How to Make Brownies in a Mug

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: August 30, 2021 Approved

Looking for a quick dessert fix without the hassle of baking a whole pan of brownies? The power of the microwave is here to save you. Mug brownies take no more than 3-5 minutes to make and are a great single-serving treat that you can whip up at almost any time.

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup white or brown sugar
1/4 cup water or milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Basic Mug Brownies

1
Use a clean, ceramic, microwave-safe mug. It shouldn't have any metal on it. In general, a simple, unadorned ceramic mug is going to work the best.^{[1]
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2
Mix up the 1/4 cups flour/sugar, and 2 tablespoons cocoa in a mug. Take the dry ingredients and blend them up well. Use a fork or a small whisk just to make sure they are evenly mixed and there are no large chunks.

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3
Add the 1/4 cup of water and stir in. Don't worry if it doesn't completely mix in just yet -- you've still got the oil to add.
4
Stir in the 3 tablespoons of oil and teaspoon of vanilla. You can use just about any cooking oil, but you want something that doesn't have a strong flavor. Vegetable and canola are often the best bets, but a light olive oil will do as well. You could even use coconut oil or butter, though you have to melt it before mixing it in.^{[2]
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5
Stir until all the dry ingredients are blended and the batter has an even consistency. A fork or small whisk will do. Just mix it up until you see no more chunks of flour and cocoa. You want a nice, smooth batter.^{[3]
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6
Place the mug on a plate in the microwave. Depending on the size of the mug and the strength of the microwave, the brownie may spill over a bit when cooking. Place a plate under the mug to make your life easier during clean-up.
7
Microwave the brownie for 60 seconds. Some brownies take a little less, some a little more. Start with 1 minute, then check the brownie with a fork to see if it hit your desired consistency. You can then keep cooking and checking in 30-second intervals until you have your perfect brownie.^{[4]
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- The consistency will be slightly molten and gooey, unlike a traditional brownie. Don't worry if it seems a little "wet," this is by design.^{[5]
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8
Eat the brownie when it is cooked to your liking. There is no reason you couldn't eat the batter raw, other than it wouldn't taste very good. So if you want a gooey, wet brownie, take it out a little early. If you want something firmer and more cake-like, add an extra 20-30 seconds to the timer. You can customize it however you like.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Variations and Add-Ins

1
Make things easy on yourself. If you'd rather not make things from scratch and choose to use brownie mix instead, place 1/2 cup of mix to a 1/4 cup of water into the cup and microwave the mix for 1 minute.
2
Whip in one egg for a richer brownie. Eggs provide a richer, thicker consistency, much more like a traditional brownie. To make sure it is cooked all the way, it is best to beat it before adding to the brownie mixture. Mix it in with the wet ingredients before combining with the dry.^{[6]
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- If you like your brownies moist and gooey, add at least 30 seconds to your planned cooking time to ensure the egg cooks. You just want the finished brownie to be firm.
3
Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar to get a moister brownie. This generally keeps the brownie a little wetter. Classic white sugar, however, may make the brownie rise a little higher.^{[7]
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4
Add a pinch of spice. A little dash of cinnamon goes great with chocolate. You can go even further with a quick dash of nutmeg, allspice, and or ground cloves for a winter spiced brownie. Even pumpkin spice mix can be delicious. You only need, however, a tiny bit of spice -- under a half teaspoon. It will go a long way.
5
Toss in some chocolate chips before cooking for gooey chocolate chunks. A few well-placed chocolate chips will melt partially while cooking. Use whatever chips you want -- dark, milk, white, etc. -- and simply fold them in after you've stirred up all the other ingredients.
6
Try out a handful of chopped nuts. You'll only need a 1/4 cup or less. Toss them in after you've mixed up all the other ingredients and give them a quick stir to mix them in.
7
Add a teaspoon of instant coffee for a Mocha Mug Brownie. Looking for a little kick? A quick dash of instant coffee will add a ton of flavor and touch of caffeine to get you going.^{[8]
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- Looking for even more coffee flavor? Use pre-brewed coffee instead of water in the batter.^{[9]
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Community Q&A

Question

Do I have to use vanilla?

Community Answer

No. You may use a different extract, such as almond extract, or omit it.
Question

Would virgin olive oil work?

Community Answer

Yes, but it might change the flavor a bit.
Question

When do I add the salt?

Community Answer

Add the salt with the dry ingredients at the beginning of the recipe.

Warnings

Make sure the mug is microwave safe, otherwise it could explode or break the microwave.

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Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1
Be careful when taking the brownie in a mug out of the microwave, it will be hot.

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