Brownies Lab1,221 recipes

Brownies Lab · Decision tree

Find your brownie

Three questions sort all 1221 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.

The questions

  1. Question 1

    More cocoa than most, or less?

    Cocoa powder gives intense chocolate flavor without extra fat and absorbs liquid, firming the crumb.

    All 1221 recipes: median 18% of the flour weight; middle half 0% to 46%; 37% use none.

  2. Question 2

    More chocolate than most, or less?

    Melted chocolate brings cocoa butter as well as flavor, which is much of what makes a brownie fudgy rather than cakey.

    All 1221 recipes: median 150% of the flour weight; middle half 73% to 233%; 16% use none.

    Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.

  3. Question 3

    More fat than most, or less?

    More butter or oil relative to flour is the main lever toward fudgy; less gives a cakier square.

    All 1221 recipes: median 136% of the flour weight; middle half 91% to 182%; 2% use none.

    Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.

The key

Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.

Decision key: 3 questions, one per column, leading to 8 groups of recipes
1. Cocoa2. Chocolate3. FatGroup
More18% or more612Moreover 129%306Moreover 174%155A155
Less174% or less151B151
Less129% or less306More125% or more152C152
Lessunder 125%154D154
Little or noneunder 18%609Moreover 169%305More143% or more151E151
Lessunder 143%154F154
Less169% or less304Moreover 95%151G151
Less95% or less153H153

The 8 groups

Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 100 g of flour, beside the typical pan of all 1221. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.

Group A · 155 recipes · 12% of all

More cocoa, more chocolate and more fat

Cocoa 18% or more, chocolate over 129% and fat over 174% of the flour weight.

Median recipe of group A at 100 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 1221
At 100 g flourGroup AAll
Flour100 g100 g
Chocolate220 gabout 8 oz150 g
Cocoa50 gabout 2/3 cup18 g
Fat220 gabout 1 cup135 g
Sugar320 gabout 1 2/3 cups225 g
Egg165 gabout 3 1/2 large eggs125 g
Leaveningnonenone
Salt2 g1 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 138 recipes here that state a temperature and the 150 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group A

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Dark Chocolate Brownies · tarasmulticulturaltable.comcocoa 35% · chocolate 233% · fat 200%
  2. Fudgy Biscuits Brownies · baketotheroots.decocoa 53% · chocolate 187% · fat 257%
  3. Pecan Brownies · foodnetwork.comcocoa 34% · chocolate 181% · fat 182%
  4. Erdbeer Brownies Rezept mit Mascarponecreme · zuckerzimtundliebe.decocoa 47% · chocolate 218% · fat 218%
  5. Mint Brownies · livewellbakeoften.comcocoa 51% · chocolate 131% · fat 177%
Back to the key

Group B · 151 recipes · 12% of all

More cocoa, more chocolate and less fat

Cocoa 18% or more, chocolate over 129% and fat 174% or less of the flour weight. 6 of the 151 use no fat.

Median recipe of group B at 100 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 1221
At 100 g flourGroup BAll
Flour100 g100 g
Chocolate190 gabout 7 oz150 g
Cocoa43 gabout 1/2 cup18 g
Fat125 gabout 1/2 cup135 g
Sugar245 gabout 1 1/4 cups225 g
Egg120 gabout 2 1/2 large eggs125 g
Leaveningnonenone
Salt2 g1 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 138 recipes here that state a temperature and the 145 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group B

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Homemade Fudgy Brownies · oliviascuisine.comcocoa 43% · chocolate 177% · fat 133%
  2. Whole Wheat Brownies with Freshly Milled Flour · farmhouseonboone.comcocoa 43% · chocolate 183% · fat 121%
  3. Fudgy Sourdough Discard Brownies · farmhouseonboone.comcocoa 48% · chocolate 162% · fat 108%
  4. Brownies With Walnuts · bakeschool.comcocoa 47% · chocolate 184% · fat 121%
  5. Brown Butter Brownies · modernhoney.comcocoa 46% · chocolate 136% · fat 121%
Back to the key

Group C · 152 recipes · 12% of all

More cocoa, less chocolate and more fat

Cocoa 18% or more, chocolate 129% or less and fat 125% or more of the flour weight. 64 of the 152 use no chocolate.

