Growing up, my family treated Valentine’s Day a little differently than the romantic, red rose holiday it is to most. For us, it wasn’t so much a couples-only holiday as it was a day to let those you love know how much they mean to you. My maternal grandmother was the queen of homemade Valentines, and my mother has taken up that torch with pride. Every year, she crafts adorable homemade Valentines for her grandchildren to distribute to their friends. So this year, instead of a romantic menu for two, I decided to post a recipe for these Heart Shaped Brownies–a treat you can make for anyone you care about (or even
The heart shapes and sprinkles are optional because these brownies truly don’t need any adornments. Growing up, I always used the box mixes, but once I discovered this one-bowl recipe for Valentine’s Day Heart Shaped Brownies, I’ve never looked back. It’s almost just as easy as the mixes but ten times more delicious.
As Food52 and other food sites have declared, sometimes you just can’t beat the “back of the box” recipes. And why should you even try? Sure, go ahead and add your favorite frosting, mix-in, or tweak it a bit, but the recipe is a classic for a reason. Baker’s One Bowl Brownies is one such recipe. I’ve been using it as my go-to brownie recipe for over ten years, and each time it has resulted in the most perfect brownie I’ve ever tasted. It’s ruined me for any other brownie. Deep, dark, and fudgy, this is not a brownie for cake lovers. It’s a brownie for brownie lovers, and it won’t disappoint, I promise.
One of the greatest things about this recipe is its ease. There is no combining of wet and dry ingredients, and no washing multiple beaters and bowls. You simply melt butter and squares of unsweetened chocolate together in a glass bowl in the microwave, beat in sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, and optional chocolate chips and/or nuts by hand, and pour it in the greased pan. For Valentine’s Day, I’ve added themed sprinkles, but
Heart Shaped Brownies
These truly are the best brownies ever–and what's even better, they're one-bowl. Adapted from a recipe from Baker's Chocolate.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup flour all purpose
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- pinch of salt
- Optional: sprinkles chocolate chips or nuts
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease bottom and sides of a 13×9 baking dish.
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In a microwavable glass bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Microwave on high for about one minute until butter is melted. Stir with a rubber spatula until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
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Add sugar and stir until combined.
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Add eggs and stir until combined.
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Add flour and salt and stir just until combined.
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Add in nuts and/or chocolate chips, if using.
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Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs clinging to it.
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Scatter sprinkles over hot brownies.
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Let cool completely in pan.
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Cut into squares with a knife or desired shapes with cookie cutters.
Bottom Line: Happy Valentine’s Day, all! Try making these deep, dark, chocolatey brownies for your sweeties. If you’ve still got your heart set on a romantic meal for you and your other half, check out this recipe for grilled steak with chimichurri sauce and flourless chocolate cake for