Easy, Breezy, Beautiful, Brownie Mug

We all have those days.  The ones where you just need some chocolate, not necessarily a bake an entire pan of brownies need, but the ones where simply eating chocolate chips straight from the bag seems unnecessarily undignified.  Don't get me wrong, I'll spring for a handful, or three, of straight chocolate chips unashamedly, but what do you do when you want something with a little more consistency?  A more complex flavor?  The answer my friends is a mug brownie!

Now I can probably guess what you're thinking.  No doubt you, like myself, have attempted a fair share of mug cakes and mug cookies only to have them fall flat, come out under cooked  overcooked, flavorless, burned, etc.  I had all but given up on the mug as a method of baking until running across this recipe and realizing that perhaps a brownie was worth giving the mug a fifth shot.  Think about it, the best brownies are ones that are slightly crisp around the edges and gooey on the inside, right?  As that is what mugs seems to do when used for baking are not the mug and the brownie the perfect couple?  I won't lie, it will take a couple of tries to find the perfect time to cook in your microwave, but if the end result is still tasty each and every time then who are we to complain?

Dry ingredients come first. 

Followed by just the smallest bit of wet.

Mix it up real good making sure to scrape everything into the mug.  

Pop in the microwave and voila!

 That really and truly is all there is to it!  Now go treat yourself to a little mug brownie and be content in the knowledge that there's not a whole pan of them to return to.

Recipe:
4 T flour
4 T sugar
2 T cocoa powder
2 T vegetable oil
2 T water
dash of salt
any extra ingredients you may choose to include - chocolate chips, nuts, granola, etc. it would all work

• Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt to a mug
• Add the vegetable oil and water on top
• Mix well!  (I found using a butter knife to mix ensured I got everything from the bottom of the mug)
• Microwave for about a minute (I've found 50 seconds seems to be perfect on mine but the time will differ for everyone)
• If you've chosen to add extra ingredients this would be the time to do so and mix thoroughly
• The center should still be slightly moist
• Indulge!

Now that I've become somewhat of a pro at this one it has become far too easy to have a sweet snack, what  is your go to sweet indulgence?

Thanks for reading and happy baking!