74mg (3%) Potassium 102mg (2%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 18g (36%) Vitamin A 264IU (5%) Calcium 27mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16 brownies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 189

% Daily Value*

Calories 189kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.3g 15%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 74mg 3%
Potassium 102mg 2%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 18g 36%
Vitamin A 264IU 5%
Calcium 27mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.