Brownie pudding is a chocolate dessert that’s so decadent and rich. Like a classic brownie, this recipe has a crackly top with a super soft molten center. It’s like a cross between a brownie and a Molten Lava Cake. It took the internet by storm and if you read more, you’ll know why! Here’s how to make the viral Brownie Pudding Recipe with step by step, pro tips and video. 
This Brownie Pudding, which is essentially an old recipe by Ina Garten suddenly captured the internet by storm and went viral on social media starting with Tiktok. It’s made in one bowl using a whisk and very little flour, creating a crackly top, molten center, and rich chocolate flavor. If a molten lava cake and a classic brownie had a richer, softer, more indulgent cousin, it would be brownie pudding.
What Is Brownie Pudding?
Brownie pudding is a hybrid chocolate dessert, part brownie, part chocolate pudding. The top develops a thin, crisp crackly brownie layer, while the interior remains molten, silky, and spoonable.
Unlike traditional brownies, it’s spooned, not cut, and served warm, often with vanilla ice cream or fresh berries. The texture is closer to molten cake, but less structured and more scoopable.
It’s often confused with a Chocolate lava cake (individual cakes with a liquid center) try our recipe and you’ll LOVE it! Also confused with our MUST make Chocolate pudding cake (which uses hot water poured on top before baking), or a simple chocolate pudding.
Brownie pudding sits between a brownie and a self saucing pudding cake.If you’re looking for an amazing 1 min chocolate brownie recipe, you’ll LOVE our Brownie In A Mug too! Made in the microwave and seriously decadent.
Why You’ll Love This Dessert
- Textural contrast: Crackly top with soft, gooey interior.
- Ultra chocolatey: Deep, rich flavor without being overwhelming.
- Comforting and elegant: Perfect for cozy nights or special occasions.
- Simple but sophisticated: Uses basic pantry staples.
- Can feed a crowd: While we cut the recipe in half and made them into 4 ramekins, you can double, triple or quadruple the amount. You can also make it into a large oven dish or casserole instead of individual servings.
- Customizable: Add in some espresso, orange zest, sprinkle sea salt and much more!
Ingredients You Need For Brownie Pudding Recipe
- Eggs. They create richness, an airy texture, and bind the brownie pudding together. We use extra-large eggs. It’s best if the eggs are at room temperature so they can whip up better.
- Sugar. Sweetens the chocolate and also creates an airy texture, and the crackly top.
- Vanilla. Flavor of choice for the classic taste.
- Salt. To enhance the taste of chocolate!
- Cocoa Powder. Use quality Dutch processed cocoa powder or any organic quality.
- Flour. All purpose flour.
- Butter. Unsalted butter adds richness and helps create the texture of the brownie. Use melted cooled butter. Original recipe uses two sticks of butter but this is a half recipe which uses just one.
- Optional Add ons: Espresso powder, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, orange zest, raspberry jam, sea salt flakes, peanut butter swirls and more!
How to Make Ina Garten’s Brownie Pudding
Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven and a kettle filled with water. This will create a water bath to bake the pudding, which is essential for the soft fudgy center.
Beat Eggs and Sugar
- In a large bowl, add in the eggs and sugar. Use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Begin whipping the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed.
- The mixture will start to get lighter in color as more air is incorporated. Keep beating the eggs and sugar until you get a pale in color mixture that’s fluffy and aerated.
- Add in the vanilla and beat the mixture until it’s all incorporated.
Sift in Cocoa and Flour
- Use a sieve and place it over the bowl of the egg sugar mixture.
- Sift the cocoa powder and then sift in the flour. You can alternatively sift them in a separate bowl and then add that flour mixture to the main egg bowl.
- Make sure to use low speed as you incorporate the flour and cocoa powder into the batter so you can preserve the airiness. Over mixing can make the dessert dense rather than pudding like.
Incorporate the Butter
- Using the same bowl of an electric mixer, with minimal speed, slowly drizzle in the melted and cooled butter.
- You can use a spatula to fold it in as well, making sure to scrape the side of the dish so it fully incorporates into the brownie batter.
Bake in Water Bath
- Use a 9 inch square dish, or a 9 by 13 inch, and line the dish with a small kitchen towel. This allows the ramekins to stay in place as you add in the hot water. It’s a secret hack we did at the cooking school and makes water bath baking so much easier!
