Single-Serve Brownie Pudding (My Take on Ina Garten’s Viral Dessert)
If you’re as chronically online as me then you will probably know what this viral dessert is. And if you’re not then congratulations, tell me your secrets, and let me introduce you to Ina garten’s brownie pudding but made single serve. Though I can’t take much credit for this dessert, which I’ve adapted to be made as the perfect solo portion, I can wholeheartedly say that it is absolutely incredible. Because of the method of mixing and the way it’s baked you get the perfect crisp but chewy brownie top and a deliciously decadent puddingy middle. Chocolate fondant meets chocolate brownie. I mean what more could you want from a single serve dessert?
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Why You’ll Want to Make This Recipe
A Single-Serve Dessert That Feels Like a Treat Just for You
This brownie pudding is perfectly portioned for one, so you get all the decadence without the waste. It’s the ideal small-batch bake when you want something properly indulgent but don’t want a full tray of brownies sitting on the counter.
Small Batch Baking at Its Easiest
With one egg, a small bowl, and a handful of cupboard staples, you can create a dessert that tastes like it came straight from a restaurant kitchen. No melting chocolate, no complicated equipment: just whisk, bake, and enjoy.
The Best of Both Worlds: Fondant Meets Brownie
Because the batter is whisked until light and baked in a water bath, you get that dreamy contrast of textures:
- crisp, shiny top
- chewy brownie edge
- molten, pudding-like centre
It genuinely feels like a cross between a classic chocolate fondant and the fudgiest brownie imaginable.
It’s Adaptable to Your Sweet Tooth
Bake for less time for a gooier middle, or a little longer for a fudgier, more set texture. You’re in control- which is one of the joys of cooking for one!
Eleanor’s Top Tips for Perfect Brownie Pudding
Whisk the egg and sugar properly
The pale, fluffy mixture is what gives this dessert its signature crust. Don’t skip the whisking, it’s essential for the shiny brownie top.
Don’t over mix after adding the dry ingredients
You want to keep the batter light. A very quick whisk is all it needs.
Use a proper water bath (bain-marie)
This prevents the edges from cooking too fast and keeps the centre gorgeously molten.
Choose the right ramekin
A 250–300ml ramekin works best for achieving that perfect gooey-centre-crispy-top balance.
Baking time is flexible
- 25 minutes → runny, fondant-like centre
- 30 minutes → gooey but slightly set (my favourite)
- 35 minutes → fudgier, less molten
Trust your spoon: the top should look set, but the pudding should still wobble a little.
Ingredient Breakdown (What Each Ingredient Does)
Egg
Only half an egg is needed here. Whisking it well creates that pale, airy structure essential for the brownie crust.
Granulated Sugar
The sugar is beaten with the egg until fluffy, helping create that crackly top while sweetening the pudding through.
Vanilla Extract
Adds warmth and rounds out the chocolate flavour. You only need a splash.
Cocoa Powder
The sole chocolate component here, giving the pudding its rich, deep chocolate hit.
Plain Flour
Just enough to give structure to the batter. Too much and it becomes cake-like, too little and it won’t set.
Salt
A tiny pinch makes the chocolate taste richer and more complex.
Melted Butter
Adds richness and moisture, contributing to the fudgy, silky texture inside.
Icing Sugar (for dusting)
Optional, but adds a lovely visual finish and gentle sweetness.
Dietary Variations
Dairy-Free
Swap the butter for:
- melted dairy-free butter block, or
- a mild-tasting oil (like light olive oil or vegetable oil)
The texture will be slightly different (a bit softer), but still delicious.
Gluten-Free
Use any 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Because the recipe only uses 10g flour, it adapts very well.
Extra Chocolatey
Add 15–20g dark chocolate chips to the batter for a lava-like centre.
Festive Twist
Add any of the following:
- a pinch of cinnamon
- a splash of orange extract
- crushed peppermint chocolate on top
Troubleshooting
“My brownie top didn’t go shiny or crisp.”
You likely didn’t whisk the egg and sugar long enough. It must be very pale and fluffy.
“The centre set too much — it’s not gooey.”
Your oven may run hot. Reduce baking time by 3–5 minutes next time, or place the dish lower in the oven.
“The batter looked too thick.”
You may have over-mixed after adding the flour. A very quick whisk is all that’s needed.
“Water leaked into my ramekin!”
Your ramekin may not be fully watertight or you may have filled the water bath too high. Keep the water level halfway up the ramekin and place it carefully.
FAQs
What is brownie pudding?
Brownie pudding is a hybrid dessert with the crisp top of a brownie and the molten, spoonable centre of a chocolate fondant. It’s baked in a water bath for a creamy, pudding-like texture.
Why do I only use half an egg?
This recipe is truly single-serve, so you only need half. The remaining half can be used in eggs, pancakes, scrambled eggs, French toast, or another small-batch bake.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can whisk the batter and refrigerate it for up to 2 hours. Bake directly from the fridge, adding 2–3 minutes to the baking time.
Can I bake it without a water bath?
You can, but the texture won’t be the same. The edges will cook faster and the centre won’t stay as molten.
What size ramekin should I use?
A 200–300ml ramekin gives the best result for a gooey, brownie-meets-pudding texture.
Ingredients
1 Egg
50g Granulated Sugar
1/4 Tsp Vanilla Extract
10g Cocoa Powder
10g Plain Flour
Pinch of Salt
30g Butter, melted
Icing Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 165ºC.
- In a small bowl, beat your egg until combined then pour 1/2 into a larger mixing bowl (you only need 1/2 for this recipe so save the other 1/2 for something else). Add the sugar then use an electric whisk to whisk until the eggs are very pale and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and whisk again for a couple of seconds.
- Sift in the cocoa powder, plain flour and salt and whisk very briefly until just combined.
- Add the melted butter and whisk for a final time, again until just combined.
- Pour into an individual ramekin then place the ramekin in a larger baking dish. Fill the baking dish with hot water until the water reaches halfway up the ramekin.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until the top is firm and set but the pudding still gives when gently pressed- less time will give you a runnier, more fondant-esque result while baking for longer will give you a fudgier consistency. I went for 30 minutes.
- Dust with icing sugar before serving.
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Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
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One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
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This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?