The Brief History of Brownies: How an American Classic Was Born
Today, brownies are one of America’s most beloved desserts, and we find brownies at every bakery, coffee shop, and super market. But they weren’t invented overnight. Instead, they evolved gradually during the late 19th and early 20th centuries through changing food trends, popular culture, and the growing love of chocolate.
From Brown Dinners to Brownie Banquets
The story begins in the 1880s, when “Brown Dinners” became fashionable in the United States. Inspired by lifestyle magazines, hosts served meals in which every dish from bread and soup to mushrooms and desserts was brown in color.
In the 1890s, these gatherings evolved into festive “Brownie Banquets,” inspired by illustrator Palmer Cox’s popular comic characters, The Brownies. These parties featured sweets such as chocolate ice cream, graham crackers, and small molasses cakes called brownies. At this point, however, brownies still contained no chocolate.
The First Chocolate Brownies
The earliest printed brownie recipe appeared in 1896 in Fannie Farmer’s The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, but it was a molasses cake with nuts rather than the chocolate dessert we know today.
Chocolate entered the picture in 1899, when a Chicago cookbook published a recipe for an unleavened “Brownie Cake.” Food historian Stella Parks considers this the earliest known “proto-brownie” because its dense chocolate texture closely resembled modern brownies.
By 1904, chocolate brownie recipes were appearing in newspapers across Chicago and the Northeastern United States. In 1906, Fannie Farmer revised her cookbook to include a chocolate brownie recipe, helping popularize the dessert nationwide. These early brownies were more cake-like than today’s fudgy versions because they were made by creaming butter and sugar together before mixing the batter.
Delicious flourless chocolate brownie at Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe in Santa Monica, CA.
The Bangor Brownie and the Palmer House Legend
Another important milestone came in 1907, when Maria Willett Howard published a recipe for the Bangor Brownie in Lowney’s Cook Book. By adding more chocolate and an extra egg, she created a richer, moister brownie that was closer to the modern version.
The name “Bangor Brownie” has led to claims that the dessert originated in Bangor, Maine. While historians continue to debate this theory, several cookbooks published in 1904 already included recipes with that name, suggesting the town played an early role in the brownie’s history.
One of the most famous stories comes from Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel. According to hotel records, in 1893 Bertha Palmer requested a portable dessert for ladies attending the World’s Columbian Exposition. The hotel’s pastry chef created a rich chocolate dessert with walnuts and an apricot glaze, which the hotel still serves today. Although often described as the original brownie, there is no evidence that it was called a brownie at the time.
Delicious different types of brownies at Perfectly Sweet Bakery in Alhambra, CA.
Brownies Today
Over the following decades, brownies became a staple of American baking. Recipes evolved to include cocoa powder, brown sugar, and a variety of mix-ins such as walnuts, chocolate chips, caramel, and cream cheese. Today, brownies generally fall into three styles: fudgy, cakey, and chewy.
Rather than being invented by one person, the brownie developed over several decades through the contributions of cookbook authors, home bakers, and pastry chefs. This gradual evolution is part of what makes the brownie such a unique and enduring American dessert.
This time, I created a dairy-free and egg-free brownie while keeping the rich, indulgent flavor and dense texture of a classic brownie. Instead of using oil, I made it extra moist with almond butter. It’s a healthier brownie that’s still incredibly satisfying. Give it a try!
Source – Wikipedia “Chocolate Brownie”
Vegan Gluten-free Super Fudgy Brownie
Equipment
- 20cm (8") x 20cm (8") x 5cm (2") square baking pan
Ingredients
- 30 g (2 tbsp) Vinegar
- 150 g (3/4 cup) Coconut sugar
- 375 g (1 1/2 cups) Almond butter (Creamy without chunks)
- 180 g (3/4) cup Soy milk
- 75 g (1/4 cup) + 1 tbsp Maple syrup
- 30 g (2 tbsp) Rum
- 15 g (1 tbsp) Vanilla paste
- 60 g (1/2 cup) Corn starch
- 60 g (2/3 cup) Almond powder
- 80 g (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp) Cocoa powder
- 6 g (1 1/2 tsp) Baking powder
- 6 g (1 1/4 tsp) Baking soda
- 200 g (1 1/4 cups) Chocolate chips (50~70% cacao)
NOTE: For best results, measure ingredients with a scale using grams. Cup measurements (US customary units) are provided for your convenience but are not always accurate.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Line a square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine 120g (1/2 cup + 1 tsp) of soy milk and vinegar to make vegan buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, combine coconut sugar and 180g (3/4 cup) of soymilk.
- Add maple syrup and mix well.
- Add rum and vanilla paste, and mix until uniform.
- Add almond butter and mix until completely smooth and creamy.
- In a separate bowl, sift together corn starch, almond powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Combine the vegan buttermilk with the almond butter mixture and mix well until uniform.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. Because there is no wheat flour in this recipe, you don’t need to worry about over mixing the batter.
- Add the chocolate chips to the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared square pan.
- Lightly tap the pan on a counter to remove air bubbles.
- Make sure to fill the 4 corners thoroughly.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the brownie cool and remove from the pan.
Notes
- For the almond butter, make sure to choose the creamy type without almond chunks, and made of 100% almonds without additional ingredients such as sugar, salt, or oil.
- You can also use other nut butters, such as peanut butter.
- You can also substitute the soymilk with other plant-based milk if you prefer.
- This brownie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- To keep them longer, cut the brownie and wrap it with plastic wrap individually, and freeze them for up to a few months.
- You can also add nuts to the brownie batter, such as pecans and walnuts.
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