Median recipe of group C at 100 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 1221
At 100 g flourGroup CAll
Flour100 g100 g
Chocolate65 gabout 2 oz150 g
Cocoa60 gabout 2/3 cup18 g
Fat180 gabout 3/4 cup135 g
Sugar320 gabout 1 2/3 cups225 g
Egg135 gabout 2 1/2 large eggs125 g
Leaveningnonenone
Salt2.5 g1 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 137 recipes here that state a temperature and the 148 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group C

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Fudgy Peanut Butter Cup Brownies · livewellbakeoften.comcocoa 62% · chocolate 0% · fat 177%
  2. Easy Fudgy Brownies · bakerbettie.comcocoa 58% · chocolate 0% · fat 188%
  3. Homemade Cosmic Brownies · livewellbakeoften.comcocoa 72% · chocolate 0% · fat 184%
  4. Homemade Fudgy Brownies · livewellbakeoften.comcocoa 68% · chocolate 0% · fat 184%
  5. Malted Brownies · handletheheat.comcocoa 72% · chocolate 108% · fat 143%
Back to the key

Group D · 154 recipes · 12% of all

More cocoa, less chocolate and less fat

Cocoa 18% or more, chocolate 129% or less and fat under 125% of the flour weight. 64 of the 154 use no chocolate. 14 of the 154 use no fat.

Median recipe of group D at 100 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 1221
At 100 g flourGroup DAll
Flour100 g100 g
Chocolate46 gabout 2 oz150 g
Cocoa34 gabout 1/3 cup18 g
Fat80 gabout 1/3 cup135 g
Sugar190 gabout 1 cup225 g
Egg75 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs125 g
Leavening2 gnone
Salt1 g1 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 137 recipes here that state a temperature and the 144 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group D

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Pressure Cooker Fudgy Brownies · tasteandtellblog.comcocoa 23% · chocolate 68% · fat 68%
  2. Mason Jar Chocolate Brownies {Free Printables} · chelseasmessyapron.comcocoa 39% · chocolate 51% · fat 102%
  3. Buckeye Brownies · sugarspunrun.comcocoa 39% · chocolate 0% · fat 102%
  4. Candied Cherry Brownies · bakingkneads.comcocoa 39% · chocolate 0% · fat 91%
  5. Cinnamon Brownies · tasteofhome.comcocoa 39% · chocolate 102% · fat 91%
Back to the key

Group E · 151 recipes · 12% of all

Little or no cocoa, more chocolate and more fat

Cocoa under 18%, chocolate over 169% and fat 143% or more of the flour weight. 131 of the 151 use no cocoa.

Median recipe of group E at 100 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 1221
At 100 g flourGroup EAll
Flour100 g100 g
Chocolate290 gabout 10 oz150 g
Cocoanone18 g
Fat200 gabout 1 cup135 g
Sugar250 gabout 1 1/4 cups225 g
Egg190 gabout 4 large eggs125 g
Leaveningnonenone
Salt0.5 g1 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 131 recipes here that state a temperature and the 134 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group E

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Recette du Brownie marbré chocolat & mascarpone : fondant et ultra-gourmand · hervecuisine.comcocoa 0% · chocolate 286% · fat 171%
  2. Brownie sundae · cuisineaz.comcocoa 0% · chocolate 286% · fat 186%
  3. Fudgy Dark Chocolate and Matcha Brownies · sudachirecipes.comcocoa 0% · chocolate 240% · fat 200%
  4. How to Make Delicious Rocky Road Chocolate Brownies Without a Mixer - ChainBaker · chainbaker.comcocoa 0% · chocolate 313% · fat 207%
  5. Brownies · ricettedalmondo.itcocoa 12% · chocolate 296% · fat 200%
Back to the key

Group F · 154 recipes · 12% of all

Little or no cocoa, more chocolate and less fat

Cocoa under 18%, chocolate over 169% and fat under 143% of the flour weight. 120 of the 154 use no cocoa. 9 of the 154 use no fat.

