Ultimate Gooey Brownie Pie: The Easiest Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipe for Chocolate Lovers
Indulge in the heavenly delight of our Gooey Brownie Pie – a profoundly rich and fudgy chocolate brownie, boasting an irresistible crackly top, all baked to perfection in a pie form and generously crowned with warm hot fudge sauce. This extraordinary dessert is not only simple to prepare but guarantees to be a show-stopper for any occasion, making it an absolute dream come true for every chocolate lover out there.
There’s a special place in my heart, and certainly in my dessert repertoire, for brownies. They are, without a doubt, my favorite sweet indulgence. While I adore elaborate creations like these Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies, sometimes the simple elegance of classic Homemade Brownies hits just the right spot. When it comes to brownies, I embrace them all with equal enthusiasm!
My passion for these chocolatey squares runs deep, which is why you’ll find over 30 brownie recipes thoughtfully curated here on the blog. From chewy to cakey, from plain to loaded with extras, there’s no shortage of options to satisfy every brownie craving. But today, we’re diving into something truly spectacular: the Gooey Brownie Pie.
I distinctly remember the moment I first laid eyes on a picture of this brownie pie; it was an instant culinary epiphany. Whether it surfaced on Facebook or another social media platform, the image of that perfectly gooey, crackly-topped pie captivated me, and I knew immediately that I had to recreate it. My trust in Ina Garten’s baking prowess is unwavering; her Outrageous Brownies are a testament to her mastery. Knowing this, I was confident that her take on a gooey brownie pie would be nothing short of extraordinary, and it truly is.
This recipe transforms a classic brownie into an elegant pie, offering the best of both worlds. Imagine a rich, dense chocolate brownie base, baked to perfection in a pie dish, creating a dessert that feels both familiar and excitingly new. It’s the kind of treat that looks impressive enough for special occasions yet is straightforward enough for a weeknight indulgence. The combination of textures – the crisp, sugary crust giving way to a warm, molten chocolate center – is pure bliss.
Key Ingredients for the Perfect Gooey Brownie Pie
Achieving the signature gooey texture and crackly top of this brownie pie relies on a carefully selected list of everyday ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in creating this decadent masterpiece:
- Butter: Provides richness and helps create that wonderful fudgy consistency.
- Chocolate Chips: We use both melted and whole chocolate chips to ensure maximum chocolate flavor and pockets of molten chocolate throughout. Semi-sweet is perfect for a balanced sweetness.
- Eggs: Essential for structure and lift, especially when whipped with sugar to develop that iconic crackly top.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar contributes to sweetness, tenderness, and is key for forming the crisp top crust.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds a warm, aromatic depth to the pie.
- All-Purpose Flour: Just enough to bind the ingredients without making the brownies cakey. Less flour means more fudginess!
- Baking Powder: A tiny bit provides a slight lift, contributing to the pie’s airy yet dense texture.
- Salt: Crucial for balancing the sweetness and intensifying the chocolate flavor, making every bite more impactful.
These simple ingredients, when combined with precision and care, transform into a dessert that’s far greater than the sum of its parts. The magic happens through the specific ratios and preparation method, ensuring a brownie pie that’s truly unforgettable.
Irresistible Toppings and Serving Suggestions
While this Gooey Brownie Pie is absolutely divine on its own, a thoughtful topping can elevate it to an even more luxurious experience. Growing up, I always loved Chocolate Frosting on traditional brownies, finding that it added an extra layer of deliciousness.
However, this particular brownie pie is already so incredibly rich and decadent that a heavy frosting isn’t necessary. Instead, a simple drizzle of warm Hot Fudge Sauce is truly all you need. The warm, silky fudge melting into the gooey brownie is a match made in heaven. You can opt for your favorite high-quality store-bought hot fudge for convenience, or try my homemade recipe – it comes together in just minutes and offers an unparalleled rich, velvety goodness. For an extra special touch, consider a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream, allowing them to melt slightly into the warm brownie pie.
Mastering the Art of Gooey Brownie Pie: A Step-by-Step Guide
Crafting this Gooey Brownie Pie is a delightful experience, requiring many of the same ingredients as traditional brownies, but with slightly altered ratios and a specific technique to achieve its extra fudgy core and perfect crackly top. Here’s how to bring this chocolate dream to life:
- Prepare Your Pan and Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures your oven is at the correct temperature for even baking from the start. Thoroughly grease your chosen baking pan – a 9-inch springform pan is ideal for its tall sides and easy release, or a pie plate for a more traditional pie look.
- Melt Chocolate and Butter: In a heat-safe bowl, combine the butter and 2 cups of the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Gently melt them together until the mixture is beautifully smooth and glossy. You can achieve this using a double boiler for gentle heat, or carefully in the microwave at 50% power, stirring in 30-second intervals to prevent scorching. Once melted, set aside and allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly. This crucial step prevents scrambling the eggs in the next stage.
- Whip Eggs, Sugar, and Vanilla: In a separate, larger mixing bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, beat this mixture on medium-high speed for approximately 3 minutes. The goal is to achieve a super light, fluffy, and pale yellow consistency. This aeration is key to developing that sought-after crackly top on your brownie pie.
