My great-uncle Toby and great-aunt Jane always have something new and exciting to share with me every time I see them. Their corner of Southwest Virginia sits on the Holston Lake, peaceful and quiet, dotted with pictures from their travels together over the years. It’s where they rejoice in music, their rescue pug Isaiah, and last but not least, sitting down to enjoy delicious food together.
On a recent visit, they pulled out all the stops to serve the sorts of dishes I remember eating as a child with my late grandma and my grandpa. We joked and reveled in memories over hot dogs, chili beans, and baked potatoes served with a dollop of sour cream. But they made it clear that dessert would be the excitement of the evening, and they couldn’t wait to serve it: brownies from the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Brownies
I was skeptical, but I could tell by their excitement and general passion that whatever they were about to serve was going to be really good. I’d never had slow cooker brownies before, though I’ve tried my fair share of slow cooker desserts, like cobblers and dump cakes that require little—if any—stirring. These brownies would be something different, they assured me—transformative, even.
I readied my bowl and spoon and looked on as they lifted the lid of the little half-size slow cooker to uncover the prize. It smelled chocolatey and sweet, and a little bit of steam escaped—but not as much as I expected. I knew this was a good sign—it means that most of the steam went back into the brownie to keep it moist, buoyant, and tender.
When I slid my spoon into the brownie (served with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, of course), I knew instantly that it would be great—it met just a little bit of resistance, but the interior was soft and almost mousse-like. The edges were pleasantly firm, while the interior was lava-like, but still cooked-through. It instantly surpassed my expectations—it’s better than any fancy molten chocolate cake out there.
How To Make Slow Cooker Brownies
Morgan Glaze / Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel
While my great aunt and uncle call these brownies, they’re more akin to a moist, single-layer chocolate cake or sweet soufflé baked by the steam and convection of a slow cooker. They maintain moisture throughout the crumb during the cooking process that would otherwise evaporate even with the tightest aluminum foil in the oven.
My great-aunt and great-uncle have a half-size slow cooker, meaning that the vessel within the cooker is deeper, so the brownies are thicker. This allows them to get ooey-gooey inside, and just cooked through.
Ingredients:
- Cooking Spray
- 1 (16-ounce) box chocolate brownie mix
- 1/4 cup water or whole milk (or according to package directions)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup chocolate syrup or fudge sauce, plus more for serving
Directions:
- Grease the slow cooker. Lightly coat the slow cooker insert with cooking spray.
- Make the batter. Stir together brownie mix, eggs, oil, and milk. Stir in fudge sauce. Pour into prepared slow cooker.
- Cook. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on High for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the lid and let stand uncovered for at least 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm. Serve while still warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or your favorite sauce topping such as caramel sauce or hot fudge sauce.