- Place the ramekins securely over the towel and then use spoons or an ice cream scoop to divide the brownie batter between the ramekins. If you’re using one baking dish, you can just pour the whole batter into it.
- Now take the kettle with boiling water ( hot tap water can be used, but boiling water is best) and pour the water around the ramekins. It should cover about half way up the sides of the dish.
- Place the pan carefully in the oven (the pan will be hot from the boiling water so be careful) and bake.
- Bake until the top is crackly and set, while the interior will remain soft. The brownie pudding will not feel jiggly at that point, it will puff slightly in the oven.
Cool and Serve
- Allow the dessert to cool briefly so the pudding sets just enough to scoop.
- This brownie pudding recipe is best when served warm, but it actually tastes great at room temperature for days!
- Serve as is, or top with ice cream, whipped cream, berries, framboise, chocolate shavings, nuts, Homemade Caramel Sauce or your favorite!
Pro Tips for Perfect Brownie Pudding
- Ina’s recipe felt too sweet for us, so we decreased the amount of sugar slightly and it’s just perfectly balanced right now.
- Use high quality cocoa powder as it makes for a richer chocolate flavor.
- Room temperature eggs always beat easily and create a light, airy texture.
- Make sure to sift the coco powder and flour to avid over mixing the batter until smooth.
- Overall over mixing is not recommended as it will remove the air you’ve incorporated initially.
- Don’t skip the water bath! It prevents over baking and ensures a pudding like center.
- Line the baking pan with a small towel before placing the baking dish on top makes it easier to control the hot pan.
- Using ramekins instead of one large baking dish helps reduce bake time, makes serving so much easier and less messy! Each serving has the perfect amount of crackly crust and molten center.
- Let it cool slightly when out of the oven, it will be piping hot!
- Brownie pudding is best enjoyed warm to preserve its molten texture.
What makes brownie pudding different from regular brownies?
Brownie pudding has a crackly top with a molten, spoonable center, unlike traditional brownies, which are fully baked and cuttable.
Why does the top crackle?
The aeration of eggs and sugar makes the sugar fully dissolve in the eggs which creates the signature crackly tops. The gentle water bath baking method helps with the soft fudgy texture.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes! Simply substitute a 1:1 gluten free flour blend.
How long does it last?
The brownie pudding can be stored at room temperature for 2 days, covered. Alternatively you can place it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, also covered. The taste will be rich and chocolatey, however some of the crispness form the crust will be lost.
Is brownie pudding the same as lava cake?
Not at all. This is our no fail and fool proof Molten Lava Cake where there’s a chocolate cake with a liquid chocolate center contrasting each other. The brownie is all consistently soft and airy on the inside with a crackly top.
Can I add toppings?
Yes! We love ice cream, whipped cream, berries, chocolate shavings, or caramel drizzle.
Why Is My Brownie Pudding Dry?
You have probably not used a water bath, or even with a water bath it could turn dry if over baked. If you used too much flour, or over mixed the flour and deflated most of the air, these can also contribute to a dry result.
Why Is It Too Liquid?
You have most likely underbaked it.
Is brownie pudding supposed to be gooey?
Yes. The center should be soft and slightly molten.
Can I freeze brownie pudding?
You can freeze it, but texture changes slightly.
Can I make it in ramekins?
Yes. It’s our favorite way! You get perfectly portion controlled servings, you get maximum crackly crust and you reduce baking time significantly.
Chocolate Recipes
Brownie In A Mug
Molten Lava Cake
Black Forest Cupcakes
Chocolate Truffles Recipe
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Coconut Brownies
Chocolate Pudding Recipe
Chocolate Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl
Chocolate Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Chocolate Pudding Cake
Brownie Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cups sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 4 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 stick Butter unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and a kettle filled with water. This will create a water bath to bake the pudding, which is essential for the soft fudgy center.
-
In a large bowl, add in the eggs and sugar. Use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Begin whipping the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed.
-
The mixture will start to get lighter in color as more air is incorporated. Keep beating the eggs and sugar until you get a pale in color mixture that's fluffy and aerated.
-
Add in the vanilla and beat the mixture until it's all incorporated.
