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Brownie pudding is the viral, ultra-rich chocolate dessert combining the best parts of brownies and molten lava cake. This easy dessert bakes into a crackly top with a gooey, fudgy, pudding-like center that is chocolate lover’s dream dessert. Made famous by Ina Garten, brownie pudding is trending everywhere on TikTok, thanks to its simple ingredients, decadent texture, and rich flavor. You will love Ina Garten’s Brownie Pudding recipe!
Have you ever tried the famous Ina Garten Brownie Pudding Recipe? I have made it several times and it is always a hit and super popular so it was time to share it with you!
There’s a reason Brownie Pudding is blowing up across the internet right now — it’s everything people love about brownies, but with a molten, fudge-like twist that feels decadent enough to serve at a restaurant. Made famous by Ina Garten, brownie pudding tastes like a cross between a gooey molten lava cake, a hot fudge sundae, and the fudgiest brownie you’ve ever eaten. It’s soft, rich, warm, melty, and unbelievably chocolatey—basically the dream dessert for anyone who loves underbaked brownies or anything with a molten center.
The top layer bakes into a thin, delicate crust that cracks at the touch of a spoon, revealing a warm river of glossy, silky chocolate pudding underneath. It’s warm and gooey but still structured enough to scoop. This is the kind of recipe you pull out for dinner parties, holidays, date nights, or when you’re craving something indulgent but easy.
What makes brownie pudding so popular right now is that it delivers bakery-level results with almost no effort. It looks fancy, tastes luxurious, and requires basic pantry ingredients you probably already have. It’s also incredibly forgiving—thanks to the water bath—making it a stress-free dessert with maximum payoff. This is truly one of those “why have I not made this sooner?!” recipes, and you’re going to fall in love from the first spoonful.
What does Brownie Pudding taste like?
Brownie Pudding is a rich, ultra-fudgy, and intensely chocolatey, with a texture that is part brownie, part pudding, and part molten lava cake. It has the gooey, melty center of a molten lava cake, the rich smoothness of chocolate pudding, and the shiny, crispy top of a perfectly baked brownie.
Ina Garten Brownie Pudding Ingredients:
Salted Butter — Ina Garten’s Brownie Pudding Recipe calls for unsalted butter but I prefer to use salted butter since there is no salt called for in this recipe.
Eggs — The original recipe calls for 4 x-large eggs so I suggest using 5 large eggs instead, if that’s what you have on hand.
Granulated Sugar — Whipping the eggs and sugar together for 5-10 minutes is an integral step to allow air into the brownie pudding and it helps to create the outer crust.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder — I like to use Dutch process cocoa powder but any unsweetened cocoa powder will work.
All-Purpose Flour — This brownie pudding recipe only calls for 1/2 cup of flour, which gives it enough structure for it to not be pudding but not enough to be a brownie.
Vanilla Beans, Vanilla Bean Paste, or Vanilla Extract — I love to use vanilla bean paste but you can also use vanilla extract. Ina Garten uses scraped vanilla beans from a pod.
Ice Cream or Whipped Cream for topping — This is a must and I also like to sprinkle with a touch of powdered sugar on the top.
How to make the Best Chocolate Brownie Pudding:
- Prepare the pan for baking. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish (9 x 12 x 2 inch) and set aside.
- Melt the butter. Melt the salted butter gently, either on a stove or in the microwave. Let it cool slightly.
- Mix the eggs and sugar. In a bowl of a stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer), combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and fluffy — this usually takes 5-10 minutes.
- Add flavorings. Mix in vanilla and option liqueur, if using.
- Combine dry ingredients. Add cocoa powder and flour and mix just until combined.
- Pour in the slightly cooled melted butter and mix just until everything is combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Place that dish inside a larger roasting pan (one with sides high enough that water can go halfway up the baking pan). Add hot tap water to the outer pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Be careful not to get any water in the brownie pudding batter.
- Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour. The top will form a thin crust, but the inside will stay soft and pudding like.
- Cool slightly. Let the pudding rest for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Scoop into bowls and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Why do you use a water bath in this chocolate brownie pudding recipe?
The water bath is what makes brownie pudding so silky smooth. Without it, the edges would overbake while the center stays raw.
It cooks the pudding gently and evenly, while preventing the edges from drying out. It ensures the center stays molten and glossy. It helps creates that pudding-like consistency instead of a dense brownie.
Water Bath Tips:
- Place your baking dish inside a larger pan, like a roasting pan.
- Pour in HOT water (not boiling), halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
- Make sure NOT to splash water into the batter.
- If you have oven racks that can be pulled slightly out, you can place the baking dish and roasting pan into the oven and then slowly add the water.
- Don’t skip the water bath — it is essential for the texture.
Baking Tips for the Best Brownie Pudding:
- DON’T OVERBAKE! It should jiggle slightly when you shake the pan.
- Use Dutch-process cocoa for deeper flavor.
- Beat the eggs and sugar well, for 5-10 minutes, since they help to create the outer crust.
- Let the pudding rest for 10 minutes before serving so it thickens slightly.
- Serve warm for peak gooeyness with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Substitutions and Variations:
Mocha Brownie Pudding: Add 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder
Peppermint Brownie Pudding: Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
Mexican Hot Chocolate Pudding: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Pudding: Drizzle salted caramel all over the brownie pudding after baking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):
Yes! It is best served the day of but it can be baked up to 1 day ahead. Rewarm gently in the oven before serving.
If it isn’t gooey, it is overbaked or a water bath wasn’t used. Remove as soon as the top is set but the center still jiggles.
No! The center won’t bake properly, and the edges will overcook.
The top should appear dry and set, but the underneath should still be molten and pudding-like.
Move over regular brownies — brownie pudding is the dessert of the year. This rich, warm, molten chocolate recipe is blowing up on social media thanks to its gooey center and crackly brownie top. It’s quick to make, impossible to mess up, and guaranteed to steal the show at any gathering. If you want a dessert that everyone will ask you for the recipe for… this is the one. Let me know if you make it and what you think!
Popular Chocolate Desserts:
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Best Brownie Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) Salted Butter (plus extra for buttering the dish)
- 5 large Eggs (or 4 extra-large eggs)
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder *
- 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste (or seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract)
- 1 Tablespoon Framboise Liqueur (optional — I personally don't add it)
- Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream
Instructions
- Prepare the pan for baking. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish (9 x 12 x 2 inch) and set aside.
- Melt the salted butter gently, either on a stove or in the microwave. Let it cool slightly.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer), combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and fluffy — this usually takes 5-10 minutes.
- Mix in vanilla and optional liqueur, if using.
- Add cocoa powder and flour and mix just until combined.
- Pour in the slightly cooled melted butter and mix just until everything is combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Place that dish inside a larger roasting pan (one with sides high enough that water can go halfway up the baking pan). Add hot tap water to the outer pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Be careful not to get any water in the brownie pudding batter.
- Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour. The top will form a thin crust, but the inside will stay soft and pudding like. Cool slightly. Let the pudding rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if so desired. Scoop into bowls and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
Peppermint Brownie Pudding: Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
Mexican Hot Chocolate Pudding: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Pudding: Drizzle salted caramel all over the brownie pudding after baking. WATER BATH TIPS:
- Place your baking dish inside a larger pan, like a roasting pan.
- Pour in HOT water (not boiling), halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
- Make sure NOT to splash water into the batter.
- If you have oven racks that can be pulled slightly out, you can place the baking dish and roasting pan into the oven and then slowly add the water.
- Don’t skip the water bath — it is essential for the texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