Median recipe of group F at 100 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 1221
At 100 g flourGroup FAll
Flour100 g100 g
Chocolate240 gabout 8 oz150 g
Cocoanone18 g
Fat110 gabout 1/2 cup135 g
Sugar175 gabout 3/4 cup225 g
Egg135 gabout 2 1/2 large eggs125 g
Leaveningnonenone
Salt0.5 g1 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 28 minutes, the medians of the 142 recipes here that state a temperature and the 151 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group F

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Brownies 'RIP' · cocinafacil.com.mxcocoa 0% · chocolate 238% · fat 120%
  2. Brownie com Framboesas · receitasnestle.com.brcocoa 0% · chocolate 200% · fat 100%
  3. Brownies al cioccolato · ricettedellanonna.netcocoa 0% · chocolate 193% · fat 100%
  4. El segundo mejor brownie del mundo · webosfritos.escocoa 0% · chocolate 188% · fat 125%
  5. brownie aux framboises et chocolat blanc · amourdecuisine.frcocoa 9.5% · chocolate 238% · fat 105%
Back to the key

Group G · 151 recipes · 12% of all

Little or no cocoa, less chocolate and more fat

Cocoa under 18%, chocolate 169% or less and fat over 95% of the flour weight. 108 of the 151 use no cocoa. 27 of the 151 use no chocolate.

Median recipe of group G at 100 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 1221
At 100 g flourGroup GAll
Flour100 g100 g
Chocolate105 gabout 4 oz150 g
Cocoanone18 g
Fat135 gabout 2/3 cup135 g
Sugar200 gabout 1 cup225 g
Egg120 gabout 2 1/2 large eggs125 g
Leaveningnonenone
Salt0.5 g1 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 128 recipes here that state a temperature and the 143 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group G

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Receita de Chocolate fudge brownie · comidaereceitas.com.brcocoa 0% · chocolate 133% · fat 133%
  2. Brownies met pecannoten · 15gram.becocoa 0% · chocolate 118% · fat 147%
  3. Snickers Brownies · mybakingaddiction.comcocoa 0% · chocolate 91% · fat 136%
  4. Haselnuss-Brownies · kuechengoetter.decocoa 0% · chocolate 100% · fat 100%
  5. Brownies com Soja · receitasnestle.com.brcocoa 0% · chocolate 91% · fat 107%
Back to the key

Group H · 153 recipes · 12% of all

Little or no cocoa, less chocolate and less fat

Cocoa under 18%, chocolate 169% or less and fat 95% or less of the flour weight. 100 of the 153 use no cocoa. 44 of the 153 use no chocolate. 7 of the 153 use no fat.

Median recipe of group H at 100 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 1221
At 100 g flourGroup HAll
Flour100 g100 g
Chocolate70 gabout 2 oz150 g
Cocoanone18 g
Fat70 gabout 1/3 cup135 g
Sugar130 gabout 2/3 cup225 g
Egg75 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs125 g
Leavening1.5 gnone
Salt0.5 g1 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 29 minutes, the medians of the 129 recipes here that state a temperature and the 149 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group H

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Boterkoek brownie · laurasbakery.nlcocoa 8.6% · chocolate 51% · fat 83%
  2. Receita de Brownies de maçã · comidaereceitas.com.brcocoa 0% · chocolate 48% · fat 91%
  3. Halloween-Brownie · oetker.decocoa 0% · chocolate 125% · fat 83%
  4. Snickerdoodle Brownies · yellowblissroad.comcocoa 0% · chocolate 88% · fat 88%
  5. Lemon Brownies · iambaker.netcocoa 0% · chocolate 0% · fat 73%
Back to the key

How the questions are chosen

Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For brownies the order is cocoa (2.55), chocolate (1.07), fat (0.67), sugar (0.64) and egg (0.52), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste. Leavening is left out because most recipes use none.

Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.

The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.