-
Use a sieve and place it over the bowl of the egg sugar mixture.
-
Sift the cocoa powder and then sift in the flour. You can alternatively sift them in a separate bowl and then add that flour mixture to the main egg bowl.
-
Make sure to use low speed as you incorporate the flour and cocoa powder into the batter so you can preserve the airiness. Over mixing can make the dessert dense rather than pudding like.
-
Using the same bowl of an electric mixer, with minimal speed, slowly drizzle in the melted and cooled butter.
-
You can use a spatula to fold it in as well, making sure to scrape the side of the dish so it fully incorporates into the brownie batter.
-
Use a 9 inch square dish, or a 9 by 13 inch, and line the dish with a small kitchen towel. This allows the ramekins to stay in place as you add in the hot water. It's a secret hack we did at the cooking school and makes water bath baking so much easier!
-
Place the ramekins securely over the towel and then use spoons or an ice cream scoop to divide the brownie batter between the ramekins. If you're using one baking dish, you can just pour the whole batter into it.
-
Now take the kettle with boiling water ( hot tap water can be used, but boiling water is best) and pour the water around the ramekins. It should cover about half way up the sides of the dish.
-
Place the pan carefully in the oven (the pan will be hot from the boiling water so be careful) and bake.
-
Bake until the top is crackly and set, while the interior will remain soft, about 25-30 minutes.
The brownie pudding will not feel jiggly at that point, it will puff slightly in the oven.
-
Allow the dessert to cool briefly so the pudding sets just enough to scoop.
-
This brownie pudding recipe is best when served warm, but it actually tastes great at room temperature for days!
-
Serve as is, or top with ice cream, whipped cream, berries, framboise, chocolate shavings, nuts, Homemade Caramel Sauce or your favorite!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips for Perfect Brownie Pudding
- Ina's recipe felt too sweet for us, so we decreased the amount of sugar slightly and it's just perfectly balanced right now.
- Use high quality cocoa powder as it makes for a richer chocolate flavor.
- Room temperature eggs always beat easily and create a light, airy texture.
- Make sure to sift the coco powder and flour to avid over mixing the batter until smooth.
- Overall over mixing is not recommended as it will remove the air you've incorporated initially.
- Don’t skip the water bath! It prevents over baking and ensures a pudding like center.
- Line the baking pan with a small towel before placing the baking dish on top makes it easier to control the hot pan.
- Using ramekins instead of one large baking dish helps reduce bake time, makes serving so much easier and less messy! Each serving has the perfect amount of crackly crust and molten center.
- Let it cool slightly when out of the oven, it will be piping hot!
- Brownie pudding is best enjoyed warm to preserve its molten texture.
What makes brownie pudding different from regular brownies?
Brownie pudding has a crackly top with a molten, spoonable center, unlike traditional brownies, which are fully baked and cuttable.
Why does the top crackle?
The aeration of eggs and sugar makes the sugar fully dissolve in the eggs which creates the signature crackly tops. The gentle water bath baking method helps with the soft fudgy texture.
Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes! Simply substitute a 1:1 gluten free flour blend.
How long does it last?
The brownie pudding can be stored at room temperature for 2 days, covered. Alternatively you can place it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, also covered. The taste will be rich and chocolatey, however some of the crispness form the crust will be lost.
Is brownie pudding the same as lava cake?
Not at all. This is our no fail and fool proof Molten Lava Cake where there's a chocolate cake with a liquid chocolate center contrasting each other. The brownie is all consistently soft and airy on the inside with a crackly top.
Can I add toppings?
Yes! We love ice cream, whipped cream, berries, chocolate shavings, or caramel drizzle.
Why Is My Brownie Pudding Dry?
You have probably not used a water bath, or even with a water bath it could turn dry if over baked. If you used too much flour, or over mixed the flour and deflated most of the air, these can also contribute to a dry result.
Why Is It Too Liquid?
You have most likely underbaked it.
Is brownie pudding supposed to be gooey?
Yes. The center should be soft and slightly molten.
Can I freeze brownie pudding?
You can freeze it, but texture changes slightly.
Can I make it in ramekins?
Yes. It's our favorite way! You get perfectly portion controlled servings, you get maximum crackly crust and you reduce baking time significantly.
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