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My brownie in a mug is rich, fudgy, and loaded with rich chocolate flavor! It bakes in under a minute and will satisfy your sweet tooth. It’s the best post-dinner sweet treat with minimal effort.
Table of Contents
My easy mug brownie is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It’s essentially a condensed version of my almond flour brownies and flourless brownies.
The brownie mug cake comes together effortlessly. After a minute or less in the microwave, you’re left with a warm, rich, gooey brownie that gives classic brownies a run for their money. It’s a savior when the sweet tooth strikes and you need something quick and easy. I actually make this almost every week for a post-dinner sweet treat, and let’s not forget a cheeky scoop of ice cream on top!
Recipe highlights
- Single-serving. One of the unspoken rules about mug cakes is that there’s no sharing. It’s all for you!
- Simple ingredients. I purposely kept this mug brownie egg-free, so you literally can make it on a whim.
- Microwave or oven method. When I’m making mug brownies for a crowd, I find using the oven to be so much easier, so I included oven instructions as well.
Key Ingredients
- Almond flour. I recommend using blanched almond flour, as it will yield a lighter and fluffier cake.
- Sugar. I used white sugar, but brown sugar, coconut sugar, or a sugar-free alternative can also work.
- Cocoa powder. Dutch-processed or dark cocoa powder works best. Avoid using raw cacao powder, which is more bitter.
- Baking powder. Gives the mug cake rise and some fluffiness.
- Almond butter. Adds richness and a subtle nutty flavor that complements the chocolate perfectly. Not a fan of almond butter? Use any nut butter or seed butter you prefer, like peanut butter, cashew butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk works.
- Chocolate chips. Optional, but wise. Especially if you’re like me and a big fan of double chocolate, well, anything.
How to make a brownie in a mug
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- In a small mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
Step 2- Add the wet ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 3- Microwave the brownie in 30-second intervals until the desired texture is achieved. Remove the mug from the microwave and let sit for 1 minute before enjoying.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Adjust the cooking time. Microwave models differ, so your brownie may take longer to cook. If the brownie isn’t fully cooked after 1 minute, continue microwaving in 10-second intervals, checking between each.
- Add extra milk. If the batter appears too thick as you mix it, add an extra tablespoon of milk to thin it out.
- Add mix-ins. I’m boring and prefer plain mug brownies, but if you want to add fun mix-ins, I’d recommend chopped walnuts, peanut butter chips, or raspberry jam. Just make sure to keep the fillings under two tablespoons.
Make-ahead tips
Mug cakes should be enjoyed immediately. However, you can store the dried ingredients in a sealed container for up to 6 months. Add the wet ingredients and chocolate chips when you’re ready to assemble. Then you’re good to go!
Brownie In A Mug
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon almond butter * See notes
- 3 tablespoons milk I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips Optional
Instructions
- Lightly grease a small microwave safe cereal bowl or ramkin with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a 4-ounce mug or bowl, combine the almond flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add the almond butter, milk, and chocolate chips and mix until a smooth batter remains. If needed, add extra milk.
- Microwave in 30-second intervals until desired texture is achieved. Remove from the microwave and let sit for one minute, before enjoying.
Notes
- Oven instructions: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 6-inch oven-safe ramekin. Prepare your brownie batter before transferring to the greased ramekin. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the desired texture is achieved. Remove from oven and let cool for one minute before enjoying.
- Add toppings. A little garnish never hurt anyone! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, fresh berries, or caramel sauce.
- Enhance the flavor. Add a ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract or a dash of sea salt.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Mug cakes may be chewy if they’re overcooked. Since mug cakes only need 1-2 minutes to cook, it’s easy to overcook them mistakenly. The best way to prevent this is to microwave in intervals and check between each to see if the brownie is cooked. Also, there aren’t any eggs in this, so it’s okay to enjoy if it’s undercooked.
I tested this recipe using a 4-ounce mug (1 cup), a 6-ounce mug (1 1/2 cups), and an 8-ounce mug (2 cups) and found the 4-ounce mug to be the best. Thanks to its smaller cooking area, it not only cooked the quickest but also yielded a more moist and rich brownie.
This brownie is delicious and the perfect solution for a chocolate craving on a cold, rainy night!
I cooked it in the microwave and got worried at the 1:30 mark when it was still a liquid, but by 2 minutes it had turned into a brownie. Yum!
Thank God for you
I’ve made quite a few low carb mug cakes, but this is by far my fave. Actually tastes of something and a great texture. The almond butter is an inspired addition. Thank you, I will make this again!
Delicious, thank you! Used PB instead of almond butter as it was what I had on hand. Added Choc zero milk chocolate chips to batter. Satisfied my cravings perfectly.
The most delicious brownie I have ever tried!
Am I missing something? Many of the comments talk about “Chocolate protein powder”…but it’s NOT in the recipe? What did I miss???
Delicious! Thnx
I haven’t made them as yet. But wondering if I can make a larger scale so I could have 5 or 6. Not good at adding more in ingredients.
Darlene
I don’t see why not
absolutely delicious . how many times did you have to try to get the ratio so well.
This might be the best single servevbriwnie I’ve ever eaten. I think the nut butter makes it but OMG this is delicious!
Taste was great! but texture was not like a brownie. : / It seemed more like brownie BATTER. I microwaved it for 30 seconds, then 30 seconds, then 15 seconds. I was afraid to do more, but it never really solidified into anything brownie-like…. just hot batter!
Wonderful recipe! As we are trying to eat healthy, this was our Thanksgiving dessert. I doubled the recipe for two. It was so awesome, I am making it again tonight……only a single portion this time. 🙂 Thank you!
Delicious and easy. I added a little Stevia to the top when it’s finished with a few extra chocolate chips.
This was just amazing! Perfekt texture and i Added 1,5 teaspoon of protein “Nutella” spread on top to make it a lava cake and it was a dream really. Thank you!
Delicious!! One of the best mug cakes. Others I tried tasted low carb. This tastes decadent!!