Honey Chocolate Chip Brownies: the Half-Batch Hack and Sugar Substitute

Making brownies from scratch is so easy you almost need an excuse not to make them on any given day, especially since most of the ingredients are common enough to already be in your kitchen. My usual excuse is that I’m watching what I eat, so I shouldn’t…

But yesterday I had three good excuses to go ahead and make brownies:

1. I count calories and it was my much-anticipated cheat day,
2. I had not made brownies in over a month,
3. My man-partner was returning from Paris and I wanted to make him something sweet and special as a welcome home gift.

Following a recipe's directions is important, as a small misstep carries the potential to destroy the entire effort. Yet, often these recipes are meant to produce more servings than necessary; and more often than not, we don’t need all that. Thus, the common hack I apply at home with baked goods is to prepare only a half-recipe. This goes for breads, cookies, pancakes etc. I make only what I need. That way you have enough to eat, but not enough to ruin your whole week with constant temptation. The half-batch will generate 9 brownies at about 45-50 grams per piece which comes out to about 180-200 calories each (see above picture). I follow the recipe for brownies included on the back of my Toll House brand cocoa powder.

If you’re not comfortable with math, the half-batch of ingredients went like this:

2/3 cup flour
3/8 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
**1/2 cup honey
3/8 cup butter (3/4 stick butter, or 6 segments)
1 tbsp water
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
***1/3 cup chocolate chips

For any recipe, once you’ve successfully divided the ingredients, the rest of the directions can be followed without modification from the original.

You will notice that the above version diverges from the Toll House recipe in some ways:

** I’ve started substituting granulated sugar with honey. I love the rich texture it gives the brownie and the fact that it makes them smell like honey. I think it adds a new and interesting dimension to the end product. (Occasionally I will also substitute regular butter with coconut oil which gives the brownies a wonderful coconut flavor and make them chewy without being “fudge” brownies. Although, I did not do that this time since I’m currently out of coconut oil.)

Note: When replacing sugar with honey it is not a 1=1 ratio. Since the sugar is granulated (and thus, more voluminous) and honey is liquid you need to use less honey. So while the half-recipe would call for 5/6 cup sugar, I used ½ cup honey. Broadly, the guidelines are 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey for every 1 cup sugar.
*** I kept it on the lower end of the scale since I added some chocolate chips at the end (instead of walnuts).

And here are the highlights (not step-by-step) of this endeavor via pictures:

Ingredients etc. I like to lay out everything that will be necessary ahead of time. I used a 9x9 inch Pyrex for baking. Remember that if you are making a half-batch, you will need a smaller pan.

First you mix all of the dry ingredients together (flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt). I put the salt and baking powder on the cocoa so you can see it.

Then you mix the liquids. This is just butter and honey. It looks far more appetizing than sugar and honey:) I fought the urge to dip a piece of fresh bread in this… Then you add in the egg, water, and vanilla.

Gradually add the dry mix to the wet concoction.

After stirring until blended, add in the extras, in this case chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into your 9x9 pan and spread it around evenly and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them toward the end, since they are brown, it is hard to detect when they are overcooked. So beware…

Pull out of the over and wait for it to cool before you cut your pieces.

I recommend cutting this into 9 pieces because it produces evenly sized brownies that are neither too big nor too small.

In sum, here are the reasons I prefer to make my own brownies:

1. Store-bought brownies are gross. Allow me to elaborate: In all my years of eating out, I’ve never once had a pre-packaged or bakery-bought brownie that was not too sweet, too rich/heavy, left a waxy sensation in my mouth, or was simply too large for one serving. I ALWAYS regret eating those.

2. You never know the quality of the ingredients they’re using. Are they using actual butter or are they cutting corners with margarine or cheap vegetable oils like canola oil? Are the eggs fresh, or do they use the soon-to-expire stuff for baking? I wonder about these not because I lack faith in humanity, but because I am seeking a reason for point #1: why do these versions never taste as good as home-made?

3. Making brownies is easy enough, buying them pre-made (or from the box-kit) is simply lazy. If I think I deserve a brownie, I better have the drive to make it myself.

4. That said, making brownies is relaxing, fun, and simple.

5. Making your own brownies will leave your home smelling wonderful.

6. Since you made them, and they’re awesome, you can give them away to loved ones. It’s a great way to show affection or appreciation (and prevent yourself from eating them all…).

Cheers!