- Combine Chocolate and Egg Mixtures: Gently pour the slightly cooled chocolate and butter mixture into the whipped egg mixture. Mix on low speed, or fold by hand, until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; overmixing can lead to a tougher brownie.
- Fold in Dry Ingredients and Remaining Chocolate: Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Fold them in carefully until just combined – again, avoid overmixing. Then, incorporate the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips. These extra chips will melt into luscious pockets of chocolate as the pie bakes, enhancing its gooey factor.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the rich batter into your prepared pan. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the center is puffed up, and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, but not raw batter. The top will likely develop those beautiful, characteristic cracks.
- Cool Completely: This step requires patience but is vital for the pie’s texture and structural integrity. Remove the brownie pie from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cooling allows the pie to set properly, ensuring that gooey center remains perfectly molten when sliced, rather than running out.
- Serve with Hot Fudge: Once fully cooled, slice and serve your magnificent Gooey Brownie Pie. For the ultimate indulgence, top each slice with a generous drizzle of warm hot fudge sauce.
As the brownie pie bakes, it magically puffs up, creating a wonderfully crackly and delicious top crust. But beneath that alluring exterior lies a treasure: an incredibly gooey, rich, and intensely chocolatey interior that melts in your mouth. For this particular recipe, I chose to keep it purely chocolate, reveling in the unadulterated flavor of cocoa and melted chips. However, if you’re a fan of nuts in your desserts, feel free to mix in about a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans during step 5. Personally, I prefer my brownies and pies without nuts, ensuring every bite is a smooth, chocolatey journey.
Choosing the Right Baking Pan for Your Brownie Pie
The success of your Gooey Brownie Pie largely depends on using the correct bakeware. The recipe is designed for a 9-inch springform pan, which is crucial for achieving those impressively tall sides and making it easy to release the pie without damaging its delicate structure. A standard pie plate, while seemingly suitable for a “pie,” typically has shallower sides and is not ideal for the generous amount of batter this recipe yields.
If a springform pan isn’t available, and you only have a regular pie plate or a standard cake pan, you can still make this delicious treat. However, to prevent overflow and a messy oven, I highly recommend using only about 3/4 of the batter. The remaining batter can be baked into a few mini brownies in a muffin tin or a smaller ramekin – a little bonus treat! While a pie plate will work, the springform pan truly elevates the presentation and makes slicing much simpler, especially with a gooey interior.
If there’s a serious chocolate lover in your life, this Gooey Brownie Pie is the ultimate dessert to bake for them. It’s surprisingly easy to make, requiring minimal hands-on time and ingredients you likely already have stocked in your kitchen. With just a few minutes of preparation, you can have this decadent delight in the oven, filling your home with the irresistible aroma of baking chocolate. It’s perfect for celebrating birthdays, making special family dinners even more memorable, or simply for those moments when an intense chocolate craving strikes, demanding the most satisfying answer!
This dessert isn’t just a treat; it’s an experience. The delightful contrast between the crunchy, slightly chewy crust and the warm, molten fudge center makes every bite an adventure. It’s versatile enough to be served warm from the oven, perhaps with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream, or at room temperature, offering a denser, yet still incredibly moist and fudgy texture. No matter how you serve it, this Gooey Brownie Pie is destined to become a cherished recipe in your collection, bringing joy and comfort with every chocolate-infused mouthful.
More Indulgent Chocolate Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
If this Gooey Brownie Pie has sparked your chocolate cravings, you’re in luck! Here are some more of our favorite chocolate dessert recipes that are sure to satisfy:
- Flourless Chocolate Cake: An intensely rich and dense cake for the true chocolate purist.
- Double Chocolate Cupcakes: Moist, fluffy, and loaded with chocolate flavor, topped with a creamy frosting.
- Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake: A delightful twist on a classic, combining chocolate biscuits with fresh strawberries and cream.
- Soft Double Chocolate Cookies: Chewy, melt-in-your-mouth cookies packed with two kinds of chocolate chips.
- Molten Lava Cake: Individual cakes with a warm, flowing chocolate center, perfect for a romantic dessert.
- French Silk Pie: A silky-smooth, intensely chocolatey filling in a flaky pie crust, topped with whipped cream.
- Triple Chocolate Skillet Brownie: A warm, gooey brownie baked and served in a skillet, bursting with chocolate.
- Chocolate Toffee Bars: A delightful combination of crunchy toffee and rich chocolate in an easy bar form.
Gooey Brownie Pie
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Equipment
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Hand Mixer
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Springform Pans
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie plate or 9 inch spring form pan.
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In a heat safe bowl melt together butter and 2 cups of chocolate chips until smooth. You can use a double boiler or microwave at 50% power in 30 second intervals. Let cool.
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In an electric mixer beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
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Mix in the cooled chocolate.
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Fold in flour, baking powder and salt until just combined. Mix in remaining 1 cup chocolate chips.
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Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the center is puffed. The top may crack.
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Remove from oven and let cool completely.
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Top with hot fudge to serve
Notes
If using a pie plate, I would use about 3/4 of the batter, otherwise it will be too full.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
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