I first happened upon the Katharine Hepburn brownie recipe—a charmingly old-fashioned brownie recipe—in the article “A Harried Cook’s Guide to Some Fast Food” by Laurie Colwin, which appeared in the February 1992 issue of Gourmet magazine. Rumor has it the brownie recipe had actually appeared in print prior to that, in August 1975, when it was featured in The Ladies’ Home Journal.
Since then I’ve also happened upon it in countless other places, including the compilation of Saveur recipes known as The New Comfort Food, where editor James Oseland describes the brownies as “incredibly chewy bars with a full but mellow chocolate flavor.” I concur—and, seeing as this simple one-pan recipe has charmed its way into the hearts, recipe collections, and bellies of countless Americans, it seems that you do, too.
Jump To
Why Our Testers Loved This
The testers are describing these brownies as “perfect,” “incredible,” and “the best.” It’s not surprising, given that they require only a handful of ingredients and one saucepan.
Notes on Ingredients
- Unsalted butter–I prefer to use unsalted butter for baking since the salt levels in salted butter can vary, but if you need to substitute salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
- Unsweetened chocolate–This is very dark, bitter chocolate. You may find it labeled as baking chocolate or baker’s chocolate.
- Vanilla extract–Only the real stuff, please!
- Walnuts–These are optional but highly recommended.
How to Make Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-inch baking pan, line with parchment, and butter the paper.
- Combine the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan set over low heat.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the chocolate and butter are melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar.
Want to Save This?
I'll email this to you, so you can come back to it later. Booyah!
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir until the batter is smooth.
- Add the flour, salt, and walnuts, if using, and mix until everything is combined and no dry patches remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Common Questions
They are rich and fudgy one-bowl brownies that were supposedly created by the famous actress herself, who had a love for baking. They are well known for their intense chocolate taste and the simplicity of the recipe, which requires minimal ingredients.
Definitely. Let them cool completely after baking then store them in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months. You can freeze them as individual squares or as an entire pan.
Pro Tips
- To cut clean, even squares, let the brownies cool completely before slicing.
Storage
Store the brownies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage. Separate layers with sheets of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
More Amazing Brownie Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Don’t bother with a box mix. This is an easy and delicious recipe for brownies. They are thin, but that’s okay because they’re fudgy and delicious.
Ellen
Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the pan
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.
- Melt the 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter and 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate together in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until combined.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the 1 cup granulated sugar.
- Add the 2 large eggs and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and stir to make a smooth batter.
- Add the ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts, if using, and stir until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Cut them cleanly–To cut clean, even squares, let the brownies cool completely before slicing.
- Storage–Store the brownies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage. Separate layers with sheets of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
In my opinion, Katharine Hepburn’s brownies are perfect brownies. They’re dark and fudgy with a little edge of bitter flavor. The fact that you can make this recipe in one saucepan only increases its appeal.
I’ll admit I was impatient and tried cutting into them while they were still warm. But they were too soft to remove from the pan neatly and their flavor was also too sweet. Wait until they’re completely cool, because that’s when they transform into the perfect balance of bitter and sweet (and, they’re much easier to handle).
These are the absolute best brownies I’ve ever made! While I respect Kate, it was the note about the recipe coming from a Laurie Colwin article that had me squeeze in some time to make these great brownies. And, having made them, my passion for Colwin continues on unabated. I could’ve eaten the entire batch myself, in one sitting or standing—as I found myself next to the counter, slicing off one bite after another until I’d eaten a full quarter-batch.
If “old-fashioned” translates to “uncomplicated, straightforward and easy,” then this recipe is certainly the best of old-fashioned. Everything mixes in the saucepan and then transfers into a baking pan.
Because Colwin’s preference was for plain (no nuts), I made them this way. However, I do like nuts in my brownies and will make them next time with the optional walnuts. Or I’ll make a double batch, half with and half without, since these terrific Katharine Hepburn brownies are so easy to prepare.
Incredible. These are super easy, one-saucepan brownies. The baking time was right on, and they were absolutely delicious. Though nuts are optional, as far as I’m concerned, they make these Katharine Hepburn brownies even more heavenly.
I shared them with family, and our rating was unanimous: Chewy, chocolaty, and absolutely wonderful. I think I’ll make another batch tonight. Do try them. You won’t be disappointed.
This is an easy, basic, no-fuss, old-fashioned recipe—perfect for those who love sweet, uncomplicated brownies. They’re chewy on the edges, moist and fudgy in the middle, and they form the hallmark of a good brownie: That thin, crispy layer on top.
As the chocolate is really the star here, make sure to use the best quality unsweetened you can find. With a dollop of vanilla ice cream, the sweet tooth of both young and old should be sated with these Katharine Hepburn brownies.
This Katharine Hepburn brownie recipe is easy and absolutely delicious. It took about 5 minutes to mix and 40 minutes to bake. I might have underbaked the brownies just a bit, as they are very chewy and fudgy. This makes them delicious, but very difficult to cut into neat squares. A few more minutes in the oven wouldn’t have compromised moistness, but would’ve made it easier for a beautiful presentation of perfectly cut squares.
These Katharine Hepburn brownies are nice, chewy brownies. I’m not a fan of nuts in brownies, so I like that the basic recipe calls for no additions (they’re just optional). I love that the recipe comes together so quickly, too. There weren’t any left in the pan to take to work the next day.
These brownies could not be simpler to make. The recipe yields light, moist, fudgy, somewhat thin brownies with a slightly cake-like texture.
I love that this recipe does not call for a lot of flour. All the ingredients were already in my pantry except for the unsweetened chocolate. I ended up using Valrhona bittersweet (70%) and added just shy of 1 cup sugar.
The recipe was right on in terms of baking time and the brownies were enjoyed by all. I will definitely make this recipe again. I lined my pan with parchment so clean up was a breeze.
I’ve made them without the walnuts because majority of people here rather without. I also made them a few times again only I added 4 to 5 ounces of quality chocolate (usually mix dark and milk chocolate) into the already incorporated bowl of melted butter and dutch processed unsweetened cocoa. It adds a whole level of yummy into the brownie. Both ways are delicious with or without the melted chocolate. PS always sift your dry ingredients. Ex flour, cocoa, sugar etc.
Thanks, Jessica. They look decadent!