Ina Garten has been beloved by generations, whether they’ve read her cookbooks, watched her TV shows, or even had the privilege of visiting the Barefoot Contessa store in the Hamptons when it was still in business (ugh, jealous!). Now, a new generation has discovered the magic of Queen Ina on TikTok.
Ina’s famous recipe for brownie pudding has recently gone viral on the app. Unlike regular brownies that can be cut into squares, the brownie pudding has a looser texture, with a hard outside and molten center. Ina credits the recipe to cookbook writer and specialty food store owner Anna Pump. Ina shared the recipe in her cookbook, Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics, and went on to recreate it in the television adaptation of the cookbook. In November, The Food Network’s TikTok account reposted the video clip of Ina making the dessert. Now, there are countless videos of fans recreating it.
From the looks of it, this warm, chocolaty treat it seems like the perfect holiday dessert, easy to make and with rave reviews.
One of the first videos I saw of the dessert was from @izziebebusy, which now has over 10 million views. The video says the dessert is “the best creation Ina has given this world.” Color me intrigued.
The recipe has made its way to other social media platforms, too. One Reddit post calls it “the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.” “It’s crispy AND gooey, I have no SFW way to describe my first bite,” the poster added.
Meanwhile, users on ye olde Instagram also had emphatic reactions. “WOW!! It tastes exactly like a chocolate soufflé. Rich, decadent, sweet, PERFECT!” @allyqueeks wrote.
Brownies are in my top five favorite desserts of all time. Given how easy they are to whip up, I go through periods of time where I make them weekly. At the same time, I love the idea of having a brownie-type dessert that’s a bit more molten. Top it all off by the fact that this recipe was approved by my favorite bob-rocking, scarf-wearing TV chef, Ms. Ina Garten? I had to make it.
How to Make Ina’s Brownie Pudding
I already had all the ingredients to make the recipe, so it was no sweat to make on a weeknight. To make the recipe, you’ll need butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla (I used extract instead of vanilla beans), cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, and vanilla ice cream for serving.
I halved the recipe, using an 8-by-8-inch circular pan instead of a 9×12 oval pan. But more on this later. Here’s how I made it:
STEP #1: Beat together the sugar and eggs on medium-high until the mixture is pale and thick, about 10 minutes.
While I typically make desserts by hand, it was worth getting out my stand mixer for this.
STEP #2: In the meantime, combine the flour and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.
STEP #3: While the mixer is on, melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly. Since I halved the recipe, I melted a single stick of butter in the microwave for one minute.
STEP #3: Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the cocoa-flour mixture and vanilla until just combined.
STEP #4: With the mixer still running, slowly add in the cooled, melted butter.
STEP #5: Pour the mixture into a lightly buttered pan.
STEP #6: Create a water bath by placing the pan with the batter inside into a bigger pan, filling the larger pan up with about an inch of hot water. Ina uses a 9-by-12-inch pan for the brownie pudding, placing it inside a roasting pan for the water bath. I placed my 8-inch circular pan into an oven-safe pot instead.
STEP #7: Bake at 325ºF — the original recipe takes an hour. Since I used a smaller quantity, I baked my brownie pudding for 45 minutes.
STEP #8: Serve hot from the oven with vanilla ice cream and ta-da! You’re done!
To keep it real: it would’ve been nearly impossible for me not to like this dessert. The taste is like a brownie, which is a dessert that we’ve established is a 10/10 in my book. Chocolaty, buttery, rich… what’s not to like?
But the texture is where we shake things up. The outer layer is satisfyingly crispy, with an audible crunch, like a thin meringue. Meanwhile, the inside is similar to a lava cake and almost mousse-like from the air whipped into the eggs. It’s soft and gooey, like an underbaked brownie or cake, but in a good way.
While I saw some TikTok posts saying the dessert is too sweet with the ice cream, I thought it was perfect. I couldn’t imagine having this rich, warm, chocolaty dessert without being balanced out by the cold, creamy ice cream. The brownie pudding was also incredible later on, served at room temperature — still with the ice cream, of course.
What really works about this recipe is that it takes the familiar, crowd-pleasing taste of brownies and spins it on its head with a new mouth feel. It’s also pretty stress-free to make, even with my dog crowding me in the kitchen while I made it. The recipe was so straightforward that I didn’t get overwhelmed.
I would 100% make Ina’s brownie pudding again, especially given the simplicity of the ingredients. If you’ve been looking for an easy dessert for a holiday party or potluck, I couldn’t recommend it enough.