746 English brownie recipes. For every word used in at least 10 of their titles, the recipes that use it against the rest, on every ingredient, in grams per 100 g of flour. 8 words go with a clear difference; 23 others change nothing measurable.
This is what recipe writers do when they pick a word, not proof that an ingredient makes the texture: the numbers show what recipes with the word have in common, and a recipe can earn its word through the method, the pan or the oven instead.
Recipes called “best” (31), “fudge” (26), “homemade” (22) or “easy” (16) use about the same amounts as the rest on every ingredient measured here, within what chance would explain.
Words that promise how the result eats or how the recipe goes.
Recipes called “fudgy”: more egg (160% vs 120%); more fat (174% vs 136%).
“fudgy” (63)the rest (683)middle half of all
Eggrecipes called fudgy 160% vs the rest 120%
Fatrecipes called fudgy 174% vs the rest 136%
For example: The Best One Bowl Fudgy Brownies (modernhoney.com) · Homemade Fudgy Brownies (oliviascuisine.com)
Words that name something in the recipe or the kind it is. Some differences here are what the word says outright; they show the numbers can be trusted where the answer is known.
Recipes with “zucchini” in the title: most add leavening (90% vs 38% use some); less egg (11% vs 120%); less sugar (127% vs 250%).
“zucchini” (20)the rest (726)middle half of all
Leavening · share using anyrecipes with zucchini in the title 90% vs the rest 38%
Eggrecipes with zucchini in the title 11% vs the rest 120%
Sugarrecipes with zucchini in the title 127% vs the rest 250%
For example: Zucchini Brownies (12tomatoes.com) · Zucchini Brownies (houseofnasheats.com)
Recipes with “vegan” in the title: most use no egg (100% vs 6%); more leavening (2.8% vs 0%); less fat (58% vs 136%).
“vegan” (17)the rest (729)middle half of all
Egg · share using anyrecipes with vegan in the title 0% vs the rest 93%
Leaveningrecipes with vegan in the title 2.8% vs the rest 0%
Fatrecipes with vegan in the title 58% vs the rest 136%
For example: Vegan Fudge Brownies (leitesculinaria.com) · Vegan Brownies (loveandlemons.com)
Recipes with “eggless” in the title: most use no egg (100% vs 6%); most add leavening (93% vs 38% use some).
“eggless” (15)the rest (731)middle half of all
Egg · share using anyrecipes with eggless in the title 0% vs the rest 93%
Leavening · share using anyrecipes with eggless in the title 93% vs the rest 38%
For example: Eggless Brownies Recipe | Fudgy Chocolate Brownie (vegrecipesofindia.com) · Eggless Brownies (tasteofhome.com)
Recipes with “lemon” in the title: most use no cocoa (100% vs 24%); most use no chocolate (84% vs 18%); less sugar (128% vs 250%).
“lemon” (13)the rest (733)middle half of all
Cocoa · share using anyrecipes with lemon in the title 0% vs the rest 75%
Chocolate · share using anyrecipes with lemon in the title 15% vs the rest 81%
Sugarrecipes with lemon in the title 128% vs the rest 250%
For example: Fudgy Lemon Brownies (12tomatoes.com) · Lemon Brownies (theviewfromgreatisland.com)
Recipes with “cosmic” in the title: most use no chocolate (68% vs 18%); more cocoa (69% vs 29%); more sugar (319% vs 249%).
“cosmic” (16)the rest (730)middle half of all
Chocolate · share using anyrecipes with cosmic in the title 31% vs the rest 81%
Cocoarecipes with cosmic in the title 69% vs the rest 29%
Sugarrecipes with cosmic in the title 319% vs the rest 249%
For example: Homemade Cosmic Brownies (livewellbakeoften.com) · Cosmic Brownies (dinneratthezoo.com)
Recipes with “cocoa” in the title: more sugar (385% vs 250%); more cocoa (69% vs 29%); most use no chocolate (53% vs 18%).
“cocoa” (13)the rest (733)middle half of all
Sugarrecipes with cocoa in the title 385% vs the rest 250%
Cocoarecipes with cocoa in the title 69% vs the rest 29%
Chocolate · share using anyrecipes with cocoa in the title 46% vs the rest 81%
For example: Best Fudgy Cocoa Brownies (cafedelites.com) · Cocoa Powder Brownies (sugarspunrun.com)
Recipes with “banana” in the title: less fat (53% vs 136%).
“banana” (10)the rest (736)middle half of all
Fatrecipes with banana in the title 53% vs the rest 136%
For example: Banana Bread Brownies (12tomatoes.com) · Banana Brownies with Peanut Butter Banana Frosting (tasteandtellblog.com)
Recipes with these words in the title use about the same amounts as the rest on every ingredient, within what chance would explain. The number is how many titles use the word.
Titles are split into words, with two-word names kept whole ("small batch", "cream cheese", "brown butter") and spellings folded together ("crisp" and "crispy"). The dish's own name, words like "the" and "recipe", and any word in half the titles or more are left out. A word needs at least 10 recipes, and there must be 10 without it. English titles only, so a word cannot stand in for a language.
A difference is shown when the medians sit at least a third of the middle half of all these recipes apart (about half a standard deviation, a medium effect) and a rank test puts it at 3 standard errors or more. For an ingredient many recipes skip, the share using none counts too: 25 points apart at the same 3 standard errors. With dozens of words and every ingredient tested, about one chance difference in 370 comparisons would pass, so a lab may show one that is luck; a finding that repeats across labs is unlikely to be.
Shares are rounded down. Each card links two recipes that use the word, nearest its own medians.